Welcome back to a new school year, and a huge welcome to those who are new to Upper Key Stage 2 in Tornado and Typhoon class! We hope you have all had a relaxing summer and are ready for a very busy term ahead.

The Curriculum Our main focus this term will be Ancient Greece. We will be transported back in time to investigate how the Ancient Greeks have improved our lives. This is a topic looking at Greek life, achievements and the influence that Ancient Greece has had on the western world. We will look at the fascinating stories of Gods, Goddesses and Mortals and the role they played in Ancient Greek life. As always, we will become historians by asking questions and exploring difference historical sources. We will look at the geography of Ancient Greece and the travels of Alexander the Great as well as looking at the lifestyle of the Greek people.

In English we will be reading Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. This exceptional story will be used to inspire the children to write their own stories, newspapers, diaries and poetry. Supporting this will be the use of a variety of other texts, which the children will again use to structure and write a variety of text styles. There will be a strong focus on improving accuracy of spelling, grammar and punctuation and the quality of handwriting. Reading and understanding the complexities of different texts, will have a high priority throughout all our

English lessons. In Guided Reading we will use a selection of Greek myths and Aesop’s fables to focus on a variety of reading skills. We will particularly focus on developing the children’s ability to read between the lines and infer the reasons and motivations behind characters thoughts and actions. When children are reading at home, we would strongly recommend that you have regular conversations with your child about what they are reading and whether they are enjoying the book or not.

In Maths we begin by looking at place value and Roman Numerals, before moving onto the four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Mental recall of all times tables up to 12x and the inverse, is essential and mental maths will continue to play an important part of all our maths lessons. Due their importance, we ask that you help your child to practice times tables at home each day.

In Science we will be studying the theory of evolution. We will begin by looking at the importance of fossils in our understanding of the world, and the life of Mary Anning. We then move onto the idea of variation within species and look in more detail at the theory of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin; alongside this we will learn about Alfred Wallace and how he also developed his own theory of evolution. We will also discuss with the children the conflicting ideas of these scientists and the ideas put forward in the Creation story in the bible.

Following on from this, we will look in more detail at the work of Darwin, specifically his observations of finches, and of Gregor Mendel and his pea plants, to investigate the reasons why offspring are not identical to their parents. We will then research into the idea of adaptation, and discover how and why plants and animals had to adapt to their environments.

In Computing we will use a number of programmes to develop the children’s technological skills. We will begin by looking at using everyday software to develop children’s computer literacy. Then we will use the programme Isle of Tune, which uses music to help children improve their coding skills and builds their understanding of algorithms. We will also be using probots to further enhance their coding skills. Following on from this, the children will be using iMovie to create adverts for the school and then beginning their own class blogs.

In RE, we will follow the Gloucestershire RE syllabus and we will discover “Why do some people believe in God and some people not?” and “Creation & science – conflicting or complementary?”. We will, of course, move onto our Christmas celebrations towards the end of the term. In PSHCE we will be focusing on Personal Responsibility and Keeping Safe in and out of the home. After the October half term our Y6 children will be using the skills they learn in this on their own adventure – the residential trip to Woodlands!

Ancient GreeksTORNADO & TYPHOON CLASS

In Upper Key Stage 2, the children will participate in PE twice a week. It is important that your child has correct PE kit in school and that all items are clearly labelled. PE kit should comprise of a blue t-shirt, shorts/skort, long socks and suitable outdoor training shoes (not plimsolls please). In addition, it would be a good idea to bring tracksuit bottoms and a warmer top for outdoor activities in colder weather.

The aim is to support the children in becoming self-motivated and organised with their homework. The children are expected to read for at least half an hour each evening and make two detailed entries in their reading journal each week, to be handed in during their spelling session on a Friday. Spelling lists will be sent home each term and it is then up to the children to practise those spellings ready for a spelling test on Fridays. Each week your child will be issued subject specific homework for topic and Maths. This will usually be given on a Thursday to be brought back into school by the following Tuesday.

Bags The cloakroom area for the children is small. Please ensure that all bags brought into school are of a reasonable size and that all personal property is taken home on a Friday. The children are encouraged to be responsible for their own belongings, however, it is still worth checking for letters or emails at the end of the day.

A Few Dates For Your Diary: Roald Dahl Day – Thursday 13th September Year 6 Parents’ Residential Meeting – Tuesday 18th September, 5:00 – 6:00 at Upper Rissington site Tornado & Typhoon Trip to University of Oxford Natural History Museum – Thursday 27th September Macmillan Coffee Morning – Friday 28th September, 10:00 at both sites Harvest Festival – Wednesday 3rd October Parents’ Evening – Monday 15th October, 3:30 – 7:00, and Tuesday 16th October, 3:30 – 5:30 Typhoon Class Assembly – Friday 2nd November Year 6 Residential – Monday 19th November to Friday 23rd November

Further detailed information regarding all trips, events and visits will be sent separately. Make sure you check book bags; the school website will have those important school dates for your diary. In addition to these dates, check out the local secondary school open evenings (3rd October – The Cotswold School) and take the opportunity to look around.

Remember that secondary school choices must be made by October 31st 2018.

Additional Information

The children are able to drink water and may have access to a water bottle throughout the day. If your child has an inhaler, please could you make sure that it is clearly named and in date. Their inhaler should be in school, to be accessed at all times. If your child requires any other medication, please could you make both the class teacher AND the office staff aware.

We encourage the children to use the internet safely and use DB Primary to access class information and email each other. Social Media: Tornado and Typhoon Classes have their own twitter pages. Throughout the term we will post photographs and updates about our learning. Please follow us on @Tornado_Class and @typhoonclass1. No mobile phones or other similar technology is allowed in school.

Formal parent evenings will be held in October to discuss settling in and your child’s progress. However, if you would like to discuss any aspect of your child’s education or have any concerns at any time throughout the term, please do not hesitate to make an appointment.

Kind regards,Emma Brearley and Amy GaleTornado and Typhoon Class Teachers