Class 4 (Y5 and Y6)

Welcome – Class 4

Autumn Term 2023

We work really hard to ensure our curriculum is well curated and planned so that children’s learning is built on small steps within and across subject areas. Through adaptive teaching, the children are able to learn in a way that captures their interests and learning styles. We endeavour to make learning fun. Retrieval is used effectively to embed learning.

This term we start our learning with a History based topic looking at the impact of the railways and WW2 on the development of Halwill Junction. It’s a great topic that is filled with lots of investigative approaches to learning through looking at old photographs of Halwill Junction. Trying to imagine the arrival and demise of the railways captures a sense of place and interest in their local community. Our science curriculum enables the children to look at living things and their habitats In Music each unit adapts an integrated approach where games, elements of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc.), singing and playing instruments are all linked. In our Religion World Views, we continue to follow units within the Devon Agreed Syllabus will be taught. Within RSE (relationships and sex education) we will be taught through the topics from CORAM Scarf resources – “Valuing Differences.” Here is a useful link to the parent page of the Coram website. https://www.coramlifeeducation.org.uk/family-scarf Madam Clark will teach the children French on Thursday afternoon.

PE is planned for a Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. However, it is always useful if the children have their PE Kit in school for the whole week. Class 4 will have Wild Tribe sessions on Tuesday afternoons please see the Newsletter for specific dates.

Across the term, in Maths, Place Value, Four Operations, Prime Numbers and Statistics will be covered. This term we will also be looking at using goal free word problems. By keeping word problems goal free the children will become more independent and it encourages the retrieval of previous knowledge. Quite challenging, but great fun.

Times tables continues to be a priority. Practise will remain a major focus in class 4 as it is a crucial skill that supports learning in all areas. Please support your children by regularly practising their times tables so they are confident to quickly recall any calculation up to 12 x 12 including the related division facts. They can continue to use their Times Tables Rock Stars login which is recorded in their reading records.

Pupils will have daily opportunities to read and develop the skills within the reading curriculum, using VIPERS (Vocabulary, Inference, Predict, Explain, Retrieve, Summarise) including extended comprehension activities. Developing and extending the children’s vocabulary further is really important. Whenever we read we look at the impact of word choices and ways that we can apply this in our own writing.

Class Routines

Homework is set on a Tuesday. We will continue to set homework on Mathletics and Reading Budies. It is important that children complete tasks set so that they have regular reinforcement and practise.

The children have a spelling journal where they record spelling from the statutory word lists, which they test themselves on. Adults oversee this.

Reading five times a week, practising common exception word spellings and learning times tables are all essential. Please support your children’s learning by hearing them read, reading to them or discussing what they have read five times a week and initialling in their reading record. We ask the children to use the Reading Buddies platform at least 3 times a week. The platform is great and supports the children to develop fluency and pace. Importantly is also supports the children in developing comprehension skills. https://www.oxfordreadingbuddy.com/uk.

Children receive Fab ticks as a reward point. Rewards may link to our Carey Qualities, it may be for great work, it may be for a lovely smile…. the possibilities are endless!

It is a year 5/6 privilege to leave school on their own, once a permission form has been completed. Please appreciate, due to pupil safety being paramount, they are not permitted to walk younger siblings with them. The children are reminded regularly to return to school if their parent/carer is not in the usual meeting place.

Another exciting privilege in Class 4 is to bring their own pencil case! We provide the resources, but many of them like to bring a few of their own things too.

The children’s well-being is of the utmost importance and we aim to create a happy, healthy environment for all. If you have any worries or questions, please do not hesitate in coming to see us.

Many thanks,

Miss J Miners (Class Teacher) and Mrs R Skinner (Teaching Assistant) Mrs S Matthews.