6.7.20

Good morning,

I hope you all had a nice weekend and are ready for another week!

As we are coming to the end of term, we thought it would be nice for you to reflect on the past year and look forward to the excitement of next year. Below is an updated learning grid with specific tasks designed to lead you towards the end of term.

Have a good week.

Mr Portch

29.6.20

Happy Monday,

Time for another week of fun learning. The sun may not be shining, but we can still have a great day!

This week will continue to explore Friend or Foe and throw ourselves in to some circuit training.

Have a good week!

Mr Portch

Monday 22nd June 2020

Good morning,

It’s another Monday and that means it's time to get stuck into another week of home learning.

I hope you’re all enjoying your learning about Anglo Saxons and Vikings. It was nice to see some sun shining through the clouds after a week of rain!

Scroll down to find this week's home learning. I hope you’re well and stay happy.

Keep up the good work!

Mr Portch

Monday 15.6.20

Good morning,

I hope you had a nice weekend of relaxing. It’s Monday again and that means we get to learn more interesting facts and amaze your family!

It was really great to see so many of you on Thursday and catch up on all the brilliant stuff you’ve been up to. From reading and learning to relaxing and playing, everyone had a story to tell. I hope you’ve all got in to the swing learning about Anglo Saxons and Vikings. If this rain keeps up we may have to get making a long boat of our own!

Hmmm think I may design my own shield when I get a moment…. Maybe you should do the same.

If I didn’t get to speak to you last week, I hope you’re well and stay happy.

Keep up the good work!

Mr Portch

Monday 8th June 2020

Good morning and happy Monday!

I hope you all had a great weekend. It was brilliant hearing the amazing things you’ve been up to and how you’re working on your skills. I know it’s been a bit rainier recently but maybe you can put those cookery skills to the test again and make something delicious with a family member. Could you choose your favorite country and see if you could cook their national dish?

This week we will be concentrating on Anglo Saxons and researching some facts so that we can write a fantastic report. Anglo Saxons are a personal favorite of mine. I remember when I was in Year 5 we went on a trip to Sutton Hoo where there is an Anglo Saxon burial ship. It was amazing and I still remember it! Inside they found really old clothes, weapons and a brilliant helmet.

I hope you enjoy learning about them as much as I did.

Have a great week and see you soon.

Mr Portch

Monday 1st June 2020

Good morning everyone!

I hope you’re all well and staying happy.

Things are slowly getting back to normal and hopefully it will be our turn to get back into school soon. The photos that some of you have sent in of all the amazing work you’ve been doing are just great. I’ve see some of the Egyptian bread you’ve made and it looks fantastic! We have some budding Gordon Ramseys and Delia Smiths!

This week, there is a focus on DT and there are opportunities to build bridges, dens and paper boats! As the weather gets better it’s a chance to get outside and be a bit creative. Maybe even you’re your boat in a paddling pool or even a washing up bowl.

Stay positive and keep up with all the brilliant work you’ve been doing!

See you soon,

Mr Portch

Good morning everyone,

I hope you’ve had a good week and managed to get out and about. As its half term next week we thought it would be a great idea to have a Wellbeing Pyramid. This is designed to provide activities and ideas to help you feel good and to keep you entertained. It makes such a difference when the sun is out so let’s hope the forecast is correct and we have some nice weather to look forward to.

As I mentioned, there are lots of activities to get your teeth in to, maybe try to explain how a water xylophone works or even design your own football kit.

It was great chatting to people on Friday.

Stay happy and keep safe.

Mr Portch

Monday 18th May 2020

Good morning Year Fives!

I hope you’re all doing well and staying happy. The weather is supposed to be lovely and there are opportunities to responsibly get outside and make the most of the sunshine. Can you create your own nature trail or identify different types of butterflies?

When we think of the ancient Egyptians, we think of the pyramids. However, have you ever thought about how they got the massive squares of stone to the top without a crane? They used different things called pulleys or winches to move the stone upwards. This week you will have the change to make your own and discover the science behind how it works!

In English we will be spending some more time on diaries. We covered these a little when we looked at Dork Diaries, but this week we will be going in depth in to their features and writing our own. There are also plenty of opportunities to discover other famous diaries such as Anne Frank’s or Howard Carter’s.

Please keep the photos coming, it’s brilliant to see all the amazing work going on.

Stay happy.

