(Year 5) Corvus

CORVUS SPRING NEWSLETTER

Welcome back to you all!

We hope you had a fantastic Christmas and are raring to start the new term - we certainly are!

Staff in Corvus

Miss Racster – Class Teacher

Mrs Lamb – Learning Support Assistant (every day except Wednesdays)

Miss Turnbull – Learning Support Assistant (Wednesdays)

HLTA – Mrs Cartwright (Teaching Monday afternoons)

Homework

Homework will continue to be set 3 times a week and will be a mixture of Literacy, Maths and Topic work. Homework is generally set to be done for the next day. Homework is an important part of children’s learning, particularly as children in Corvus are building up towards Year 6 and their SATs. It is a good chance to consolidate learning done in lessons. Children are only given homework that has been covered in class or is basic revision.

Although some homework may be difficult, it is important that they have a go at it and speak to a member of staff the next day if they have any serious problems. We do expect anyone who does not return their homework to complete it during the school day but we are always happy to support anyone who is really struggling. It is very important that children are encouraged to spend time on their homework and hand it in on time every week and we really appreciate all your support with this.

Topics this term

Maths: statistics; fractions, decimals and percentages.

It is REALLY IMPORTANT to learn all times tables and to be able to tell the time accurately using digital and analogue clocks.

Literacy: Newspaper reports, historical fiction, diaries and letter writing.
Science: Humans and other animals, All living things.

History: World War One and A Local Area Study – Who were the Barnbow Lasses?
RE: Should we forgive others?

PHSE: Growing and Changing (linked to Science work); Drug, alcohol and tobacco education.

Art: Drawing skills; Marbling techniques.

DT: Cam Shafts. Food technology – making soup.

Computing: Presentation work; coding skills and algorithms.
Music: Singing and playing accompaniments to motown songs, war songs.

PE:  Multi-skills, basketball, dance.

This half term we will be taught once a week by a visiting PE coach so PE will be on Mondays and Thursdays. After half term, it will go back to Mondays and Wednesdays.

Please can you ensure that children have an indoor and outdoor P.E. kit every lesson, including suitable footwear.
Outdoor P.E kit: Trainers are essential, a tracksuit (blue or black) and a team polo shirt.
Indoor P.E kit: Pumps, blue or black shorts and a team polo shirt.

Children are encouraged to bring their kit in to school every Monday and keep it in school until Friday.

There is a big emphasis in the curriculum on speaking and listening. We will be doing lots of work in all subjects around this and we are encouraging the children to speak in sentences rather than one word answers.

Reading

Although the children are older and have learnt to read, it is still important to talk to them about their reading and share books and stories together. Sustained reading and skimming and scanning for information are important skills which can be practised at home by reading for at least 10 minutes each night. It does work!

Times tables

There are a lot of children who still do not know their times tables. These can be practised anywhere – in the bath, during cooking time, out walking or in the adverts between TV programmes. Children are set homework on TT Rockstars every Tuesday but they should also be accessing this at other times during the week. It is vital that children are practising several times a week so that they know them off by heart in any order.

Absences

Please could you make sure you ring or email school if your child is absent. This is especially important in Upper Key Stage Two when children are starting to walk to school on their own so please ring as soon as possible in the morning.

Water Bottles

We would strongly recommend children having their own water bottle, labelled with their name, in school at all times. Children are given opportunity to have drinks throughout the day and are allowed to refill their bottles using the water fountain.

Finally parents, we would love to invite you in at any time to chat to us, see what your child is doing, or even come and join in with a lesson! Also if anyone has any knowledge or information about any of our topics, especially World War One, we would love for you to come in and share it with us!

Please see us any night after school, or send an e-mail or letter if you need any information. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you so much for your continued support,

Miss Racster, Mrs Lamb and Miss Turnbull