Year 5 Curriculum
-
Spoken Language
(The objectives for Spoken Language are common across Key Stages 1 and 2 (Years 1-6))
- listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
- ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
- use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
- articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
- give well-structured descriptions, explanations & and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings.
- maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
- use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
- speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
- participate in discussions, presentations, performances, roleplay/improvisations and debates
- gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
- consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
- select and use appropriate registers for effective communication
Reading
(The objectives for Reading are common across Years 5 and 6)
Word Reading
Our children will be taught to:
- apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (morphology and etymology), as listed inEnglish Appendix 1, both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words that they meet.
Comprehension
Our children will be taught to:
- maintain positive attitudes to reading and an understanding of what they read by:
- continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks
- reading books that are structured in different ways and reading for a range of purposes
- increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including myths, legends and traditional stories, modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and books from other cultures and traditions
- recommending books that they have read to their peers, giving reasons for their choices
- identifying and discussing themes and conventions in and across a wide range of writing
- making comparisons within and across books
- learning a wider range of poetry by heart
- preparing poems and plays to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume so that the meaning is clear to an audience
- understand what they read by
- checking that the book makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and exploring the meaning of words in context
- asking questions to improve their understanding
- drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence
- predicting what might happen from details stated and implied
- summarising the main ideas drawn from more than 1 paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas
- identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning
- discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader
- distinguish between statements of fact and opinion
- retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction
- participate in discussions about books that are read to them and those they can read for themselves, building on their own and others’ ideas and challenging views courteously
- explain and discuss their understanding of what they have read, including through formal presentations and debates, maintaining a focus on the topic and using notes where necessary
- provide reasoned justifications for their views.
Writing
(The objectives for Writing are common across Years 5 and 6)
Spelling
Our children will be taught to:
- use further prefixes and suffixes and understand the guidance for adding them
- spell some words with ‘silent’ letters [for example, knight, psalm, solemn]
- continue to distinguish between homophones and other words which are often confused
- use knowledge of morphology and etymology in spelling and understand that the spelling of some words needs to be learnt specifically, as listed in English Appendix 1
- use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of words
- use the first 3 or 4 letters of a word to check spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary
- use a thesaurus
Handwriting and Presentation
Our children will be taught to write legibly , fluently and with increasing speed by:
- choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join specific letters
- choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task
Composition
Our children will be taught to:
- Plan their writing by:
- identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own
- noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary
- in writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings in what pupils have read, listened to or seen performed
- Draft and write by:
- selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning
- in narratives, describing settings, characters and atmosphere and integrating dialogue to convey character and advance the action
- précising longer passages
- using a wide range of devices to build cohesion within and across paragraphs
- using further organisational and presentational devices to structure text and to guide the reader [for example, headings, bullet points, underlining]
- Evaluate and edit by:
- assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing
- proposing changes to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning
- ensuring the consistent and correct use of tense throughout a piece of writing
- ensuring correct subject and verb agreement when using singular and plural, distinguishing between the language of speech and writing and choosing the appropriate register
- proofread for spelling and punctuation errors
- perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation, volume, and movement so that meaning is clear.
Vocabulary, grammar & punctuation
Our children will be taught to:
- develop their understanding of the concepts set out in English Appendix 2 by:
- recognising vocabulary and structures that are appropriate for formal speech and writing, including subjunctive forms
- using passive verbs to affect the presentation of information in a sentence
- using the perfect form of verbs to mark relationships of time and cause
- using expanded noun phrases to convey complicated information concisely
- using modal verbs or adverbs to indicate degrees of possibility
- using relative clauses beginning with who, which, where, when, whose, that or with an implied (ie omitted) relative pronoun
- learning the grammar for years 5 and 6 in English Appendix 2
- indicate grammatical and other features by:
- using commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity in writing
- using hyphens to avoid ambiguity
- using brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis
- using semicolons, colons or dashes to mark boundaries between independent clauses
- using a colon to introduce a list
- punctuating bullet points consistently
- use and understand the grammatical terminology in English Appendix 2 accurately and appropriately in discussing their writing and reading.
Number & Place Value
Our children will be taught to:
- read, write, order and compare numbers to at least 1,000,000 and determine the value of each digit
- count forwards or backwards in steps of powers of 10 for any given number up to 1,000,000
- interpret negative numbers in context, count forwards and backwards with positive and negative whole numbers, including through 0
- round any number up to 1,000,000 to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000
- solve number problems and practical problems that involve all of the above
- read Roman numerals to 1,000 (M) and recognise years written in Roman numerals.
