Indigo - Year 5
Spring 2 Newsletter
Welcome back to the second half of our Spring term. We hope the children have had lots of rest following our exciting few days at Robinwood. All the children really impressed us with their skills, teamwork and confidence and we had such a great 3 days!
This half term, we will be joined by Miss Clarke who is a student teacher from Manchester University. She will be with us from Thursday 20th March until Friday 20th June.
Swimming and PE stays the same this half term – Swimming on a Wednesday and PE on a Thursday. Please ensure all earrings are removed on a Wednesday and Thursday before coming to school as for health and safety reasons, children will not be able to participate in swimming or PE with them in.
English and Maths
We are learning about WW2 this half term so all our English texts will be based around this. We will put ourselves in the role of an evacuee and write letters home and will delve into Anne Frank’s diary.
In Maths, we will look again at fractions and how these link to decimal and percentages.
Wider Curriculum
Our topics this half term are:
RE: What difference does it make to believe in ahisma (harmlessness), grace and ummah (community)?
Science: Let’s Get Moving!
History: WW2 and the effects on Stockport
Computing: Concept maps and databases
D&T: Food and nutrition - burgers
Music: Building a groove / Epoca
PSHE: Healthy me
French: French-speaking world
PE: Swimming and outdoor fitness
Homework expectations
Each Monday, we send out homework books with new spellings and a different times table to practise each week. The expectation is that the children practise these spellings (they can use fun spelling strategies we have practised in class!) and write 5 sentences containing their words, as well as practising the focused times table for that week. On a Friday, we will have our spelling test and a times table test. The children will have 3 minutes and 30 seconds to answer as many times tables as they can.
Reading prizes
Please remind your child to record in their reading diary when they have read. Each day, we will reward anyone that has read the night before with a raffle ticket. These raffle tickets will be placed in a bag and at the end of the half term, we will pull two raffle tickets out for children to receive a prize. The more raffle tickets your child has, the more chance they have of winning!
Dates for your diary
Monday 10th March - Space workshop with Mr Derbyshire
Thursday 20th March – Student teacher from Manchester University begins placement
Friday 7th March – World Book Day celebrations (Children can come to school dressed up as their favourite character or in their pjs!)
Friday 14th March - Non-uniform day for the Easter raffle (bring a chocolate item)
Friday 21st March - Red nose day (Children can wear red for a £1 donation)
Wednesday 2nd April – Disability Awareness Workshop (AM) and Easter Workshop with Mrs Fullalove (PM)
Monday 7th April – Trip to Stockport Air Raid shelters
Tuesday 8th April – Parent’s morning 9-10am (Easter crafts)
Wednesday 9th April – Final swimming lesson of Year 5
Spring 1 Newsletter
Happy New Year and welcome back to a busy half term with lots planned!
Our PE days have changed this half term. The only day in the week your child needs to come to school in their PE kits is a Thursday, as this is when we have PE. Swimming takes our second PE slot in the week and we will travel to Grand Central swimming baths each Wednesday afternoon to take part in our lessons. Please ensure your child brings their swimming kit in a bag each Wednesday, but that full school uniform is worn to school.
Please ensure all earrings are removed on a Wednesday and Thursday before coming to school as for health and safety reasons, children will not be able to participate in swimming or PE with them in.
We have our Residential coming up between Monday 10th February and Wednesday 12th February. A date will be sent out regarding a meeting with information about the residential ASAP.
Mrs Burns and Mrs Johnson
Literacy and Maths
In Literacy, we will be focusing on texts linked to Space, and we will have a go at writing our own adventure story, factual report and space-themed poetry.
Last half term, we really improved our fraction skills. This half term, we will focus on multiplication and division and then refine these fraction skills before February half term.
Wider Curriculum
Our topics this half term are:
RE: Is it better to express your beliefs in art and architecture or charity and generosity?
Science: Out of this world (Space)
Geography: Extreme Earth
Computing: Online Safety and Databases
Art: Painting (Focus artists – Paul Nash and Pablo Picasso)
Music: Madina tun nabi (Islamic song)
PSHE: Dreams and goals
French: Space exploration and shopping
PE: Swimming and Dance
Homework expectations
Each Monday, we send out homework books with new spellings and a different times table to practise each week. The expectation is that the children practise these spellings and write 5 sentences containing their words, as well as practising the focused times table for that week. We know that some nights are busier than others with clubs and busy family lives, but we ask that the children spend 15 minutes or so practising these at least 3 times a week.
Reading prizes
Please continue to encourage your child to read for pleasure. Each day, we will reward anyone that has read the night before with a raffle ticket. These raffle tickets will be placed in a box and at the end of the half term, we will pull two raffle tickets out for children to receive a prize. The more raffle tickets your child has, the more chance they have of winning! All books you read together at home count if they are recorded – not just school books!
Dates for your diary
Wednesday 8th January – Swimming starts
Friday 10th January AM – Cinderella panto for the children
Tuesday 21st January – Visit to Reddish Vale Country Park
Wednesday 22nd January AM – RE workshop with Mrs Fullalove
Tuesday 28th / Thursday 30th January – Parents Evening
Thursday 30th January AM – Workshop delivered by the NSPCC
Monday 10th – Wednesday 12th February – Residential
Autumn 2 Newsletter
Welcome back to school! We had a great first half term in Year 5 and we have a jam-packed few weeks ahead in the run-up to Christmas. Year 5 are beginning a project with the Stockport Climate Assembly, where we will look at current environmental issues and come up with innovative ways to make Stockport a better place for all. This will be introduced to us on a video call with the Stockport Climate Assembly team on Tuesday 12th November.
Please also look out for letters regarding our upcoming residential this half term!
