West House Independent Preparatory School for Boys
24 St. James’s Road Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2NX Tel 0121 440 4097
[email protected] www.westhouseprep.com
ENGLISH IN YEAR 5 - INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
English in Year 5 is taught in two ability groups by Mr. Lyttle and Mrs. Patel. It is hoped that Effort
Books, Examination Results, School Reports and Parents’ Consultation Evenings will provide parents
with appropriate feedback in relation to individual pupil progress. However, should parents wish to
meet with Mr. Lyttle or Mrs. Patel, appointments can be made by contacting Miss Stevenson in the
school office.
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Spellings
Spellings will be set on different criteria each term. During the Autumn Term, the spelling list will
support the study of a particular book (either ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’, the Usborne retelling of
‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, or the Usborne retelling of ‘Frankenstein’.
During the Spring Term, spellings will focus on homophones and synonyms, with a particular emphasis
on synonyms for the word ‘said’.
During the Summer Term, the spelling list focuses on more advanced vocabulary and pupils are
encouraged to carry out independent research and to generate a knowledge of synonyms and
antonyms for the words they are given.
Pupils will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the use and application of the spelling list
within the context of their creative writing.
Spelling List:
A full spelling list for the academic year is available on the school website.

Reading
Pupils will undertake an extended study of two books, one at the beginning of the year and one
at the end. These will be chosen from the following:
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Kensuke’s Kingdom - Michael Morpurgo
The Hound of the Baskervilles – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Frankenstein (Usbourne Classics Retold) – Mary Shelley
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Usborne Classics Retold) - Robert Louis Stevenson
Recommended Reading:
A list of books recommended by the Headmaster is available on the school website.

Core Writing Skills
Many of the core writing skills will be taught alongside the detailed study of the texts
highlighted above.
Sentence Structure – Pupils are taught to ‘navigate’ a sentence through identification of nouns
(including identification of the subject and object) verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns and
prepositions. They are also taught to vary their own sentences through the appropriate use of
pronouns, synonyms and connectives.
Pupils are taught to identify the ‘voice’ or ‘person’ in which a sentence is written, along with the
tense. A brief revision of punctuation culminates in the appropriate punctuation of extended
dialogue between two or more individuals.
 Creative writing – Pupils are taught to apply the sentence structure skills they
have learnt to pieces of creative writing. In addition, they are taught to consider the
concept of imagery through the use of similes, personification and idioms. By the end of the year it is
an expectation that most pupils will be writing in a mature manner, with an appropriate balance
between narrative and dialogue, allowing the reader to create a clear image of settings, characters
and events.
 Recounts and Reports – Pupils will be taught about the features of writing recounts and reports.
These include setting the scene, the difference between direct and reported speech, chronological
order, writing in the past tense, time connectives (e.g. later, the next day, etc.), appropriate
description (i.e. presenting an overview rather than going into unnecessary detail) and offering
concluding comments. The attempt on the summit of Mount Everest by George Mallory and Andrew
Irvine will provide the focus for the work on recounts.
 Discursive Essays – Pupils will be introduced to the idea of writing a balanced argument in
response to specific questions. The will learn how to structure such writing and how to adapt
vocabulary for the purpose of persuasion. Essay titles may include ‘Should Young People be Permitted
to Carry Mobile Phones in School?’, ‘Is Television a Good or a Bad Thing?’, ‘What are the Advantages
and Disadvantages of Wearing School Uniform?’
 Poetry – Pupils will be introduced to strategies to allow them to appraise poetry – these will
include analysis of theme, effect and structure. Their knowledge of imagery through the use of
similes will be reinforced and they will be introduced to personification, metaphor, onomatopoeia
and alliteration. Much of the work will focus on comprehensions based on poems, appraising
poems and writing poems.
 Comprehension – Pupils will enhance their comprehension skills through learning to gain an
overview of a text and developing the ability to interpret questions and to ‘read between the lines’.
They will be taught to use a mark scheme to assist the structuring of their answers and how to
present their answers in an appropriate fashion.

Homework
Pupils will be set spelling homework each week. In addition, they will be set either a task supporting
the class work being currently undertaken or a specific grammar based activity. It is important that the
boys do their homework without adult input if at all possible and return it on the correct day.
Year 5 Spelling List – Autumn Term 2014
Kensuke’s Kingdom
Week 1 – Chapter 1
disappear
promise
reason
regular
friend
because
silence
misery
argue
fierce
different
mysterious
everything
explanation
yacht
redundant
reservoir
adventure
irresponsible
confident
Week 2 – Chapter 2
quite
quiet
luxury
idle
usually
creature
terrified
environment
navigate
conspiracy
extract
legible
encourage
vivid
voyage
Week 3 – Chapter 3
dozen
sometimes
couple
excellent
binoculars
pounce
exactly
definitely
explore
accept
except
furious
reluctant
harness
suddenly
probably
possibly
precious
Week 4 – Chapter 4
frantically
impenetrable
glimpse
vanish
stubborn
eventually
menacing
sparse
summit
inquisitive
frightened
clambered
terrifying
extraordinary
panic
impossible
desperately
relief
persuade
convince
massive
overwhelmed interrupt
Week 5 – Chapter 5
exhilarated
diminutive
agitated
astonishment aggressive
explanation
deliberately
horizontal
vertical
bewildered
completely
immediately
frequently
delicious
determined
excited
misery
occasionally
disappointed
Week 6 - Chapter 6
horizon
hunched
ridiculous
awestruck
typhoon
ventured
occasionally
sodden
retrieved
outrageous
wretched
humid
dejected
disturbance
exhaustion
dismantle
excruciating
continuous
Week 7 – Chapter 7
rudimentary
sparse
rummage
immaculate
paralysed
intrigued
scampered
hypnotised
investigate
circumspect
considerate
affliction
intrusion
cauldron
delicious
solemn
clumsy
deliberately
prolonged
undergrowth
Week 8 – Chapter 8
agile
agility
extraordinary
honourable
dangerous
conscience
betrayed
entire
accuse
condemn
torment
guilt
Week 9– Chapter 9
reproach
sullen
separate
explanation
treachery
bemused
fluent
interrupt
trepidation
persuade
miniscule
innocent
scavenge
desperate
Week 10 – Chapter 10
torrent
incessant
abundant
generous
encourage
restless
obliterate
infuriating
reassure
permanent
inconsolable
bewildered
inferno
emperor