Happy New Year, and welcome back to Lancaster, Tornado and Typhoon class! We hope you have all had a relaxing and fun Christmas holiday, and are fully rested for the new term.

The CurriculumOurmain focus this term will be “Jungle Adventures”. This interesting topic will be focused around the ‘Just So Stories’ and ‘The Jungle Book’ by Rudyard Kipling. Linking to India and Asia, in our history and geography lessons we will also be looking at The Indus Valley civilisation. We will be investigating and interpreting historical artefacts and discoveries from this ancient civilisation, learning how historians use evidence to formulate ideas about the past.

In English we will study Rudyard Kipling as a significant author, beginning with the Just So Stories, and also looking at The Jungle Book during the first half of term. The texts will allow the children to write short stories; information texts; letters; write using a persuasive style; and write using a journalistic style. We will be focusing on the use of inference and if we empathise with the characters or not. There will be a strong focus on improving accuracy of spelling, grammar and punctuation and the quality of handwriting. Reading and understanding the complexities ofdifferent texts, willhave a high priority throughout all our English lessons.

In Mathswe will move onto looking at fractions, decimals and percentages. Following this, Year 5 will continue to develop their understanding of multiplication and division strategies, and Year 6 will be introduced to algebra; using simple formulae, generating linear number sequences, and solving problems with two unknowns or with scale factors. Mental recall of all times tables up to 12x and the inverse, is essential and mental maths will continue to play an important part of all our maths lessons.

Science and Computing: Over the term we will be focusing on the properties of materials in science. Children will compare and group together everyday materials on the basis of their properties; learn which substances will dissolve in a liquid to form a solution, and discover how to recover a substance from a solution; demonstrate that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible changes, and recognise that some changes result in the formation of new materials and that this is usually an irreversible change. Throughout the term the children will be working scientifically by designing, completing and evaluating a number of fair tests and investigations.

In the first term we will be combining our Computing and PSHCE curriculum to allow the children to develop their understanding of e-safety. They will learn how to stay safe online; recognise and manage appropriate relationships online; and focus on how the media (including social media) portrays the world and how we react to this.

In Computing for the second half of term,the children will further develop their coding skills and begin to use MS LOGO to write algorithms and programme machines to follow their instructions.

PSHCE in the second term will focus on Personal Responsibility; specifically how we can keep safe at home and outside; followed by recognising and managing our emotions and developing resilience. Throughout the Spring term we will have an underlying focus on mental wellbeing, helping the children to recognise their emotions and manage them effectively, whilst also learning when it is necessary to seek help.

In the first half of the term in REwe will continue to follow the Gloucestershire RE syllabus and we will discover “What does it mean if Christians believe God is holy and loving?” Then in the second half of term we will look at “Why do Hindu’s want to be good?”

In Upper Key Stage 2, the children will participate in PEtwice a week. It is important that your child has correct PE kit in school and that all items are clearly labelled. PE kit should comprise: blue t-shirt, shorts/skort, long socks and suitable outdoor training shoes (not plimsolls please). In addition,it would be a good idea to bring tracksuit bottoms and a warmer top for outdoor activities in colder weather.

The aim is to support the children in becoming self-motivated and organised with their homework. The children are expected to read for at least half an hour each evening and make detailed entries in their reading journal, to be handed in during their guided reading session, each week. Spellinglists will be sent home either weekly or termly and it is then up to the children to practise those spellings ready for a weekly spelling test. Each week your child will be issued subject specific homework for topic and Maths. This will usually be given on a Thursday to be brought back into school by the following Tuesday.

Bags The cloakroom area for the children is VERY small. Please ensure that all bags brought into school are of a reasonable size and that allpersonal property is taken home on a Friday. The children are encouraged to be responsible for their own belongings however, it is still worth checking for letters or emails at the end of the day.

A Few DatesFor Your Diary:

  • Young Voices – Monday 8th January 2018
  • Parent’s Evening – Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th February 2018
  • We The Curious Science trip (Lancaster and Typhoon) – 7th February 2018
  • We The Curious Science trip (Tornado) – 8th February 2018
  • World Book Day – 1st March 2018

Further detailed information regarding all trips, events and visits will be sent separately. Make sure you check book bags; the school website will have those important school dates for your diary.

Additional Information

The children are able to drink water and may have access to a water bottle throughout the day. If your child has an inhaler, please could you make sure that it is clearly namedand in date. Their inhaler should be in school, to be accessed at all times. If your child requires any other medication please could you make both ourselves AND the office staff aware.

We encourage the children to use the internet safely and use DB Primary to access class information and email each other. Social Media: Lancaster, Tornado and Typhoon Classes have their own twitter pages. Throughout the term we will post photographs and updates about our learning. Please follow us on @lancasterclass and @Tornado_Class @typhoonclass. No mobile phones or other similar technology is allowed in school.

Formal parent evenings will be held in February. However, if you would like to discuss any aspect of your child’s education or have any concerns at any time throughout the term, please do not hesitate to make an appointment.

Kind regards,

Lisa Loxton, Emma Brearley, Amy Gale

UKS2 Team