English

We have been delving into an exciting unit centred around the book “Mount Everest.” Our exploration kicked off with learning about the remarkable expedition of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who were the first to conquer the highest peak in the world. We discussed the various dangers they faced during their journey, which included treacherous weather conditions and the risks of altitude sickness. To present our findings, the children created a formal fact file detailing these dangers, allowing them to practice their research and presentation skills.

In addition to this, we focused on the Khumbu Icefall—the perilous ice formations climbers must navigate. The students honed their writing techniques to craft a suspenseful narrative about crossing this daunting landscape. They experimented with varied sentence lengths, used rhetorical questions, ellipses, and ‘show, not tell’ techniques to create engaging stories.

Furthermore, we expanded our vocabulary and learned how to construct relative clauses, which we applied when writing descriptive pieces about the summit of Mount Everest. To culminate this unit, each child wrote a diary entry from the perspective of one of the explorers, imagining the anxieties and excitement of the night before reaching the summit.

Maths

This half term, we’ve understood how to find factors and multiples, which helps us understand the foundation of numbers. We’ve introduced square numbers, making connections with different ways to explore calculations.

We are also mastering important skills like dividing four-digit numbers by one-digit numbers through the chunking method and multiplying four-digit numbers using the grid method. Understanding equivalent fractions has been a key focus, along with comparing and ordering fractions by finding a common denominator and simplifying them.

Additionally, we’ve been converting between fractions and decimals, which is essential for everyday maths. We’ve also tackled finding the area of rectangles and rectilinear shapes. Lastly, we’re working on being able to tell the time confidently, making conversions between analogue, 12-hour, and 24-hour formats.

Science

In science, we’ve continued our exploration of materials, using our results from the saturation experiment to hypothesise and test what factors can affect the rate of saturation. We’ve also had a creative twist: the children wrote an instruction text on how to separate drinking water from a mixture they might encounter on a desert island. Furthermore, we’ve been investigating the uses of everyday materials, where we concluded which materials make the best thermal insulators.

History

Year 5 have been learning about the history of medicine and how it has shaped life expectancy over time. They explored the meaning of life expectancy—the average number of years a person is expected to live—and discovered why it remained low in Britain until the 1800s. Through studying the Great Bubonic Plague of London, they learned what caused it, how people at the time tried to prevent and treat it, and how these actions compare with responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. The class investigated Edward Jenner’s discovery of the smallpox vaccine in 1796 and examined historical opposition to vaccinations using a range of sources. They looked at how and why life expectancy began to improve after 1850, particularly for men and women, and created timelines to sequence major medical milestones over the last 250 years. Finally, they reflected on how historic medical breakthroughs continue to impact our lives today.

Art

In art, we have explored the theme of self-portraits, learning how drawings can be developed and enhanced using different materials and techniques. They identified key features of self-portraits and experimented with ways to express different emotions through their artwork. By combining materials for effect, they created striking collage self-portraits and developed their ideas through creative exploration and thoughtful experimentation.

PE

Each week, we’ve been lucky enough to have a netball coach join us, helping the children master various passes, develop their defensive skills, and learn how to shoot. The kids are really enjoying putting all these skills together in some fun, competitive games!

On top of that, we’ve also been exploring dance and movement through the fascinating theme of space. The children have been thinking about how planets move and imagining how creatures on these planets might move based on their atmospheres. This has led to some wonderful group work, with each team creating their own unique dance routines.

RE

In Year 5 RE, we’ve started looking at the religion of Hinduism. We’ve been exploring Hindu beliefs about God, with a special focus on the Trimurti, which represents the three main aspects of God: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. We’ve also delved into enchanting stories about Krishna, discussing their significance and the lessons they impart to Hindus. Another highlight has been our exploration of Holi, the vibrant festival of colours. We’ve learned why it’s celebrated and how it brings people together, not just in India but across the globe. 

Spanish

This term, we’ve dived into our new topic, “In the Café.” We’re having fun learning how to order various foods and drinks in Spanish. We’ve also explored some traditional Spanish dishes like paella and churros, which don’t have direct translations in English. It’s exciting to see the children engage with the language and culture!

Music

This half term in our music sessions we have studied composition and improvisation. Using the Charanga Model Music Scheme the children have composed as a group selecting semi-breves, minims, crotchets or quavers and their rests, then clapped the rhythm. We then transferred this onto tuned instruments, glockenspiels and keyboards. We then improvised using a given range of notes over a backing.

Computing

Using our school computer scheme ilearn2 the children have looked at E-Safety. Developing their understanding of how to keep their personal information private, to respect and protect against online billies, the consequences of sharing photos online, understanding the term digital footprint, checking the content is trustworthy, knowing how and why companies and people track or online behaviour and how we can prevent it.