Year 5 follow the new National Curriculum (2014) programme of study. We use a topic-based approach, with a different topic for each half term. History, Geography and Science lessons are blocked together to give continuity. We try to link other subjects into these topics to make them cross-curricular where possible. The topics for Year 5 are:
The topic of the Llandudno topic links includes a residential visit during May. Throughout the topic lessons, we use a question-led approach, encouraging the children to be curious and find out the answers themselves.
English |
In Year 5, children will be taught in classes for English lessons. Some children will benefit from small group support. Children will use Accelerated Reader to develop their independent reading skills. Below the programme of study for Years 5 and 6 is outlined as a guide to what we will be covering this academic year. Note that there is a single programme of study for both Year 5 and Year 6 given in the new National Curriculum to allow for the consolidation of key concepts and skills.
Reading - Word Reading
Pupils will be taught to:
Reading Comprehension
Pupils will be taught to:
Writing Transcription - Spelling
Pupils will be taught to:
Handwriting and Presentation
Pupils will be taught to:
At Greswold we use the Nelson handwriting scheme to teach handwriting.
Writing Composition
Pupils will be taught to:
Writing - Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation
Pupils will be taught to:
The Types of Texts to be Studied in Year 5
The children will read and produce pieces of writing inspired by a range of poetry, non-fiction and narrative texts including both modern and classic writing. These texts provide the context for the learning outlined above. During Year 5, the children will explore these genres and texts:
Autumn Term
Superhero adventure stories
Greek quest myths
Explanatory writing - linked to the Science topic of forces
Information texts - linked to the topic of our Solar System and space exploration
Performance poetry inspired by the Planets and poetry which creates specific effects
Science-fiction writing - based on the short film 'Defective'
Spring Term
A range of poetry which creates specific moods or effects
Performance poems on the theme of cats
Extracts from Charles Dickens works including Oliver Twist - linked to their wider Victorian context
A book study of the story 'Street Child' by Berlie Doherty
Summer Term
Explanatory writing about coastal processes
Adventure stories linked to the classic 'Treasure Island'
Persuasive adverts promoting attractions in Llandudno
Poetry including odes, metaphors, personification and anthropmorphisation
Mathematics |
In Year 5 children will be taught in classes for Maths, with some children benefiting from small group support or extension work. Written calculation methods will be taught as set out in our Calculation Policy to ensure continuity and progression. Below the Maths programme of study for Year 5 is outlined as a guide to what will be covered this academic year. Teachers will make appropriate differentiation to ensure all children make progress with their mathematical learning.
Number and Place Value
Pupils will be taught to:
Addition and Subtraction
Pupils will be taught to:
Multiplication and Division
Pupils will be taught to:
Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
Pupils will be taught to:
Measurement
Pupils will be taught to:
Geometry - Properties of Shapes
Pupils will be taught to:
Geometry - Position and Direction
Pupils will be taught to:
Science |
At Greswold we are using the Engaging Science scheme as the basis of our Science planning. This sheme was chosen for its strong focus on practical investigation. Pupils are encouraged to be curious and think both scientifically and creatively, using the outdoor environment to learn Scientific ideas in context.
Throughout the year, the children will be learning about decay and recycling. Pupils will carry out a number of visits in and around the school to look for evidence of decay. They will create a compost heap and observe it over time. Natural and man-made materials will be left in different places to see how well they break down.
Autumn Term
Pupils study our solar system, learning about the relative movements of the planets and the Moon and relating these to the way we experience the Sun and the Moon on Earth. They carry out some research into planets and investigate the way meteorites have shaped the surface of the Moon. This unit forms a part of our topic on Space and includes a visit to the National Space Centre. The children will learn about the forces of gravity and friction and investigate the friction of different surfaces. They study air resistance, investigate paper spinners falling.
Spring Term
Pupils will continue to study forces by looking at floating and sinking and building a self-righting boat. Learning about simple forces includes activities to study pulleys, gears and other simple machines and gives pupils the chance to use their knowledge of machines to build a catapult. During the Spring term the children will also start to look at life cycles. Pupils revisit the life cycle of plants, and learn about pollination. They compare the life cycles of birds, mammals, insects and amphibians and learn that insects and amphibians undergo metamorphosis.