Addition & Subtraction
Our children will be taught to:
- add and subtract whole numbers with more than 4 digits,including using formal written methods (columnar addition and subtraction)
- add and subtract numbers mentally with increasingly large numbers
- use rounding to check answers to calculations and determine, in the context of a problem, levels of accuracy
- solve addition and subtraction multi-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why.
Multiplication & Division
Our children will be taught to:
- identify multiples and factors, including finding all factor pairs of a number, and common factors of two numbers.
- know and use the vocabulary of prime numbers, prime factors and composite (non-prime) numbers
- establish whether a number up to 100 is prime and recall prime numbers up to 19
- multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a one- or two-digit number using a formal written method, including long multiplication for two-digit numbers
- multiply and divide numbers mentally drawing upon known facts
- divide numbers up to 4 digits by a one-digit number using the formal written method of short division and interpret remainders appropriately for the context
- multiply and divide whole numbers and those involving decimals by 10, 100 and 1,000
- recognise and use square numbers and cube numbers, and the notation for squared (²) and cubed (³)
- solve problems involving multiplication and division, including using their knowledge of factors and multiples, squares and cubes
- solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and a combination of these, including understanding the meaning of the equals sign
- solve problems involving multiplication and division, including scaling by simple fractions and problems involving simple rates.
Fractions (decimals & percentages)
Our children will be taught to:
- compare and order fractions whose denominators are all multiples of the same number
- identify, name and write equivalent fractions of a given fraction, represented visually, including tenths and hundredths
- recognise mixed numbers and improper fractions and convert from one form to the other and write mathematical statements > 1 as a mixed number [for example 2/5 + 4/5 = 6/5 = 1 1/5]
- add and subtract fractions with the same denominator and denominators that are multiples of the same number
- multiply proper fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers, supported by materials and diagrams
- read and write decimal numbers as fractions [for example, 0.71 = 71/100]
- recognise and use thousandths and relate them to tenths, hundredths and decimal equivalents
- round decimals with 2 decimal places to the nearest whole number and to 1 decimal place
- read, write, order and compare numbers with up to 3 decimal places
- olve problems involving number up to 3 decimal places
- recognise the per cent symbol (%) and understand that per cent relates to “number of parts per 100”, and write percentages as a fraction with denominator 100, and as a decimal fraction
- solve problems which require knowing percentage and decimal equivalents of 1/2, 1/4, 1/5, 2/5, 4/5 and fractions with a denominator of a multiple of 10 or 25.
Measurement
Our children will be taught to:
- convert between different units of metric measure [for example, kilometre and metre; centimetre and metre; centimetre and millimetre; gram and kilogram; litre and millilitre]
- understand and use approximate equivalences between metric units and common imperial units such as inches, pounds and pints
- measure and calculate the perimeter of composite rectilinear shapes in centimetres and metres
- calculate and compare the area of rectangles (including squares) including using standard units, square centimetres (cm²) and square metres (m²) and estimate the area of irregular shapes
- estimate volume [for example, using 1 cm³ blocks to build cuboids (including cubes)] and capacity [for example, using water]
- solve problems involving converting between units of time
- use all four operations to solve problems involving measure using decimal notation including scaling [for example, length, mass, volume, money].
Properties of Shape
Our children will be taught to:
- identify 3-D shapes, including cubes and other cuboids, from 2-D representations
- know angles are measured in degrees: estimate and compare acute, obtuse and reflex angles
- draw given angles, and measure them in degrees (°)
- identify:
- angles at a point and 1 whole turn (total 360°)
- angles at a point on a straight line and half a turn (total 180°)
- other multiples of 90°
- use the properties of rectangles to deduce related facts and find missing lengths and angles
- distinguish between regular and irregular polygons based on reasoning about equal sides and angles.
Position & Direction
Our children will be taught to:
- identify, describe and represent the position of a shape following a reflection or translation, using the appropriate language, and know that the shape has not changed.
Statistics
Our children will be taught to:
- solve comparison, sum and difference problems using information presented in a line graph
- complete, read and interpret information in tables, including timetables.
- [/toggle][toggle title_open="Science" title_closed="Science" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for Science in Year 6.
Working Scientifically
During years 5 and 6, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:
- planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
- taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision
- recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, and bar and line graphs
- using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests
- using simple models to describe scientific ideas
- reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
- identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.
- Living Things and their habitats
- describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences, including micro-organisms, plants and animals
- give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics.
