Welcome to Year 5! Let's find out what we will be learning this term...

English We will be exploring four interesting texts across the Autumn term. Our first is a rich and emotional story called “The Tear Thief”, from which we will write our own story about a ‘feelings’ thief. “I am a Cat” is a beautiful, poetic text which will allow us to research and use similes to describe different animals. After reading “Wallace and Gromit’s Cracking Contraptions”, we will use technical vocabulary to describe our own invention. Finally, in “Flotsam” we will describe settings and characters in a story, to tell what happens to a child who makes an interesting discovery.

Maths Our first unit will focus on place value, looking at numbers to 1,000,000. We will recognise each part of a number and partition it into smaller parts. We will then use this learning to add and subtract numbers mentally with increasingly large numbers. Later in the term, we will develop our understanding of multiplication and division exploring factors, square, prime and cube numbers. We will end by recognising, comparing and ordering fractions then fractions.

Reading Across the whole term, the children will focus on reading every day to develop their fluency and expression. We will also aim to build their vocabulary alongside improving skills of inference, prediction, explaining, retrieving, summarising and sequencing texts. We will continue to use accelerated reader to help children track their progress and it remains essential for your child to continue to read at home, preferably to an adult.

Science We have a fantastic physics topic ahead, exploring the force of gravity as air and water resistance through a range of investigations including parachutes and mechanical devices. We will follow this by learning about the behaviour of the Sun, Moon and the Planets in our Solar System. We aim to investigate and understand how the movement of the celestial bodies may be different to how it appears

PSHE The themes for this term are Living in the wider world and relationships considering feelings and emotions, healthy relationships and valuing differences. The children will be exploring how to recognise the feelings of others and strategies to deal with these emotions. They will also be looking at their rights and responsibilities as a citizen, how we can stay safe and explore what we mean by prejudice and discrimination.

R.E We will consider creation, comparing the Bible story of creation with scientific theories and consider whether these views are conflicting or complementary. We will look at different ways that Christians might interpret the Bible story and consider how and why many Christians find that science and faith can fit together well.

Geography By studying “Changes in our Local Environment”, we will first learn about the UK and its key features. Then we will explore changes to our local area that have taken place in the past and those that could take place in the future and consider the differing opinions people might have about this.

History We will continue our study of English History by learning about the Anglo-Saxons: who they were and why they settled in Britain. We will investigate the Sutton Hoo ship burial and Staffordshire Hoard, as well as written evidence to find out what the Anglo-Saxons were like and whether this period was really a ‘Dark Age’.

P.E PE will be delivered by Achieve4All on Mondays and by Mr Sands on Thursday. Please ensure that you have the correct kit on these days. We will begin by developing our ball skills in netball to know how we can respond in game situations. In the second half term, we will be developing seated balances to explore matching and mirroring in gymnastics.

French In Autumn 1, we will learn the names for our pets and then introduce them focusing on the correct gender. In Autumn 2, we will learn the months of the year and how to say when our birthday occurs.

Computing We will begin by evaluating ways of sharing information and working together online. Our second unit will cover video editing where we will record and consider the impact of editing choices.

Music We will explore rock anthems from the 70s and 80s (the greatest era for music!). Our focus song will be ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ by Bon Jovi alongside other classics of this genre, which will inspire singing, performing and composing using new techniques and structures.

Art Our unit is entitled “Typography & Maps”, in which we will explore how we can create typography through drawing and design. We will use our skills to create personal and highly visual maps.

DT This term we will enjoy food technology to celebrate culture and seasoning including cooking and nutrition requirements.

Homework The most important thing that you can do to support your child is to read to/with them and practise times tables and spellings. I recommend that children spend a few minutes every weekday writing down their spellings for that week and the times table we are focussing on. I will set homework on Friday, to be handed in by the following Wednesday. The children will be given new spellings each Friday to be tested in the next week.