English

This week in English, we introduced our new text, The Odyssey of Phoebe Quilliam. The story centres around the Greek myth The Odyssey, providing a rich context for our learning. The children engaged with the myth through drama, allowing them to retell the story in an interactive manner. Following this, they created comic strips, writing captions based on images from their performances. This activity was essential for ensuring the children grasped the narrative, enabling them to follow our class text more effectively.

Additionally, we focused on the poem Ithaka, where the children identified various forms of figurative language and poetic devices. To deepen their understanding, they performed the poem as part of a performance poetry exercise on Friday. This multifaceted approach not only enhanced their comprehension but also fostered creativity and collaboration within the classroom.

Maths

This week in maths, the children focused on multiplying fractions, finding fractions of amounts, and applying these skills to problem-solving scenarios. Through engaging activities, students developed a deeper understanding of how fractions operate in various contexts, enhancing their mathematical reasoning.

Looking ahead to next week, our lessons will shift towards percentages. Students will learn how to convert between fractions, decimals, and percentages, which is a crucial skill in both academic and real-world applications. This transition will build on their current knowledge and provide a solid foundation for understanding proportional relationships. We encourage parents to support their children by discussing these concepts at home, reinforcing their learning and fostering confidence in their mathematical abilities.

 

PSHE

We commenced the term with a professional development day focused on the theme of kindness. This initiative set a positive tone for the term, emphasising the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all students.

In our PSHE lessons, we have been exploring strategies for resolving conflicts and managing emotions effectively. These sessions are designed to equip students with essential skills that promote emotional intelligence and resilience. By engaging in discussions and activities centred around conflict resolution, students learn to navigate interpersonal challenges constructively.

Our commitment to kindness and emotional well-being is integral to our educational philosophy, as we strive to cultivate a nurturing atmosphere where every student feels valued and understood. We look forward to continuing this important work throughout the term.

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

Wednesday 4^th March- Buddhism workshops

Thursday 5^th March- World Book day- dress up

Friday 13^th March- Greek wow day- Dress up

Tuesday 17^th March- Church visit

Wednesday 18^th March- Church visit

Friday 20^th March- Comic relief

Monday 30^th March- Parents afternoon/evening

Tuesday 31^st March- Parents evening

Wednesday 1^st April- Easter egg hunt

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