For African Culture Day, we focused on Ghana and explored the beautiful tradition of Adinkra cloth. We learned that Adinkra fabrics are decorated with special symbols, each with its own unique meaning. These symbols represent important values such as wisdom, strength, unity and courage. We discussed how the patterns are carefully printed onto cloth and worn for special occasions to share messages and tell stories. Inspired by this, we created our own designs using Adinkra symbols and thought carefully about the meanings behind them. It was a wonderful way to celebrate culture, creativity and learning from traditions around the world. 🌍✨

This week in Science, we explored sound and vibrations through hands-on experiments. We placed rice on a drum and observed how the grains jumped when the drum was hit, showing that sound is caused by vibrations. We also attached a fork to a piece of string and placed our fingers in our ears to feel the vibrations travel through the string when it was tapped. Finally, we put a tuning fork into water and watched the splashes it created, helping us see the vibrations in action. We made careful observations and learned that sound is created by vibrations that travel through different materials. 🔊

This week in Art, we practised our sewing skills by learning three key stitches: the running stitch, back stitch and cross stitch. We carefully threaded our needles and worked on creating neat running stitches, strong continuous back stitches, and colourful cross stitches using small “X” shapes. We showed great focus, patience and resilience as our confidence with needle and thread continues to grow. 🧵

Chunky Vegetable Soup in DT 🥕🍲

In DT this week, we made a delicious chunky vegetable soup while developing our food preparation skills.

We practised using the claw grip to keep our fingers safe while chopping. This technique helps protect our fingertips and improves control when cutting. We also used our chopping, peeling, and slicing skills to prepare a variety of vegetables.

By carefully preparing the ingredients and cooking them together, we created a healthy and tasty soup. It was a great way to build our confidence in the kitchen while learning important safety skills!

Exploring How Mountains Are Formed 🌍🏔️

In Geography this week, we learned about how different types of mountains are made. We explored fold mountains, block mountains, and volcanic mountains, and discovered how each forms in a different way.

We learned that fold mountains are created when tectonic plates push together and the land crumples and folds. Block mountains form when large areas of the Earth’s crust break and move up or down along faults. Volcanic mountains are built up over time by layers of lava and ash from eruptions.

To help us understand volcanic mountains, we carried out a small experiment to see how eruptions build up layers. It was exciting to watch our model “volcano” erupt and see how the shape grew—just like real volcanic mountains form over time!

PTFA Pancake Flip Fun 🥞🎉

We had a fantastic time at our PTFA Pancake Flip event! Everyone took part in the exciting competition to see who could complete the most pancake flips.

There were lots of impressive skills on show, with some brilliant flipping techniques and plenty of cheering from the crowd. It was great fun to challenge ourselves and support our friends.

After the competition, we enjoyed tasting some delicious, freshly made pancakes with a variety of tasty toppings.

Science Lesson – Classification Keys
In this science week, we learned about classification keys and why choosing questions carefully is important when classifying animals. To explore this, we played a Guess Who?–style game where one child had an animal on a post-it and asked the class yes-or-no questions to determine what the animal was. This helped us identify key features and understand how classification keys work to group animals accurately. 🔍

Shosholoza Performance – South & West Africa
In our music lesson this week, the class explored music from South and West Africa by learning the song Shosholoza. We combined singing, dance, and glockenspiel playing to create a lively performance that showed rhythm, teamwork, and cultural understanding. Scan the QR code to watch our Shosholoza show and see how we brought this music to life! 🎶🌍

Vegetable Soup: Think, Make, and Re-Think 🍲

In DT this week, we explored the design process through something warm, creative, and delicious—vegetable soup! We began as a class by mapping out a designer’s thinking while making a chunky vegetable soup, focusing on the key stages: thinking, making, and re-thinking.

We then took on the role of the designer themselves. Their challenge was to create a design diagram for a chunky vegetable soup, adding clear notes to explain how it would be made.

In science this week, we dived into the fascinating world of living things by sorting them into groups such as plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates. Using pictures, we then explored subgroups—such as flowering vs. non-flowering plants, or mammals vs. birds—learning how organisms are related.

This activity made classification fun and visual, helping us practice observation, comparison, and critical thinking—key skills for every budding scientist!

