26/09/2026
Happy Friday all!
This week in Year 5 has been one of those special ones where the classroom has been buzzing with energy, ideas and excitement.
Our art lesson took inspiration from the contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang, famous for his dramatic installations and use of unconventional materials. The children really embraced the challenge of creating large-scale, imaginative pieces of their own. It was wonderful to see them working collaboratively, experimenting with shape, texture and movement to bring their visions to life. The finished installations filled the room with a sense of drama and wonder — just as Cai Guo-Qiang’s work does.
Another highlight of the week was tuning into the BBC's 500 Words Live Lesson. The children were thrilled to get a special shout-out from none other than Sir Lenny Henry himself! You should have seen their faces light up — it was a moment of genuine excitement and encouragement, inspiring them to keep writing creatively and with confidence.
In science, we’ve been exploring how shadows are formed and how they change. The children measured shadows at different times and began to make links between the sun’s apparent movement across the sky and the Earth’s rotation. They enjoyed seeing scientific concepts come alive right before their eyes, making connections between the experiments and the bigger picture of our place in the solar system.
PAGE 10 for maths homework.
Spellings (Test 29th September)
symbol
mystery
lyrics
oxygen
symptom
physical
system
typical
crystal
rhythm
Next week
Maths - We will be starting our addition and subtraction unit.
English - We will write a biography on Philippe Petit.
Science - Learning about time zones and why Earth experiences season.
History - We will learn about ancient Greek beliefs.
PSHE - Understanding responsibilities in Year 5.
Art - To problem-solve when constructing 3D artworks.
Computing - To experiment with search engines.
Spanish - To describe the relationship between family members.
PE Timetable for Autumn 1
Monday: Football
Wednesday: Swimming (this will begin on 17th September 2025)
Thursday: A short 30-minute PE session – trainers only are needed
Please make sure you have the correct PE kit and are ready for each lesson.
Homework
CGP Books (Maths and English): One piece per week, alternating between the two subjects. I will specify on the blog which topic will be covered and when it is due in.
Reading 5 x 10-minute sessions a week aloud to an adult. Please record this in your reading record.
Spellings: Weekly spelling practice and tests. Spelling tests are Mondays. The spellings will be available on the blog each Monday for the children to learn them at home over the week.
Sumdog: Online maths practice to help us improve our skills. 3 x 20-minute sessions a week recommended. (A letter with the log in details has been sent home with your child today).
We are looking forward to a brilliant Autumn term and can’t wait to see all the amazing learning that happens in Year 5!
Half Term Project - 500 Words - Due in w/c 20th October 2025
500 Words Challenge
I would like all Year 5 children to enter the BBC's 500 Words Challenge. All children need to do is write a story they would love to read in 500 Words or less. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are not marked - it's all about creativity!
50 finalists will be invited to a star-studded grand final in February 2026, which will be supported by Her Majesty The Queen. If that's not enough, each winner will also see their story be read aloud by a superstar celebrity on TV, which will be shown as part of a special 500 Words programme with The One Show. The official panel of celebrity judges, Sir Lenny Henry, Malorie Blackman, Francesca Simon, Charlie Higson and Frank Cottrell-Boyce will crown the winners.
There are also lots of prizes to be won - each winner will take home a bundle of books and the gold winners also win 500 books for their school library. In addition to the book prizes, each of our winning stories will receive a framed illustrated cover produced exclusively by top children's illustrators.
Children can only submit one story each. There are very few rules on 500 Words but a few points to remember:
All the stories must:
- Be 500 words or less (title is not included in the number)
- Be written by an individual and not a group
- Be a child’s own original idea
- Be prose, not rap or poem
Stories must not:
- Give any personal details of the child, including their name
- Recount an historical event (but they can use a real person or historical character as a source of inspiration)
- Be created, written or developed by AI
In every 500 Words competition, all stories are judged on the following criteria:
- Characterisation
- Plot
- Originality
- Language
- Enjoyment
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