16/10/2026

Happy Friday all!

As I was unwell on Monday, we were unable to complete our weekly spelling test. The children will therefore have an extra week to practise their spellings before we complete the test next week.

This week's spellings focus on homophones and near-homophones, which are words that sound the same or very similar but have different meanings and, in some cases, different spellings. I will not read the words out in the order they appear on the list, so it is important that the children learn the meaning of each word as well as how to spell it.

past

passed

proceed

precede

aisle

isle

aloud

allowed

affect

effect

English: Hidden Figures

As part of our Space topic and our learning for Black History Month, we have been reading and completing activities based on Hidden Figures. The children have really enjoyed learning about the incredible achievements of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three African-American women mathematicians who played an important role in NASA's space programme.

To build on the children's enthusiasm and deepen their understanding of this inspiring story, I am planning to show the film Hidden Figures in class next week. The film is rated PG.

If you would prefer your child not to watch the film, please let me know or contact the school office as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support!

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

Homework

This week, the children need to complete pages 40-41 in their CGP English book. It is due in on Friday 23rd October. 

Our regular homework expectations are:

• CGP Books (Maths and English): One piece per week, alternating between the two subjects. I will specify on the blog which topic needs to be completed and when it is due.
• Reading: 5 x 10-minute sessions each week, aloud to an adult. Please record each session in your orange reading record.
• Spellings: Weekly spelling practice and tests. Spelling tests take place on Mondays. The spellings will be available on the blog each Monday for the children to practise at home during the week.
• Sumdog: One hour of online maths practice each week to help us improve our skills. I recommend 3 x 20-minute sessions each week. A letter with login details has been sent home with your child.
  

  Next week, the children will also have the opportunity to take part in the South East Sumdog Competition! This is a great chance for them to practise their maths skills, improve their fluency and challenge themselves while competing against other schools across the South East. Please encourage your child to log in to Sumdog and take part in the competition throughout the week. Good luck, Year 5!

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

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 fewer. 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's 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 aloud by celebrities on the BBC.

There are also lots of prizes to be won. Each winner will take home a bundle of books, while the gold winners will also win 500 books for their school library. In addition to the book prizes, each winning story 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 for 500 Words, but there are a few important points to remember.

All stories must:

• Be 500 words or fewer (the title is not included in the word count)
• Be written by an individual, not a group
• Be a child's own original idea
• Be prose, not a rap or poem

Stories must not:

• Include any personal details about the child, including their name
• Recount an historical event (although children 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 have any questions, please email me.

Have a great weekend!

Miss N Davis 

ndavis@littleheath.herts.sch.uk