Year 5

We’ve had a great start to the school year in Year 5! The children have settled in well, showing lots of enthusiasm and curiosity. They’ve been getting to know their new classroom routines, making new friends, and embracing the challenges ahead with a positive attitude. It’s been lovely to see their confidence grow already. 

English 
This half term, we've been diving into two fantastic texts:  Robot Girl and Hidden Figures. Robot Girl sparked some great discussions about technology and ethics. We used it as a springboard for writing diary entries and narrative pieces, focusing on character voice and building suspense.  

With Hidden Figures, we explored the real-life stories of four brilliant African American women who worked at NASA. The children wrote biographies and persuasive letters, learning about resilience, equality, and the power of education. Both books have really sparked their imagination. 

Maths 
In Maths, we’ve been working hard on place value—understanding numbers up to one million—and then moved on to addition and subtraction. The children have been developing both their written and mental methods, while also tackling plenty of reasoning and problem-solving tasks to stretch their thinking. We have also begun looking at multiplication through multiples and factors. 

Science 
Our Science topic this half term has been Forces. We've looked at gravity, friction, and air resistance through practical investigations. From testing how different surfaces affect movement to finding out about gravity, the class has really enjoyed getting hands-on with their learning. Considering fair testing has been a key part of each investigation. 

Music 
Year 5 has also started learning to play the ukulele! They've already mastered a few basic chords and have been working on rhythm, strumming, and playing simple songs together. It's been brilliant to see their confidence grow each week—and there’s plenty more music to come. Their instructor has been very impressed with their progress. 

History – Anglo-Saxons 

This term, Year 5 has been diving into the fascinating world of the Anglo-Saxons. We’ve explored who the Anglo-Saxons were, where they came from, and why they came. The children have been intrigued by stories of kings and warriors from over a thousand years ago. Taking the role of history detectives, they tried to solve the mystery of the burial ship at Sutton Hoo and who might have been buried in it. The children have really enjoyed stepping back in time and imagining what life was like in these exciting, often challenging, periods of history. 

SCIENCE

Through the topic of ‘Earth and space’ the children have learned that the Sun, Earth and Moon are part of our solar system, with the Sun at the centre. The Earth orbits the Sun once every 365¼ days, which causes the seasons, and it rotates on its axis every 24 hours, creating day and night. The Moon is a natural satellite that orbits the Earth roughly every 28 days, and as it moves, we see different phases such as the crescent, half-moon and full moon. The solar system contains eight planets, all of which travel around the Sun and reflect its light rather than producing their own.

FRENCH

Our topic this half term has been ‘At the teashop’ and the children have learned the names of different foods and drinks in French. They now know how to order food and drinks in French using key phrases such as “Je voudrais…” (I would like…) followed by items like un thé (a tea), un chocolat chaud (a hot chocolate), un jus d’orange (an orange juice), un gâteau (a cake) or un croissant.  Through simple role play, they have practised being either the owner of the tea shop or a customer ordering food and drink.

ENGLISH

One of our texts has been ‘The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries’. This text followed two real historical figures—Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle—who became best friends and young detectives in Georgian London. Together, they investigated unusual events, such as who was trying to hurt Ignatius Sancho (a black actor), uncovered secrets and solved mysterious events while facing the challenges of the time, including inequality and danger. Through their adventures, the children learned about friendship, courage and the importance of standing up for what is right. The children produced their own biographies about Ignatius Sancho as a final piece of writing.

GEOGRAPHY

The children learnt that Hertfordshire is a county in south-east England with a mix of busy towns and countryside. It is called a “county of opportunity” because it has good jobs, strong transport links, good schools and a high quality of life. Its landscapes, industries and closeness to London make it an attractive place for people to live and work. Through a variety of atlas-based tasks, they located different counties on a map, compared Hertfordshire with Caithness, a county in north-east Scotland, and identified different towns and cities on a map of the UK.

MATHS

Our topics this half term have been multiplication and division, and fractions.

The first topic (multiplication and division) taught the children how to use efficient written methods and apply their times-table knowledge to larger numbers. They learnt to multiply and divide by 10, 100 and 1,000, use factors and multiples, and understand square and cube numbers. Prime numbers were also introduced.

