04/09/2026

We have had a brilliant first two days in Year 5. It has been great getting to know the children and I can't wait to start our learning next week. Everyone has settled in really well, and it feels like we are ready for a fantastic year of learning and fun together. 

PE Timetable for Autumn 1

Our current PE timetable is:

• Monday: 30-minute PE session — trainers only
• Wednesday: Swimming 
• Friday afternoon: 1-hour PE session

Swimming at Furzefield has not started just yet, so until swimming commences, Wednesday will be a PE session in school.

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 orange 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 for one hour a week 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). 

There is no CGP homework set for this week. I would however like the children to complete their reading and Sumdog homework. 

Half Term Project - 500 Words - Due in w/c 19th October 2026

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!

500 Words celebrates children's creativity and imagination, encouraging young writers from across the UK to create an original story in 500 words or fewer. This year, the celebrity judges include Malorie Blackman, Charlie Higson, Francesca Simon, Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Rose Ayling-Ellis.

The bronze, silver and gold winners in each age category will be revealed by the BBC in early March 2027. The winners will also have their stories read out by celebrities on the BBC.

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

If you are having any questions, please email me.

Have a great weekend! 

Miss N Davis 

ndavis@littleheath.herts.sch.uk

Message from Mr Chanter - Good afternoon, I hope you all had a lovely summer break. I just wanted to say a massive thank you for all of the cards and gifts you gave me at the end of the academic year - it was very kind of you all! It was lovely seeing the children again this week, they are all looking very grown up now they are in year 5 (which I can't believe!). I hope you all have a lovely weekend and I will talk to you soon.