Year 5

Welcome to the Year 5 Class Page!

Welcome to our Year 5 class page! I am so excited to work with your child this year and to be part of their learning journey. The classroom is a safe and supportive environment where children are given the opportunity to flourish and be creative with their learning.

We have an exciting year ahead, filled with engaging lessons and opportunities for growth. We have brilliant trips planned to the Space Centre and Rough Close. Please check the class Sway regularly for updates, important information and photographs.

Thank you for your support. I look forward to a brilliant year together.

Kind regards,
Miss Chapman

Year 5 Team

Curriculum Overview

English

In Year 5, pupils develop their writing and reading skills with a focus on expanding vocabulary, improving sentence structure and enhancing comprehension.

In writing, we will focus on accuracy with grammar, punctuation and varied sentence types. We will learn to plan, draft, and edit our work, aiming for clarity and coherence. Our writing units will be based on books and poems such as ‘Gorilla’, ‘The Explorer’ and ‘The Highway Man’.

In reading, we will explore a wide range of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. The children will improve their ability to infer meaning, identify themes and analyse language. We will read exciting class novels such as ‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’, ‘Wonder’ and ‘The Girl who Stole an Elephant’.

Children will practise their handwriting daily to ensure their letter formation and joins are correct.

In spelling, we will be focusing on the Year 5/6 National Curriculum spellings as well as a different spelling rule every other week.

Maths

In Year 5, our focus in maths will be on continuing to build a strong foundation in key mathematical concepts. We will begin the year by practising our arithmetic fluency and ensuring confidence with the four operations, particularly short multiplication and division.

As the year progresses, we will focus on new topics such as decimal fractions, negative numbers and factors, multiples and primes. We will also deepen our knowledge in topics such as money, area and angles.

Times table practice will be incorporated weekly to ensure accuracy and speed. Children will also have ‘Mastering Number’ sessions each week to further support with understanding of multiplicative relationships.

Science

In Year 5, the science curriculum deepens students' understanding of the natural world through hands-on experiments and inquiry-based learning.

Children will investigate different types of forces, including gravity, friction, air resistance, and water resistance. We will conduct experiments to understand how these forces affect the movement of objects and they explore the concept of balanced and unbalanced forces in real-life scenarios.

Pupils will embark on a journey through our solar system, learning about the planets, the Sun, the Moon, and the stars. We will explore the movement of the Earth in space, including its rotation, orbit around the Sun, and how these movements affect our days, seasons, and years. Our exciting trip to the Space Centre will further embed this knowledge.

After, we will explore the fascinating range of life cycles in the plant and animal world. We will learn about and compare the life cycles of different types of animals, including reptiles, birds, amphibians and mammals.

Pupils will delve into the properties and uses of different materials, exploring concepts such as solubility, transparency, conductivity, and insulation. Year 5 will conduct experiments to test these properties and learn how materials can change state through heating, cooling, dissolving, and mixing.

Later in the year, linked to the PSHE curriculum, we will study the stages of human development from birth to old age.

In Year 5, our Religious Education curriculum is designed to help children explore and understand different beliefs and practices, fostering respect and curiosity about the world’s diverse faiths.

We will explore the Christian understanding of God as both holy and loving. Year 5 will delve into what these attributes mean within the Christian faith, how they are reflected in the teachings of the Bible, and how they influence the beliefs and practices of Christians today.

The class will learn more about Islam. Children will explore the teachings of the Qur'an to understand what it reveals about Allah and the guidance He provides to Muslims. After, we will focus on the concept of Tawhid, the oneness of Allah, and how it fosters a sense of belonging and unity within the Muslim community. We will learn about the significance of Tawhid in shaping the beliefs, practices, and community life of Muslims.

After, the class will broaden their knowledge of Christianity by focusing on salvation, Jesus and how the following of God can bring freedom and justice. These units together provide a comprehensive understanding of key Christian beliefs and how they influence the lives of believers, encouraging them to live in ways that reflect their faith and values.

History and Geography

Our aim in History and Geography is for children to understanding the significance of historical events, recognise the impact of geography on human activity and compare ancient and modern societies.

During the Autumn Term, we will explore the fascinating world of the Ancient Greeks, delving into their society, culture and influence on modern civilization. They will learn about Greek mythology, the birth of democracy, the Olympic Games, and key historical figures like Alexander the Great.

After, Year 5 will immerse themselves in the world of tropical rainforests, focusing on the Amazon Rainforest. We will study the location of rainforests, climate, biodiversity, and the importance of these ecosystems to the planet.

In the final term, we will step back in time to Tudor England, exploring the reigns of monarchs like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. We will learn about key events such as the English Reformation, the establishment of the Church of England, and the exploration of the New World.