Our TOPIC . . . DYnamic dynasties

       We will continue with Dynamic Dynasties - focsing on the Ancient Emperors of China, and the impact they had on the wider world, and the lasting legacies they have left - even 4000 years later! We will gain knowledge about how they lived, their battles, and the hierarchy of their people. We hope to try and recreate Ancient Chinese Oracle Bones in our DT lessons - something they used, to try communicate with the Gods. It is an exciting topic which aims to develop the children's research skills.

 

Reading 

During the year, there will be multiple opportunities for your child to explore a range of different texts either

through a class book, independent reading, story time or reading 1:1. Our first book, which all the children

loved, was called Holes. The next book is a story of friendship, bravery and magic! - called Dragon Mountain.

At St Thomas, during reading lessons, we follow a 7-stage format where children are asked to use prior knowledge,

read with fluency, break down tricky words and phrases, consider their initial thoughts and observations,

delve deeper, answer comprehension questions and summarise paragraphs/chapters/whole books. From November,

the focus coninues on fluency but also pays more attention to the comprehension part of the text.

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                                     Writing               Chck out our scheme of learning, called "I'm a Clever Writer".

                                                              Children are given a variety of opportunities to write in many different genres (i.e. narrative, recount,

                                                               report, instructions, etc.) across the curriculum. They are encouraged to develop their work by writing

                                                               consistently in full sentences, using more sophisticated grammar and descriptive language in order to

                                                               engage the reader. The importance of accurate punctuation in all forms of writing is not only

                                                               encouraged but expected.

                                                               Despite the variety of genres we cover; a huge focus remains on spellings and handwriting, so please

                                                               encourage these areas when they do any home learning.
                                                                                                

Maths – At St Thomas we proudly follow the White Rose Maths Curriculum which focuses on helping your child build a strong understanding of mathematics. We use a "small steps" approach to ensure that each concept is mastered deeply and can be adapted to different challenges. By incorporating hands-on resources, visual aids, and abstract notation, our students enhance their math skills and gain confidence in solving more complex problems. We believe that every child can succeed in math and should enjoy the learning process. Our goal is not only to equip them with essential math skills for the future but also to spark their curiosity and love for the subject. While math is primarily taught on its own, we also strive to connect it with other subjects, making learning more engaging and relevant.

The basic 4 operations of Maths don't go away, so please encourage Times Table practice whenever you can - which includes dividing eg; we know 8x2=16, so we need to know what 16 divided by 2 is . . .  (=8). Maybe find some fun Youtube links and learn together.

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PE/Sport: 5S will need to wear PE Kit EVERY Tuesday, while 5F will need to bring Swimming Kit EVERY Tuesday (starting in Week 2)

                 Both Classes will also do PE EVERY Thursday.

PSHE/ RE: The curriculum continues to teach British Values, Religions and Ethics, for a more tolerant and understanding community.  ​

​MFL: Pupils continue their speaking, reading & writing in French with increasing confidence. Tres bien!