Welcome to Spring 2 in Larch Class

Science

As Scientists, we will be continuing our topic of Forces, exploring how unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object. We will also look at the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces recognise that some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys and gears, allow a smaller force to have a greater effect. We will also be taking part in British Science Week (Week Beginning 10.03.25) where we will be exploring the national theme of 'change and adapt.' 

Geography

This half-term, we will continue to explore the enquiry question: Our world in the future – How will our world look in the future?  In this unit, the children will consider the past, present and future of our local area taking into account the human and physical geographical features. 

Parent Forecast:

Below is a copy of our current Parent/Carer Forecast. This useful document shows the learning and exciting opportunities that will be taking place in Larch Class throughout this half-term. If you would like to know more, please also take a look at our Long-Term Plan to discover everything that will be taking place this academic year. Please make an appointment to speak to Miss Dumelow if you have any further questions about our learning.

Our Class Book:

This half-term we will continue to read wonderful story - Wonder, written by the author R.J. Palacio. 

We are now reaching a point within the story where some of the characters are providing their own perspective on the events. We are excited to see how their feelings, actions and thoughts differ from the main character - August. 

Remarkable Readers:

Reading at home is one of the most important ways in which you can help your child. Children who read with their families develop these skills much more quickly and develop a love of Reading that can last a lifetime. Being a confident reader supports children in all areas of the curriculum and beyond school. Please continue to read at home to earn lots of Remarkable Reader points. 

World Book Day 2025

World Book Day encourages more children and families to find the fun and enjoyment in reading, because reading for pleasure changes lives. This year, Larch Class loved dressing up as their favourite characters to celebrate such a fantastic day. 

Homework:

Below is a copy of our homework menu for this current half-term. Homework will be set on a Friday and due in by the following Wednesday. We are always so excited to see the work that you complete at home and love to proudly display it in our classroom. We can’t wait to see the amazing work that you create this academic year! In addition to your homework, we expect all children to regularly practise their multiplication facts and division facts at home. 

P.E Information:

Our P.E session day is Thursday. Just like the previous half-term, children are able to come to school in their PE kit. However if they attend an after school club, they must have the appropriate kit available in school. In P.E we will be developing our Hockey skills. This unit focuses on, dribbling, passing, finding space, keeping possession, shooting, tackling and marking. Pupils have the opportunity to apply new skills in a competitive game situation.

Welcome to Spring 1 in Larch Class

Welcome to the start of the Spring Term in Larch Class! We can't wait to delve into all of the new learning opportunities our curriculum has to offer. As always, please encourage all children to continue to read at home in order to secure those Remarkable Reader points. We would also like to wish a warm welcome to our new adult in Larch Class - Miss Nelson. 

Science

As Scientists we will be learning about forces. We will explore different types of forces such as gravity, friction, water resistance and air resistance. The children will also learn about the use of mechanisms such as levers, gears and pulleys. In addition, we will find out about important scientists such as Isaac Newton and engage in numerous scientific investigations to further our enquiry skills.

Geography

This half-term, we will be exploring the enquiry question: Our world in the future – How will our world look in the future?  In this unit, the children will consider the past, present and future of our local area taking into account the human and physical geographical features. We will also make links to our previous learning around World War II and explore the impact on modern Britain. 

Parent Forecast:

Below is a copy of our current Parent/Carer Forecast. This useful document shows the learning and exciting opportunities that will be taking place in Larch Class throughout this half-term. If you would like to know more, please also take a look at our Long-Term Plan to discover everything that will be taking place this academic year. Please make an appointment to speak to Miss Dumelow if you have any further questions about our learning.

Our Class Book:

This half-term we will be reading the heart-warming novel - Wonder, written by the author R.J. Palacio. 

The book follows the character - August - as he navigates attending school for the very first time, making friends, and learning to deal with a bully. It explores the themes of kindness, acceptance, and the beauty of being unique. 

