Term 1 Information

Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to another school year at St. Andrew’s.  I really hope you have all enjoyed the summer with your children and that you have managed to spend some quality time together making memories.  Please read below about what's happening this term, how best to support your child and home learning expectations and tasks.

Supporting at home:

Parents often ask how they can support their children at home with their learning.  Reading is the most important thing you can do at home with your child.  Please continue to share books with your child and also discuss their personal reading with them.  Reading should be for pleasure, so please come and see me if you would like support in choosing books your child may enjoy.  Here are a few websites with some really good suggestions in the meantime: Year 5 and Year 6.   Please find below some questions you could ask your child to further develop their reading skills:

What we will be learning this term:

Please see the medium-term plan at the bottom of the page which contains information about all the subjects and what the children will be taught this term.

 

Class text:

Our class text this term is Beetle Boy by M G Leonard.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We will be using it to write the ending to a chapter and also a non-chronological report.  The book also links well to our science, where we are studying living things and their habitats. 

PE

PE will be a little different, just for Term 1.  This is because the children will be having 10 swimming lessons over 10 consecutive school days.  Children will need to bring their swimming kits every day for the weeks commencing 8th and 15th September.  On Thursdays, we are also lucky enough to have Bristol Bears to teach rugby to the children. On Fridays, PE will be with Mr Pike.

PE days will be on a Thursday (am) and a Friday (pm).  On Thursdays and Fridays, please make sure your child comes into school wearing appropriate clothing and footwear. 

Obviously the weather is still very changeable so please make sure they are dressed appropriately as PE is often outside, whatever the weather! A reminder of clothing expectations: plain black shorts/leggings/joggers; a plain white t-shirt or blue t-shirt with or without the school logo; a black plain sweat top or school sweat top or school fleece; daps or trainers (trainers are preferable as most PE activities will be outdoors). Pupils are allowed to bring in studded boots for outdoor sessions on the field.

Home Learning and Spelling:

Homework is set to allow children to revisit learning from school to help embed it.  Children need several opportunities to practise their learning to allow them to build confidence and recall it better at a later date.  Please do support your child to complete all the tasks set each week.   All home learning will be due each Monday, with the exception of spellings - tests will be each Friday.  Please bring in spelling and grammar books each Monday and ensure all Mathletics and TTRS tasks are completed by Sunday night.

Spelling & Grammar:

Please complete the set tasks each week in the CPG books.  The answers are in the back of the books – it really helps to mark these with your child and have a second look at anything they found tricky the first time.  The pages for the whole year are available to download or view at the bottom of the page.

There are 15 words to learn to spell per week with a test on 10 of these each Friday.  10 of the words will follow the spelling rule learnt in school that week and 5 are from the statutory government list of words for Year 5 & 6.  The lists for the whole year are available at the bottom of the page.

Reading:

Please support your child to read for 20 minutes per day, at least 5 times per week.  Tips for supporting your child with their reading are detailed above.  In Year 5 and 6 we are trialling an electronic reading diary this term.  Information about this will be sent separately.  Towards the end of the trial, we will be asking for feedback about the electronic format compared to the traditional paper form.

Maths:

Please complete the 4 activities set on Mathletics each week as well as 30 minutes of Times Table Rock Stars.  This has more impact in short 5-minute bursts over the week, rather than one 30-minute session.  The children have been given their log ins again  for both websites.

Key information:

PE days: Thursdays & Fridays

Swimming every day for week beginning 8^th September and 15^th September

Wellies and coats: Need to be in school all the time

Drinks: Water bottles should be brought into school and taken home daily.  Water only please

Jewellery: Only stud earrings and a watch to be worn into school.  Earrings to be removed or taped up for PE.

No nail varnish or make up should be worn in school.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to come and see me or to email me..

Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs. Sarah Woodcock