Year 5 Class Newsletter Autumn (1st Half Term) 2014
Welcome to Year 5. I hope you have had a fantastic summer and are ready to begin an exciting year
ahead. I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year. This half of the Autumn
term we will be studying the following topics:
Literacy
This half term our literacy topics will be Ancient Greek myths and legends and report writing. Within
our Ancient Greek myths and legends topic we will be focusing on the story of Theseus and the
Minotaur. The children will be re-telling the story from the perspectives of several different
characters from the myth. During our report writing topic the children will write a report in the
form of an information leaflet in which they will compare the Ancient and the modern Olympic Games.
Maths
 Addition and Subtraction
 Multiplication and Division
 Fractions
 Number and Place Value
 Measurement; Statistics
 Geometry (Properties of Shapes)
Topic
This term our topic is Ancient Greece and as part of their learning, the children will be immersed in
role play during the majority of lessons. They will be acting as Ancient Greek cultural experts who
have been asked to support the Greek tourist board to promote cultural tourism in Greece. They will
be learning about the Greek gods and comparing and contrasting both the Ancient Greek cities of
Athens and Sparta and the modern and ancient Olympic Games. They will also be developing their
skills of observation and deduction by using pictures of Ancient Greek pottery to infer what it was
like living between 800 and 600 BC. One of the main aims of our Topic lessons will be for the
children to discover how Ancient Greek culture has influenced our lives today.
Science
Our science topic is titled ‘Earth and Space.’ The children will learn about the shape, size and the
distance between the planets and how the phenomenon of night and day occurs. Our science lessons
will be linked to topic lessons as the children will discover the contributions Ancient Greek scientists
made to our understanding of the solar system today.
RE
This half term the pupils will be learning about the religion of Judaism, particularly focusing on
Jewish festivals.
PSHE
We will be discussing the importance of respecting property. The children will also be learning the
difference between a Fixed and Growth Mindset and how to develop a Growth Mindset.
PE
We will be doing swimming on Tuesdays, gymnastics on Thursdays and PE on Fridays so it is very
important that the children have their PE kits/swimming gear in school on these days. PE kit should
be named and should include: black shorts, a white ring necked t-shirt, trainers/plimsolls, socks and
black or grey jogging bottoms or leggings for when the weather turns cooler.
Music
Every Monday afternoon an external organisation will be coming to school to teach the children
drumming skills.
Homework
Your child has been given a new homework folder and the homework grid for this term which is based
around our topic of Ancient Greece. Each child has been given a minimum points target that is
individual to them. They can and should look to exceed this target by as much as possible by the end
of this term. This being said, they should ensure they achieve an appropriate balance of quality and
quantity. At the end of the term, prizes will be given to the pupils who are felt to have put the most
effort into their homework. The children must complete and hand in at least one piece of homework
per week and must do at least one activity from each row on the grid before the end of the term. I
encourage both the pupils and yourselves to ask about anything you are unsure of. Miss Williams,
Miss Lee and I are happy to help in clarifying the tasks and can also assist in providing and/or finding
appropriate resources and information. Miss Williams and Miss McLaughlin will also be running a
homework club this year (more information to follow in a separate letter.) Their homework folder
should be handed in every Friday with: their homework grid, their maths homework and their
selected and completed homework task/s (from the homework grid) inside. I will look at/read the
children’s homework every Friday, highlight the tasks they have successfully completed on their grid
and then hand their folders back to them before home time.
Maths homework will be given out on Mondays and will be due in on Fridays. Spellings will also be
given out on Mondays and the children will be tested on Fridays. Please help your child to learn their
spellings each week as this will help them to progress in literacy.
The children are expected to have their reading book and planner in school every day as we try to
find as many opportunities as possible for each pupil to read with Miss Williams, Miss Lee or myself
and this could take place on any day of the week. Whenever your child reads with Miss Williams, Miss
Lee or myself (either as an individual or as a member of their guided reading group) it will be written
in their planner. Every child will read at least twice a week in school after this week (this week is
assessment week.) We ask that you (or a Grandparent or older sibling) aim to listen to your child
read 3 times a week (making note of when you do on the right hand side of their planner on the
correct day) and then ask them questions on what they have read to check their understanding of the
text. This will greatly help them to progress with their reading.
General Reminders
Your child was given a new planner last week. Planners act as a method of communication between
home and school. If you have any message for myself or Mrs Gray then please write them in here.
Please make sure your child then brings any messages to our attention as soon as possible. Miss
Williams, Miss Lee and I will write any messages we have for your or your child in here as well. The
beginning and end of the planner has lots of invaluable information in which the children and I read
through last week (I encourage you to do the same.) Please fill in page 5 of the children’s planners as
soon as possible as this gives us permission to take the children on local outings (including swimming
lessons.)
If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask myself, Miss Lee or Miss Williams.
Thank you for your continued support
Miss Wright