Summer Term
During this term pupils learn about the human life cycle and about the changes of the body during puberty. They complete their work on decay and recycling and look at what they have found out over the year. The children will also learn how living things are classified into different species.
Computing |
We are using Solihull's Scheme of Work to deliver the requirements of the Computing programme of study. This scheme has an annual focus on eSafety, using the Internet and finding out about technology pupils will be familiar with. Each year computer science skills and transferrable ICT skills are also developed in a progressive way.
Autumn Term
Pupils will be taught how to keep their online profile secure and to protect personal information. They will be taught to use search techniques effectively and know how results are ranked. They understand the terms copyright and plagiarism and find out how to credit sources of information in their own work. The children will also learn about a range of online threats including viruses and malware.
Also in Autumn term, in work on coding, the children will learn how to use Kodu to develop their coding skills.
Spring Term
They will develop their word processing skills within Microsoft word. This will allow them to use more advanced functions which will enable them to write more fluently, confidently and with increased speed - this links to our skills in the Life Ready scheme.
Also in Spring term, they will learn how to use functions within Microsoft Excel which will link closely to Maths. Again, this supports our Life Ready scheme.
Summer Term
Continuing with our Life Ready skills, the children will also further their knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint.
To finish the year, the children will extend their understanding of coding by using Scratch. They will create multimedia presentations linked to their topic work using a range of programs. The children will learn to collaborate with each other using online services including wikis, discussions and email.
History |
Autumn Term
During the Autumn term the children learn about the ancient Greek civilisation. They make inferences about artefacts and paintings to find out about life in Greek city states. The children will also consider the legacy of the civilisation and its influence on the UK and western world more widely.
Spring Term
The children will find out about local history, focusing on Solihull and its surrounding area. They will use a range of sources including census returns and maps to learn about the development of Solihull, focusing specifically on the expansion of the town during the Victorian era as a result of new railways being constructed.
Summer Term
In this term the children learn about Conwy Castle and how it was used for defence purposes.
Geography |
Autumn Term
The children use atlases to find out geographical information about Greece and learn the main counties of Western Europe. They research the physical features of modern Greece and compare its climate to the UK. The children will also learn how its landscape and resources influenced life in ancient times, linking to work in History.
Spring Term
In this term the children will learn about the physical and human features of their local area and research how Solihull has changed over the past two-hundred years. The children will learn to use 16 figure compass directions and locate places on an OS map using 4 figure grid references. They will identify a range of geographical features using a key and calculate distances using a scale. The children will also consider how land is used around Solihull and create their own maps.
Summer Term
During the Summer term the children compare Solihull to the town of Llandudno in North Wales. The children will extend their use of OS map work to research Llandudno and also use a range of other sources of geographical information including online mapping websites. The children will complete fieldwork in Solihull and also in Llandudno in they attend the residential visit to Wales.
Physical Education (PE) |
Each week the children have two PE lessons each week - normally an inside PE and and outdoor Games lesson. In the first lesson of each half term, the children complete a cross-country run around the school grounds (weather permitting).
Autumn Term
Indoor PE - Dance inspired by Africa. Children will focus on developing sequences working in pairs and small groups. In the second half term the children will be developing their gymnastic skills, focusing on floor work including balances, counter balances and developing sequences incorporating cannoning, mirroring and working in synchronisation.
Outdoor Games - The children will be learning how to play netball and tag rugby. They will develop their skills of attack and defence, focusing on working as a team.
Spring Term
Indoor PE - We will return to developing dance skills to develop a whole-class dance based on a famous routine.
Outdoor Games - The children will return to rugby and netball, developing their team tactics by playing matches. They also learn to play tennis, learning key skills including serving and returning a ball.
Summer Term
During the Summer Term, the majority of PE lessons will be outside. The children will develop their cricket skills and compete in short games of pairs cricket. They will also practise a range of athletic disciplines including sprinting, hurdles, long-jump, high-jump, javelin and relay.
Art |
Throughout Year 5, pupils will be taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design. Children get to work with a range of media including pencil, paint, pastels and charcoal.
