Autumn 1 - Native Narratives

Week 7

This week in Year 5, we’ve been diving into a fantastic range of learning experiences across the curriculum – from imagining life in magical gardens to investigating the forces that affect how things move!

English
In English, we’ve been exploring the rich and imaginative world of Wonder Garden. Children have been developing their creative and analytical skills by imagining what it might be like to step inside these fantastical environments. Turning into detective, the children have been searching through texts to spot key non-chronological features and examining the linguistic choices authors make to inform and engage readers. It’s been a great opportunity to combine creativity with critical thinking.

Maths
Our focus in Maths has been on mastering addition and subtraction. The children have been working incredibly hard, applying their skills to solve increasingly complex problems. Their dedication and focus have been evident as they built up to their assessment, showing just how much progress they've made. We’re very proud of the effort and resilience they’ve shown throughout the week.

Geography
In Geography, we’ve been looking at population concentration across Europe. The children have been exploring maps to identify where people live and, more importantly, why people choose to settle in particular areas. We’ve had some fantastic discussions around natural resources, climate, trade, and historical development. This topic is really helping the children build a better understanding of the human geography of our world.

Science
This week’s Science lessons brought a lot of excitement as we conducted an investigation involving a toy car, a ramp, and a variety of surfaces. The children predicted, tested, and recorded their results to explore the effects of friction. They discovered that sandpaper created the most friction, causing the car to slow down the most. It was a hands-on, engaging way to see forces in action and understand how different materials interact.

Computing
In Computing, we’ve been learning about how search engines work – and more importantly, how search results can be influenced. This sparked some really thoughtful conversations about bias, advertising, and the importance of thinking critically when researching online. The children are becoming increasingly savvy digital citizens!

Library Visit
We were also treated to a visit from our local librarian this week – always a highlight! These sessions continue to inspire a love of reading and curiosity about the world.

PSHE
In our PSHE sessions, we’ve been talking about emotional needs – what they are, why they matter, and how we can take care of them. The children discussed how to recognise different emotions and the strategies we can use to support ourselves and others when things get tough. It was a thoughtful and supportive space for reflection and learning.

We’ve had a busy, productive, and exciting week in Year 5, filled with new discoveries and growing confidence across the board. Well done, everyone

Week 6

What an exciting and enriching week it has been in Year 5! The classroom has been buzzing with creativity, curiosity, and collaboration as we’ve explored a wide range of subjects and celebrated important moments together.

In English, we’ve been celebrating Black History Month by learning about the inspiring story of Dorothy Vaughan, a pioneering African-American mathematician who played a crucial role at NASA. To honour her legacy, the children created kennings poems that captured her brilliance, strength, and determination. These poems are not only beautifully written but also deeply thoughtful – a true celebration of an incredible figure in history. We are so proud of the language and imagery the children used to express admiration and respect for Dorothy's achievements.

In Maths, we have been sharpening our skills in addition and subtraction. We’ve explored how to use the inverse operation to check our answers and have been solving some challenging multi-step word problems. These activities have helped us develop our reasoning skills and encouraged us to explain our mathematical thinking clearly. It’s been fantastic to see the children’s confidence grow as they apply these strategies to real-life problems.

In Music, our classroom has been alive with rhythm and sound as we continue rehearsing for our performance of The Great Kapok Tree. The children are working hard to blend their voices and body percussion to create a vibrant and expressive performance. 

In Geography, we’ve been exploring weather patterns across Europe and learning how different regions experience varying climates. The highlight of the week was becoming weather reporters! The children used maps, weather symbols, and their presenting skills to create and deliver their own weather forecasts.

In RE, we’ve explored Sikhism, learning about the core beliefs, symbols, and practices of this rich and respectful faith. We spent time exploring and answering deep questions. The children have shown great empathy and curiosity in their discussions.

In French, we’ve been building our vocabulary around places we see on our way to school. We’ve practised describing our routes using French phrases.

In Science, we launched into our investigation into gravity! We carried out practical experiments to explore how gravity affects the movement of objects and discussed how it interacts with other forces. The children asked brilliant questions like, “What would happen to gravity if we were on the Moon?” and worked collaboratively to record their findings and share their conclusions.

Finally, we proudly took part in Hello Yellow Day, joining schools across the country to support YoungMinds and raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing. The children came dressed in yellow to show that they are not alone with their feelings. We spent time thinking about how we can look after our mental health, support one another, and build a kind, caring classroom community.

It’s been a week full of rich learning, positive energy, and big ideas. Well done, Year 5 – you’ve amazed us with your effort, creativity, and enthusiasm!

Week 5

What a brilliant week it’s been in Year 5! The classroom has been buzzing with energy, creativity, and curiosity as we’ve explored a wide range of topics across the curriculum. It’s been one of those weeks where we can really see how much the children are growing—not just in their learning, but also in their confidence, teamwork, and reflection.

