Year 5

Welcome to Year 5!

Teacher Name: Miss Nielsen

Teaching Assistant(s): Mrs. Patera

We are looking forward to a busy, fun and exciting half-term. The children will be learning lots of new things, building their confidence and developing their independence.

What are we learning this term?

RE

In Religious Education, pupils will explore the lives of Moses (Creation and Covenant) and King David, learning how to interpret the Bible by understanding what scripture meant to its original audience and how it applies to our lives today. We will study the Ten Commandments alongside Jesus’ summary of the Law to reflect on moral guidance, before learning about the Sacrament of Confirmation and what it means to choose to be anointed as a disciple of Christ.

English

Our English journey takes flight with Markus Motum’s Curiosity, which will inspire our pupils to author their own imaginative 'space journey' narratives while learning to use rich descriptive language and build suspense. Alongside this, our class text is Cosmic by Frank Cottrell-Boyce—an author our children can easily connect with as a fellow Liverpudlian whose humour and local warmth bring the story to life.

Maths

In Mathematics, our Year 5 pupils are deepening their understanding of number by building rock-solid connections between fractions and decimals. Through problem-solving and fluency practice, children will apply formal written methods to solve multi-step real-world problems.

Science

In Science, we are turning our eyes to the skies as we explore the movement, scale, and relationships of the Sun, Earth, and Moon in our topic Earth and Space. Children will investigate how the Earth's rotation creates day, night, and shifting shadows, while also uncovering the science behind the lunar cycle and the planets in our solar system.

History

Our Year 5 historians will travel back in time to study Temples, Tombs and Treasures, unravelling the mysteries of ancient civilisations like Ancient Egypt. Through archaeological evidence and famous discoveries like Tutankhamun's tomb, pupils will examine how ancient cultures built lasting monuments, practised their beliefs, and shaped human history.

PE

In Physical Education, our focus will complete units on Fitness development and expressive movement through Dance. Children will complete dynamic fitness challenges to build cardiovascular health, stamina, and agility, while also choreographing creative dance routines to explore rhythm, coordination, and teamwork.

PSHE

Through the myHappymind programme, children will nurture their mental health and emotional well-being across two core modules. In Meet Your Brain, pupils will explore how different parts of the brain manage stress and emotions and will help them to build daily gratitude, recognise personal strengths and practice self-regulation.

Art

Following the Kapow Primary scheme, our young artists will take on the Sculpture & 3D: Interactive Installation unit to build tactile, immersive art pieces. Children will experiment with shape, light, and structure, collaborating to transform everyday materials into engaging installations that invite audience interaction.

Computing

In Computing, pupils will explore Systems and Networks: Search Engines to understand the digital world beneath their screens. They will learn how search engines crawl and rank web pages, how to craft precise keywords for efficient online research, and how to critically evaluate whether a website is trustworthy.

Music

Following the Kapow Primary scheme, our classroom will fill with energy this term as we explore the vibrant sounds of Africa to master the foundations of rhythmic notation.

Class Routines

PE Days

Our PE days are:

Monday and Tuesday

Children should come to school wearing their PE kit on these days.

Water Bottles

Please send your child to school with a water bottle every day.

Bottles should contain water only. Children can refill them during the day.

Homework and Spellings

Homework will be sent home on Friday and should be returned by the following Wednesday.

Each week, children will usually have:

reading activities
writing tasks linked to our English learning
maths practice linked to current learning
humanities activities linked to geography or other wider curriculum subjects
spelling practice

Please support your child with reading and times tables as often as you can. Little and often is best.

Reading remains a really important focus in Year 5.
Children will read regularly in school, and we expect them to read at home at least 3–4 times each week. This could be reading to an adult, reading independently, or discussing part of a book together. Regular reading helps children build fluency, vocabulary and confidence.

Key Dates

Date	Event
Wednesday 2nd September	Back to School / Autumn Term Begins
Thursday 17th September	School Individual & Class Photos
Friday 23rd October	School Closes for Half Term

Useful Websites

Times Tables Rock Stars — for practising times tables and division facts.
Hit the Button — for quick maths practice, including number bonds, times tables, doubling and halving.
BBC Bitesize — for child-friendly videos, quizzes and explanations across different subjects.
Oxford Owl — for parent advice, reading support, free eBooks and maths activities.
Topmarks — for fun maths games to help children practise key skills.
Duolingo – for language learning along with maths and chess.

Final Message

We are excited to see the children grow, learn and enjoy their time in Year 5. Thank you for your support at home — it really does help the children feel confident and ready to learn.