Remarkable Readers:

Reading at home is one of the most important ways in which you can help your child. Children who read with their families develop these skills much more quickly and develop a love of Reading that can last a lifetime. Being a confident reader supports children in all areas of the curriculum and beyond school.

Last half-term, Miss Dumelow and Larch Class adults were left feeling incredibly proud of the determination and efforts put in by all of the children in Larch Class. We had so many children already achieving their Bronze awards, Brilliant Bronze awards and even their Silver awards. Keep up the super efforts this half-term. 

Homework:

Below is a copy of our homework menu for this current half-term. Homework will be set on a Friday and due in by the following Wednesday. We are always so excited to see the work that you complete at home and love to proudly display it in our classroom. We can’t wait to see the amazing work that you create this academic year! In addition to your homework, we expect all children to regularly practise their multiplication facts and division facts at home. 

P.E Information:

Our P.E session day is Thursday. Just like the previous half-term, children are able to come to school in their PE kit. However if they attend an after school club, they must have the appropriate kit available in school. This half-term in PE, we will be learning how to develop our Gymnastic skills such as rolling, balancing, landing, performing and appraising. We will be focused on developing our strength, balance and flexibility throughout this unit. 

Welcome to Autumn 2 in Larch Class

Changes in our local environment - How is the UK changing?

This half-term in our Geography sessions, we will be finding out about the regions of the UK, discovering how some of these areas have changed over time. We will explore the positive and negative impacts of change and how they impact the community and environment. The children will also research how specific areas of the UK have been affected by change, before conducting a fieldwork activity in our own area. 

History:

This half-term, we will continue to explore the impact World War II had on the British people. We will also have a World War II themed day on 13.11.24 where we will engage in a range of sessions to further develop our history knowledge. Last half-term, we were lucky enough to enrich our History learning with an educational trip to Eden Camp. Please enjoy looking at a few photos from our visit:

Parent Forecast:

Below is a copy of our current Parent/Carer Forecast. This useful document shows the learning and exciting opportunities that will be taking place in Larch Class throughout this half-term. If you would like to know more, please also take a look at our Long-Term Plan to discover everything that will be taking place this academic year. Please make an appointment to speak to Miss Dumelow if you have any further questions about our learning.

Our Class Book:

This half-term we will continue reading the popular novel - Letters from the Lighthouse, written by the author Emma Caroll. We can't wait to discover the mystery of Sukie's disappearance. 

During the run-up to Christmas, we will also take the time to engage in lots of festive-themed reading opportunities including exploring plenty of winter-themed poetry. 

Reading:

In Larch Class we love reading! To kick-start this half-term, our school Reading Ambassadors invited us to explore our new outdoor reading area. We absolutely loved exploring this new area in school and enjoyed some yummy treats with our favourite stories. 

Remarkable Readers:

Reading at home is one of the most important ways in which you can help your child. Children who read with their families develop these skills much more quickly and develop a love of Reading that can last a lifetime. Being a confident reader supports children in all areas of the curriculum and beyond school.

Our new Reading recognition system, Remarkable Readers, aims to ensure that all our children are remarkable with their Reading throughout the year.

Each time a child reads they achieve a ‘Reading Point’

Depending on age, this could be:

• Reading at home to an adult
• In school independently
• At home independently

Last half-term, Miss Dumelow and Larch Class adults were left feeling incredibly proud of the determination and efforts put in by all of the children in Larch Class. We had so many children already achieving their Bronze award. Keep up the super efforts this half-term. 

Homework:

Below is a copy of our homework menu for this current half-term. Homework will be set on a Friday and due in by the following Wednesday. We are always so excited to see the work that you complete at home and love to proudly display it in our classroom. We can’t wait to see the amazing work that you create this academic year! In addition to your homework, we expect all children to regularly practise their multiplication facts and division facts at home. 

P.E Information:

Our P.E session day is Thursday however children must bring their P.E kits into school on a Monday and take them home on a Friday as there might be extra opportunity for P.E activities throughout the week. This half-term in P.E, we will be engaging in a range of team-based games to develop our cooperative skills. In addition, we will be learning about the importance of nutrition and the impact food and exercise has on our daily lives.  

