Autumn 1 

Cedar Class have had a very busy and exciting start to their first half term in Year 5! The children have settled in brilliantly and shown fantastic enthusiasm for their learning across all subjects.

In History, we have thoroughly enjoyed exploring our World War II topic. We learned all about the Blitz and how people adapted during such challenging times. We also discovered the experiences of evacuees and the bravery involved in the Kindertransport. One of our favourite parts of our learning was finding out about the life of Anne Frank.

In Science, we have been investigating forces. We carried out lots of hands-on experiments looking at friction, air resistance and water resistance. The children loved making predictions, testing ideas and observing the results. We were also lucky to welcome a team from Newcastle University, who came in to teach us all about the importance of looking after our teeth and making healthy choices.

In our Design Technology lessons, we had so much fun designing and creating our very own Doodlers. Everyone worked incredibly hard to bring their ideas to life, and the final creations were fantastic.

We also enjoyed a visit from Nissan, who told us all about the work they do at the local manufacturing plant. We then had the opportunity to design our own cars and create some out of Lego. 

Autumn 2

Cedar Class have had another busy and exciting half term filled with creativity, kindness and lots of festive fun.

We started the half term by celebrating Anti-Bullying Week in school. The children took part in a live lesson where we learned about the different types of bullying and discussed how we can support one another. Together, we made a class pledge to always show kindness and stand up for others.

It was also World Kindness Day during this week. To mark the occasion, we spread kindness throughout our class and school by creating compliment cards for one another. The children loved both giving and receiving compliments, and it made everyone feel very special.

During December, we enjoyed taking part in lots of festive activities. One of our favourite moments was our Christmas crafts afternoon with parents, where the children showed great creativity while making a range of festive decorations. We also had a wonderful time during our cosy Christmas day, where we relaxed together and enjoyed watching Christmas movies.

To finish the term, we completed our final piece in Art. We explored installation art and looked at how artists create artwork that fills a space. The children then planned and created their own installations, working carefully to bring their ideas to life.

Spring 1

We have had a fantastic start to the new year and have been very busy with their learning across the curriculum.

To start the term, we were very excited to welcome Mr Langford back to school to teach us how to play the ukulele. We really enjoyed learning the Harry Potter theme and then moved on to playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz. It was wonderful to hear how much our musical skills improved over the half term.

In Science, we carried out lots of investigations linked to our topic of materials and their properties. We explored the best ways to separate different materials, tested which materials were the most absorbent and learned about reversible and irreversible changes. The children worked brilliantly by making predictions, carrying out tests and discussing their findings.

Children’s Mental Health Week also took place during this half term. To mark this important week, we took part in a live assembly and created artwork that demonstrated all the different places where we feel we belong. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the people, places and communities that help us feel supported.

In our PSHCE lessons, the NSPCC came into school to deliver an important workshop all about keeping ourselves safe. We learned how to recognise when a situation may not be safe and who we can talk to if we ever need help or support.

In Design Technology, we explored gears and how they work. We investigated why gears are useful and how they help mechanisms move. The children then worked in teams to design and make their own gears before improving their designs so they worked more successfully.