Year 5

This week has been packed with exciting learning experiences that have truly enriched our children’s education. In English, we delved into the world of poetry, inspired by the book ‘Cloud Busting’ by Malorie Blackman. The children explored their creativity, crafting vivid imagery and emotions in their poems. It was wonderful to see them express themselves and share their unique perspectives. We particularly loved collaborating our ideas to create a whole class poem. Meanwhile, in maths, we practised adding and subtracting using the formal written methods, as well as, rounding numbers to achieve efficient estimates.

In our science lessons, we investigated the concept of filtering. Through hands-on experiments, the children tested different materials to see their effect on filtering dirty water. This inquiry sparked lively discussions among the children about whose filter design was the most effective. In geography this week, we compared the population of two countries, exploring the impact of push and pull factors, which might lead to human migration between countries. 

In PSHE lessons this week, we reinforced our classroom values by discussing the impact of making positive choices amongst our peers. We engaged the students in a thoughtful dialogue about personal responsibility and the importance of making positive choices. Finally, our PE lessons were lively and fun, with the opportunity to practise dancing and moving to an increasing beat.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to more enriching experiences in the weeks ahead!

     

w/b 06/10/25

Homophones & near homophones

past 

passed 

proceed 

precede 

aisle 

isle 

aloud 

allowed 

affect 

effect

Key words: 

estimate, approximate, round, exchange, population pyramid, migration, evaluation, poem, line, stanza, outline, shading, texture

 

w/b 13/10/25

Homophones & near homophones

farther

father

guessed

guest

heard

herd

led

lead

mourning

morning

Key words: 

rhyme, rhythm, repeated phrase, repetition, 

research, compare, reversible change, irreversible change, composition, tone, blend

 

Key Messages: 

• Please support your child with their homework where necessary, and ensure they are not leaving it to the last minute.

• We look forward to seeing you all at the family-teacher evenings next week.

 

Key dates:

• Tuesday 14th October - Family/teacher meetings 3:30-7:00
• Wednesday 15th October- Y5 Space Dome workshop at school
• Thursday 16th October - Family/teacher meetings 3:30-6:30
• Thursday 16th October - Y5/6 Tag Rugby Tournament
• Wednesday 22nd October - End of half term

 

Year 6

The past few weeks have seen Year 6 take on their very first set of mock SATs. Although there were a few understandable nerves, the children approached the assessments with maturity and determination. They did an excellent job of practising their test techniques, managing their time effectively, and tackling a range of unfamiliar questions with resilience. While there is still a long journey ahead before the real SATs in May, these baseline assessments have provided a valuable insight into current strengths and areas to focus on in the months to come.

In mathematics, we are bringing our Four Operations unit to a close. This week, the children have explored the order of operations, using counters and visual models to demonstrate how the sequence of steps can dramatically change a calculation’s outcome. They have also been tackling a series of multi-step word problems—an excellent way to consolidate their understanding before we move on to our next big topic: fractions!

English lessons have taken a wonderfully whimsical turn with our new text, Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. The poem’s made-up words have sparked lots of curiosity and discussion—what might they mean, and how do they help create the mood of the story? We have been exploring the narrative hidden within the nonsense and will soon begin crafting our own descriptive stories inspired by the poem’s fantastical world.

In science and geography, our focus has stayed firmly on the natural world. The children have studied invertebrates, plant life, and the impact of deforestation. They even held thoughtful debates on whether mining in the Amazon rainforest brings more benefits or harm—a topic that inspired some excellent reasoning and reflection.

  

w/b 06/10/25

Hyphens: To join a prefix ending in a vowel to a root word beginning with a vowel.

co-operate

co-ordinate

co-own

co-author

re-enter

re-educate

re-examine

re-evaluate

re-energise

re-elect

Key words: 

order, operations, mental method, poem, line, stanza, narrative, portmanteau, mining, cause, effect, layering, mixed media, ferns, moss, algae, conifers

 

w/b 13/10/25

Hyphens: To join compound adjectives to avoid ambiguity

man-eating

little-used

rock-bottom

wide-eyed

pig-headed

tight-fisted

cold-hearted

stone-faced

green-eyed

short-tempered

Key words: 

numerator, denominator, common denominator, description, setting, character, action, debate, rebut, investigation, results.

 

Key Messages: 

• Please support your child with their homework where necessary, and ensure they are not leaving it to the last minute.

• This Friday, we will be sending home the children’s maths and SPaG mock SATs.

• We look forward to seeing you all at the family-teacher evenings next week.

• It has come to our attention that some children have been keeping their mobile phones in their lockers/bags during the school day. Please remind your child, if they bring a mobile to school, that they must hand it in every morning to their teacher and collect it at the end of the day. 

 

Key dates:

• Tuesday 14th October - Family/teacher meetings 3:30-7:00
• Thursday 16th October - Family/teacher meetings 3:30-6:30
• Thursday 16th October - Y5/6 Tag Rugby Tournament