Year 5 Handbook

Pupils in Year 5 who are going ‘straight home’ must sign out from the Reception playground (next to the ATP) between 16:05-16:20. Pupils staying past 16:20 must be collected from the Dining Hall. If your child is being collected by someone other than you, we must be notified via phone or email.

If your child is going home with another adult, then please inform your child’s form teacher or the school office.

We offer Long Stay to help parents. If your child is not signed up for an activity through our co-curricular programme, they will either go into the Junior Dining Hall where they are able to do their Prep or a quiet activity such as reading or drawing. Your child will need to inform their Form teacher in the morning at registration to be added to the list. If your plans change during the day, please inform the School Office on 0118 9871810 so our lists can be updated, and your child informed of the change of plans.

Long Stay care is free of charge for pupils in Year 3 and above.

Our Breakfast Club runs daily from 07:30 to 08:15, with the last serving at 08:00. This is a supervised session in which children are offered a selection of hot and cold items. Breakfast is charged at £4.95 per day and will be added to fee invoices at the end of the term.

If you plan to use Breakfast Club on a regular basis, you can book via SOCS booking system. Breakfast Club also welcomes casual diners and you may drop your child off in the Dining Room any day without prior booking.

Breakfast Club will commence on the first day of term.

Snack

During the morning, pupils are provided with a wholesome snack, which might include a rice cake or a piece of fruit.

Whilst it is not encouraged, pupils are permitted to bring a healthy snack from home, provided it contains STRICTLY NO NUTS. Chocolate, crisps and sweets are not permitted.

Additionally, pupils should bring a labelled water bottle, already filled, to school each day.

Our pastoral ethos has the pupil front and centre, whilst also helping them see that they are part of something bigger than any one individual can ever be.

We create an environment in which we can combine support and safety with allowing our pupils to experience life as it is going to be – imperfect. We want them to be challenged, we want them to step outside their comfort zone, we want them to experience winning, and we need them to experience losing. All children at some point will find these moments difficult to navigate. We want our pupils to feel heard and as such will always look to empower them to express how they are feeling.

Our school values are discussed during Collects (assemblies), PSHE and in conversations around the school. This helps instil our ethos into our pupils and ensures our community thrives. Wellbeing is not a stand-alone activity within Juniors – it is part of everything we do.

How is pastoral care implemented within Juniors?

Our pastoral structure is very much aimed at giving support and clarity to both pupils and parents as to who is there to help in any given situation. Each year groupis led by one of our Heads of Year. These Heads of Year oversee your child’s personal journey throughout the year and as such will have the time to forge strong and trusting relationships with parents and children alike.

Heads of Year are supported by form teachers, who are your child’s ‘constant’; their everyday person who they can go to about the littlest thing, and whom they can check in with most regularly. Your child’s form teacher helps the pupils see themselves as part of a small team whilst also celebrating their own personal achievements and interests.

From a parental point of view, the form teacher is the first port of contact and will usually be the most suitable person to support you with any day-to-day enquiries. We also have an amazing team of non-teaching staff who are very much part of your child’s support network. Everyone has your child’s best interest at heart and works tirelessly to create a comfortable, safe, enjoyable environment.

We have great staff in our community, and we have them placed strategically to allow them to support your children to an exceptionally high standard.

We request that parents wanting to arrange a meeting with teachers please email the relevant member of staff in the first instance, requesting the meeting. The member of staff will respond within 24 hours (not including weekends) and suggest suitable times to meet. On the day of the meeting parents will need to sign in a main reception, where the relevant teacher will come and meet them. If a concern is urgent, we request that the parents notify a Pastoral Lead on duty during 08:00 – 08:15 at drop off who will then be able to create actions as necessary.

We politely ask that parents do not request unplanned meetings, especially in the morning as form teachers are required at these times to support their classes. There is opportunity for more informal ‘check ins’ at the end of the day in the Reception playground at ‘straight home’ sign out.

Pupils will be taught predominantly in their mixed-ability form groups, except for maths and games.

A single lesson lasts 30 minutes but most of the subjects are taught in double lessons lasting an hour.

Your child will be allocated to one of our four ‘Houses’ in Year 3. The Houses are named: Lake, Marlborough, Park and School. These Houses form the platform for much of school life, from competitions, both academic and sporting, fundraising and performances.

Meet the Crosfield Juniors House Team

Mr Ben Keepax
Lake House Lead

Email: benkeepax@crosfields.com

I am pleased to introduce myself as the Lake House Lead at Crosfields School. With a passion for school life and a commitment to being an excellent role model for the children, I bring energy, enthusiasm, and approachability to this role. The house system at Crosfields is at the  heart of our community, fostering a strong sense of belonging and encouraging community spirit. I am genuinely excited to work with your child and contribute to their growth and development within our vibrant school community.

