Badger Class

Class teacher’s welcome

Happy New Year and welcome back to the Badger Class page!

This page has now been updated for Spring 1. What an amazing first term we have had together! The children have worked so hard in all subjects and seemed to have particularly enjoyed our winter poetry work and contributing their book recommendations on Padlet. The children had great fun investigating filming techniques in computing, using close-ups, mid-range and long-shots. We have also began to explore AI tools together producing some wonderful videos and podcasts focusing on Roald Dahl, Science Materials and Rivers. They once again threw themselves into every activity showing great perseverance and enthusiasm along the way. It has been a pleasure to teach Badger Class!

We also took part in the switching on of the Ilkley Christmas Lights, joined the lantern parade, and thoroughly enjoyed the festivities.

It was a brilliant term full of creativity, teamwork and fun. Well done, Badger Class!

Now time for Spring term!

Mr Hunt

Curriculum news

At a glance – Spring 1

Maths – Multiplication and Division; Fractions
English – Fiction: The Arrival a wordless graphic novel that follows a man who leaves his homeland—where war and mysterious threats loom—to seek a safe and prosperous future for his family in a foreign city.
Science – Earth and Space
RE – Should we forgive others?
History – Anglo-Saxons and Scots
PSHE – Keeping Myself Safe
Art – Anglo-Saxon art
Music – Let’s Play: Tuned percussion
French – Module 3: Districts in Paris, time phrases, number.
Computing – Programming

Home Learning

All children are encouraged to complete a home learning project to build on their class learning.

Ideas for this half term….

English – contribute to the class reading Padlet to recommend books to others

Create Your Own “Arrival” Creature; Shaun Tan’s world is filled with unusual, friendly creatures, design and draw your own companion creature for the main character. Include labels describing its behaviour, abilities, and how it helps newcomers.
Visual Storytelling (Wordless Comic Strip); Since the book has no words, create a short wordless comic of your own. It could show: A journey , meeting a new friend, arriving somewhere unfamiliar. Focus on facial expressions and small details.

History

Design a runic message: research the Anglo-Saxon runes (Futhark); write a secret message or name using the runic alphabet;
Make an Anglo-Saxon brooch or jewellery, use foil, cardboard, beads, or clay, add patterns like knotwork or spirals.

Science – Earth and Space

Make a Model of the Solar System; Use paper, card, playdough, or fruit, label each planet and place them roughly in order from the Sun. Extension: add facts about size, temperature, or moons.
Night Sky Observation Log; Over a week/month, children observe the sky: Moon shape, stars, planets (if visible), weather, record in a diary or sketchbook. Do you notice any patterns.?

These projects are designed to run alongside the learning for the half-term and should be handed in on or before Monday 9th February 2026

Read with your child on a regular basis
Encourage positive routines
Support with home learning projects
Develop independence and organisation for each day
Help to expand your child’s vocabulary within everyday conversation
Exposure to a variety of text types

Spelling

At All Saints’ Primary School, we follow the Read, Write Inc. spelling scheme in Key Stage 2. Please find the plan for the teaching of the Year 5 units below.

Date	Focus	Example Words
Wb 5th January	Words ending in -ant, -ance and -ancy	vacancy, pregnancy, defiant, tolerant, tolerance, relevance, hesitancy
	Words ending in shus, spelt -cious	spacious, vicious, precious, suspicious, conscious, delicious
wb 19th January	Words ending in shus, spelt – tious	cautious, infectious, ambitious, nutritious
wb 26th January	Words ending in shul, spelt -cial, – tial	social, artificial, special, confidential, essential, initial

In addition, children in Y5 and Y6 are beginning to learn a specific word list (as set out in the National Curriculum, English Appendix 1) that can be found in the centre of the school reading record or accessed here.

Dates for the diary

PE days – Thursday and Friday (swimming until February half-term).

After Badger class have completed their swimming lessons, we will have PE on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Spring 2 Dates

Links to support learning

Reading

Please encourage your child to read daily for a minimum of 20 minutes. At least 3 reading sessions per week should be recorded in the school Reading Record. Children should all have a school reading book (that can be changed regularly) but should be encouraged to read other material as well.

Read more about English in Y5 in the National Curriculum Programmes of Study

Maths

Times Table Rock Stars (please ask if you need a reminder of your child’s login details) – all children are expected to be fluent in their tables up to 12 x 12 so regular practice is very helpful!

Written methods for addition, subtraction, short multiplication, long multiplication and short division are taught as in the pictures below.