Zoo2U Workshop

This week we had a visit from chapel Zoo 2U to help with our science topics -animal and their habitats. 

We learnt about:

Giant African Snails

They have 1200 microscopic teeth. They are closely related to octopus and squids belongs to invertebrate and called molluscs. 

Bearded dragon

They have 3 eyes,2 are visible and then one is hidden on the top of his head under the scales which enable them to see light. This is a great adaptation to help them see prey that comes from above. They are omnivores which means he eats plants and meat but will eat mostly plant.  They are solitary animals. 

Lesser hedgehog tenrec 

From the island of Madagascar. They are mammals that evolved over time on the island to fill the place of mammals. They are most closely related to an elephant than that of an hedgehog. They are also omnivores (insectivores) eating mainly bug and insects but will occasionally eat fruits and vegetables. 

Royal Python 

Snakes have spines and are cold blooded. They belong to the reptile family with most reptiles laying eggs. Using their tongues they can taste the air. As it is forked they are also able to pinpoint the direction in which their prey is coming from. They can sense heat with their heat pits and use infrared to source food such as rats, birds and small animals that are otherwise hidden. They will eat every 2 weeks as they don’t use a lot of energy. Snakes cannot hear a thing but sense vibrations on the ground through their bodies. 

Indian Scots Owl

Classified as a bird. They lay eggs create their own heat through the food they eat. Owls can turn their heads 3 quarters of the way around because they are unable to move their eyes due to size of their eyes. They have excellent long vision but terrible short vision.  Birds have a protective owl on their feathers which keeps them dry. As a nocturnal animal they are more active during the night time hours. On average they live for 15 years. 

In Science this week…

Pioneers explored a range of animal pictures. We discussed how the animals were similar and different and considered different ways to sort and organise them. Miss Higgins modelled how to use a Venn diagram by starting with one category (e.g. has four legs) and then adding a second category (e.g. can swim) to identify where animals that fit both criteria belong. The children then worked in groups to organise the animals using their own Venn diagrams, adding up to three categories and changing the criteria once each diagram was complete.

In our maths lesson, we explored area by estimating and measuring large shapes drawn on the hall floor. Using metre sticks, we worked in teams to predict the area of each shape in metres squared, then carefully measured to find the actual area. This hands-on activity helped us understand what a square metre looks like and how area can be calculated in real-life spaces. 

In our music lesson, we learned how to use tuned percussion instruments to play a chord progression to Shosholoza. We used instruments like glockenspiels and focused on playing the correct notes together. We practised the chord progression as a class, making sure we kept a steady pulse and listened to each other. By the end of the lesson, we could hear how the chords supported the song and worked well together.

In writing this week, we explored the settings in Falling Angels to prepare for writing our own setting descriptions based on Sally’s adventures. We annotated the images of the settings, identifying adjectives, adverbs, verbs, nouns, personification, metaphors and similes to see how the author creates atmosphere. This will help us use similar techniques in our own writing.

In our maths lesson, we explored what area means. We learned that area is the measurement of a flat surface. We found objects around the room, drew around a flat face, and shaded the space inside the shape to show its area.

Welcome back, everyone! 🌱

Spring term brings new topics, new challenges, and plenty of opportunities to stretch your thinking. We’ll be building skills, making connections, and pushing ourselves a little further each week - let’s get started!

Today, we explored the digital art of Lois van Baarle, known for her vibrant, expressive style. Through our research, we discovered her journey from animation to becoming a leading digital illustrator, inspiring many with her unique characters and storytelling.

Today was filled with festive fun from start to finish! Throughout the day we enjoyed Christmas Jumper Day, with everyone wearing bright, colourful jumpers that kept the school looking cheerful and Christmassy.

In the morning, we took part in our Reindeer Run, racing around the playground in antlers and having a great time while raising money for Springhill Hospice.

Later, we all sat down together for our Christmas Dinner, enjoying tasty food, music, and lots of festive excitement.

It was a wonderful day full of energy, celebration, and holiday spirit!🎄

As part of our writing work on the book, Escape from Pompeii, we learned about the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius and explored a poem that brings the event to life. We then performed the poem together, adding actions and expression to help show the drama of the eruption. It was a fun way to connect our writing with the history of Pompeii.

