Riversdale Primary SchoolAddress: 302a Merton Road, Southfields, London, SW18 5JP

Telephone: 020 8874 6904Head: Amy Roberts

Wednesday 5th September 2018Dear Parents,

We hope you enjoyed the summer break and would like to welcome you and your child to year 5. We are really looking forward to getting to know you all and working with you throughout the year.

There is a busy and exciting year ahead, with new topics to learn and enjoy in year 5. It is important that school and home work together as a team; you know your child best, but we both want your child to be happy and make progress in school. Please do not hesitate to contact Sienna or Shukurat before 8.45am or after school if you or your child has any worries or concerns. We are always in school by 7.45am. It is difficult to talk when we are in charge of the class, unless it is to inform us of appointments, or that someone else is picking up your child.

Please ensure your child is punctual and arrives in the playground by 8.55. Early morning work in maths or literacy starts at 9am sharp.

Below is a list of topics covered this term, visits and hopefully some useful information.

P.E: P.E is once a week. Both Amethyst and Quartz class have PE on a Thursday. Children need the school P.E kit including trainers. Swimming will begin after Christmas for Y5.

Website: www.riversdaleschool.org.uk Twitter: @RiversdalePS

Email: info@riversdale.wandsworth.sch.uk

Riversdale Primary SchoolAddress: 302a Merton Road, Southfields, London, SW18 5JP

Telephone: 020 8874 6904Head: Amy Roberts

Science: This term we will be looking at materials and their properties.

History/Geography: The Victorians. We have arranged a visit to Holly Lodge in November where the children will have the opportunity to experience a servant’s academy and a Victorian classroom.

Art: Cross curricular work relating to our Victorians topic.

I.C.T: The children will be working towards completing their ‘Safe Level 1’ certificate and word processing and publishing their work.

Music: We will be on Thursdays for both classes.

R.E: We will look at Pilgrimages, Harvest festival, Diwali and Christmas

Spanish: Both classes will be taught on Tuesdays.

Reading: We cannot emphasise enough how important it is for your child to be able to read confidently and with good comprehension in all areas of the curriculum. Please encourage him/her to read each night at home for at least 20 minutes. The more children read, the more fluent they become. In year 5, your child will be encouraged to read more demanding books for longer periods of time, independently and with sustained concentration. They will also be encouraged to read independently in class for topic research purposes or to complement literacy work.

Website: www.riversdaleschool.org.uk Twitter: @RiversdalePS

Email: info@riversdale.wandsworth.sch.uk

Riversdale Primary SchoolAddress: 302a Merton Road, Southfields, London, SW18 5JP

Telephone: 020 8874 6904Head: Amy Roberts

Pact Folders/Guided Reading: Children will be allowed to change their own reading books independently, but we will check that they have been reading at home each night.

Next Steps: Will focus on timetables fluency in the Autumn term. The emphasis is on immediate recall, so children will at times revisit lower tables to check they still have instant recall. Please don’t worry or be upset. The next steps worksheet needs to be brought into school each day.

Library: We will be going to the library every 2 weeks on a Wednesday afternoon (Amethyst class). We are still waiting to hear when Quartz class will be going to the library and when we do we will let you know ASAP.

Tissues: We would be grateful if each family could donate a box of tissues each term.

Fruit and Drink: Children can bring in their own named water bottles, which they can drink from in class and refill in school. Fruit can be eaten at playtime.

Uniform: Please label all your children’s clothing so that we can find all those mislaid articles! We will do our best to help your child find

Website: www.riversdaleschool.org.uk Twitter: @RiversdalePS

Email: info@riversdale.wandsworth.sch.uk

Riversdale Primary SchoolAddress: 302a Merton Road, Southfields, London, SW18 5JP

Telephone: 020 8874 6904Head: Amy Roberts

lost belongings, but it is important that your child takes responsibility for looking after their own possessions too.

Finally, as we said before, do not hesitate to come and see us if you have any concerns, or if we have forgotten to do something that we said we would do, or make a mistake about something. Teachers are only human and make mistakes too!

We look forward to working with you throughout the year.

With best wishes

Shukurat and Matt (Amethyst)Sienna and Stacey (Quartz)

Website: www.riversdaleschool.org.uk Twitter: @RiversdalePS

Email: info@riversdale.wandsworth.sch.uk