Mrs Angela Quinn
Marlborough House Lead

Email: angelaquinn@crosfields.com

I am delighted to be House Lead for Marlborough. The house system at Crosfields is so important in empowering each child with a sense of belonging and community. I am committed to ensuring that our House is a place where we can all have fun while learning and growing together. I look forward to getting to know all of the children and working collaboratively to make our House the best it can be.

Mrs Elizabeth Ganpatsingh
Park House Lead

Email: elizabethganpatsingh@crosfields.com

I’m thrilled to be stepping into the role of House Lead for Park. I believe that the house system is fantastic for building a strong sense of community across the Junior year groups and I’m especially keen to see the older members of our House setting a great example for the younger pupils. I’m looking forward to cheering on Park in the interhouse competitions and the bake-offs!

Mr Ben Wills
School House Lead

Email: benwills@crosfields.com

I am excited to be starting as the House Lead for School. I have a passion for sports, personal development, and new challenges. I look forward to bringing this passion to the role and helping to foster it in the pupils of School House. The house system at Crosfields is a crucial part of creating a strong, positive environment for all pupils. I truly believe the house system plays a key role in ensuring students enjoy their time at school. I am eager to contribute to a positive culture that creates lasting memories.

In order to access the curriculum, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 are required to have the following equipment:

• blue handwriting pen
• green editing pen
• pencils
• ruler
• glue stick
• rubber
• pencil sharpener
• protractor
• wired headphones

Pupils in Year 5 have specialist subject teachers for all classes in rooms designed for the subject such as Science Labs, Design Technology Workshops and Art Studios. Pupils start their day by registering with their form teacher and then attending classes according to their form timetable, in a secondary school-style teaching model.

Our curriculum is designed to develop a child’s love of learning within the subjects that they are taught. Subject specialists and our Curriculum Leads ensure this enthusiasm for the subject carries through from the content taught to the trips and competitions children take part in. Our curriculum allows for a real focus on the individual, with small class sizes, regular teacher feedback and access to specialist teaching. Giving all pupils an opportunity to shine is hugely important to us and activities such as class performances allow small groups of children to perform in front of a theatre audience and gain great confidence in doing so. This is one example among others; soloist’s concerts, school council, orchestras, choirs, sports teams and academic awards all contribute to success in areas of interest to the child.

In Year 5, your child will receive regular prep (homework). They will be given a specific timetable that details when the prep for each subject be set. The prep will be set by the teacher on Teams and in class for pupils to record the due date and assignment in their prep diaries. This could be worksheet or an assignment on Teams.

All subjects are tested throughout the year in a variety of ways. Our assessment programme includes online testing that requires no preparation, as well as in-class written tests which take place in the Autumn, Spring and Summer Term to assess the pupils on a specific topics and provide the pupils with regular feedback.

For Year 5, more formal school exams take place in the Summer Term. Pupils will receive an exam timetable and revision lists in advance with dedicated revision lessons taking place in the week prior to the examinations.

At Crosfields, we believe reading for pleasure really matters. We know that children who enjoy reading and read regularly do better at school and are happier, healthier, and more socially aware. We also know how important it is that they find the ‘right’ book – a book they want to read and have chosen themselves. That is why we have produced guides from which Year 3 to Year 6 can choose and we have reading challenges both in term time and during the holidays.

From Year 3 to Year 6 we encourage pupils to read widely and often through the Accelerated Reader scheme with the incentive of becoming a Word Count Millionaire. We celebrate reading champions every half term, for recognition of effort and determination to improve reading skills.

As part of a weekly designated library lesson, children can make use of our well resourced library. The librarian is on hand to offer advice if a pupil doesn’t know what to read. There are staff recommendations, and peer to peer recommendations. We have author and illustrator visits to inspire pupils to create their own stories. Visiting authors help to empower children to read for pleasure and be more creative in their writing.

During morning and lunch breaks the library is open to all children in Years 3 – 6 and offers a welcoming and comfortable place to read books or catch up on current affairs through newspapers and magazines.

Music and Drama

Wherever you stand in Crosfields you will always be able to hear music. We have a thriving music department offering instrumental groups and a year group choir  with a range of performance opportunities throughout the year. All pupils receive two music lessons as part of their weekly curriculum, taught by a specialist music teacher.

