St Thomas' C of E Primary School

Our Topic 

This half term our learning will be centered about our theme book ‘Street Child’ by Berlie Doherty. Our book is set in the Victorian era and is based on a true story of an orphan whose life inspired Doctor Barnardo to set up his famous children’s refuge.

In history we will be researching Barnardo’s in the role of charity workers. We will be finding out what it was like to live and work in a workhouse in the 1800’s. Children will also research and compare kitchens and food hygiene from that in the Victorian era and now. Further in the half term we will be examining the causes and effects of the Peterloo massacre. As part of this objective children will create banners, re-enact scenes and create a newspaper article.

In art we will be studying the life and work of L. S. Lowry. As part of this we will walk to Crowther Street in Stockport to compare Lowry’s painting to what it looks like today. We will then sketch our own first hand observations.

In science children will be learning about the heart and taking part in some experiments, learning how to keep our bodies healthy and the effects of legal drugs.

English

This half term Year 5 will be writing persuasive letters to help our character Jim, designing and writing their own newspaper article about the events of the Peterloo massacre and holding a debate that will form a balanced argument for and against the question ‘Should Jim escape from the workhouse?’

Maths

In maths we will be covering statistics, multiplication and division and area and perimeter. Children will be studying time tables and graphs, learning about factors, multiples, prime numbers and other mathematical terms, as well as solving the area and perimeter of various shapes.

Homework

A homework grid linked to Street Child will be sent home in the first week. Children are to return any tasks completed to school on a Friday to be marked. 

Spellings will continue to be sent home on a Friday and are to be returned the following Friday. Every piece of work completed to a good standard will receive a dojo in school.

Reading

Reading records and books must be in school everyday. Your child will receive a dojo for every day that they bring their book in and a raffle ticket for every time they have read each week. A reading raffle is drawn every Friday with a small prize up for grabs.

Important Days 

Due to COVID-19 we have had to temporarily postpone curriculum mornings. We hope to be able to invite you into school as soon as it is safe.

There will be dates for Christmas events sent home nearer to the time- via paper letters and Class Dojo.

Dates for the diary

Please check the website www.st-thomas.stockport.sch.uk for advance notice of all school events for the whole year ahead.