Dear Parents

Did we have a summer holiday? When was it? It seems so far away…cue a bit of whinging and sobbing in a corner…followed by a large glass of wine!

Well not being a believer of luck or anything personally they may have been a few feelings foreboding today as it is indeed Friday 13th…well I have to say it has been a great day and indeed a great week! I only looked over my shoulder twice today…

This past week or so (and over the coming half term)  I am getting to know the children’s learning habits through classroom activities and getting a handle on how we can work together.. Don’t be alarmed if your child moves onto different class working groups and there may be movement in the maths classes in the coming weeks as Mrs Connor and I get to know the children. They are a great bunch and I have really enjoyed teaching them, even those in Ayleward House…In class joke there !

We have started our maths and English topics in earnest. In maths, my group have looked at face value, understanding the value of parts of numbers up to 1,000,000 and how the importance of place holders. We also joined history and maths together by having lessons on Roman numerals and using them to work out dates of significance in history and the years of the reigns of assorted kings and queens of Britain, they really enjoyed it and it was fun trying to learn and understand the right sequences. They have been working hard on layout and presentation of maths problems and I have been really impressed with the effort put into this. Our homework for maths this week reflects all these points and there are also tasks on recalling times tables facts for 6 and 7.

We are so blessed to have such generous parents in this school and we are lucky to have additional avenues of support and learning opportunities for the children. With teachers for Spanish, Music , Gymnastics and PE weekly and they do not include the various other opportunities throughout the year with dance lessons, QPR football sessions and Scientist in Residence lessons to name but a few. We could not do this without you parents who raised for us in FOSS a massive £175, 000 last year. Thank you so much!

Homework – Please see opposite for the homework which will be spelling, comprehension and maths. A new process will be using Google Classroom a lot more for other homework such as comprehension or additional tasks. Spellings and sentences as always will be in the green books and mathletics will be set by class teachers. Miss Bill and I had a chat today with the year group about homework expectations so please have a chat with them about it.  

In RE we have begun our topic of Judaism as well as begun looking at our class spiritual word – Peace. Next week the children will write prayers and created a poster with their bible verse in their RE books based on their idea what ‘PEACE’ means for us as individuals. Not just wishing for PEACE in the world, but also what it means for Peace in our lives. We also have started our worldwide religious topic on understanding what it is like to live as a follower of Judaism and what items and artefacts are important to them -such as a Kippah’, Tallit and Seder dish.

It has been wonderfully democratic in school this week with class elections for school council and the children voted for who would take on that role. Well done to all those who went for it, as well as the two children nominated as our prayer group representatives.

So all in all it has been a very democratic week in class…although I still have my dictator moments J.

I am looking forward to going to France with your children next year – a trip I loved doing with Year 6 a few years ago and as emailed earlier in the week, I hope all our children can attend. On another note good luck to the Year 6 going to PGL next week and I am sure they will have a fantastic time. I will repeat this throughout the year to the children many times throughout the year, but I truly believe that they are blessed to have so many opportunities and experiences in this school, or have I said that already J

Just to round off I would like to say your children are certainly a group full of character and energy. I see myself having a long bath before sinking into my couch every Friday when the week ends with a glass of coke zero and a box set on Netflix/Amazon Prime/Disney Plus as I try to recover J . Seriously they are wonderful children and I am having great fun teaching them.   They are a credit to you!

Kind regards

Mr Perry

Welcome to Year 5 Blackman!

I hope you had a wonderful summer holiday and are ready to start the new school year. I have been really looking forward to teaching Year 5 again as last year was my first year teaching this age group in this school. I taught Year 6s for five years and Year 4 for three before going to year 5. They are at a lovely age in their development and even better they also begin to get my humour (or lack of) J  as well. It is fantastic once again to meet new families, siblings of old students and get to know children from a year group who I do not know as well. We are all in this together as we start our year 5. I look forward to getting to know your children (and you of course) in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Miss Cummins and Miss Isobel have been wonderfully helpful over the last few days and I thank them both. I have worked with Miss Cummins before and we make a great team and I know you all know them (Miss Isobel and Miss Cummins) well from last year. Miss Cummins has over twenty years’ experience as a TA and is a welcome member of the Year 5 team. Miss Williams, Miss Bill and Miss Tami have also been wonderfully supportive as we begin our new year in Year 5. As I am sure you are aware – Miss Bill and Miss Williams are working with the other Year 5 class.

The Children have been letting me know all about themselves by creating a coat of arms that represent them and have included with them topics such as family, interests and talents. They have learnt a bit more about me and my interests, hobbies and expectations and we have looked this week at our personal heritage of our families to create a display in the class. Today they created a wonderful self portrait for the wall and the class was just abounding in mirrors, pastels and chalk. I am look forward to getting to know each other well in the coming months through assemblies, playtimes and looking at being back on track with school trips and sports events. Then of course next year we have our residential. Roll on France! I know this trip really well after taking five year 6 classes here before switching France with our Spanish trip and of course we brought it back last year. I am looking forward to taking your children here.  We have looked at our expectations for the year and drawn up a charter for our class rules and the children have been listening and following the rules sensibly.

Our timetable has been put on the website and I will parent mail you as well. In Maths – as always- Year 5 will be split into two groups.  I will be teaching the independent group and Miss Bill will be teaching the other group supported by additional adults. Although the groups will start more or less the same there will be some adjustments based on Miss Bill’s and I’s judgment. We will want to support your children as best as possible. As per my parent mail on Monday, PE kits will be needed for Tuesdays (PE) and Wednesdays (gymnastics). The children should come into school in their PE clothes on these days which they will keep on for the rest of the day, unless we have sports days- I would want the children to have full school uniforms on Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Reading books will not be issued this week, but will go out every Monday and should be returned by Friday when they will be changed, these books should be read with an adult and recorded in their reading log books. We will also have a school library slot on a Friday where the children make a more personal choice.  Children will visit the school library most weeks.   Homework will be issued every Friday and should be returned by Tuesday. Mathletics tasks are part of the weekly homework and should be completed by Tuesday as well.

I have attached a link below for you to see our class timetable which we will stick as much as possible, although I am also sure that you have come to realise that we have a lot of extracurricular activities in St Stephens so the timetable may change from time to time.

Timetable – Year 5 Blackman Autumn 1

I have also attached a copy of our ‘Curriculum Map’ for the autumn term which will show you the topics we will be covering in each subject. These too may be subject to change from time to time.

Year 5 Curriculum Map 2024-2025

I am looking to meeting you all properly over the course of the coming weeks and know we will have a successful year ahead.

My email is a.perry@ststephensce.lbhf.sch.uk

Kind Regards

Mr Perry