We offer a range of opportunities throughout the academic year for pupils to perform, and these mostly take place in our theatre. We also take our choirs to perform at the prestigious Woodley Festival of Arts and Drama, competing against other schools in our local area and we have a substantial number of individual and group performers from Crosfields who take part.

We also hold many informal concerts throughout the year which are an ideal opportunity for new or developing players to perform with their instruments.

Parents are always warmly invited to watch our events.

Individual instrumental lessons are available to all the pupils for an additional fee. We have a strong team of music teachers, teaching a variety of instruments, and currently have over 250 pupils taking instrumental lessons. The lessons are 30minutes and take place in the main music school.

We run an exciting co-curricular programme which offers a range of activities for pupils to take part in. The programme is delivered by both teachers and external providers. Hence, there is a mixture of paid-for activities and sessions which are offered at no cost. Parents are asked to book these online with their child. We recommend that pupils should have no more than one after-school activity on any given day.

Some sessions do have a maximum number of places available. If a session is oversubscribed, the activity may either be run on rotation or children picked through a ballot for the available places.

If you have any further questions, please refer to Co-Curricular information in The Hub section of the school app.

When can I book?

A notice will be sent via the school app listing all the activities available and when the sign-up window opens. This happens about 2 weeks before the start of term in September, and at the end of the Autumn Term and Spring Term. Parents new to Crosfields will receive their login to the SOCS website during the first week of term, but will be able to register for activities through Admissions.

Towards the end of the Spring Term, Year 5 will spend three days and two nights at Grittleton Adventures in the Cotswolds. Pupils take part in a variety of exciting indoor and outdoor activities, including climbing, low and high ropes, zorbing, bushcraft, and team challenges. Set in the beautiful grounds of Grittleton House, the trip is designed to build confidence, teamwork, and independence in a safe and supportive environment. With experienced instructors and excellent facilities, our pupils enjoy learning new skills, making lasting memories with friends, and developing resilience;  all while having lots of fun. It’s a fantastic opportunity for personal growth beyond the classroom.

When Crosfields’ pupils reach Year 5, they continue to experience opportunities to play weekly fixtures against other schools. In Year 5, external matches for the major games happen on Wednesday afternoons. The major sports we play fixtures in are: Football (boys and girls), Hockey (boys and girls), Rugby (boys), Netball (girls) and Cricket (boys and girls).

Parents are invited to watch all fixtures, whether they are home or away. Please ensure you look at SOCS for all the fixture details, the dates will also be on the school calendar.

The aim, wherever possible, is to provide a fully inclusive match day program, in which all pupils participate. However, due to the number of teams available at other schools, this is not always possible, and when required, squad rotation does occur to enable participation. The higher-ability teams are chosen on merit and pupils earn selection for higher teams through progress, effort, and performance.

Swimming fixtures are also continued in Year 5 and occur on Thursday afternoons with swimming squads running before school. There are also limited external competitive opportunities in cross-country, basketball, badminton, tennis, and athletics.

Each week, Year 5 pupils will have an hour PE lesson, an hour swimming lesson, two 60-minute games lessons, and a games afternoon where we play fixtures.

Our school uniforms are supplied by Stevensons. You can find the specific uniform you need using their new search feature. You can also set up an account by creating a profile and adding your child’s information.

We also have a school shop on site, which is open each week during term time on a Wednesday. The shop coordinator can be contacted by telephoning the main school office. The on site school shop stocks second-hand items and is open each Wednesday during term time between 15:30 and 16:30. However, if you are looking for a specific item and cannot attend during this time, please email shop@crosfields.com and one of the dedicated team will have a look for you.

For all items purchased through the school shop, the proceeds go directly to the bursary fund and we ask for donations for any selected items.

In order to maximise teaching time on specific days, pupils arrive and/or leave school in Crosfields’ PE/Games kit. Please click here for more details.

The items with an asterisk are branded and must be purchased from our nominated partner, Stevensons or the school shop. Other items may be purchased unbranded. New parents should buy the items as listed below. Current parents do not need to buy new items, but as your child grows out of clothes and you replace them, please replace with new garments as detailed below. Trainers can be any colour, although please stay away from garish colours and ensure a non-marking sole. Please can football boots have a Velcro strap, unless pupil knows how to tie shoelaces. Football boots are worn for cross-country, football and rugby.

The items with an asterisk are branded and must be purchased from our nominated partner, Stevensons or the school shop. Other items may be purchased unbranded.

Summer and Winter Uniform

Summer Uniform

(worn first half of the Autumn term and all of the Summer term)

Swimming Kit

PE and Games Kit

Forest School

Art Overall

Optional items

Additional Items