In English, we have been hard at work completing our independent writes, and I must say, I am blown away by what the children have produced. Their writing is absolutely packed with ambitious vocabulary, carefully crafted sentence structures, and a clear awareness of the grammar and punctuation we’ve been learning. Each piece reflects their individuality and developing voice as writers, and it's such a joy to read their work. We also reached the end of our class text, A Long Walk to Water, and finally discovered how Nya and Salva’s stories intertwine. It was such a powerful and heartwarming moment—so much so that I nearly cried! Seeing the children connect so deeply with the characters and themes of the book has been a real highlight of the term so far.

In our Worship sessions this week, we have been honouring Black History Month by learning about the remarkable achievements and contributions of Black individuals throughout history and today. These stories have inspired rich discussions about justice, resilience, and the importance of representation. Alongside this, we’ve continued to reflect on how we live out our school vision, and how each of us plays a role in helping our community flourish—through kindness, collaboration, and determination.

In Maths, we’ve now moved on to our unit on addition and subtraction. The children have been tackling both mental and written strategies and building their confidence with problem-solving and reasoning. It's been lovely to see them supporting one another and explaining their methods clearly – signs of real mathematical thinking!

Science has taken us into the world of physics, where we've been exploring the force of gravity. The children have been curious and enthusiastic as we've discussed how gravity affects everything around us—from falling apples to orbiting planets. We’ve also begun thinking about how other forces interact with gravity, setting the stage for some exciting investigations in the weeks to come.

In RE, we have been learning about the special nature of the Qur'an. The children have shown great respect and interest in understanding why the Qur'an is so central to the Islamic faith. We’ve explored how it is treated with reverence, how it guides the lives of Muslims, and why it is considered the literal word of God. These lessons have prompted thoughtful conversations and some wonderful questions.

Our Music sessions have been alive with rhythm and creativity this week as we’ve explored rainforest body percussion. The children have been using their bodies to replicate the sounds of the rainforest—rain, thunder, footsteps, animal calls—and composing their own rhythmic sequences. It’s been a brilliant opportunity to connect movement with sound, and the results have been both imaginative and impressive!

In Guided Reading, we marked Richard III’s 

reading about his life and the incredible story of how his remains were discovered under a car park in Leicester. The children were captivated by the twists and turns of this historical mystery and asked brilliant questions about how we know what we know from the past.

Finally, in Geography, we’ve been building our skills in using 4-figure grid references. Learning how to locate places accurately on a map has been both fun and practical, and the children are now much more confident in interpreting map symbols and coordinates.

It’s been a week full of wonder, hard work, and collaboration, and I could not be prouder of each and every member of Year 5. The enthusiasm, perseverance, and care they show for their learning—and for one another—is truly inspiring. We are in full force as a Year 5 team, and I can’t wait to see where our learning journey takes us next!

Week 4

Year 5 have had another fantastic week of learning, showing real focus, creativity, and enthusiasm across the curriculum. Here’s a closer look at what we’ve been up to:

English – We have been planning a diary entry that will allow us to showcase our learning and practise writing in role. The children have thought carefully about using emotive language and varying their sentence openers. They have brought their writing to life and I look forward to reading their independent work next week.

Maths – Our number work has taken us up to one million this week! The children have compared and ordered numbers up to 1,000,000 and tackled rounding to the nearest 10, 100, and 1,000. They’ve been challenged to build their reasoning and problem solving skills, helping to strengthen their understanding of place value.

PE – In PE, we have focused on developing our invasion skills through football and hockey. Pupils have been working on passing, defending, and teamwork strategies, learning the importance of communication and space on the pitch.

French – In French, we have continued building our vocabulary and confidence in speaking aloud, practising pronunciation and short conversational exchanges. The children are beginning to spell words independently.

Music – We explored the concept of compound time and how this changes the feel of music. Pupils also practised drawing musical notation accurately, improving both their understanding and their ability to record rhythms on paper.

Geography – Year 5 became travel agents this week! Each group worked hard to “sell” Europe as a must-visit destination, highlighting the continent’s amazing physical features. From mountain ranges and rivers to beaches and varied climates, the children used persuasive language to encourage visitors.

Science – Science saw us dive into a carousel of experiments all about forces, with a focus on water resistance and air resistance. The children tested predictions and explored how surface area affects speed when moving through air. It was a hands-on, investigative session that really got them thinking like scientists.

Computing – We have been learning how to carry out data searches effectively using search engines. Pupils practised refining their searches, identifying reliable information, and developing their skills as digital researchers.

It has been a week full of curiosity and creativity, and the children have really impressed us with their effort and enthusiasm.

Week 3

We’ve had another exciting and productive week in Year 5, filled with creativity, exploration and deep thinking across the curriculum!

In Maths, our focus has been on understanding place value in greater depth. The children have been learning how to find 10, 100, 1,000 and even 100,000 less than a given number. It's been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they tackle increasingly complex numerical patterns.

