Year Five 

Welcome to Year 5

I'm Mr White, the Year 5 class teacher.

My dream for Year 5 is to create a classroom where children feel secure enough to challenge themselves, take risks with their learning and be ambitious. I want every child to really push themselves and strive to be the best they can be.

We are all amazing, but we are all different, so tolerance, kindness and respect for one another are incredibly important in our classroom. I also believe that making mistakes is an essential part of learning. If children are going to challenge themselves, they will sometimes get things wrong, and that's absolutely fine! I want to develop a resilient classroom where children recognise that they haven't failed; they simply haven't learnt how to do something yet.

An important focus in Year 5 is developing greater independence. As children move towards Year 6 and, eventually, high school, I want them to become increasingly confident in taking responsibility for their own learning, organising themselves and overcoming challenges. These are skills that will help them succeed both in school and beyond.

Learning in Year 5

Teaching in Year 5 is designed to encourage children to think constructively and critically about the topics we cover. I want children to ask questions, explain their thinking, develop their own opinions and reasoning, and become curious about the world around them.

Our curriculum is designed to broaden your child's knowledge and skills across a wide range of subjects, providing opportunities to know more, remember more and make meaningful connections between their learning. Please visit our Curriculum Zone for further information.

I am particularly passionate about reading and want every child to discover a love of books. Our classroom has its own library, filled with imagination, adventure and knowledge, and children also have regular opportunities to visit our school library. Through reading, children can develop their vocabulary, broaden their understanding of the world and access more opportunities for success across the curriculum.

Year 5 also plays an important role in producing The Barton Moss Podcast. Our children are the main presenters and contributors, giving them exciting opportunities to develop their confidence, communication skills, creativity and teamwork. It is a fantastic way for children to share their learning, celebrate school life and develop skills that extend beyond the classroom.

Class Routines

On most days, we begin with spelling before moving into reading, where we focus on developing fluency, comprehension and a deeper understanding of texts.

Our writing lessons are built around engaging texts and different genres, helping children develop their creativity and become increasingly confident writers. Grammar, punctuation and sentence accuracy are taught alongside writing so children can apply these skills with purpose.

Following our morning break, we usually move on to maths. At Barton Moss, we follow the White Rose Maths scheme, which uses a mastery approach and small steps to develop children's understanding, fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills.

Our afternoons provide opportunities to explore the wider curriculum, including Science, History, Geography, Art, Design and Technology, PSHE, Religious Education, French, Music, Computing and PE.

Throughout the week, I encourage children to become increasingly independent, take responsibility for their learning and approach new challenges with a positive attitude.

PE Days

Our PE days are Monday and Tuesday.

All children should come to school wearing their full PE kit on these days. For safety, earrings must not be worn and long hair must be tied back.

Going the Extra Mile for Success

Support from home is hugely appreciated and can make a real difference to your child's confidence, progress and opportunities for success.

I ask that children spend 5–10 minutes practising each of the following, at least five times a week:

• Reading: Enjoying a book, developing fluency and building a lifelong love of reading.

• Spelling: Practising familiar words and spelling patterns to develop accuracy and confidence.

• Times tables: Developing quick and confident recall to support learning across mathematics.

A little practice, completed regularly, can make a huge difference over time.

Each Friday, children will also receive their weekly spellings and a piece of homework linked to something they have been learning in class that week. This gives children an opportunity to revisit their learning, strengthen their understanding and develop greater independence.

I encourage children to take responsibility for completing their homework, organising their resources and being prepared for the school day. These are important habits as they prepare for Year 6 and high school.

Keeping in Touch

Good communication between school and home is an important part of helping children succeed.

ClassDojo is our main method of communication. Please use it to contact me if you have any questions, concerns or information you would like to share.

I look forward to working together to make Year 5 a happy, challenging and successful year for every child.

Mr White
Year 5 Class Teacher