English

 

This week in English, the children engaged in a creative project by designing a leaflet to promote Canterbury Cathedral. Drawing upon their experiences from the recent school trip, they employed their knowledge of the cathedral’s historical and architectural significance to produce engaging and informative leaflets. This activity not only fostered creativity but also provided an opportunity for the children to apply the skill of parenthesis in their writing, enhancing their ability to include supplementary information effectively.

In addition to the leaflet project, the students have been actively involved in reading exercises, where they compared the three texts studied thus far in Year 5. This comparative analysis has encouraged critical thinking and deeper comprehension, allowing the children to draw connections between different narratives and themes. Overall, it has been a productive week filled with learning and exploration in English.

Maths

This week, the children have engaged in an enriching exploration of fractions, focusing on the addition and subtraction of fractions with differing denominators, as well as the multiplication of fractions by whole numbers. Through a variety of interactive activities, students have developed their ability to visualise fractional concepts, which has greatly enhanced their problem-solving skills.

The emphasis on visualisation has allowed the children to approach mathematical challenges with greater confidence and clarity. They have utilised diagrams and models to deepen their understanding, thereby reinforcing their learning experience.

Looking ahead to the half-term, the curriculum will continue to build upon this foundation as the children will learn to find fractions of amounts. This progression will further solidify their comprehension of fractions and their practical applications in everyday contexts.

RE

This week in Religious Education, the children engaged in an in-depth exploration of the life of Mohammed, a pivotal figure in Islam. They examined his early life, teachings, and the profound impact he has had on the Muslim community. Additionally, the students investigated the reasons behind the Quran’s sacred status, understanding its role as the holy text of Islam and its significance in guiding the beliefs and practices of Muslims worldwide. This learning experience fostered a greater appreciation for cultural diversity and religious understanding within the classroom.

A little snippet of year 5’s song ‘Invade’ to tell the story of the Anglo-Saxons!

Speaker competition

This year the theme is taken from a segment on Romesh Ranganathan's BBC radio 2 show called 'Pitch your passion'. The children will have up to two minutes to pitch their passion to us; their passion can be as wacky or a noble as they like...just anything they are genuinely passionate about from Capybaras to climate change, cross stitch to cricket. As ever the children will have no more than 2 minutes to speak and cannot use any props.

Term 3 Art competition

We are excited to announce our next school art competition, and this time we’re taking inspiration from one of the most energetic and expressive artists of all time — Jackson Pollock!

Jackson Pollock was famous for his bold, abstract paintings created by dripping, splashing, and pouring paint rather than carefully brushing it on. His work reminds us that art isn’t always about drawing something recognisable — it’s about movement, emotion, and creativity. There are no strict rules, just freedom to explore!

Your task is to create an original piece of artwork inspired by Jackson Pollock’s style. Think about:

• Movement and energy

• Lines, splashes, drips, and layers

• How colours interact and overlap

• Expressing feeling through marks rather than pictures

You can use any suitable materials at home or school, as long as your work clearly shows inspiration from Pollock’s approach.

All artwork must be clearly labelled on the back you’re your name and class. Completed pieces should be brought to Mr Mason’s art room and the deadline is the next art assembly.

We can’t wait to see the exciting, energetic, and colourful artwork you create. Let loose, have fun, and remember — there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to make art inspired by Jackson Pollock!

Key Dates

Monday 23^rd February- first day of term 4

Homework

- Please read with your child at least 3 times a week.

- All children have been given a ZPD to help them identify the correct books for their reading level. Once your child has read their book, they will need to complete a quiz on it before getting a new one. These quizzes can be done either in school or at home on Accelerated Reader using the log-in codes found in their reading records.

Welcome (renaissance-go.com) 

- Children should be playing TTRS at least 3 times a week to build their confidence and fluency with time-tables knowledge.

- Mathletics homework has also been set for the children to complete by next Friday.

- Please see the homework menu attached for our thematic homework. This can be completed in the homework book provided if you wish.

- Please choose ten spellings each week to practice with your child at home. They can use the format shown in the book.

The Year 5 team