Year 5
English
Throughout the year pupils will be using descriptive writing to build vocabulary and enhance writing
Other writing genres will be used throughout the year also to include:
Narration
Recount
Persuasion
Myths/legends
Poetry
Grammar will be emphasised to enhance the pupil’s structure of writing and prepare for year 6 SATs.
Novel: Danny, the Champion of the World
Poetry: The Highwayman
Spelling; Will follow the whole school spelling programme tailored to the pupil’s level.
How to help your child improve in English:
Keep talking to your child, they learn vocabulary from discussion and conversation with family
Read—the best way to improve their reading is to read! 15—20 minutes a day would make the difference
Ask your child to retell the part of the novel they have just read
Encourage your child to keep a diary and write
Ask your child about BUG CLUB an online book programme
Maths
The year 5 will be starting the new curriculum so there is a switch of emphasis in their scheme of work.
Calculation: The priority is formal methods of written calculation. There are progressions to all four operations
but by the end of the year, all pupils should have an effective written method.
Mental strategies - This will be vital for year 6 and must be embedded in the year 5 curriculum.
Place value—Place value includes numbers to 1 million down to
the thousandths place.
Fractions— pupils should be able to identify a fraction of an amount and equivalent fractions.
How to help your child improve in Maths
Times tables are the biggest barrier to progress in maths. Repetition will ensure the pupils retain them, so
practice every day.
Pupils need hands on experience with measure. Get them involved in the kitchen making meals.
Calculations have become formal once again but the understanding, not the process is most important. We
have the progression of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division on our website.
Art
Term One - Elements and Skills Project
In this unit of work the pupils will do a series of sketchbook based activities, experimenting with and learning
about the basic elements of art; line, tone, colour, shape, texture, pattern and form (3-D).We will then move
onto the basic skills of art: drawing, painting, printmaking, collage and modelling.
Term Two - Natural Form
In this unit of work we will be focussing on drawing natural objects like shells. We will also be looking at the
work of the famous painter Georgia O’Keefe. The project starts off with
individual drawing tasks and then moves onto producing large paintings based on shells. The pupils will work
together in small groups.
Term Three - Henri Matisse
In this unit we will be investigating the life and Art of the famous artist Henri Matisse. We begin with drawing
and painting still life in
Matisse’s early style and the move on to his rhythmic expressive style and finally on to his modern collage
style.
Virtually any art activity done at home will feed into this project, particularly drawing objects, animals and
people. Also any craft activity to do with colour would be helpful.
Design and technology
Year 5 DT Units
One
Jigsaw project.
In this unit we will design and make a jigsaw for a small child based on a theme of nursery rhymes and pupils
will use skills of; research and planning, cutting, glueing and assembly.
Two
Textile Picture (Applique)
In this unit pupils design and make a textile picture using applique techniques of cutting and sewing. They
learn different stitching styles and a variety of embroidery stitches.
Three
An acrylic based project
In this unit children will learn how to cut acrylic using a jigsaw and how to finish it using buffing and polishing
skills. They will make fridge magnets and key rings to support the WWF.
French
In the Autumn term of Year 5, pupils build on their prior learning of a Modern Foreign Language and cover
Units 1 and 2 of Rigolo 2:
‘Salut Gustave!’ and ‘À l’école’.
In the Spring term of Year 5, it is expected that your child will build on their prior learning of learning a Modern
Foreign Language and cover Units 3—4 of Rigolo 2: La nourriture (food) and En ville (in town).
In the Summer Term of Year 5, it is expected that your child will build on their prior learning of learning a
Modern Foreign Language and cover Units 1 - 2 of Rigolo 2 : Salut Gustave; and A l’école.
Salut Gustave helps pupils to learn greetings; to talk about brothers and sisters;
describe things people have and do not have using the 3rd person of the French verb
avoir and describe what people are like using the 3rd person French verb être .
A l’école helps pupils learn about how to talk about school: school subjects; likes and dislikes at school; asking
and giving the time as well as talking about the timings of the school day.
Humanities
My Place— comparing their own town of Bury St Edmunds to village life.
Mapping skills
Local knowledge
Study of Compiegne, France—twinned city to Bury St Edmunds
Comparison of physical and human features
Study of St Lucia— comparison with Bury St Edmunds
Climate
Trade
Life of children
Egyptians
Chronology
Success of culture
Egyptian beliefs
Rulers of Egypt
Tudors—comparison to then and now
How to help your child:
Ask about the topic they are learning
Look up some additional facts
Ask questions about what is the same and different
Find the locations on a map
Discuss timelines and the span of time from Tudors to now or Egyptians to now
Music
Autumn 1: Inter-Related Dimensions:
Exploring the elements of music-pitch, duration, dynamics, timbre, texture, structure through unpitched
instruments
Autumn 2: Keyboard Passports
Exploring and using keyboards
Spring 1: Singing Well, Feeling Good
Quality of singing; learning songs, rounds, partner songs
Spring 2: Food Fest
Rhythms based on food; layering rhythms, structure
Summer 1: Pentatonic Scales
Performing songs in the pentatonic structure; creating accompaniments using drones and ostinati
Summer 2: The Planets
Group composition creating a space journey Holst: Planets Suite
PSHEE/ Citizenship
Term one—first half
‘I am at Middle School!’ focuses on what is the same and different at middle school. Includes goal-setting and
student council elections
Term one—second half
‘What is bullying’ looks at what makes an act bullying and some ways to best deal with different situations.
Term two—first half
‘Caring for animals’ looks at why and how we should care for animals, pets in particular
Term two—second half
‘Smoking – not me!’ looks at why we should and ways we can say no to tobacco .
Term three—first half
‘Milestones’ looks at different things that happen in life at different times, particularly focusing on body
changes and menstruation
Term three—second half
’A first look at jobs and money’ looks at the basic skills needed for most jobs. Pupils will also use the Summer
Fair to look at budgeting, costs and profits.
Science
The Cycle of Life -Life cycle of animal and plants
Healthy Living—Food groups; how the heart and lungs work
Out of the World—study of day/night, seasons and planets
Amazing Sound—how it travels and how to measure
Material World—Properties of solid, liquids and gases
Sport Science—Push, pull, and gravity forces
How to help your child in Science:
Ask your child about their current topic
Have them explain any new concepts
Ask them about science words they have been using
Research more into the topic they are studying
Physical Education
Pupils learn to play and make up small-sided and modified competitive invasion games such as soccer,
basketball and rugby, using skills and tactics and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending.
In Swimming, Pupils learn to pace themselves in floating and swimming challenges related to speed, distance
and personal survival, to swim unaided for a sustained period of time over a distance of at least 25m.
In the Spring term, pupils think about how to use movement to explore and communicate ideas as well as their
own feelings and thoughts.
In gymnastics as a whole, children use skills and agilities individually, in combination and in sequence, with the
aim of showing as much control and precision as possible.
In the Summer Term pupils are taught the skills to play short tennis, athletics and rounders.
In short tennis they are taught serving techniques and the main types of shots used in the sport. Pupils are
taught the techniques and rules for each athletic event