Through the topic of fractions, the children have built a stronger understanding of what they represent. They learnt to find and compare unit and non-unit fractions, understand equivalent fractions, and place fractions on number lines. They also explored how fractions relate to whole numbers and used diagrams to show equal parts. The unit also introduced them to improper fractions and mixed numbers, helping the children to see how they connect and how to convert between them. They then used this knowledge to both add and subtract fractions with either the same denominators or different ones.

SWIMMING

Swimming is a physical activity that helps people stay healthy, strong and fit. It is also an important life skill because it can keep people safe in water and can be enjoyed for fun, competition or relaxation. It has been great to see the children, especially the non-swimmers, develop their confidence over the weeks. You can see how proud they are of themselves. The confident swimmers have practiced different strokes both on their front and their back to good effect.

DT

The children have been looking at textiles and how they are made, including how pieces of fabric are joined, zips and buttons and other fastenings. They have learnt some simple stitches. Their final piece was to design, cut out and make a small drawstring bag. Although they found the sewing quite a challenge, everyone was proud of the finished result.

ENGLISH: This half term, we followed the Literacy Tree units The Whale (a picture book) and Rumaysa (a fairy tale). The children explored character, setting and themes, developing their comprehension through discussion and close reading. They planned and wrote a variety of extended pieces inspired by the texts, focusing on structure, vocabulary choice and sentence variety. Grammar, punctuation and spelling skills were applied within their writing, alongside opportunities to edit and improve their work. A class book was made with the stories the children wrote about Cordelia the witch from the Rumaysa fairy tale.

MATHS: This half term, Year 5 focused on multiplication and division. The children practised multiplying 2-, 3- and 4-digit numbers by 1- and 2-digit numbers, developing accuracy and confidence with formal written methods. They also worked on division using the bus stop method, dividing numbers up to four digits by a one-digit number, with an emphasis on understanding remainders and checking answers. They also developed their understanding of fractions and decimals. The children learnt how to multiply fractions by an integer and by a mixed number, as well as calculate fractions of amounts and find the whole. In decimals, they focused on understanding the value of numbers to three decimal places and explored the link between decimals and their fraction equivalents. To celebrate NSPCC Number Day, they designed and made their own games, which they shared with their classmates. They wrote a set of instructions and created their own game boards. Everyone then had the chance to play each other’s games.

PE: This half term, the children developed a range of physical skills across different activities. In basketball, they practiced core skills such as dribbling, passing, shooting and teamwork, applying these in small games. In gymnastics, pupils explored counterbalance and counter tension, working safely with a partner to create controlled, balanced shapes and sequences while improving strength, co-ordination and cooperation. They also learnt how to get out and set up the PE equipment safely.

SCIENCE: This half term, Year 5 studied Properties and Changes of Materials. The children explored the properties of different materials, including solubility, and learnt how materials can be separated. Through practical investigations, they sorted and tested materials based on properties such as magnetism, transparency and hardness, developing their scientific enquiry skills by observing, testing and recording results. They also considered why different things are made from different materials based on their properties.

FRENCH: This half term, Year 5 followed the Language Angels unit Do You Have a Pet? They learnt to recognise and use vocabulary for different pets and practised asking and answering simple questions in French. Listening, speaking and reading skills were developed, focusing on accurate pronunciation and basic sentence structure.

HISTORY: This half term, Year 5 studied World War II, with a focus on appeasement and the experiences of evacuees. Pupils learnt about the reasons for appeasement and its impact at the start of the war. They also explored what life was like for evacuees, developing an understanding of the challenges faced by children during this period through historical sources and discussion. They became history detectives when looking at a photograph of some children sitting in a trench looking up at the sky. What I can see (literal skills). What I can work out. What I think is happening (inference). What I don’t understand. What questions could I ask?

ART: This half term, the children explored sculpture by designing and creating vases. They began by looking at form through sketching different mugs and vases, paying particular attention to shapes and patterns. They then developed their skills in shaping and joining materials, refining their work to create stable and decorative forms. They evaluated their own and others’ work, focusing on design, texture and finish.