Welcome to Year 5

Summer 1

Dear Parents and carers,

Welcome back to the Year 5 class page.

I hope you have had an enjoyable break with your children. Myself and the staff in Class 5 are looking forward to sharing the children’s learning that will take place both inside and outside of the classroom during this summer term.

In Year 5, we will continue to remind the children about the Brookhouse school values of Respect, Good Manners, Patience, Perseverance and Honesty. We will use our reward system ‘Brookhouse Monster’s University’ to recognise good behaviour and attitudes. If your child is in the winning team, they will celebrate at the end of the term. Homework will be given out on a Friday and we will expect the children to hand it in on a Wednesday, so it can be marked. As well as some key vocabulary, that is set on a Friday and must be done for the following Monday. In Year 5, there will now be 10 spellings that will be sent home on a Friday that pupils will need to learn for the following Friday where a small test will be given. There will also be some online homework, which will be through a variety of online platforms such as Purple Mash, SPAG, TTRS and Reading Plus.

The Summer 1 term topic is called ‘Amazon Adventure’

English.

Our focus for English and Writing this term is ‘stories from another culture’ and ‘debate’. We will be diving into both topics throughout Summer 1 and we will be preparing a variation of writing for both including a short story set in a rainforest, a persuasive speech and a debate. Our class novel will be ‘Journey to the River Sea’ by Eva Ibbotson. There will be multiple opportunities to read a range of texts that are linked to our units in English. By the end of each unit, your child will have produced a piece of work, either in their books or published on a template for their writing portfolio.

Reading is also a priority of ours at Brookhouse therefore whole class reading sessions will take place every day, where children are expected to read a range of texts and answer questions by summarising, retrieving, making inference and explaining. We also encourage children to focus on new vocabulary in the texts. This is where the vocabulary that is sent home on a Friday must be completed for the following Monday. This helps the pupils to understand the texts, used in class, in more depth.

The school uses an online reading resource called Reading Plus, which improves pupil’s reading age but it does rely on the children using this resource on a regular basis, so please make sure your children are using this at home. Please support your children in reading their school books, at home, for ten minutes every day. We will also continue to encourage children to improve their oracy skills through participating in the project Voice 21.

Mathematics.

Maths lessons will provide pupils with the opportunity to learn through concrete, pictorial and abstract models. In Spring 2, we will be starting our unit on angles, which includes measuring angles on a straight line, on a point and drawing them accurately. Then, still focusing on the topic of geometry, the pupils will move onto position, direction and movement of shapes. When this has been explored, pupils will explore measurements of mass, temperature, time and length. Pupils will learn to apply this knowledge to reasoning and problem solving (using the QUACK method). Pupils will also be given a practice arithmetic test on a Friday to boost their test skills and mental math skills. Please encourage your children to practice their timetables at home. In order to aid them with this, your child can sue the online program ‘Times Table Rockstars’.

Science.

This term, in Year 5, we are focusing on biology and within this we will explore living things and their habitats. By the end of this unit, pupils will produce a life cycle nature journal to demonstrate the life of a variety of plants and animals. This will include an example of an animal, 2 plants and a species from a differing environment or habitat whose life cycle they have studied. Please encourage your child to learn their knowledge organiser that can be accessed in the links above.

Physical Education.

Class 5 will have PE on a Thursday so please make sure that your children come to school in their full PE kit- Yellow P.E shirt with the school's logo, black joggers, shorts or leggings and their school green sweatshirt. In their P.E lessons, children will focus on striking and fielding cricket. This includes, applying tactics in a cricket type game, bowling overarm consistently and accurately and striking a bowled ball.

Geography:

Throughout this half term, pupils will be exploring the human and physical geographical features of the Amazon River. Pupils will begin by naming and locating major locations in North and South America. By the end of the unit, pupils will describe 2 human impact and 3 physical geographical features of the Amazon River.

Computing.

In our computing topics this half term, the children will be learning about the creation of games. This is done through the use of Purple Mash which is accessible at school but is also used for homework tasks. The pupils have a unique username and password. Pupils will also be reminded about how to use technology safely and why it is important to follow the rules set out by SMART.

Music.

Music will take place on a Wednesday morning and taught by Bolton music. The children have been introduced to a new instrument in January 2025. The children will continue to learn how to play either a clarinet or a flute. This is in preparation for a music concert that is performed by the pupils at the end of the school year.

It is important that your children are punctual in the mornings and they attend school every day, as much as possible. Any queries feel free to talk to us in the morning or at the end of the day or arrange an appointment through the school office.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Miss Nicholls (Year 5 class teacher)

Mrs Matadar (Teaching Assistant)

Mrs Maqsood (Special Support Assistant)

Mrs Patel (Higher Level Teaching Assistant)