Year 5's Curriculum

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:

 

• Autumn 1 - Ancient Greece (Historical focus)
• Autumn 2 - Outer Space (Scientific focus)
• Spring 1 - Local Study (Geographical focus)
• Spring 2 - The Victorians era in Solihull and Sandown (Historical focus)
• Summer 1 - Llandudno (Geographical focus)
• Summer 2 - We Are Scientists! (Scientific focus)

 

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.
 

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:
 

• apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (morphology and etymology), as listed in English Appendix 1, both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words that they meet.

 

Reading Comprehension

Pupils will be taught to:
 

• maintain positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read by:
  • continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks
  • reading books that are structured in different ways and reading for a range of purposes
  • increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including myths, legends and traditional stories, modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and books from other cultures and traditions
  • recommending books that they have read to their peers, giving reasons for their choices
  • identifying and discussing themes and conventions in and across a wide range of writing
  • making comparisons within and across books
  • learning a wider range of poetry by heart
  • preparing poems and plays to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume so that the meaning is clear to an audience
• understand what they read by:
  • checking that the book makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and exploring the meaning of words in context
  • asking questions to improve their understanding
  • drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence
  • predicting what might happen from details stated and implied
  • summarising the main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas
  • identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning
• discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader
• distinguish between statements of fact and opinion
• retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction
• participate in discussions about books that are read to them and those they can read for themselves, building on their own and others’ ideas and challenging views courteously
• explain and discuss their understanding of what they have read, including through formal presentations and debates, maintaining a focus on the topic and using notes where necessary
• provide reasoned justifications for their views.

 

Writing Transcription - Spelling

Pupils will be taught to:

• use further prefixes and suffixes and understand the guidance for adding them
• spell some words with ‘silent’ letters [for example, knight, psalm, solemn]
• continue to distinguish between homophones and other words which are often confused
• use knowledge of morphology and etymology in spelling and understand that the spelling of some words needs to be learnt specifically, as listed in English Appendix 1
• use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of words
• use the first three or four letters of a word to check spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary
• use a thesaurus.

 

Handwriting and Presentation

Pupils will be taught to:

• write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by:
  • choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join specific letters
  • choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task.

At Greswold we use the Nelson handwriting scheme to teach handwriting.

Writing Composition

Pupils will be taught to:
 

• plan their writing by:
  • identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own
  • noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary
  • in writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings in what pupils have read, listened to or seen performed
• draft and write by:
  • selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning in narratives, describing settings, characters and atmosphere and integrating dialogue to convey character and advance the action
  • précising longer passages
  • using a wide range of devices to build cohesion within and across paragraphs
  • using further organisational and presentational devices to structure text and to guide the reader
• evaluate and edit by:
  • assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing
  • proposing changes to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning
  • ensuring the consistent and correct use of tense throughout a piece of writing
  • ensuring correct subject and verb agreement when using singular and plural, distinguishing between the language of speech and writing and choosing the appropriate register
  • proof-read for spelling and punctuation errors
• perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation, volume, and movement so that meaning is clear.

 

Writing - Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation

Pupils will be taught to:
 

• develop their understanding of the concepts set out in English Appendix 2 by:
  • recognising vocabulary and structures that are appropriate for formal speech and writing, including subjunctive forms
  • using passive verbs to affect the presentation of information in a sentence
  • using the perfect form of verbs to mark relationships of time and cause
  • using expanded noun phrases to convey complicated information concisely
  • using modal verbs or adverbs to indicate degrees of possibility
  • using relative clauses beginning with who, which, where, when, whose, that or with an implied (i.e. omitted) relative pronoun
  • learning the grammar for year 5 in English Appendix 2
• indicate grammatical and other features by:
  • using commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity in writing
  • using hyphens to avoid ambiguity
  • using brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis
  • using semi-colons, colons or dashes to mark boundaries between independent clauses
  • using a colon to introduce a list
  • punctuating bullet points consistently
• use and understand the grammatical terminology in English Appendix 2 accurately and appropriately in discussing their writing and reading.

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

 

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:

• read, write, order and compare numbers to at least 1 000 000 and determine the value of each digit
• count forwards or backwards in steps of powers of 10 for any given number up to 1 000 000
• interpret negative numbers in context, count forwards and backwards with positive and negative whole numbers, including through zero
• round any number up to 1 000 000 to the nearest 10, 100, 1000, 10 000 and 100 000
• solve number problems and practical problems that involve all of the above
• read Roman numerals to 1000 (M) and recognise years written in Roman numerals.

