This week in Year 5... A Fantastic Start to the Half Term

Welcome back! We hope you all had a lovely break. The children have returned to school brilliantly and have settled back into routines with a positive attitude and enthusiasm for learning. This half term is already shaping up to be full of exciting opportunities for growth, curiosity, and creativity.

Writing
In English, we have launched our new class text, The Willow Pattern, with an exciting hook created with the help of a BBC screenwriter. This has captured the children’s imaginations and sparked some fantastic discussions. The children are now planning and exploring alternative endings to the story, showing great creativity and engagement with the text.

Mathematics
In maths, we have begun learning about equivalent fractions and decimals, moving on to working confidently with tenths and hundredths. Alongside this, we are continuing to strengthen multiplication and division skills through weekly times table booklets and regular mini maths meetings to build fluency and confidence.

History
Our new history unit focuses on the Royal Navy in Portsmouth and the impact of Henry VIII. The children have shown great interest in learning about Britain’s naval history and its importance during this period.

Science
In science, we have been exploring changes of state. The children investigated melting solids and creating liquids through some very exciting (and tasty!) chocolate experiments, helping them to understand scientific concepts in a hands-on and memorable way.

Special Visitor
This week, we were incredibly fortunate to welcome Luke Delahunty, an Invictus Games athlete, into school. Luke inspired the children through a physical activity session and a powerful assembly, where he shared his experiences before, during, and after his life-changing accident. His story of resilience, determination, and positivity made a lasting impression on everyone and was truly inspiring.

As part of this visit, we held a non-school uniform day to raise money for the Athlete Fund, as well as to support the purchase of new PE equipment for our school. Thank you very much for your generosity and support.

Reminder

A reminder that next week is World Book Day on Thursday 5th March. We are very much looking forward to seeing the children’s costumes and celebrating our love of reading together!

We also have parents evening next Monday (2nd March). Please arrive via the shared area.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are very proud of how Year 5 have started the half term and look forward to sharing more of their successes with you soon.

Kind regards,
The Year 5 Team

Home Learning - Times Table Rockstar practice and Reading for 10 minutes each day - Just a few minutes of reading and times table practice each day can make a big difference to your child’s progress and confidence in school. 

Important Dates:

PE days for Spring 2 - Our Wednesday PE slot is changing!

Our new PE days for the Spring term:

We are extremely fortunate to welcome Pompey in the Community this half term. They will be delivering their weekly 'Joy of movement' sessions with our Year 5's. To facilitate this, we need to change our PE session from a Wednesday to a Friday.