Year 5

Year 5 is made up of three classes of mixed gender and ability.

Each class has a form teacher and a form room (right at the top of the school - keeping us fit when we climb the stairs!). This is our base and we spend most of our time here, keeping all our belongings here (tidily of course) in our desks. All three of our classrooms are fitted with interactive whiteboards and video and we have some great displays. We spend about 50% of our time with our form teachers, travelling around the school to specialist teachers for the rest.

The School Day

We have 45 lessons of 35 minutes each week. These include English and maths (for which we are set by ability), science, geography, history and religious studies. We also spend a double each week doing art, design technology and home economics (a favourite day for the parents as we bring home tasty treats!). Each week we spend two lessons in the state of the art ICT suite, learning and also applying our computing skills. Eight lessons are devoted to games, P.E. and swimming, four to learning French, two for music and one for PSHE. Each week we meet as a year group for form time. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to share great work and receive congratulations and certificates for various achievements.

Year 5 have a range of exciting trips and activities throughout the year. These are in addition to over 60 clubs and activities that are offered throughout the year during lunch and after school times. Many year 5 pupils also have music lessons with one or more of the 27 visiting music teachers and more and more of us are now taking up drama lessons too. There really is never a dull moment.

Michaelmas Term

To enhance our studies of the Earth, sun and moon in science, we visit the intech Planetarium and Science Centre in Winchester. During the day, we take part in lots of problem solving activities which involve building satellites and safely launching eggs from the top of the building! James Gakonga, a Kenyan artist and musician comes to our school for the day during the Michaelmas term to teach us his style of painting. His colourful methods and stories of his youth, really help to complement our geographical studies. Linked to our history topic of the term, we also have an ancient Greece day. A company called 'History off the Page' helps us to learn how to make wax tablets, mix herbs for medicines and create mosaics. The day ends with a Greek banquet. This is great fun as we eat all the food we have prepared in H.E and watch the music and drama practised throughout the day.

Lent Term

This term sees us visiting the Weald and Downland Museum for a Victorian day. Dressed in Victorian Costumes, we take part in several themed activities. The drills and rote learning in the school house really help us to appreciate how life must have been over a hundred years ago. We also take part in the Year 5 production this term. This year we performed James and the Giant Peach which involved over 50 children in either acting or its staging.

Summer Term

This term is very busy and exciting with a trip to the beach to study coastal processes (and enjoy ice creams), a fantastic 2 night camping trip with many outdoor and adventure activities and the year 5 music, drama and dance extravaganza.