In English, we've been gathering content for our upcoming writing projects, with a particular focus on developing our use of emotion in narrative writing. Instead of simply telling the reader how a character feels, we’ve been learning how to show those feelings through body language, dialogue and descriptive detail. We’ve also worked on using cohesive devices to link our ideas across paragraphs, helping to build more fluent and engaging writing. The children's creativity and emotional insight are really starting to shine through!

In Music, we’ve taken our understanding of rhythm and notation to the next level. This week, we explored different time signatures and began composing our own short rhythms using crotchets, quavers and rests. The children showed great focus and musicality as they wrote their rhythms on staves, and we’re excited to begin crafting our soundscapes.

In Geography, we’ve been presenting our research on the human characteristics of Europe. Each group chose a country to focus on and shared what they had discovered about its land use, trade and types of settlements. The presentations were informative, well-researched and confidently delivered. Well done, Year 5 geographers!

In PE, we’ve been working on developing key skills in both football and hockey. Through a range of drills and small-sided games, we’ve practised dribbling, passing, shooting and defensive techniques. There’s been a real emphasis on teamwork, communication and fair play, which has made for some excellent sessions.

In RE, we had a very special visit from Reverend Ben, who came in to give an insightful talk, relating to our RE learning. It was a valuable opportunity to connect what we’ve been learning in class to real-world experiences, and we’re grateful to Rev Ben for sharing his time with us.

In Art, we began the exciting process of creating our own installation artwork. The children are exploring how art can be immersive and thought-provoking, and they have started designing and building pieces that express their ideas and themes. It’s been a fantastic start to what promises to be a very creative project.

We’re so proud of the energy, enthusiasm and effort the children have shown this week. Keep it up, Year 5!

Week 2 

We have embraced this week fantastically and are continuing to impress with our enthusiasm, curiosity, and hard work. 🌟 In English, we have continued to dive deeper into our class text, A Long Walk to Water. We have been inferring characters' thoughts and feelings as well as comparing our two main characters, and the work we have produced has been of such a high standard, showing real maturity and insight. In Maths, we have been developing our understanding of place value up to 1,000,000, using place value charts and Gattegno charts to help us represent, partition, and compare numbers. We have shown great focus and perseverance as we tackled these larger numbers with increasing confidence. In Geography, we located the capital cities of Europe and enjoyed exploring maps and atlases to discover where each country is and learning fascinating facts about some of these places. In Music, we learned how to build a piece of body percussion, thinking carefully about rhythm, tempo, and how sounds can layer together to create a performance. One of the highlights of this week has to be our exciting Science Show, where fantastic demonstrations illuminated how forces work in our world—we were captivated and asked excellent scientific questions throughout. In RE, we used Bibles to locate different books within the Old and New Testaments, and we explored the different genres found within the Bible, such as laws, letters, stories, poems, and songs, discussing how and why they were written. In Computing, we began learning about inputs and outputs in digital systems, exploring different devices, identifying which parts are inputs (such as keyboards and sensors) and which are outputs (like screens and speakers), and thinking about how they work together. In Art, we planned our own installation pieces in groups. We created floor plans to map out our ideas and chose from three exciting themes: beach, desert, or jungle. Next, we will be thinking about how to bring our ideas to life and create installation art within our chosen areas. In PSHE, we took part in a wonderful Coram workshop, which was very insightful. We learned and practised how to say no to our friends in an assertive but calm manner, building our confidence and decision-making skills. We are so proud of how engaged and focused we have been this week—well done, everyone! 🌟

Week 1

Year 5 have made a fantastic start to the new term and have settled back into school brilliantly! 🌟

In English, we’ve begun our exciting new unit based on the book A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. We’ve been using our prediction skills and building our schema to understand what life is like in Sudan. The children have also come up with some thoughtful questions about the characters and the story, showing great curiosity and engagement.

In Maths, we started by recapping our Year 4 knowledge of place value and Roman numerals. We then extended our learning to explore Roman numerals up to 1000—everyone has worked so hard and shown excellent progress already!

This week, we also explored installation art in our Art lessons. The children discovered that installation art is often:
✨ Large-scale
✨ Created with mixed media
✨ Sometimes temporary
✨ Influenced by its location as much as by the artwork itself
They’ve loved diving into their artwork, and it’s been such an inspiring start—we can’t wait to see where their creativity takes them next!

In RE, we recapped our previous learning about holy books and which religions they belong to. We spent time exploring the similarities and differences between them, and asked some really thoughtful, in-depth questions about what we’d like to find out next—both about holy books and other world faiths. The children showed great respect, curiosity, and enthusiasm during these discussions.

We also elected our new Values Committee members. It was a tough decision, as every child who gave a speech did an amazing job and fully deserved a place. We’re incredibly proud of all those who put themselves forward and showed such confidence and maturity.

We’re so impressed with the children’s attitude to learning and are really looking forward to all that this year has in store. It’s great to be back!