Year 5

Welcome to Year 5

Class teachers are:

Year 5

SENDCO and Maths group teacher

The support staff includes the following:-

Year 5 Teaching Assistants

Please find below the handout for the welcome meeting

Year 5 Welcome meeting

Topics and Curriculum

You will find the weekly timetable in your child’s diary.   Year 5 covers some exciting topics such as:-

• History topics: Ancient Maya and Shang Dynasty (Ancient China)
• Geography topics: Rivers and Settlements
• Science topics: Plants, Materials, Ourselves, Light and sound, Electricity, and Science Fair
• Art Topics: Leaves, Van Gogh, Maya discovery landscapes, and Shang Dynasty Jade Masks
• Design & Technology Topics & Projects: Shelters, Biscuits and Alarm systems
• PSHE topics: Laws, Financial responsibility, Healthy eating, Drugs and alcohol, Safety, Birth and death, Identity, Stereotypes, and Friendship changes
• SRE (Sex & Relationship Education): Puberty, Changes and Hygiene
• Computing includes (key areas only): Cryptography, Game programming,  Digital art, Audio and Video editing
• PE & Games includes: Gymnastics, Rock & roll dancing, Football, Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Rounders, Yoga, Tennis, Athletics, Cricket and Swimming for 8 weeks
• Faith and Philosophy includes the introduction to our new way of studying religious education, with a particular focus on Christianity, Judaism and Islam

For more specific information on what the Year 5 pupils will be studying this term see below. 

Year 5 Curriculum maps

If you wish to find out more about the National Curriculum then you can click here.

Homework

The homework expectations are as follows:

• Monday – English (40 mins) due Wednesday – Spelling Shed x 3 and one SPaG mat 
• Tuesday – Maths (40 mins) due Thursday – TTRS x 10 and Mathletics Quest x 1 linked with learning that week 
• Project based homework will be given 4 times over a term (2 per half term). This will be fully explained, with extra advice given through Google Classroom and extra sheets of information uploaded where needed or required. Extra details may include rough drafts or plans of activities to do over the course of 3 – 4 weeks. We expect the children to spend 40 minutes per week on their topic homework. For a 4 week project, three hours of work should be evident as appropriate to the level and ability of the child. The children will also have ample time to ask any questions over the course of a piece of homework. It is essential for the children to begin to plan their homework effectively in order to be Year 6 ready and for moving in to their secondary education.

If homework is not completed on time children will be asked to go to the catch up zone until work is handed in.

Reading at home:

Reading is expected to be carried out outside of school, a minimum of three times per week. The children will be expected to record their reading in their homework diaries and signed by an adult. 

Books we study in Year 5:

The books we study in detail are:  

• The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell, 
• How to save the world with a chicken and an egg by Emma Shevah, and 
• Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott. 

Please avoid reading these at home prior to the teaching unit. 

For more information about how we teach English go to the English link.

Times tables

Please practise times tables at home and we will test them in class so they can work towards their certificates. The children will be set regular times tables practise using Time Tables Rockstars and the expectation is that this will form part of their Maths homework and should be completed a minimum of 10 times per week. They may have other battles and challenges set and they will be advised of this for recording in to their homework diaries as required.  For more information about how we teach maths and measure times table go to the Maths link.

Class Dojo

Parents and carers are welcome to join our class Dojo account. Access to this will allow you to see how well your child is doing in lessons and also ensure you receive feedback on their individual achievements throughout the week. Invitations will be sent home at the start of the academic year to those who are not already connected. Please do not use for messaging teachers, instead email Office1@wallacefields-jun.surrey.sch.uk.

Extra activities:

• All children have a log in for Spelling Shed, TTRS and Mathletics – there are a huge array of activities to do that will support your children’s growing fluency and understanding in spelling and times tables
• Support reading if needed, this can include continuing reading to and with your child, as well as independent reading and summarising afterwards
• Support homework if needed
• Encourage personal organisation and responsibility where needed

Visits and trips

To help broaden the children’s learning, enjoyment and understanding of their topics, we offer a range of visits and trips.

• We have a day trip to Ewell with a focus on the Hogsmill River (more details at the start of Autumn Term). 
• The residential trip is PGL, Marchants Hill is 6th May 2025 - 9th May 2025.

More information about all these trips and visits and any costs will be sent out nearer the time.

Year 5 Residential Trip to PGL Marchants Hill

Personal growth

Your child is now part of the Upper school and we start to build their personal organisation and responsibility with the lead up to Secondary School so please encourage your child to hand in their own slips, and remember their water bottles, homework diary, homework etc.

Any questions or concerns

Your teacher should be your first point of contact and can be contacted via the School Office Office1@wallacefields-jun.surrey.sch.uk. If it is an urgent matter, please call the School Office on 0208 393 0350.