The Year Five Curriculum
Year 5 Curriculum
Literacy
Over the year, the children are exposed to a range of fiction and non-fiction texts where they explore the language and features of the text type through carefully planned reading exercises, before producing their own written examples. Over the course of each half term, the children learn about narrative reading and writing, poetry and a non-fiction text. We also respond to a text using ideas from 'The Power of Reading' strategy. Alongside this, children are taught specific word level and sentence level skills. Here is a breakdown of the key text types we study each term.
Autumn Term - Legend, poetry, recount, play script, fiction focus, poetry
Spring Term - author Study, myths, persuasion, non-chronological reports, fiction focus
Summer Term - explanation text, non-fiction/newspaper reports, poetry, letter writing, non-chronological reports, newspaper writing
Maths
In Maths, we follow the National Curriculum, supplemented by the White Rose Scheme, which encourages the children to approach maths mastery with a resilient mindset.
Place value
Addition
Subtraction
Statistics
Multiplication and division
Perimeter and area
Fractions
Decimals
Percentages
Properties of shapes
Direction
Measurement - converting
Volume
Science
Autumn - Properties and changes of materials; Life cycles of plants and animals
Spring - Forces; Earth and space
Summer - Human life cycles and changes; Working scientifically experiments
Computing
The topics we cover in Computing lessons are as follows:
Online Safety
Google Drive, Docs and research skills
CS First - Animate a name and storytelling
We are crytographers
We are architects
Book Study
Autumn - Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
Spring - Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
Summer - Tom's Midnight Garden by Edith (in a graphic novel format, adapted from the original by Phillipa Pearce)
The pupils study the book in great detail. It is advised that your child has a copy of each book in school as the pupils complete lots of activities based on the text, however this is not a requirement. We ask that if possible that the children do not read these beforehand.
Guided Reading
The children will read three different texts in guided reading this year. These will be selected from the following: Danny the Champion of the World (Roald Dahl), Rooftoppers (Katherine Rundell) and Tom's Midnight Garden (The graphic novel version by Edith)
Topic - History and Geography
We study the Ancient Egyptians in the autumn term. Pupils will take part in an Egyptian Day, when they dress up as Ancient Egyptians and enjoy a range of activities.
During the spring term we study Ancient Greece. Pupils will take part in an Ancient Greek day, when they will enjoy a range of activities, such as a mini-Olympics.
In the summer term we will learn about Brazil, first focusing on its culture and then its trade. We will then study the rainforest in more depth, particularly looking at the rainforest climate. This will include map study and fieldwork.
Art
Year 5 Art begins in the autumn term with pupils looking at observational drawing. They look at the methods of smudging, hatching and cross hatching and apply these techniques to their work. The children also look at positive and negative drawing techniques and study in detail the work of Frank Auerbach.
In the Spring term the children study: the work of Norman Foster and focus on dip dye techniques, creating architectural fabric prints, punchinella weaving, press prints, string printing and contours.
During the summer term the pupils look at the work of Hundertwasser and develop images using layering acetate. The pupils will also have the opportunity to re-create pointillism and Fauvist paintings. To finish their term off the children then select a technique from the year to produce their own composition. Their work is then displayed at the annual open evening that occurs in July.
DT
For one week each term children undertake a DT project, which allows focused teaching of each stage in the design process: investigating existing products, designing a product for a specific audience, modifying ideas where necessary and making a prototype before producing and evaluating a finished product.
In the Autumn term, the pupils look at making 3D structures, with the inspiration of an Ancient Egyptian Shaduf.
For the Spring term, the children look at analysing and making a basic bread, before creating their own.
In the Summer term, the children focus on sewing skills and make their own purse.
RE
Throughout Year 5, a wide range of religions are explored. In line with the new RE syllabus, children will explore a range of questions related to different world religions.
Autumn
Christian beliefs about holy and loving God
Being a Muslim in Britain today
Spring
Christian belief that Jesus was the Messiah
Importance of the Torah to Jewish people
Summer
Christians following the ways of Jesus
Humanism and Christianity
PSHE
In PSHE, we follow the MindUp Scheme, which encourages the children to practise mindfulness and become more rounded learners and individuals.
Autumn
Class rules
Application and voting for roles and responsibility
Why and how laws are made (UNICEF)
Human rights and the rights of a child (UNICEF)
The right to protect your body
Being safe - concept of privacy
Confidentiality and when to break it
Respectful relationships - respecting difference
Respectful relationships - stereotypes
Anti-bullying and the effects on mental health
Caring friendships - who to trust
Spring
Mental well being - benefits for your own wellbeing
Mind up - Gratitude
Growth mindset - perseverance
Zones of regulation - to help others
Money - the role of money, ways of making money, budgeting
Environment - how do we manage money in school? (Link to the environment and our grounds)
Summer
Puberty changes and personal hygiene
Mind up: Mindful movement
Respectful relationships - self respect and happiness
Families - stable, caring relationships, marriage
Demonstrating respectful relationships in Micro Society
Music
Children will be following the Charanga Scheme to learn how to play instruments, compose and improvise. This year instead of singing the children will learn sign language.
PE
In indoor PE, children participate in fitness activities, badminton, dance and gymnastics.
In outdoor PE, they take part in football, netball, tag rugby, tennis, cricket, athletics and teamwork skills. In the summer term they also have a weekly swimming lesson in the school pool.
French
Autumn
Greetings and personal information
Clothing
Using verbs to say what people have
Describing people
Talking about School subjects
Likes and dislikes
Telling the time
Spring
Asking politely for food
Asking the way and giving directions in a town
Talking about holidays
Express an opinion about holidays
Describing a house and using adjectives
Summer
Describing what people do at home and where
Hobbies and where you do them
Hobbies and using the negative
Revision of previous learning