Monday 11th May 2020

Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and were able to relax a bit. All this homework must be tiring you out! I know that loads of you had a great time celebrating VE Day and remembering all the sacrifices that others have made. What a great occasion to bring everyone together!

There are some really cool things to do this week, ranging from planning a trip to Croatia to designing a room in an airport. It's really important that we stay creative and provide opportunities to be imaginative. 

Another one of your tasks focuses on spotting migrating birds. There are going to be lots of visitors to the UK in the next few weeks and it would be brilliant if you could keep your eyes peeled.

Remember to get as much vitamin C from the sunshine as you can and keep talking to friends and family.

You're all doing brilliantly - keep it up guys!

Mr Portch

Monday 4th May 2020

Good morning,

I hope you had a nice weekend and have stayed busy. Within the Homework Grid this week there are opportunities for you to practice your descriptive writing, learn some really fun maths skills and get creative. I especially like the task which requires you to make a table top map using things you can find around the house!

Try and stay positive and be active. Maybe write a To-Do List when you wake up detailing things you want to achieve for that day. Organising your day and ticking things off can really make you feel better!

Finally, the photos you sent in were brilliant. It was fantastic to see so many of you doing great things and working so hard. Keep it up!

Stay safe and be happy.

Mr Portch

Monday 27th April 2020

Happy Monday!

The weather has turned and summer is here (hopefully)!

Another grid this week, designed to help you learn a variety of new skills and deepen your knowledge. We will continue learning about decimals in maths using White Rose, but don’t forget to check Mymaths for your weekly maths top-up!

In English, we will be looking at advertising and the use of persuasive language. By the end of the week you should have an amazing holiday resort advertisement. I wonder which one I’d give 5 stars to?!?

Our journey to Ancient Egypt also continues, researching King Tut and topping up our knowledge on Howard Carter.

Please make the most of any outside space you may have access to. It is so important that we get outside to make ourselves feel better and relax. Try listening to the birds sing and see if you can identify them…. I can think of a few people who’d be good at that!

See you soon,

Mr Portch

Monday 20th April 2020

Good morning Year 5!

I hope everyone is staying safe and keeping active. I know at times the situation can be challenging but the most important thing is to remain positive and to keep improving.

A slightly more structured feel to the homework this week, with a timetable provided to help you plan your days. We will be looking at Ancient Egypt, decimals and even some poetry to keep you going! Remember to also keep doing exercise as this is a great way to stay physically and mentally in tip-top shape.

I’m sure we’ll all be in the classrooms soon, so stay happy. Summer is nearly here and it’s amazing to see the leaves change.

See you soon,

Mr Portch

Monday 13th April 2020

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all happy and staying entertained!

This week we are going to be delving in to the world of decimals and building on our knowledge from Year 4 – just remember to always think about your Place Value Chart and use physical counters if required (coins, rice…. chocolate buttons if you’re lucky).

We also need to investigate why it appears that the sun moves across the sky during the day….. can you provide a scientific reason?

I know lots of you were excited to get your teeth in to our work on Ancient Egyptians. Can you make a head start by looking in to hieroglyphs and seeing if you can use them to translate some sentences?

Try and have a go at all the tasks, it’s really important to use this time to fill in the gaps and get ahead. If you struggle with times tables, really try and get them sorted so you can ‘wow’ your friends when we come back to school.

Most importantly, stay happy and know that we’ll be back at school soon.

Mr Portch

Monday 6th April 2020

It looks like the sun may be out this week! Make sure to top up your vitamin D levels and get some responsible fresh air if possible – it will make you feel better!

Last week we discussed recording the hourly temperature for a day. I think it would be really interesting to do it again this week and record our results on the same line graph…. Given the forecast I think the results could be pretty interesting. What do you predict will happen? Do you think it would make a difference if you placed a thermometer facing North, South, East or West? Hmmm….

Also, we spent too long perfecting our relative clause skills to forget them now. Year 5, who love a challenge, completed their pyramid homework.

I’m taking the opportunity to get better at Spanish (I did French at school). I reckon I’ll give you a run for your money at Spanish Bingo when we get back to school!

Finally, this week may be a nice time to open the secret letter from a classmate.

Stay happy!

Mr Portch

Home Learning 30th March 2020

I hope everyone is well and managing to see a little of the sunshine. This week there is an opportunity to write the first paragraph of a story using DADWAVERS! and consider what your main character looks like, sounds like and how they feel. We will also be looking to record temperatures throughout a day and record them using line graphs.

