We are writing to share some information about year 5.
Our two classes are Foxes class with Ms Stirling and Badgers class with Mrs Mac Taggart. Our teaching assistants are Mrs Vaughan, Mrs Wilde, Mr Halley and Mr Johnson.
Curriculum
Our project question is “Is anybody out there?” which involves exploring the depths of space. In English, we will be starting the term reading Cosmic by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and focusing on our descriptive writing inspired by this text. Through our project, we will have particular focus on science and music this term. In science, we will study the planets in our solar system, the phases of the Moon, and also look at space missions to the Moon and beyond. In music, we will be learning about the work of Gustav Holst, creating dances and our own compositions based on space-themed music. An overview of the curriculum can be found on the school website St Wilfrid's C of E Primary - Our Curriculum.
Reading at Home
Even when your child enjoys reading and reads well on their own, they still need to read aloud all the way through their junior years. Books can be borrowed from the school library and each year group has a selection of books that your child can borrow and read at home. Every time your child reads at home, you (or your child) should fill in the page numbers/chapters read on their online reading record ‘Boom Reader’. Children have received their log in details for this. If they read 5 times in a week, they will receive reading reward time. We also celebrate which class has read the most in our celebration worship on a Friday.
Our new ‘St Wilfrid’s Reading Challenge’ has also started where children are given the challenge of reading 6 carefully chosen texts for their year group across the school year. These books can be read independently by the child or enjoyed with an adult at home. The children will then have some questions to answer about the book when they return it to school.
Homework
Maths: Maths homework will be an activity on the website MyMaths. This will be set on a Friday and expected to be completed by the following Friday.
Times Tables: Times tables to 12, and related division facts, should be practised on an on-going basis, ideally a few minutes daily. Children are expected to know these and be making progress with them. ‘Times Tables Rockstars’ is an excellent website to use to practise these. We will be completing times table challenges in school and the children will bring these home so that you can see which times tables they may need particular support with.
Spellings: Weekly spellings will be set on Spelling shed. These words will be a mixture of words from the statutory ‘word lists’ and those with particular spelling patterns. We will set the spellings on Fridays, there will also be a spelling test in school on a Thursday.
English: We will set monthly English homework via Microsoft Teams. The children can submit their work on Teams via the assignment tab, email to the year group email (below), or bring it into school. We will enjoy sharing this homework as a class after the homework deadline.
All children are expected to complete and submit their homework on time. Children have been given their log-in details for the above websites, but if these have been misplaced, please inform the class teacher.
PE
This term, PE is on a Tuesday and Friday for both classes.
On these days, children should attend school in their PE kit. If there is any reason why your child cannot participate in a PE session, please let the class teacher know by email. Children are allowed to wear plimsolls or sports trainers, which are particularly useful during the winter months. PE is only cancelled in the event of heavy rain, icy or extremely cold conditions, therefore a pair of jogging bottoms and a sweatshirt (ideally navy) are allowed. Children with pierced ears must be able to remove their own earrings or cover these with tape brought from home.
Water bottles and snacks
Please remember to bring in a water bottle and a healthy fruit or savoury snack (for example, fresh fruit, a bagel, raisins) for break time. Please ensure any snacks are both nut and egg free.
Uniform
Please ensure your child has a waterproof coat in school every day. Children will only stay indoors at playtimes if it is raining heavily. All clothing, including PE kit, should be labelled with your child’s surname.
We are looking forward to a great Autumn term. If at any point you have a message for your child’s teacher, please contact us through the year group email: year5@stwilfrids-hh.school
Please do contact us if you have any questions.
Best Wishes
Mrs Mac Taggart and Ms Stirling