Today Santa came to see us! The children were thrilled to meet him and share their Christmas wishes. A magical moment for everyone! 🎅✨

This week we finished our DT project, and the children were delighted to show off their LED light-up Christmas cards. They worked hard on their designs and loved seeing their creations light up. A wonderful festive finish to our project! 🎄✨

Our class had a magical trip to Middleton Arena to watch the pantomime Aladdin, bursting with colour, music, and laughter. The actors were fantastic—especially the mother—and we loved joining in with all the fun. It was a brilliant experience, and we can’t wait for our next one! 🎭✨

Today in art we learned about the work of Roy Lichtenstein, exploring his bold pop-art style and the way he used bright colours and strong outlines. After looking closely at some of his famous pieces, we created our own printed designs inspired by his style. We practised printing with two colours, experimenting with shapes and patterns to build eye-catching artwork just like the examples in the pictures.

Today in maths we learned how to multiply a one-digit number by a two-digit number using the array to grid model. We started by splitting the two-digit number into tens and ones to make the calculation easier. Using the grid, we worked out each smaller multiplication, using arrays to help us and then added the answers together. This helped us clearly see how place value works in multiplication and made the bigger calculations much simpler.

🌋 Year 5 Volcano Writing 🌋

This week, Pioneers class explored volcanoes through a writing lesson focused on emotions and senses. We imagined what it would look, sound, smell, and feel like during an eruption, and discussed the emotions we might experience.

We then created a simple action plan for an eruption and acted it out to help inspire our descriptive writing.

A creative and explosive lesson! 🌋

Today Pioneers class brought the Romans to life in their class assembly with wonderful singing and confident narration. The class have enjoyed rehearsing this and it showed. Well done Pioneers we learnt so much about the Roman times and their inventions that we use today!

In science today, we explored switches and how they control electricity in a series circuit. We tested four types — toggle, slide, selector, and push button switch — to see how each one opened and closed the circuit. It was exciting to watch the light bulb turn on and off and to learn how switches make circuits work safely and easily! ⚡💡

🎵 Music with Mr G – Boomwhackers and Octaves! 🎶

This week in music, we had a great time with Mr G practising our Boomwhacker skills. We learned how different lengths make higher and lower sounds and discovered that these are called octaves.

Working together, we created short rhythms and tunes, keeping in time and listening carefully to each other. The classroom was full of colour, sound, and teamwork!

A Parcel Full of Clues!

This week in writing, we received a very special parcel filled with exciting clues about our new text. Inside were postcards, a cuddly toy, photos of the main character on his adventures, a letter, and a copy of our new story.
 

We examined each item carefully, using the clues to make predictions about who the character was and what might happen in the story. The letter gave us a glimpse into the character’s thoughts and feelings, which helped us imagine the world of the text before we even began reading it.

It was a fun and creative way to start our new writing unit!

Here is our homework grid for Autumn Half Term 2 - please take a look at the activities and choose one to complete per week!

What a very busy first term back we’ve had! We’ve worked hard, learned lots, and enjoyed so many special moments together — including our Harvest Service.
Now it’s time for a well-earned rest. Happy half-term everyone! Have a lovely break and come back ready for all the Christmas fun next half term! 🎄😊

This week, our class took part in the Harvest Service. We performed a poem about harvest to say thank you to farmers, food workers, and to God for providing everything we need. It was wonderful to share our poem with everyone and to celebrate how lucky we are. 🌻

This week, we learned how to convert centimetres to metres using place value tables. We know 1 metre = 100 centimetres, so to change cm to m we divide by 100, moving each digit two places to the right. To go from m to cm, we multiply by 100.

Well done, Year 5! 🎉

Show Racism the Red Card 🛑

Today, we wore red accessories to support Show Racism the Red Card and take a stand against racism. In class, we talked about the importance of treating everyone with respect and kindness. We created a class poster to raise awareness, celebrate our differences, and share messages of equality and inclusion.

This week in computing, we explored digital surveys. We discussed the benefits of using them – like how they’re quick to share, easy to complete, and collect results automatically!

