Year 5

ENGLISH

Using the book, ‘The Arabian Nights’, we will explore and compare narratives looking at known and unknown stories.  We will compare different versions of the same stories, identify similarities and differences linked to the culture within which they are told.  We will analyse characters and identify their motivations and reasons for their actions and write letters to share their thoughts and feelings.  In non-fiction writing, we will we investigating and writing explanation texts.   The book ‘Fair Trade First’ will build on our learning about trade from last half-term and link to the trading routes of ‘The Silk Road’ which contributed to the development of the Early Islamic Civilization.

Alongside our reading work, we will be exploring a wide range of Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary taken from the texts.  We will play with vocabulary to aid our understanding and extend our understanding through finding synonyms and antonyms, analysing prefixes, suffixes and root words, investigating shades of meaning as well as using words correctly within and across a range of contexts.

  MATHS

This half term, we will continue to learn about decimals and percentages in number.  We will then learn about perimeter and area and how to calculate each, including the perimeter and area of compound shapes.  Following this, we will work on the topic of statistics, focusing on reading and interpreting line graphs, tables and timetables.  For mental maths, we will continue to practise a range of fluency calculations with our daily Fluent in Five questions.  Children also undertake a weekly multiplication tables challenge.

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 SCIENCE

This half term, we will be learning about the Materials and their Properties.  We will plan and carry out a range of investigations to explore the hardness of materials, how transparent materials are, as well as which materials are the most effective heat and electrical conductors.

Science Spring 2

We will learn about the Early Islamic Civilization from its starting point within the Arabian Peninsula and its spread into Africa, further into Asia and parts of Europe.  We will investigate and identify some of the reasons why the civilization rapidly grew as well as explore the ‘Golden Age of Islam’ in Baghdad.  We will compare the lifestyle and achievements to that within Britain at the time – the ‘Dark Ages’ of the Anglo-Saxons and the Viking era and identify the lasting impact of the Islamic Civilization on the world today.

History Spr 2

 RE

This term we are learning about Islam, focusing on ‘What is it like for Muslims living in Britain today?’  We use census data to explore the numbers of Muslims in Britain, and in Cornwall, compared to other world religions and explore aspects of the 5 pillars of Islam, building on prior learning about Muslim people in Years 2 and 3.

RE Spr 2

 PE

Children will have two PE sessions each week – please make sure your child wears their PE kit in school every Tuesday and Wednesday. Please make sure your child has their school PE kit on, including a school jumper.  For safety reasons, all watches and jewellery must be removed for PE lessons. If your child wears earrings, they must be able to remove them  independently or cover them with medical tape.  Please send medical tape in with your child if needed.  Alternatively, it may be easier to leave earrings at home on PE days.

This term we will be learning to play a range of invasion games in one of our PE sessions. In our second PE session each week, we will be learning different skills associated with orienteering.

 COMPUTING

This half-term we will be learning about Flat File Databases and how we can search them in different ways to locate relevant information.  In our online safety lessons, we will continue to learn about how to manage information online, including what stereotypes, fake news and hoaxes are.  We also learn about online privacy and security.

MUSIC

This term we will be studying the Charanga Topic ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ and learning about hip-hop style music.

ART

We will be exploring the three different styles associated with Islamic art forms: calligraphy, geometric shapes and arabesque.  We will look at the different features of each of these styles, including within architecture and create our own geometric designs which we will replicate in carvings and ‘stained glass’ style painting.

  PSHE

This half term, we will focus on ‘Media Literacy and Digital Resilience’ as well as ‘Work and Money’ We will be using picture books, stories, poems and non-fiction books to explore and discuss a range of issues relating to this such as chose safe and reliable sources when searching for information online, what jobs we want to do and what stereotyping is in the world of work.

MFL

This term we will be learning to tell the story of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ in French and writing our own story using French vocab.

2025-Checklist-50-Best-Books-Y5

In addition, children all have access to Times Tables Rockstars – we have a weekly times tables check in class, so please encourage your child to keep practising their times tables – five or ten minutes a day is likely to be more beneficial than an hour once a week.

Thank you for your support at home – it is very much appreciated!