Foxes Class newsletter Term 1 2026/2027

Welcome back!

We are so pleased to welcome the children back to school after the summer break. Foxes have settled beautifully into school life and are already showing great enthusiasm for the term ahead. We are lucky to have Mrs Mitchell as our class TA every day from Monday to Friday, and we are delighted to welcome Mrs Shanks, who will be supporting us in class every Thursday.

This year, Milton has introduced Enquiry-Based Learning, which means children take on meaningful roles within their learning. Instead of “doing English”, we become Authors, and instead of “doing Science”, we become Scientists. This approach is already sparking curiosity and independence across the class.

We also have some exciting changes in Maths:

• Year 6 will be taught by Mrs Clifton and Mrs Moore
• Year 5 will be taught by Miss Oakes. This allows us to create smaller, focused groups where children can thrive. All other lessons will take place together as Foxes Class.

Curriculum overview:

Enquiry title: What does Earth look like from the solar system? This is a Science-led enquiry enriched with Art and Geography.

As Authors we are learning to develop our key reading skills to strengthen comprehension and support our writing. Children will be creating narratives across different genres and will take on the challenge of writing a genre-swap story, where the genre changes from one paragraph to the next.

As Mathematicians we will be revisiting place value to secure strong foundations for the year ahead. Both Year 5 and Year 6 will use hands on learning, LBQ, and White Rose Maths to support their understanding.

As Scientists we are investigating and learning all about Earth and Space, and the children are already showing huge interest in the topic. If your child has any books, models, or resources linked to space, we would love to share them in class to enhance our learning.

As Musicians, we will be exploring how music is shaped and structured through improvisation and composition. We will create our own musical ideas in response to different stimuli, experiment with melodies and rhythms, and learn how composers use repetition and contrast to shape their music.

In PSHE this term we are being Philosophers and our topic this term is titled ‘Being Me in the World’. Children will reflect on the year ahead, exploring their goals, worries, and hopes. They will learn about children’s rights, compare wants and needs, and consider how their choices impact others locally and globally.

In Re this term our big question is: How do Christians show their belief that Jesus is God incarnate? We will explore Christian beliefs, stories, and traditions to help children understand this concept.

Timestable Rockstars: The children made fantastic progress last year using TTRS. Please encourage regular use at home—it makes a huge difference to their understanding of number, progress and overall confidence. There will be more battles between the classes as well as other schools this year. 

Purple Mash: Purple Mash is becoming an important part of our Computing curriculum and offers a wide range of creative, interactive activities across many subjects. I will be setting optional home‑learning tasks throughout the term to help further support and enrich your child’s learning, linked to topics we are covering in class. When a task is set, an email will be sent home. These activities are designed to be completed independently, but children asking questions or discussing what they are doing can be a great way to deepen their understanding.

Spellings Children will have a spelling test every Friday, and new spellings will also be sent home on Fridays. Daily practice at home is incredibly supportive and helps children secure the spellings more confidently.

As a school, we are currently awaiting delivery of our new spelling books (same design as last years). In the meantime, this week’s spellings have been placed in your child’s reading record to keep them safe. An overview sheet has also been sent home, and I have encouraged the children to tick off each week so they can easily track which spellings they are working on.

If you have any questions about spellings, please catch me on the playground or send an email and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Reading: We are working hard to promote a love of reading at Milton. Daily reading at home is incredibly valuable. Please record any reading in your child’s reading record—it doesn’t have to be a school book; recipes, magazines, and comics etc all count. I look forward to reading your lovely comments.

PE days this term: Mondays and Fridays. Please ensure children arrive in PE kit on these days. As the weather gets colder, joggers are recommended. Long hair should be tied back and earrings removed or taped.

Diary dates this term:

• Meet the Teacher: 21st September 4.30
• School photos: 22nd September
• Harvest Festival performance: 13th October
• Family learning: Monday 16th November at 5:30pm.

Family learning; Each class will have two Family Learning sessions this academic year. Foxes’ first Family Learning Session will take place on Monday 16th November from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Foxes and Badgers Class will join together for this family learning session. During this exciting session, we will enjoy a night walk around the local area, exploring the night sky and observing the stars to support our Earth and Space enquiry. We look forward to learning together and discovering together.

Please remember:    

•             Record reading daily.

•        Spelling test every Friday.

•        PE days are Monday and Friday.

I look forward to working with you and your lovely children and know we will have a successful year full of lots of exciting new learning and opportunities. The easiest way to contact me is via emailing the office and I will get back to you as soon as I can, otherwise I am available on the playground at the end of each day.