We looked at different types of questions, including:
❓ Multiple choice
📝 Text answer
📏 Rating scales

Then, we explored Microsoft Forms and started planning our own digital surveys all about exercise 🏃‍♀️💪. We thought carefully about what questions to ask and which types would get the best results.

This week in maths, we explored hundredths! 
We used a hundred square to show hundredths as parts of a whole, and then cut it into strips to see how:

10 hundredths = 1 tenth

This linked really well to our learning last week about tenths — now we can see how tenths and hundredths are connected! 🔗

In DT this week, we used our science knowledge to help design light-up Christmas cards!

We experimented with button cells, LED lights, and different types of switches to control the light. We tested how the circuits worked and thought carefully about how to fit them neatly inside a card.

It was fun using what we learned in science to create real, working circuits—and now we’re ready to make our cards shine bright for Christmas! ✨🎄

This week, we investigated whether circuits were complete or incomplete.

We made predictions, tested each circuit, and then put on our expert science hats to fix the incomplete ones.

Now we know: complete circuits light the bulb, incomplete ones don’t!💡

In science, we learned about complete and incomplete circuits. To explore this, we used an energy stick and made a human circuit by holding hands 🤝. When everyone was connected, the energy stick lit up! If someone let go, the circuit broke and the light turned off. It was a fun way to see how electricity needs a closed path to flow.💡😊

This week, Pioneers visited Brian Clarke Secondary School for a special performance by the BBC Philharmonic — and what a treat it was! A wonderful experience filled with music, inspiration, and smiles all around. 🎻👏

This week we sharpened our map reading skills by using atlases to explore Europe. We began by locating the continent on a world map, then zoomed in to identify individual countries - discovering along the way that Russia spans both Europe and Asia. 🗺️🌍

We've been learning how to explain processes clearly using key features of explanation texts. One focus has been using fronted adverbials to show the order and timing of events ⏱️. To prepare, we orally rehearsed how the digestive system works. This helped us practise using technical vocabulary, a formal tone, and clear linking phrases ready for when we write our explanations next week 🔗.

In Science, we have been busy investigating simple series circuits. We started by talking about safety rules and why they are important when working with electricity. Everyone agreed that staying safe comes first!

After that, we got hands-on and built our own circuits. We experimented with wires, batteries, and bulbs to see how they worked together. One of our key discoveries was that for the bulb to light up, the circuit had to be a complete loop. It was exciting to see the results of our work and to understand more about how electricity flows. We are looking forward to exploring more about circuits in the coming weeks!

In French we explored the French high street. We learned some new vocabulary through a fun memory game, then used it to draw and label our own high streets.

It was a great mix of language, learning and creativity – très bien, Pioneers! 👏

This week in PSHE, Pioneers took on a tower-building challenge using just 6 sheets of paper per group. The goal? Build the tallest tower strong enough to support a small bear. They demonstrated amazing teamwork, collaboration, creative thinking all whilst having plenty of fun!

Here is our Homework Grid for Autumn Half Term 1 – please take a look at the activities and try your best to complete them over the half term!

What an exciting week we've had in Year 5 maths! This week, we've been diving deep into place value, exploring numbers all the way up to 1,000,000 – that's one million!

We’ve been learning how to read, write, compare, and order large numbers, and we've used all kinds of resources to help us understand what these huge numbers really mean. We've been using place value charts and counters to break down each digit’s value, and we've also been exploring Roman numerals to see how numbers were written in ancient times!

Our first week has been full of creativity and fun! We practiced our water colour skills, wrote letters to our future selves, and tried archery. It’s been an amazing start to the term, combining creativity, reflection and fun - all in just one week!

Welcome Back Year 5!

Hello Year 5!

We are so excited to welcome you back to school for another amazing year of learning, growing, and having fun! You’re now in Upper Key Stage 2, and that means more responsibility, more independence, and lots of exciting new adventures.

This year, we’ll explore fascinating topics, tackle fun challenges, and build on all the fantastic skills you’ve already developed. From creative writing and cool science experiments to team projects and swimming - there’s so much to look forward to!

You are growing into fantastic role models for the younger students, and we can’t wait to see the confidence, kindness, and curiosity you bring to everything you do.

Let’s make Year 5 unforgettable - full of smiles, discoveries, and proud moments! 💫📚