Curriculum News
English
Reading and Viewing
Students will be exploring a range of texts - digital and hardcopy that will be integrated to meet the literacy needs of our Religion and Chemical Science Inquiry topic. They will be exploring and establishing connections between non fiction texts including technical vocabulary in making sense of the topic. Students will read about the positive impact of Chemical Science and conduct experiments that highlight their importance through their discussion and answering of comprehension questions. Activities will be differentiated to meet the needs of the children. Through small group reading sessions, the students will revise and consolidate different comprehension strategies in interpreting and responding to texts.
Writing
This term, students will focus on writing to inform through explanation. These writing genres will link directly to our Science Inquiry unit, ‘What’s the Matter?’ on Chemical Science. We will explore the different structures and language features specific to the text type. At this level, students will be required to locate information, summarise and paraphrase in their own words to create information/explanation reports
In Spelling, students will be supported through weekly activities that enable them to practise their spelling words. The three groups will be differentiated to meet the children's needs, and most weeks there will be a weekly dictation activity as well as partner spelling tests. Children will have a mixture of group words and individual spelling words they need to work on. Students will learn grammar conventions that will help enhance writing, such as time connectives, technical noun usage, and informative text language features.
Speaking and Listening
Students will continue to focus on improving their speaking and listening skills. They will be practising how to speak clearly, confidently, and effectively in a variety of situations, such as prayer, discussions, presentations, and class conversations. They will continue to actively listen to others and participate in group discussions. In collaborative groups, students will also plan and deliver short presentations on given topics.
Maths
Number and Algebra
This term, the Year 5 students will consolidate and build on their previous knowledge of fractions. They will represent and compare equivalent fractions with related denominators, as well as convert mixed numerals and improper fractions. They are learning to understand and work with numbers that have more than two decimal places, including numbers greater than one. They are learning how to compare, arrange, and place these numbers accurately on a number line by using their knowledge of place value.
The Year 6 students unit on fractions involves comparing, ordering, and representing fractions in a variety of ways. They will use drawings, models, and number lines to understand fractions with different denominators, identify equivalent fractions, and simplify them. They will also explore strategies like using benchmark fractions and multiplying or dividing to compare both related and unrelated fractions, and apply these skills to solve problems.
In the unit on Pattern, students will learn to identify, describe, and create number and geometric patterns. They explore patterns using both hands-on and digital tools, and are beginning to design simple algorithms to generate and compare sets of numbers.
Measurement and Geometry
The Year 5 students are learning to identify, describe, and classify three-dimensional objects such as prisms, pyramids, and platonic solids. They are also creating nets to show how these 3D shapes can be formed from flat surfaces. They will explore the features of two-dimensional shapes and symmetry, with a key focus on transforming shapes through rotation, translation, and reflection. In the unit on Time, the students build on prior learning involving reading and writing analog and digital times. The focus is on understanding and applying 24-hour time notation. They are learning to read, interpret, and create timetables and schedules using 24-hour time.
In the unit on 3D Shape, the Year 6 students are introduced to identify and describe the cross-sections in 3D objects. They will sort objects based on these cross-sections, recognising right prisms, and creating their own objects that meet specific cross-section criteria.
Statistics and Probability
In this unit, the Year 5 students will focus on identifying all possible outcomes in chance experiments. They will calculate the theoretical probability of each outcome as a fraction. After that, they will carry out the experiment themselves and record the actual results as fractions to compare. This helps them build a strong understanding of probability and gives them a way to check if their results make sense.
The Year 6 students are learning to understand and describe the likelihood of events using numerical probability scales. They estimate and apply probabilities to real-life situations, explore how increasing the number of trials affects results, and compare expected outcomes with actual results. They also work on a rich task to consolidate their understanding and check the accuracy of their findings.
Religion
Students will learn about the Sacrament of Confirmation and its role in the Catholic faith. They will explore the history and meaning of Confirmation and reflect on the spiritual significance of receiving the Holy Spirit. Through prayer, reflection, and discussion, students will deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Students will learn about the importance of Pentecost. They will explore the biblical story and reflect on how these teachings can be applied to their own lives. Students will investigate people who have contributed and changed society through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Inquiry
What’s The Matter?: Chemical Science
This term, students will explore materials and the matter that make up our world, solids, liquids, gases and plasma. They will investigate how these differ in their chemical arrangement and provide examples of each. Students will enter into discussion and research changes that occur to materials such as reversible, including melting, freezing, evaporating, or irreversible, including burning and rusting. The students will plan and conduct experiments, observing and explaining their findings that highlight these changes.
Social and Emotional Wellbeing
Students will be learning about positive resilience, rights, and respectful relationships, with a focus on gender relations. This means they will be exploring the ways in which people of different genders can interact and work together in positive, respectful ways. They will be learning about the importance of treating others with respect and kindness, regardless of their gender. These lessons aim to promote healthy relationships and social interactions in both the academic and personal lives of students.