Welcome back to school and the start of another great term. I hope everyone had a restful summer and is looking forward to the next academic year. It has been fantastic to see the children so quickly settled back in and already showing a great enthusiasm for their learning. I have personally appreciated how much effort the children have made in trying to remember to call me my new name! The year 5s also have the added excitement of PGL this term. I will be accompanying them on the trip and the year 4s should look forward to a brilliant week with Mrs Hall covering the class.
I’m really looking forward to what is already looking to be a brilliant and busy year!
Our theme for both terms will be The Stone Age. We will start off term 1 by answering the question ‘What was life like in the Stone Age?’ which will involve learning all about how life worked so long ago. In term 2, we will be focusing on the question ‘Did life improve in the Iron Age?’ Our history learning will also help to inform our literacy work.
Reading
This term we will be reading the book ‘The Firework Maker’s Daughter’ and ‘Clockwork’ both written by Philip Pullman. The children will be given regular opportunities to read aloud and answer questions both verbally and written.
Maths
We will start the year by learning about place value and number which are the building blocks of maths. After half term we will be looking at calculating with the four operations. We will also be having a big focus on times tables throughout the year, which children should be practicing at home regularly. This will prepare year 4s for the Multiplication Tables Check in the summer.
RE
In RE we use the big question approach to organise our learning. This term we will be considering the questions, ‘What do Hindus believe God is like?’ and ‘What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?’
Art
Before half term we will be working on our drawing skills. After half term, we will be linking our art topic to history by looking at Stone Age cave paintings.
Music
This term in music we will be learning our harvest songs as well as some music inspired by the Stone Age!
Computing
In term 1 in Computing we will be learning about Search Engines, with a focus on online safety. In term 2 we will be looking at data.
English
Before half term, we will be reading the book ‘Stone Age Boy’ by Satoshi Kitamura. We will be using this book to inspire our writing and aim to produce some lovely work including an instruction text and a narrative. After half term, we will be moving onto the great book ‘Stig of the Dump’ by Clive King. Throughout the terms we will be re-capping sentence structure, grammar and punctuation to ensure we have a good foundation for writing. We will also be regularly practicing handwriting and children that are yet to earn their pen licence will be keen to earn them soon!
Spelling
During these terms we will be using Superhero Spellings. This approach has 3 stages: learn, build and show. The children will be given opportunities to practice the words for the rule throughout the week, before completing dictation sentences on Fridays. These will be stuck in the back of homework books for the children to refer to if needed. The children will be split into year groups during these spelling sessions.
Science
We will begin by studying electricity before moving onto light after half term.
PSHE
In the first term we will be looking at the topic ‘Being me in the world’. After half term our topic will be ‘Celebrating differences’. These lessons will be taught using the Jigsaw scheme of work.
PE
We will be having our regular PE lessons Bright Sparks, learning about invasion games, such as football. In term 2 this will swap to dance lessons with Zara. In our other PE lessons, we will be working on basketball. PE sessions will take place on Monday and Tuesdays. Full PE kit is expected.
DT
This term we will be looking at mechanisms and gears in DT.
Homework
The children will be sent home with a homework menu for the term. Each week the children will select one task to complete. This is sent out on Wednesdays to be handed back in on a Monday.
Spelling
Each week the children will be working on a different spelling rule and receive 10 spelling words. A list of these can be found stuck into homework books for the children to practise at home.
These will also be worked on in class and at the end of the week the children will complete dictation sentences including these 10 words.
Dictation sentences will be stuck into the back of homework books each week in order to see progress and any words/spelling rules that may need to be worked on further.
Reading
Reading is required every night which is to be shown in their reading records. Please bring completed reading records in for reading certificates.
Times tables
Don’t forget to keep practicing times tables at home whenever you can. We have a leader board for studio speed/Rockstar status up in the classroom which is updated weekly.
If you need your TT Rockstars login, just send me an email.
Key Dates
Monday 15th September – Year 5 PGL drop off at 4.15pm
Friday 19th September – Year 5 pickup from PGL at 1.30pm
Friday 26th September – European Day of Languages breakfast
Tuesday 30th September – Harvest Festival & KS2 hike
Thursday 2nd October – Flu spray
Wednesday 8th October – Creation Day
Thursday 9th October – Year 5/6 PGL assembly
Friday 17th October – Maths parent meeting
Monday 20th October & Wednesday 22nd October – Parent Consultations
Friday 24th October – End of Term 1
Monday 3rd November – Start of Term 2
Monday 3rd November – School Photos
Friday 28th November – INSET day
Friday 5th December – Senior citizen Christmas party
Friday 5th December – Uckfield late night shopping
Wednesday 10th December – Open the Book donkey walk
Tuesday 16th December – Whole school Christmas lunch
Tuesday 16th December – KS2 Carol Concert
Thursday 18th December – KS2 Christmas Party
Friday 19th December – Cup assembly & End of Term 2.
