Summer Term

Graphic Design Workshop

This week, the children in Pine Class were incredibly lucky to welcome Dan from Red Central Graphic Design for an inspiring visit. Dan introduced the children to the exciting world of graphic design, explaining the various career paths, the qualifications required, and what the job entails. He also showcased some of his impressive work with major global brands like LEGO, Marvel, Xbox, Amazon, and many more. The children were captivated, asked thoughtful questions, and thoroughly enjoyed discovering the creative opportunities that could await them in the future.

English

This week, Year 5 have been exploring the fascinating life and legacy of Sir Isaac Newton, linking their learning across science and English. The children used their research skills to investigate Newton's early life, family background, and other intriguing facts. They then applied this knowledge to write detailed non-chronological reports, demonstrating their ability to communicate scientific understanding through informative writing.

Art

The children in Pine Class have started the Summer Term by learning how to apply their observational drawing skills to an architecture project. During this session, the children focussed on sketching the basic shapes of a house lightly, enabling them to plan the composition of their drawings. Then, the children had to ensure that they looked closely at the original house images in order to draw the finer details accurately.

Spring Term

History

As part of our Ancient Greece unit, the children in Pine Class have been developing their historical enquiry skills by examining a variety of primary and secondary sources to help them gain a deeper understanding of life in Ancient Greece. The children have shown great curiosity and critical thinking, and have made thoughtful comparisons between Ancient Greek society and life today.

Waste Workshop -  Carymoor Environmental Trust

In Spring Term 2 Week 4, Pine Class were lucky enough to have a workshop on "Waste Odyssey" with Gary from Carymoor Environmental Trust. The children learnt all about the importance of correct waste disposal and the future consequences of not looking after our planet. 

Science

The children in Pine Class have been exploring the development of babies and toddlers in their "animals including humans" science unit. To help them understand how babies grow between the ages of 0 and 12 months old, Pine Class created and analysed line graphs, tracking the height changes of infants over the first year of their lives. It was wonderful to see the children working collaboratively and making cross-curricular links between science and maths. 

World Book Day

 Here are some of our amazing World Book Day 2025 costumes! The children were encouraged to dress up as a person from the "Little People, Big Dreams" series of books, or a person that inspires them. We had some fantastic costumes, including George Washington, Steve Irwin, Taylor Swift and Cristiano Ronaldo!

Trip to We The Curious, Bristol

This term, Year 5 had an exciting and educational adventure to We The Curious, a fantastic science and discovery centre in Bristol. The trip was an opportunity for the students to explore hands-on exhibits and deepen their understanding of space through a fantastic workshop on the Earth, Sun and Moon. Pine Class had an amazing time and loved consolidating key learning from their science lessons.

ICT

Pine Class have started a new ICT unit on vector drawings this week. To understand the basics of graphic design, the children used Google Draw to design their own 
houses, made purely from lines and shapes. They worked so hard on their designs and produced some fantastic pieces of work!

NSPCC Workshop

This week, Pine Class had some visitors from the NSPCC come in to deliver a workshop called "Speak Out, Stay Safe". The children engaged brilliantly with this workshop and learnt some valuable information to help them if they are ever feeling unsafe. 

Children's Mental Health Week

As part of Children's Mental Health Week, Pine Class have been creating a class memory box to store all their favourite memories in. This was a collaborative and calming activity that the class thoroughly enjoyed!

PE

Pine Class have been working hard on their shooting skills in PE as part of their basketball unit. They've been practising dribbling and shooting from different angles around the hoop, and they've shown great determination along the way. It has been lovely to get outside and enjoy the crisp winter sunshine during our PE lessons.

Art

This week in art, Pine Class has been hard at work crafting stunning 3D models of the planets in our solar system. Using acrylic paints, the children skillfully captured the intricate patterns and vibrant colours of each planet, resulting in fantastic pieces that will add a bright, creative touch to our classroom. 

English

In English this week, Pine Class have been looking at what makes a successful balanced argument, including features such as rhetorical questions, facts and emotive language. The children then went on to write their own balanced argument on the topic of whether animals should be kept in captivity. Pine Class produced some absolutely fantastic balanced arguments, and showed great enthusiasm in this piece of writing. 

Maths

Pine Class have been working hard in Maths this week to complete a unit on negative numbers. They have persevered in their learning and have now mastered how to order, compare and add/subtract negative numbers, and have even completed some tricky word problems too! 

Science

We have just started our new unit of learning in science on "Earth and Space" in Pine Class. This week, the children have produced a fact file on the 8 planets within our solar system. They have accurately ordered the planets in terms of their distance from the sun and researched a range of interesting facts about each planet. The children have shown great enthusiasm and interest in our new topic!

 

Autumn Term 

Science

In science this term, Pine Class have been studying living things and their habitats. We have been learning about the different classifications of animals, such as mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds, and the different ways in which these creatures reproduce. We have also explored the different parts of a range of plants and the ways in which they reproduce. Finally, we ended this unit with a detailed investigation into the life and achievements of David Attenborough and his work within the field of living things and their habitats. 

PE

During PE in the Autumn Term, we focused on improving our football skills. We learnt how to dribble, pass and shoot, and practised the key skills necessary to succeed in football, including teamwork, communication, collaboration and sportsmanship.

History

Pine Class have thoroughly enjoyed their history unit this term, learning about the Victorian era. We have been explored Queen Victoria’s life and legacy, discovering how her reign shaped Britain. We have also looked at the Industrial Revolution, when new inventions and factories changed the way people lived and worked across the United Kingdom. As well as this, the children investigated the harsh conditions in Victorian workhouses, Victorian schools, and even the dangerous coal mines where many children as young as five worked. 

English

It was UK Parliament Week from the 18^th to the 24^th of November 2024, and to coincide with this event, Pine Class learnt all about parliament in English. The children learnt about the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarchy, and how these 3 things form parliament. Following on from this learning, the children wrote their own balanced argument. The children ensured that their balanced argument included key features of a debate, including formal language, rhetorical questions and facts. Pine Class wrote some wonderful debates and took great pride in their work.

Art

In art this term, Pine Class have created their own still-life drawings. The children have also painted some stunning versions of Van Gogh's "Starry Night". The students have produced some beautiful pieces of work this term and we are very proud of their determination, focus and effort. 

Geography

In Geography this term, Year 5 have been studying rivers, including their involvement in the water cycle. Students explored the different parts of a river, including its source, channel, mouth, and more. The children also looked at the human features of rivers, such as bridges, dams, and settlements that rely on rivers for water and transportation. Pine Class explored the fascinating world of river habitats, where they learnt about the animals and plants that live in and around rivers. The pupils also studied the water cycle, understanding how water moves through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation and accumulation. To finish the unit, the class investigated river management strategies, like flood prevention through dredging and river straightening. It's been an exciting and educational term!

Visit from the Yeoman Warder

Pine Class had the chance to meet Yeoman Warder Barnett, who came all the way from The Tower of London. The children got to hear his fascinating (and gruesome!) stories of history from the Tower. He talked about his own Naval career, which led him to becoming a Beefeater in 2023. His visit inspired the children to think about their own aspirations and where their own interests can lead them in the future. Year 5 then wrote letters of thanks to YW Barnett to thank him for his time and this once in a lifetime opportunity; it’s not everyday you get a member of the Royal Palaces visit your school!