Autumn Term
Pupils will revise how to draw faces, using construction lines to get the proportions correct. They will create their own Greek theatre masks in 3D using papier mache. The children will also learn how to use light and shadow to create depth in their artwork using pencil, chalk and pastels.
Spring Term
The children will learn how to use one and two-point perspective to create three-dimentional pictures. They will revise the use of shading and extend this learning into using watercolours.
Summer Term
This term the children will explore the use of texture in Art and create paintings incorporating coloured sand from the Isle of Wight. The children will also look at photography and learn how to compose photographs.
Design and Technology (D&T) |
Autumn Term
During this term the children will solve some design and manufacturing challenges linked to the topic of ancient Greece. The children will learn to work as a team to solve problems, working to specific constraints.
Spring Term
The children will focus mechanisms by designing then creating their own cam toy, using appropriate tools in a sensible manner. Design and technology skills will also be used in Science lessons.
Summer Term
During the Summer Term, the children will research and design their own healthy biscuit. The children will create a recipe then cook their biscuits and produce appropriate packaging and marketing materials.
Music |
Throughout the year the children will cover a range of musical style and have opportunities to both compose and perform. They will study African drumming and learn a range of rhythms. Blues is taught as a genre of music and the children will get to write their own blues songs. Using a mixture of tuned and untuned percussion instruments they will compose music inspired by Holst's The Planet's Suits. They will also get to compose music to accompany cartoons or adverts.
Religious Education (RE) |
We follow the locally agreed Solihull syllabus for RE and specifically this year focus on Christian, Sikh and Buddhist beliefs.
Autumn Term
The children will consider beliefs and explore those of Christians. They will learn about Doubting Thomas, Christian creeds and the holy trinity. The children will also learn the story of Tobias and about the role of angels in the Christmas story.
Spring Term
In this term the children will learn about the Sikh faith. They learn about the teachings of Guru Nanak, the khanda, the 'Five 5s' and about the Guru Granth Sahib. Also this term the children will explore the Easter story and Jesus' cruxifiction. There should be a visit to St. Alphege Church as part of this topic.
Summer Term
The children will explore the topic of 'battling with yourself' through different religious stories. They also learn about the Christian belief in the Kingdom of God and about the Lord's Prayer.
French (Primary Modern Language) |
French in Year 5 is delivered by Madame Mahe who is a specialist teacher for this subject. Throughout the year we are aiming to repeat an exchange project with a school in France which involved the children corresponding with a pen-pal and using Skype to talk to native French-speakers.
Autumn Term
The children will learn about French phonemes and how words can be masculine or feminine. They revise the learning from Year 4 including introductions, numbers and letters. The children apply their skills to write a letter in French and learn the main parts of the body.
Spring Term
The children find out about transportation and discuss how they travel to school. They discuss what activities they do during free time and their opinions about different leisure activities.
Summer Term
During this term the children learn how to describe the time and their daily routines. They also learn the names of common shops and the types of produce they could buy.
Personal and Social Development (PSD) |
We use a range of resources to support the teaching of PHSE and Citizenship at Greswold. These include Jigsaw materials and resources from the Christopher Winters Project.
Autumn Term
In the Autumn Term the children will focus on making a positive start to the year. They will will explore rights and responsibilities including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. They will be taught some strategies to solve conflicts with others and how to deal with setbacks. During this term the children will also learn about bullying and the difference between bullying and other unkind behaviours.
Spring Term
This term the children set themselves personal goals. They will discuss people they admire and how they achieved their ambitions. The children will learn about local government and the role of Solihull Council. Also this term the children will receive several lessons focusing on drug education. They will find out about the effects of some legal and illegal drugs while discussing strategies to resist peer pressure.
Summer Term
During the Summer term, the children will be taught about the physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty. Parents will be informed when these lessons will occur and have a chance to preview the materials that will be used. As this is a non-statutory part of the curriculum, parents may withdraw their child from specific aspects of this work. Please discuss this matter with your child's class teacher. Also this term the children will consider what makes a 'healthy' friendship and explore different types of relationships. They will look at dealing with changes more broadly and how to manage these in a positive way
Curriculum Enrichment
In addition to the academic curriculum outlined above, Year 5 also offers:
Children also have opportunities for instrumental tuition and the chance to join extra-curricular clubs.