08.10.21

 
Dear Parents/Carers

This week, in Year 5/6 we have been celebrating Black History Month by reading the story 'A House Like No Other'.  We have used it to inspire our own writing and even made wooden bead bracelets like the one our main character, Izzy, found in her Aunt's jewelery box.  The children have enjoyed the lessons and have produced some wonderful written work.

In maths we have been learning about coordinates, including translating, reflecting, rotating and enlarging shapes.

Best of all, the three classes have been mixing at break and lunch times.  It has been lovely to see the children playing together as a phase group again. 

Sapphire Class making bracelets - with a little help from Payton. 

Harvest Festival

Next week we will be starting our harvest festival collection for the children and families in our own community who might need a helping hand.  There will be a collection box at the gate from next week and any contributions will be greatly appreciated.  Here is the link to our Harvest Festival song to get you in the mood!  Harvest Festival Samba

Parent/Teacher Consultations

You are now able to book an appointment to meet with your child's class teacher on Friday 22nd October, 8:30am to 3:30pm.  Please use the Scopay app to secure your slot.  We will, once again, be using Zoom.  A meeting link will be sent to you nearer the time. 

Phase Emails

Please remember, that if you wish to contact your child's class teacher, you can use the phase email.  The address to use for the Year 5/6 teachers is: year5_6@downhallprimary.com

Your emails will be responded to as soon as possible by a member of staff.  This may not be until the following working day (or Monday, if sent after 4pm on Fridays.)

If you wish to inform a teacher of your child's absence, an appointment or a change in drop-off/collection arrangements, please contact the school office via text, telephone or email rather than the phase emails, as these are not checked regularly during teaching hours.

Have a lovely weekend

Miss Sharman, Mrs Devlin and Mrs Witherall

01.10.21

 Dear Parents/Carers

At last! The homework books have arrived.

This evening, your child will have brought home a CGP, GPS book.  The pages they are required to complete for homework are:

Year 5 Foundation - pg 43

Year 5 Targeted - pg 36

Year 5 Stretch - pg 44-45

Year 6 Foundation - pg 38

Year 6 Targeted - pg 36

Year 6 Stretch - pg 6-9

These page numbers are also displayed on our Google Classroom pages.  Homework needs to be submitted by next Wednesday.

Maths books arrived late this afternoon, so will be issued next week.

Maths homework for this week is on Google Classroom.

Height and Weight Check

As you may have seen on this week's newsletter, children in Year 6 will be having their height and weight checks on 18th and 19th October.  Parents in Year 6 should have received a letter via email.

Have a lovely weekend

Miss Sharman, Mrs Devlin and Mrs Witherall

24.09.21

Dear Parent/Carers

This week, in Year 5/6 we have been using the film 'Swallows and Amazons' as a stimulus for our writing.  The children have produced some lovely narrative and descriptive writing.

In maths, the children have been learning a range of methods for division.

Our Geranium growing is still in progress and we are hoping some roots will start to appear soon!

We are still waiting for homework books to arrive.  Hopefully they will be with us next week.

This week's homework is:

English

We would like the children to write a setting description based on a picture.  They have all been allocated this on Google Classroom, so please ask them to check.

Maths

Next week, we will be learning about prime numbers, factors and multiples.  We would like the children to find out what each of these are and write a definition to go with them.  Children often struggle to remember the difference between factors and multiples, so writing their own definition will help them.

Have a lovely weekend.

Miss Sharman, Mrs Devlin and Mrs Witherall

17.09.21

 

Dear Parents/Carers

This week, in Year 5 and 6, the children have been taking cuttings of geraniums in their science lessons.  They have been learning about asexual reproduction in plants and are attempting to grow their own from the samples they have taken. 

Fingers crossed, we should get some roots appearing in a few weeks.  Watch this space for updates.

Thank you to the Year 5 parents who have completed the Children's University survey which was posted on the blog this week.  If you are yet to complete it, please find details on the previous post.

This afternoon, your children will have brought home a copy of The Essential Guide To Schools.  Along with open day dates for local schools, there are some interesting articles on the importance of sleep for children, keeping children safe on TikTok and information on applying to grammar school.  Well worth a read!

On Monday, your child will be brining home a reading book and their reading diary (which contains Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 spelling lists), their log in details for Google, MyOn, Times Tables Rockstars and Sum Dog. 

Homework books will follow shortly.

This week's homework is:

In preparation for our art and design technology work, linked to our Mayan Project, we would like the children to research Mayan Masks.  They need to find out why they were used and begin to consider their own design.  This should be submitted by Wednesday 22nd September.

Have a lovely weekend

Miss Sharman, Mrs Devlin and Mrs Witherall

Children's University - NFER

Dear Year 5 Parents

Down Hall are participating in an evaluation of  Children's University  

We would like to invite you to complete the following survey to indicate your interest in allowing your child to take part in Children's University activities if our school is selected.

Please use the link below.  The introduction to the survey gives more information about Children's University.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS FOR YEAR 5 PARENTS ONLY

https://surveys.nfer.ac.uk/uc/eecu_rd/?ses_password=wt399v16

Thank you in advance for your support.

Miss Sharman

10.09.21

Dear Parents/Carers

So, here we are at the end of the first full week of the new school year.  The children have, once again, made us extremely proud this week.  They have worked hard and behaved impeccably.  

This week, they have been impressing us with their writing, as well as their scientific knowledge about plants.

For homework this week we would like the children to:

• Research the life cycle of an animal, thinking about the different stages it goes through.  This should be submitted as a Google Doc, shared with their teacher.
• As always, they should also be working on their multiplication tables and the Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 spellings.  
• They should also be reading at home daily, either from a book or using MyOn.

Homework books will be sent home in due course.  Children will be expected to complete the pages set by their teacher.  Each week, the pages they are expected to work on will be posted on the blog and on Google Classroom.

Children will receive an email to their Google accounts inviting them to join their current classroom page.

Please remember that all school uniform needs to be labelled with your child's name.  We have already had a number of jumpers and cardigans left behind which are unnamed. 

Have a lovely weekend.

Miss Sharman, Mrs Devlin and Mrs Witherall

Welcome Back!

 Dear Parents/Carers

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your children back to school.  Your children have done you proud over the last couple of days.  They have settled in brilliantly and have already shown us how sensible, kind and hard working they are.

We would also like to thank you for assisting us in a smooth return to school. As you are already aware, the decision was made to carry on as we were before we broke up for the summer with staggered entry and exit times etc. Please see the letter below which was issued in June if you are unsure of arrangements.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AqvnhZaWaeNok1zgc6w7PeT7X_8Khl7W/view

We will be reviewing current arrangements next week, so please keep an eye on the school website as this is where we will let you know when changes will be implemented.

If you have any questions regarding these arrangements please email year5_6@downhallprimary.com

Have a restful weekend.

Full week for all of us ahead next week!

Miss Sharman, Mrs Devlin and Mrs Witherall