Dear Parents/carers,

Welcome back!

This half term, the children in Class 4 will be learning about The Anglo-Saxons. As part of this topic, the children will be initially be finding out about why the Anglo-Saxons settled in Britain, considering push and pull factors. They will study what life was like in an Anglo-Saxon settlement too. Our topic will also be inspiring our creative efforts in art, where the children will be creating their own illuminated texts.

Miss Parkin will continue to deliver Class 4’s RE sessions on Wednesday afternoons. This half term, the children’s learning will be around the theme of Salvation, linking closely with our Christian Value of Forgiveness during this time of Lent.

As the Y6 SATs draw ever closer, we shall be splitting the children in to year groups for English sessions this half term (as we regularly do in maths). The Y6s will be honing their non-fiction writing skills, with a particular emphasis on persuasive texts and non-chronological reports this half term. They have already begun some persuasive writing inspired by the Alex Rider series of books. Y5 will be using the wordless picture book by Shaun Tan, ‘The Arrival’, as the inspiration for their writing. Through this they will be exploring themes of salvation, immigration and displacement by writing from different perspectives.

In science, the children will study the properties and changes of materials, with a particular emphasis on reversible and irreversible changes.  

Class 4’s weekly PE sessions will continue to be led by Mr. Wathall on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Children will need to have their PE kits (in PE bags) in school on these days. We advise that they bring their kits in each Monday and take them home each Friday to be washed. Children may wish to bring appropriate PE footwear such as trainers in on their PE days only, especially if needed at home during the week. Please could I take this opportunity to remind all parents that children should be in correct school uniform each day. Our school uniform policy can be found on our school website at: https://www.st-maryscofe.notts.sch.uk/uniform-information/

Our current reading challenge will continue for the next few days before beginning afresh on 1^st March. Please encourage your child to read at home each night and record this in their home/school diary. Class 4 are aiming to work collectively on this to achieve an additional playtime so please support them in this. Thank you.

In Maths this half term, all children will begin by studying decimals and making links to fractions and percentages. Both Y5 and 6 will also be developing their knowledge of geometry. All children have their TTRockstars details in their new reading diaries and are encouraged to practise their multiplication facts each week. We have still yet to see anyone gain the elusive title of Rock Hero. Who will be the first, I wonder?

Homework will be given out each Friday and will usually consist of one piece of English and one piece of Maths. Where appropriate, English homework may be linked to our topic work. Homework should be returned by the following Wednesday at the latest. In addition to this, the children will receive weekly spelling lists each Monday which they will be tested on each Friday. *Y6 children can expect an additional grammar focused task each week too.

Finally, don’t hesitate to contact me on Class Dojo should you wish to discuss your child’s wellbeing or progress; I’m more than happy to help!

Kind regards,

Miss K Wright