This week, we had a competition to see how many times we could catch a tennis ball in 30 seconds (standing 5 metres apart). The record is 26…… can you beat it?

Please make sure to stay as active as possible and keep those brains working!

Above all, remember to read - Think about MMAR and all of the methods we use.

Stay happy,

Mr Portch

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all well and staying active. The pyramid is designed to provide you with a wide range of activities to keep you busy at home. Please remember to use your very best handwriting and to constantly think about presentation. Also, we have discussed how important it is to reflect upon our work and to use ARMS and COGS - keep doing what you are doing!

In terms of maths, remember how we have been working in pairs and how important it is to externalise your thoughts. If you can explain your thought processes aloud to a member of your family, that will really help.

See you soon,

Mr Portch

13.3.20

Another action packed week!

This week we have been on a Three Faiths visit, where we have explored a Sinai Synagogue, Leeds Minster and a Mosque at the Lingfield Centre. So much was learnt and experienced about different religions and cultures. It was a great trip and their behaviour was complimented by everyone!

We have also concentrated on personal hygiene as a result of recent world events. Again, this led to an interesting debate and follow-up conversations.

In maths, we continue to grow our knowledge of fractions and in English we have produced some amazing 'show, not tell' paragraphs, using photographs as a stimulus.

Great week - well done everyone!

6.3.20

Lineham Farm revisited!

This week we have been reliving our favourite stories from Lineham Farm ahead of our presentation. Honestly, the memories will last a life time. From toast eating to sleep walking... we have it all!

In the classroom we have finished writing our balanced arguments about the morality of zoos. Whilst in maths we have moved on to finding the common denominators in fractions. This is a step that requires excellent times table knowledge.... so if you have a spare 2 minutes you know what to do!

28.2.20

First week back is in the books! 

We have spent a lot of time working on our teamwork and discovering how we can help each other learn. In art we have been considering and taking inspiration from the work of John Singer Sargent - we have some budding artists in the class!

The focus in maths continues to be fractions, where we are now confident adding fractions together with different denominators. PE was timed perfectly, with sunshine for both sessions. We concentrated on sprinting techniques and how to catch without hurting ourselves.

Finally, in English we have been debating the benefit of zoos in modern society. This has led to some great work which we will write up next week.

Have a nice weekend!

7.2.20

In Year 5 we are all ready for the weekend! We had such an amazing few days on residential but think there are a few of us who are in need of a rest - all this biking, climbing and exploring is hard work!

Since returning we have been practicing our climate change debate and taking part in National Story Telling Week. This involved creating our own story whilst discovering props from a bag.

Photos and stories from Lineham Farm to follow!

31.1.20

This week we finished our adventure stories - they were were varied, exciting and often very funny...well done guys!

Maths has been spent getting back in to fractions, concentrating on equivalent fractions and converting between improper to mixed fractions.

Finally, our environmental skills have again come to the fore again as we have been researching the causes, impacts and solutions to climate change. Many very, very good Donald Trump impressions!

Have a lovely weekend!

24.1.20

This week we have been concentrating on adventure stories, culminating in Year 5 planning and writing their own short stories. This has been lots of fun and there have been many great ideas - I can't wait to read them!

In maths we have been building on our knowledge of multiplication and division, using concrete resources to deepen our understanding. Everyone has made great strides and the effort has been great to see.

We have been discussing what to do for our presentation concerning climate change.... and have settled on a debate between climate change activists and Donald Trump, as we are also concentrating on North America this half term. Best get a blonde wig!

It's been lots of fun, and we can't wait for next weeks learning.

19.1.19

It's been a fun week in Year 5.

Firstly, we have managed to fit in two PE lessons despite the weather. On Tuesday we learnt some basic gymnastics and on Wednesday we concentrated on teams building.

During maths we have been gaining confidence with the process of multiplication - with everyone making great strides. English has been spent adding detail to our Alive and Kicking story, which has been great fun.

In science, we have been concentrating on Space and the environmental impact of the USA.

All in all, there is a lot going on! 

10.1.20

Welcome Back!

The highlight of our first week has been the visit of the Alive and Kicking Theatre Company. As a class we were provided with a mysterious object (a portrait with the eyes removed) which had lost it's history. Through combining our imaginations we used drama to create an epic tale located in a haunted mansion - I can't wait to see where the children are going to take the story next....

20.12.19

What a really fun week at school!

We have been creating shape poems and writing our own short stories in English. In maths we have been working really hard to complete all of our challenges and to master the complexities of perimeter. 

