Year 5

Welcome to Year 5!

Autumn Term 2023-24

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I welcome you and your children to Year 5! I know we are going to have a fantastic year of learning and fun together. I look forward to meeting many of you at the 'Meet the Teacher' session. Don't worry if you can't make it - all of the information is in the 'Meet the Teacher' icon above this note. 

This letter, along with the Autumn First Half Term Parent Planner and Knowledge Organisers on the website, should contain all of the information that you and your child will need to start this half term, but please feel free to catch me outside the gate after school if you would like to discuss any matters with me.

PE sessions will take place on Monday and Wednesday this term. Monday will be swimming at Streetly School and Wednesday will be dance in the hall with Harriett. Please make sure that you send your child to school in their correct PE kit on these days and with their swimming kit in a bag on Mondays. 

Weekly homework in Year 5 will be Reading and Spelling. Weekly spellings will be given out and discussed in class on a Tuesday and Wednesday and these will be tested on a Monday. All children should have brought a spelling booklet home with them - please let me know if these have been misplaced. Reading Journals, which were handed out during the second week back in September, should be completed every week - the children will be expected to complete one activity a week to a good standard. I will also be asking some of the children to complete extra Timestable Rockstar homework to brush up their time table skills. Children will also receive reading Comprehension homework starting later this half term. I will let the children know about this in due course. History homework is a project over the course of the half term and is based on the work we are carrying out this half term about the Vikings. Please see the separate sheet that your child brings home, which explains the History Topic homework. 

Reading regularly is essential. Please try to hear your child read at least three times a week. I also encourage parents to find time to read to their child as well, as this time is extremely effective in developing the children's vocabulary.

As a general point, it is really important that your child is now confident with all of their times tables up to 12 x 12. Please continue to work on these at home – focusing particularly on the division facts as well as the multiplication (i.e. children should know that 56 ÷ 8 = 7 as well as knowing that 8 x 7 = 56). If your child is confident with all of their times tables, please move on to practising all squared numbers 13 x 13 = 169, 14 x 14 = 196… etc). All of the children have been given an individual log in to the TIMESTABLE ROCKSTARS website and should use this regularly to develop their speed and accuracy and build on their 'rockstar' status!

Throughout the course of the year, I will be asking that each child prepares a short prayer service to lead to the class in Year 5. I will give children examples of what a good service looks like and will ensure that all children have sufficient advanced warning to ensure that they prepare a service that they feel proud of. Please have a look at the Year 5 website pages for further information about prayer services.

If you need any information or would like to meet with me about any matter, please contact me by email on tcaddick@st-annes.walsall.sch.uk or by using the link below.

I look forward to working together with you and your child throughout Year 5.

Kind regards,

Mr Caddick