Year 5
English
This Half Term in Year 5 – Literacy Focus
This half term, Year 5 will be diving into the epic tale of Odysseus, the legendary Ancient Greek hero. Through this thrilling adventure story, children will explore a range of key literacy skills. They will learn how to write formal letters, develop their inference and retrieval skills to better understand characters, and compose diary entries from different points of view. We will also be learning how to plan, structure and write a balanced argument, encouraging pupils to think critically and express their opinions clearly. All of this will be supported by dedicated work on spelling, punctuation and grammar, helping to strengthen their overall writing ability. It promises to be an exciting and enriching half term!
This Half Term in Year 5 – Maths Focus
This term in Maths, Year 5 will be building a strong foundation in several key areas of the curriculum. We will begin by exploring place value, helping children to understand the value of digits in larger numbers and how to represent and compare them. We will then move on to fractions, as well as developing efficient methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. These core skills will be practiced regularly to ensure fluency and confidence. Our learning will be supported by weekly CLIC tests and Fluent in Five sessions, which help children to develop mental arithmetic strategies and apply them quickly and accurately. We’re looking forward to a term full of number confidence and mathematical thinking!
This Half Term in Year 5 – Topic Focus: Ancient Greece
This half term, our topic is Ancient Greece, and we’ll be exploring this fascinating civilisation through a combination of enquiry-based learning and teacher-led input. Children will be guided by the enquiry question: “What did the Ancient Greeks do for us?” Through this, they will investigate the role of the Greek gods, and explore key contributions in medicine, science, and philosophy. We will also study Greek geography, architecture, literature, and sport, considering how each has influenced the modern world. Towards the end of the unit, children will reflect on the legacy of Ancient Greece and debate which contributions remain the most significant in our lives today. It promises to be a thought-provoking and inspiring topic that links beautifully with our literacy work on Odysseus.
- TTRockstars - Daily for just 5 minutes playing time (little and often is the key to mastery). To help you monitor your child's playing time a target of 25 minutes for the week has been set which will decrease as they play.
- Reading - We encourage pupils to read a wide range of texts for pleasure at home, whatever these may be. The home learning expectation is that 30 minutes of reading is completed 3 times a week (or similar amount over several days) - this, of course, doesn't mean that lots more shouldn't be done. Even if your child is a confident reader please continue to discuss their reading with them.
- Spelling - Spelling Shed activities. 10 minutes, 3 times a week.
Thank you for your support.
Year 5 - General
Miss Laura Bailey
Panthers class teacher & History Lead
Miss Bailey is the class teacher for Panthers and also our History Lead. She brings a real passion for the past into the classroom and loves to weave history into all areas of the curriculum wherever she can. Her enthusiasm helps bring learning to life and inspires pupils to ask big questions, make connections, and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Mr Toby Hatcher
PE Lead & Tigers Class Teacher
Mr Hatcher is a new member of the Year 5 team and also serves as our PE Lead. He is passionate about promoting physical activity and encourages all children to get involved in sport both in and out of school. Mr Hatcher plays a key role in running after-school clubs and creating opportunities for pupils to stay active, build confidence, and enjoy teamwork.
Ms. Kirsty Crtichley
Assistant Headteacher & Literacy Lead.
Ms Critchley is our Assistant Head and Literacy Lead, and she will be working closely with both classes each week to support the development of writing across the year group. She will be in Panthers class every Thursday and in Tigers class all day on Fridays. Her sessions will focus on improving literacy by developing spelling, grammar, fluency, and all key aspects of writing.
Teaching Assistants
Our Teaching Assistants in Year 5 this year are Mrs Parker and Mrs Ward. Our LSA is Mrs Wilson.
parent leaflet year5 autumn1.pdf
year 5 medium term plan autumn1.pdf
parent leaflet year 5 autumn 1 2025
Diversity in our curriculum
In year 5 been working hard to redesign and develop our wider curriculum to be as representative of the world as we can. We want lessons that celebrate diversity and promote acceptance and respect. We want a curriculum that allows our children to regularly learn about, and be inspired by, individuals of all abilities from all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexualities, religions and ethnicities. It is really important for us as a school, that the celebration of differences is embedded in our lessons and discussed frequently at every opportunity possible throughout the year. Weaving diversity throughout our curriculum is an on-going project and something we all feel incredibly passionate about.
Year 5 diversity
