Salesbury CE Primary School

Salesbury CE Primary School Autumn 2008

Class 8A Newsletter

Dear Parents,

I trust you had an enjoyable summer. This is the termly newsletter for the children of the class and their families. This outlines the topics we will be studying until Christmas and detail the routines that the Y5 and Y6 children will need to know. If there is anything further you would like to know – or if you or your child has any concerns at school, please contact me and I’ll be more than happy to talk to you.

Literacy / We will cover reports and explanations, film narrative and short stories with flashbacks, arguments and persuasion, fiction genres and scripts. Much of the work will be linked to our History topic and will involve plenty of ICT use. The new Literacy Framework that we will be working from will include a greater focus on speaking and listening skills.
Mathematics / Our class topics include: number, calculations, shape, handling data and measuring. Mental Maths skills will feature heavily. This term, Year 5 children in all 3 classes will work in groups with children from Class 8B and Class 7 with myself, Mr Bird or Mrs Yarwood during each fortnight. Year 6 children will work in groups with children from Class 8B with both myself and Mr Bird during each fortnight.
Science / Life Processes and Living Things. Year 6 children will have additional knowledge and understanding sessions on Mondays.
ICT / (with Mrs Wainwright) Word Processing (including typing skills) and Graphical Modelling (basically, creating pictures and using publishing packages).
History / Britain since the 1930s. This will include some work based on World War Two (including a half day trip for role playing activities). However, dialogue has taken place to ensure children who were in Class 7 last year will not be repeating tasks they covered last term.
Art & Design / (with Mrs Wainwright) Drawing and painting.
DT / (with Mrs Wainwright and Mr Crashley – DT Specialist from Ribblesdale High School) We will be designing, making and evaluating a special seasonal item, this term.
Music / (with support from Mr Rimmer) The Wider Opportunities project.
PSHE / The topics are entitled ‘Knowing Me’ and ‘Staying Healthy’.
RE / (including 3 lessons with St Wilfrid’s RE specialist) Life as a Journey and Advent.
French / (with Mrs Wainwright) Plenty of fun learning, including conversations and families.
PE / Gymnastics and Games. Our PE lessons will usually take place on Wednesday afternoons, (and Thursdays for Y6) though can take place on other days, so full kit is needed in school all week (washing, as appropriate, on weekends). Year 5s will be swimming on Mondays.
Homework
The school’s expectations regarding regular reading to an adult remain. Homework is usually set on a Friday and handed in on (or before) the Wednesday, allowing children choice of working after school or over the weekend. Homework will involve Literacy and/or Mathematics tasks based on the week’s work or open-ended activities or problems to solve. So, please expect a weekly homework letter on Fridays. Each fortnight, children will be given a spelling list to learn or a spelling activity to complete. Year 6s will be given reading and writing tasks (written on inside cover of Question Book) in their Science Study and Question Books on Mondays.

May I thank you, in advance, for your support and trust your child will enjoy their learning and make progress, this year. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss a school issue (through notes, phone calls, emails – - or in person).

Kind Regards,

Mr A. Kellington (Class 8A Teacher)

Salesbury CE Primary School

Class 8A Routines

Monday / Y5 need kit for swimming lesson (bus leaves 9am).
Y6 Science Homework set and returned. Homework is explained on inside cover of Science Question Book (white) and will include written work in this book, plus reading work from Science Study Book (purple). Both books contained in card wallet (orange).
Tuesday / Musical Instruments to be brought in for lesson (kept in cellar) and taken home for practising.
Wednesday / Usual deadline for homework set on Fridays.
Normal PE day, though kit must be in school every day.
Thursday / PE day for Year 6, though kit must be in school every day.
Friday / Weekly Homework Letter is handed out and included on Class 8A page of school website:

Also, check out the page, through the year, for details of websites linked to our topics, to help reinforce the children’s knowledge and understanding.