Homework
Homework is set as a ‘menu’, which gives the children the duration of the half term to complete at least 5 activities. Children have been provided with a homework book which will contain each half term’s ‘menu’. All homework should be completed in their homework books and returned to school every Thursday to be checked by the class teacher. Your child will have their homework explained to them each half-term and given time to ask any questions. If any models or pieces of artwork are created, a picture of this could be stuck into their homework books and/or brought into school for display. As children will have between 5-7 weeks to complete at least 5 activities, we encourage this to be separated into 1 task per week so it is not rushed.
Homework will be set on the first Thursday of each half term, to be returned every Thursday to be checked and completed by the final Thursday of each half term. Homework should be presented well. If your child is ensure of a task, please encourage them to talk to us so that we can give the relevant support. If for some reason your child cannot complete their homework, please let us know.
Spellings
An overview of the spellings will be sent out at the beginning of each half term, with a test every Friday. We will have a weekly spelling lesson on a Monday, where children will be learning and revising various spelling rules and letter patterns. Please encourage your child to learn these patterns/rules. The weekly test will consist of a mixture of unknown words which match the rule and some additional Year 5 statutory words. Some weeks there will also be personalised spelling lists which are sent home as a paper copy-these are words identified in written work which are regularly spelled incorrectly.
Times Tables
Times Table Rockstars is a brilliant website that helps to develop and support times table knowledge. The children can earn points and keep a track of their speed as well as updating their avatar! It is important that by Year 5, children have secured their knowledge of all times table facts up to 12 x 12, as this will be invaluable in many maths topics and in preparation for Year 6 and SATs. We often have times table challenges and competitions in class, to help build children’s times table knowledge. Please encourage your child to regularly practise their times tables at home, either on Times Table Rockstars or via another method.
Home Reading
Regular, daily reading is the key to success. Your child should read at least three times per week. These sessions could be reading silently to themselves or reading aloud to an adult or a sibling. We encourage children to read what excites them, in addition to, their levelled reading book. It is important that children keep their school reading record up to date, logging the page and date of the book that they are reading. Children will need their reading records in school on a Monday, to be checked.
The amount of time children spend reading will vary. Be encouraging and guided by your child’s interest. The following points might support you when reading at home with your child:
- Make sure you are relaxed and comfortable during the reading session.
- Encourage your child to read with expression.
- Your child should be able to read approximately 9 out of every 10 words in the book, fewer than this and the book may be too difficult.
- Discuss the meaning of difficult or usual words and encourage your child to use these new words in sentences when talking to you. Discuss their meaning in context and other ways of using them, as well as other words that mean the same.
- Ask questions about the characters, the plot, the ending of the book and whether your child enjoyed it.
- Encourage talk about favourite authors and illustrators, giving reasons for their choices. Suggest books that you loved when you were young or ask an adult in school to help support choices.
- Try and make sure that your child reads a range of different books, not always stories, and not always the same genre.
- Model the reading process yourself by having your own book to read.
- Give lots of praise and encouragement.
- Read more challenging texts to the children or listen to an audio book.