Mrs Burns
Literacy and Maths
We will be reading a graphic novel version of Tom's Midnight Garden, and using this to base our writing on this half term. As we move towards Christmas, we will explore dual narrative writing and have a go at writing from two perspectives at the same time. We will embed lots of new SPAG concepts in our writing to make it even more interesting! We will also study newspaper and magazine articles and compare older articles to more recent articles, before having a go at writing our own. We will also be looking closely at a range of texts in Guided Reading, including Wonder by R J Palacio, and the poem Daffodils by William Wordsworth.
In Maths, we will focus on multiplication and division, before moving onto fractions. Please ensure your child practises their multiplication and division facts regularly, as they require these skills daily for their maths work now they are in Upper Key Stage 2. I will test the children on division facts each Friday this half term (along with their weekly spellings) - you will see which one we are focusing on each week in your child's homework book.
Wider Curriculum
Our topics this half term are:
RE: What would Jesus do? (Can we live by the values of Jesus in the 21st Century?)
Science: Circle of Life
Geography: Mountains,
Computing: 3D Modelling
E-Safety: Managing online information
D&T: Building bridges
Music: Why we sing and an introduction to song writing
PSHE: Dreams and goals
French: Space exploration
PE: Outdoor sports and Gymnastics
Outdoor PE will continue to be on a Monday afternoon with Moses from City in the Community, and Gymnastics will continue to be on a Wednesday afternoon in the hall with Dan. Please ensure children come to school on these days in black or navy blue joggers and a white top. Please also ensure that all earrings are removed on these days as for health and safety reasons, children are not allowed to take part in PE with them in.
Additional Information
Homework expectations
Each Monday, we send out homework books with new spellings and a different times table / division facts to practise each week. The expectation is that the children practise these spellings (they can use fun spelling strategies we have practised in class!) and write 5 sentences containing their words, as well as practising the focused times table / division facts for that week. We know that some nights are busier than others with clubs and busy family lives, but we ask that the children practise these at least 3 times a week. We ask that they bring their homework books back each night to check on their progress throughout the week.
Reading at home
To help encourage the children with their reading at home, our Year 6 helpers will reward anyone that has read the night before (and recorded this in their reading record) with a raffle ticket. These raffle tickets will be placed in a prize bag and at the end of the half term, we will pull two raffle tickets out for children to receive a prize. The more raffle tickets your child has, the more chance they have of winning!
Dates for your diary:
Week beginning Monday 11th November - Multi-faith week. .We will learn more about SIkhism and share what we have done in assembly on Friday 15th November.
Tuesday 12th November - Odd socks day for Anti-bullying week.
Tuesday 12th November - Year 5's video call with the Stockport Schools Climate team.
Friday 15th November - Children in Need. Children may come to school in their own clothes for £1 donation.
Monday 25th November - Pupil nasal flu vaccination.
Wednesday 4th December - RE Workshop with Mrs Fullalove from Christians in Schools.
Thursday 12th December - KS2 Christmas Carol Service at St Mary's Church - 2-3pm.
Friday 13th December - Christmas jumper day and Christmas dinner.
Tuesday 17th December - Christmas craft morning. Parents invited to join us 9-10am.
Thursday 19th December - Finish for Christmas.
Autumn 1 Newsletter
Welcome to Year 5!
I am very excited for the year ahead, and I hope the children are too! We cover so many fantastic topics in Year 5 and I'm hopeful for a successful year for all! Here is what we have in store for our first half term...
Please note that PE for this term is on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Please could children come to school in their PE kits on these days, with earrings removed.
Mrs Burns
English and Maths
This half term, we are delving straight into history by learning about how Britain changed through Anglo-Saxon and Viking times. We will look at the poem Beowulf and the Kennings poetry contained within it, and then will focus our attention on writing informative texts based on the book Viking Boy: The Real Story.
In Maths, we will start the year by looking at place value, including Roman Numerals, and addition and subtraction, including using lots of tried and tested methods. We will continue to practise our times tables and mental maths skills, as well as refining our reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Wider Curriculum
This half term, we will be learning about:
RE: If God is everywhere, why go to a place of Worship?
Science: Growing up and growing old
History: Changes to Britain: Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons
Computing: Word Processing and Spreadsheets
Art: Digital collage and image manipulation
French: French monster pets
Music: What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
PSHE: Being me in my world
PE: City in the community games (Monday)
Outdoor sports (Wednesday)
Additional information
SImilar to Year 4, homework expectations for Year 5 are times tables / division facts, spellings and reading.
Homework books will be handed out on a Monday, with a specific times table to practise (this will sometimes be part of a TT Rockstars challenge) and some spellings to practise. On a Friday, we will have our times table test and spelling test. We ask that children practise both their times table and spelling list each night (I will show them some new ways they can practise to keep it interesting!) and hand their homework book in a few times a week so we can monitor their progress.
Reading is also a fundamental part of homework each week. Children will be able to change their reading book as and when they finish a book, from our collection in the classroom. We will also visit the library once a week so children will have 2 books from school at any time. Please ensure your child reads several times a week (20 minutes a night is preferable) and records this in their reading diaries. Each morning, I will collect reading diaries in from those that have read the night before and they will receive a raffle ticket which will go in our raffle bag. At the end of each half term, I will pull 2 raffle tickets out of the bag and the winners will receive a prize. The more raffle tickets a child has, the greater their chance of winning! Please help encourage your children with their reading, as the reading tests in Year 5 are a big jump from Year 4. We will monitor children's reading at home on a weekly basis.
Dates for your diary
Tuesday 3rd September - Parents meeting in Year 5 after school
Wednesday 11th September - RE lesson with Mrs Fullalove