In PE we have been practicing our football skills.

Finally, i'd like to say thank you for all the hard work - its been a really enjoyable term!

Have a great Christmas!

Wow, what an eventful week!

We have got the bit between our teeth when reading and analysing War Horse in English. This has lead to us really empathising with the character of Joey and we can't wait to read more. No nagging required!

In maths, we have been understanding squared and cubed numbers as well as incorporating line graphs in to our English.

Friday, was Take Over Day, where we sent our student's to different classes to support learning. A great day was had by all on what was a very successful event.

22.11.19

Sorry for the lack of a post last week, there were some technical issues that needed resolving.

This week has been really interesting for Year 5. In English, there has been a real focus on reflecting and improving our work, and that of our friends/peers. This is a skill which takes real maturity, and I have been very impressed with how Year 5 have reacted.

Within Maths, we have built upon our knowledge of factors and have now turned our attention to prime and squared numbers.

Finally, we have also really enjoyed our ICT lessons this week, where we have been taking the first steps towards coding our own games.

Well done Year 5.

8.11.19

It's been a really busy start to the half term!

In science we started to learn about Sir Isaac Newton and different forces. This has enabled the children to perform their own research in order to make their own fact files next week.

In maths, we have been rounding off statistics by solving problems related to timetables - if there is any extra work you can do on the 24-hour clock, that would be great!

We have also received a talk regarding body confidence and have been studying the Haka. 

It's been a really enjoyable week.

Have a good weekend.

It's been a really busy week in Year 5.

We've been really lucky with the weather, with the sun shining on our tchoukball session. The skill levels of the class are going through the roof and we are having some really competitive games.

In the classroom, we have been preparing our recount of the Gun Powder Plot and researching more horrible facts! Maths has been spent solving problems related to line graphs, with everyone making great progress.

Finally, in science we have been concentrating on which materials conduct heat and which insulate.

Thanks for a great week.

11.10.19

It's been a fun week in Year 5!

In English we have been researching Guy Fawkes and concentrating on improving our descriptive writing. Maths has been really enjoyable, with an emphasis on reasoning and problem solving. Everyone has made great strides and the improvement is staggering! 

In PE, we continue to play tchoukball on Thursdays. The game requires teamwork, fitness and co-ordination and is lots of fun. Art has also been a hot topic, with lots of work going in to perfecting our masterpieces.

Finally, we got to spend some time with our Reception buddies, which always puts a smile on our faces. 

4.10.19

This week has produced lots of brilliant work, with Year 5 excelling themselves. We started off by finishing our newspaper reports and then compared the diaries of famous people and fictional characters.

In maths, we have been building on our knowledge of addition and subtraction and pushing ourselves to answer some really tricky reasoning and problem solving questions.

Finally, I am very proud of the Year 5 pupils who have been elected for various roles within the school. It is their hard work that helps make the school run smoothly.

Have a nice weekend.

27.9.19

Year 5 have had a really nice week. 

This week in maths we have spent time using our place value skills to order and compare large numbers, aswell as builing upon our knowledge of negative numbers. We have also spent time investigating the Gun Powder Plot through art and drama.

Prior to our church service on Wednesday, we also individually decorated our candle. This montage of individual 'stain glassed windows' worked really well - thank you Miss Goodison!

20.9.19

Wow! What a week we've had in Year 5!

In maths we have been improving our rounding skills, and really enjoyed testing our arithmetic. In spelling, 8 of our class got 10 out of 10, which is a really great achievement.

However, our week came to fantastic crescendo on Friday afternoon when we created a protest to raise awareness of climate change. Years 1 to 6 came outside to support us, sign our petition and ask questions. It was a great time..... and the sun was shining! 

13.9.18

Sycamore Class have had another great week, rounded off by Roald Dahl Day. A massive thank you to everyone who dressed up and got in to the spirit of thing! To celebrate the day we have been writing our own revolting rhymes and designing our own Willy Wonka style sweets.

We have also been lucky enough to receive a fascinating talk about modern slavery and have really polished up our rounding skills in maths.

Have a great weekend everyone.

6.09.19

Our first week has been packed full of team building and fun activities. As well as learning about what each of us have been up to over the summer, we have also conducted our very own Book World Cup. Despite being so busy, we also found time to have our first taste of playing tchoukball!

During our normal timetabled lessons we have conducted baseline assessments and concentrated on improving our ability to reflect on our work.