Welcome to Larch Class

2024-2025

Welcome to Larch Class website page! We are a Year 5 class. 

This year, the adults in Larch class are:

Miss Dumelow 

Mr Clifford 

Miss Brown 

We are so excited to be part of your learning journey and create so many fantastic memories with you!

Parent Forecast:

Below is a copy of our current Parent/Carer Forecast. This useful document shows the learning and exciting opportunities that will be taking place in Larch Class throughout our first half-term. If you would like to know more, please also take a look at our Long-Term Plan to discover everything that will be taking place this academic year. Please make an appointment to speak to Miss Dumelow if you have any further questions about our learning. 

World War II

In History we will be building up the knowledge, skills and chronology needed to answer the key question – ‘How did Winston Churchill influence public opinion and fight for our rights during World War II? We will explore the impact that Churchill made as Prime Minister during the War and analyse how his many speeches inspired the British public. We will also enrich our learning by going on an exciting trip to Eden Camp Modern History Museum 23.10.24, where we will step back in time and experience what life was really like during such a tragic era. 

Our Class Book:

In the first week back we will be reading the whole school book - A song for everyone, written and illustrated by Lucy Morris. The Song for Everyone is a stunning allegory for the emotional complexities we carry within us, the universally soothing effects of music, and the importance of community. 

In addition, this half-term we will be delving into the popular novel - Letters from the Lighthouse, written by the author Emma Caroll. This book is about a brother and sister, Cliff and Olive, who are evacuated from London to Budmouth Point during the Second World War. Their older sister Sukie is missing and no one knows if she's still alive. Why was Sukie dressed up like her mother when she disappeared?

Reading:

Reading is a fundamental skill that underpins so many other areas of the curriculum. It is incredibly important to read a wide variety of text types to improve your word knowledge, reading stamina and ultimately immerse yourself in the wonderful world of story telling.

In Larch Class we love reading! We have a beautiful reading area in our classroom with cosy cushions and bean bags so we can curl up with our favourite novel in comfort. 

Remarkable Readers:

Reading at home is one of the most important ways in which you can help your child. Children who read with their families develop these skills much more quickly and develop a love of Reading that can last a lifetime. Being a confident reader supports children in all areas of the curriculum and beyond school.

Our new Reading recognition system, Remarkable Readers, aims to ensure that all our children are remarkable with their Reading throughout the year.

Each time a child reads they achieve a ‘Reading Point’

Depending on age, this could be:

• Reading at home to an adult
• In school independently
• At home independently
   

In Larch Class, we aim to be Remarkable Readers every single week! 

Homework:

Below is a copy of our homework menu for this current half-term. Homework will be set on a Friday and due in by the following Wednesday. We are always so excited to see the work that you complete at home and love to proudly display it in our classroom. We can’t wait to see the amazing work that you create this academic year! In addition to your homework, we expect all children to regularly practise their multiplication facts and division facts at home. 

P.E Information:

Our P.E session day is Thursday however children must bring their P.E kits into school on a Monday and take them home on a Friday as there might be extra opportunity for P.E activities throughout the week. This half-term in P.E, we will be exploring dance through the theme of the Olympic Games. We will be building our choreography skills, increase our body awareness, develop performance skills and appreciation. 

Dojo Points

As a school, we are committed to creating a learning environment where exemplary behaviour is at the heart of productive learning. We encourage a calm and happy atmosphere throughout school and this year, we will be rewarding children with 'Dojo Points' for displaying examples of being a Kirkby Avenue role model. In Larch class, we have worked together to create a class charter which highlights our class expectations and shows the amazing treats that can be earned by following our rules. All parents and carers have been invited to sign up to Class Dojo as this is a further way of staying up to date with all things 'Larch Class.' We will be posting lots of pictures of our learning throughout the year so keep your eyes peeled for more. If you have any issues with signing up to Class Dojo, please speak to Miss Dumelow.