 

Addition and Subtraction

Pupils will be taught to:

• add and subtract whole numbers with more than 4 digits, including using formal written methods (columnar addition and subtraction)
• add and subtract numbers mentally with increasingly large numbers
• use rounding to check answers to calculations and determine, in the context of a problem, levels of accuracy
• solve addition and subtraction multi-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why.

 

Multiplication and Division

Pupils will be taught to:

• identify multiples and factors, including finding all factor pairs of a number, and common factors of two numbers
• know and use the vocabulary of prime numbers, prime factors and composite (non-prime) numbers
• establish whether a number up to 100 is prime and recall prime numbers up to 19
• multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a one- or two-digit number using a formal written method, including long multiplication for two-digit numbers
• multiply and divide numbers mentally drawing upon known facts
• divide numbers up to 4 digits by a one-digit number using the formal written method of short division and interpret remainders appropriately for the context
• multiply and divide whole numbers and those involving decimals by 10, 100 and 1000
• recognise and use square numbers and cube numbers, and the notation for squared and cubed
• solve problems involving multiplication and division including using their knowledge of factors and multiples, squares and cubes
• solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and a combination of these, including understanding the meaning of the equals sign
• solve problems involving multiplication and division, including scaling by simple fractions and problems involving simple rates.

 

Fractions, Decimals and Percentages

Pupils will be taught to:

• compare and order fractions whose denominators are all multiples of the same number
• identify, name and write equivalent fractions of a given fraction, represented visually, including tenths and hundredths
• recognise mixed numbers and improper fractions and convert from one form to the other and write mathematical statements > 1 as a mixed number
• add and subtract fractions with the same denominator and denominators that are multiples of the same number
• multiply proper fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers, supported by materials and diagrams
• read and write decimal numbers as fractions
• recognise and use thousandths and relate them to tenths, hundredths and decimal equivalents
• round decimals with two decimal places to the nearest whole number and to one decimal place
• read, write, order and compare numbers with up to three decimal places
• solve problems involving number up to three decimal places
• recognise the per cent symbol (%) and understand that per cent relates to ‘number of parts per hundred’, and write percentages as a fraction with denominator 100, and as a decimal
• solve problems which require knowing percentage and decimal equivalents of 1/2, 1/4, 1/5, 2/5, 4/5 and those fractions with a denominator of a multiple of 10 or 25.

 

Measurement

Pupils will be taught to:

• convert between different units of metric measure (for example, kilometre and metre; centimetre and metre; centimetre and millimetre; gram and kilogram; litre and millilitre)
• understand and use approximate equivalences between metric units and common imperial units such as inches, pounds and pints
• measure and calculate the perimeter of composite rectilinear shapes in centimetres and metres
• calculate and compare the area of rectangles (including squares), and including using standard units, square centimetres (cm2) and square metres (m2) and estimate the area of irregular shapes
• estimate volume and capacity
• solve problems involving converting between units of time
• use all four operations to solve problems involving measure using decimal notation, including scaling.

 

Geometry - Properties of Shapes

Pupils will be taught to:

• identify 3-D shapes, including cubes and other cuboids, from 2-D representations
• know angles are measured in degrees: estimate and compare acute, obtuse and reflex angles
• draw given angles, and measure them in degrees (º)
• identify:
  • angles at a point and one whole turn (total 360º)
  • angles at a point on a straight line and 1/2 a turn (total 180º)
  • other multiples of 90º
• use the properties of rectangles to deduce related facts and find missing lengths and angles
• distinguish between regular and irregular polygons based on reasoning about equal sides and angles.

 

Geometry - Position and Direction

Pupils will be taught to:

• identify, describe and represent the position of a shape following a reflection or translation, using the appropriate language, and know that the shape has not changed

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

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. 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

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 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.

 

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:

• Opportunities to take on roles and responsibilities including becoming Recycling Monitors or a member of the School Bank's staff.
• Harvest Festival.
• Ancient Greek Day - a day of enrichment about this topic including a visit from Professor McGinty.
• An educational visit to Blists Hill
• An opportunity to take part in the Solihull Borough Cross Country event.
• Field work in Solihull Town Centre.
• A residential visit to North Wales
• An opportunity to take part in the Solihull Borough Sports event.
• Bikeability training (cycling proficiency).

Children also have opportunities for instrumental tuition and the chance to join extra-curricular clubs.