Welcome to Year 5

Spring Term 2025

     Miss McArdle, Mrs Steer, Mrs Mannock (Maternity cover), Madame Leydon,

Mr Reid, Mrs Johnson

English

Our introductory literary study this term will be Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Our learning will be inspired by the classic play, including a performance from a theatre group in the first week back.

 After this, our writing will centre around the book “The Abominables” by Eva Ibbotson.

High on a Himalayan mountain, a young explorer is asleep in her tent.  At midnight, she is snatched by a gigantic, hairy monster – and NEVER seen again! Agatha Farlingham has been kidnapped by a yeti. However, she soon discovers that he is a brave and noble beast. His family is in danger – and he needs her help!

Click on the picture to find out more!

Throughout the term we will continue to concentrate on improving our standards of presentation, spelling and how to use a range of punctuation accurately including full-stops, commas, question marks, exclamation marks, brackets and dashes.  

     Maths

This term, we will be learning about:  Multiplying by a 1 and 2 digit number using short and long multiplication Dividing a 4 digit number by a 1 digit number using short division Multiplying fractions Converting fractions, decimals and percentages Finding fractions of amounts. Rounding decimal numbers to the whole and to 1 decimal place Ordering and comparing decimals with up to 3 decimal places Understanding percentages Finding the perimeter of rectangles, rectilinear shapes and polygons Finding the area of rectangles and compound shapes Drawing, reading and interpreting line graphs, tables and timetables

These skills will be extended and applied in forms of reasoning and problem solving. 

If you would like to support your child further with any of the units covered this term, please click on the following link which will take you to 'Workbooks for Parents' on our school website.  The relevant booklets for this term are:

                                                                                 Multiplication and Division 2

                                                                                                                                                                                             Decimals and Percentages

                                                                                                                                                                                             Perimeter and Area

                                                                                 Statistics

                                      http://www.excalibur.cheshire.sch.uk/page/maths-workbooks-for-parents/86832

In maths, mental recall, including times tables, doubling and halving numbers and number bonds is vitally important if children are going to make good progress. Using the internet, games or board games can help reinforce the maths needed for Year 5 in a fun and enjoyable way. Please click on the links below to support both written and mental maths.  Also, at the bottom of this page, you will find a document containing all the mental maths objectives for each year group so that you can suport your child with their mental maths.  

Top Marks - Daily 10 

This term, we will be completing the topic Earth and Space, Animals Including Humans and Living Things and their Habitats. There will be a focus on developing scientific skills through the application of the five types of scientific enquiry:

• Observation over time
• Pattern seeking
• Identifying, classifying and grouping                          
• Comparative and fair testing
• Research using secondary resources

During our Earth and Space topic, we will:

• Describe the movement of the Earth and other planets relative to the sun in the solar system
• Describe the movement of the moon relative to the Earth
• Describe the sun, Earth and moon as approximately spherical bodies
• Use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the sun across the sky

During our Animals Including Humans topic, we will: 

• Describe the changes as humans develop to old age.
• Draw a timeline to indicate stages in the growth and development of humans.
• Learn about the changes experienced in puberty.

During our Living Things and their Habitats topic, we will:

• Describe the differences in the life cycles of a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird
• Describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals.
• Find out about the work of naturalists and animal behaviourists, for example, David Attenborough and Jane Goodall.

Humanities

In geography, our learning will be focussed around the Alps. We will be learning where they are located, what it is like there, why people visit and what life is like there. Also, we will be comparing what there is to do in the Alps to what there is to do in Alsager.

In history, the Mayan Civilisation will be our focus. For this we will think about why we study the Mayans, how they were able to get so strong, what life was like and why the empire ended so suddenly.

Reminders and Information

Staff in Year 5:

Miss McArdle - Class teacher - Tuesday (am), Wednesday (am), Thursday, Friday

Mrs Mannock - Class teacher - Monday, Wednesday (pm)

Madame Leydon – MFL teacher,Tuesday (pm)

Mr Reid -Tuesday (pm)

Mrs Johnson- Welfare Assistant

PE

Our regular PE days will be Tuesday and Thursday.  Pupils will bring their PE kits into school and change at school.  Please make sure that your child wears the correct Excalibur PE kit which does not include football kits or Nike Pro Shorts!  A list of the full PE kit is on our website.

http://www.excalibur.cheshire.sch.uk/page/school-uniform/6064

Pupils can wear their tracksuit bottoms for PE if it is ever too cold.  I would be grateful if you could make sure that long hair is tied back and that earrings are removed or covered with micro-pore or similar on PE days. 

Start and Finish Times

The school gates will be opened at 8:50 to all children and we encourage children to arrive at this time. It really does help the class to settle before we begin our day at 9 am. Any arrivals after 9 am must be reported to the office (even if the gates are still open) as the register will have been sent electronically by this point. The school day will end at 3:20 pm. 

Snacks

Please could you send your child in with a healthy snack for their midmorning break.  Children can also purchase warm snacks at breaktime from school.  

Water Bottles

It is important for children to drink water throughout the day.  Therefore, children may bring in bottles of water each day so long as the bottle has a secure lid. It is also really helpful if every bottle is clearly labelled.  Please can you remind your child to take their bottle home every night for washing and refilling.  

Homework

Every Friday, your child will be set the following tasks to be completed by the following Thursday: 

• Maths - Homework will be set weekly on Mathletics (up to two pieces). Your child also has access to extra work in their student area should they wish to complete more tasks. Furthermore, should you wish to complete any extra maths with your child, please find ‘Workbooks for Parents’ for each unit of maths we cover in Year 5 on our homepage under ‘Curriculum’ then ‘Maths’ (link above in 'Maths' section).   Furthermore, we would recommend that your child spends time working on their mental maths.  They have a login for TT Rockstars plus they can visit Hit the Button which is free online. 
• Reading - questions set from a short text - to be in school by the following Thursday.
• Spellings - either a spelling rule or words from the statutory Y5/6 spelling list.  These will be tested on Thursdays.

                              Recommended homework time is half an hour per day for Years 5 and 6.

If you have any queries or questions, please do not hesitate in contacting either Miss McArdle or Mrs Mannock through our contact email address (contact@excalibur.cheshire.sch.uk) or you could send in a note to us directly.  We look forward to a fabulous term working with you and your child.