Welcome to Year 5

AUTUMN TERM 2026

 Miss McArdle, Mrs Clark, Madame Leydon, Miss Cliff and Mrs McCormick 

English

This term, we will be using different texts/short films to inspire our writing.  We will be writing for different purposes and audiences.  We will start with a short text called 'The River', followed by a book called 'Carrie's War'. During the second half of term, we will watch a short film called Lune et L'autre and watch The Snowman where we will add descriptive text to parts of the film. 

Throughout the term we will be concentrating 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:  Reading and writing Roman Numerals to 1000 Read, write, partition, compare and order numbers to a million Count in powers of 10 Round to the nearest 10, 100, 1000 within 1,000,000 Use mental strategies to add and subtract Add and subtract whole numbers with more than 4 digits Round to check answers and compare calculations Find multiples and common multiples Factors and prime numbers Find square and cube numbers Multiply and divide by 10, 100, 1000 Find equivalent unit and non-unit fractions Compare and order fractions less than 1 Add and subtract fractions

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:

                                                                                 Place Value

                                                                                                                                                                                             Addition and Subtraction

                                                                                                                                                                                             Multiplication and Division 

                                                                                 Fractions A

                                      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 support your child with their mental maths.  

Top Marks - Daily 10 

This term, we will be completing the topics Forces, plus, Earth and Space. 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 Forces topic, we will: 

• Explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object
• Identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces
• Recognise that some mechanisms including levers, pulleys and gears allow a smaller force to have a greater effect

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

Humanities

In history, we will learn about: 

• How/why World War II began
• What life was like for evacuees; Propaganda and why it was used
• The Battle of Britain and Dunkirk
• Rationing and why it happened during the war
• Bomb shelters and keeping safe during the Blitz and VE Day

For our geography topic we will be learning:

• Why World War II was a world war
• How Alsager compares pre and post war with modern day

Reminders and Information

Staff in Year 5:

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

Mrs Clark - Class teacher - Monday, Thursday (pm), Friday

Madame Leydon – MFL teacher,Tuesday (pm)

Mrs Bundy -Tuesday (pm)

Miss Cliff and Mrs McCormick - Welfare Assistants

PE

Our regular PE days for the first half term will be Wednesday 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.  

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 either on Mathletics (up to two pieces) or as a task in their homework book. 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 Clark through our contact email address (contact@excalibur.cheshire.sch.uk) or you could send in a note to us directly.  We look forward to another fabulous term working with you and your child.