Living Things and their Habitats
Our children will be taught to:
- describe the differences in the life cycles of a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird
- describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals.
Animals including humans
- identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system, and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood
- recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function
- describe the ways in which nutrients and water are transported within animals, including humans.
- Evolution
- recognise that living things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago
- recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring vary and are not identical to their parents
- identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways and that adaptation may lead to evolution.
Light
- recognise that light appears to travel in straight lines
- use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain that objects are seen because they give out or reflect light into the eye
- explain that we see things because light travels from light sources to our eyes or from light sources to objects and then to our eyes
- use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain why shadows have the same shape as the objects that cast them
Electricity
- associate the brightness of a lamp or the volume of a buzzer with the number and voltage of cells used in the circuit
- compare and give reasons for variations in how components function, including the brightness of bulbs, the loudness of buzzers and the on/off position of switches
- use recognised symbols when representing a simple circuit in a diagram.[/toggle][toggle title_open="Art&Design" title_closed="Art&Design" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for Art & Design in Years 3 to 6.
Our children will be taught to:
- to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
- to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]
- about great artists, architects and designers in history.[/toggle][toggle title_open="Computing" title_closed="Computing" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for Computing in Years 3 to 6.
Our children will be taught to:
- design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
- use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output
- use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
- understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world-wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration
- use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content
- select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
- use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact[/toggle][toggle title_open="Design&Technology" title_closed="Design&Technology" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for Design & Technology in Years 3 to 6.
Design
Our children will be taught to:
- use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
- generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design
Make
Our children will be taught to:
- select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately
- select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities
Evaluate
Our children will be taught to:
- investigate and analyse a range of existing products
- evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
- understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world
Technological Knowledge
Our children will be taught to:
- apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures
- understand and use mechanical systems [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages] in their products
- understand and use electrical systems [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors] in their products
- apply their understanding of computing to programme, monitor and control their products.
Cooking & Nutrition
Our children will be taught to:
- understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
- cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they are able to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet
- become competent in a range of cooking techniques [for example, selecting and preparing ingredients; using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in different ways; using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients; adapting and using their own recipes]
- understand the source, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients[/toggle] [toggle title_open="Geography" title_closed="Geography" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for Geography in Years 3 to 6.
Locational Knowledge
Our children will be taught to:
- locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
- name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
- identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)
Place Knowledge
Our children will be taught to:
- understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region in North or South America
Human and Physical Geography
Our children will be taught to:
- describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
- describe and understand key aspects of human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water
Geographical Skills and Fieldwork
Our children will be taught to:
- use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
- use the 8 points of a compass, 4 and 6-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
- use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.[/toggle][toggle title_open="History" title_closed="History" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for History in Years 3 to 6.
Examples in italics are not statutory.
Pre-Roman Britain
Our children will be taught about changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age
This could include:
late Neolithic hunter-gatherers and early farmers, for example, Skara Brae
Bronze Age religion, technology and travel, for example, Stonehenge
Iron Age hill forts: tribal kingdoms, farming, art and culture
Roman Britain
Our children will be taught about the Roman empire and its impact on Britain
This could include:
Julius Caesar’s attempted invasion in 55-54 BC
the Roman Empire by AD 42 and the power of its army
successful invasion by Claudius and conquest, including Hadrian’s Wall
British resistance, for example, Boudica
“Romanisation” of Britain: sites such as Caerwent and the impact of technology, culture and beliefs, including early Christianity
Anglo-Saxons & Scots
Our children will be taught about Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
This could include:
Roman withdrawal from Britain in c. AD 410 and the fall of the western Roman Empire
Scots invasions from Ireland to north Britain (now Scotland)
Anglo-Saxon invasions, settlements and kingdoms: place names and village life
Anglo-Saxon art and culture
Christian conversion – Canterbury, Iona and Lindisfarne
Anglo-Saxons & Vikings
Our children will be taught about the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor
This could include:
Viking raids and invasion
resistance by Alfred the Great and Athelstan, first king of England
further Viking invasions and Danegeld
Anglo-Saxon laws and justice
Edward the Confessor and his death in 1066
Local History
Our children will be taught about an aspect of local history
For example:
a depth study linked to one of the British areas of study listed above
a study over time tracing how several aspects of national history are reflected in the locality (this can go beyond 1066)
a study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality.
Extended chronological study
Our children will be taught a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066
For example:
- the changing power of monarchs using case studies such as John, Anne and Victoria
- changes in an aspect of social history, such as crime and punishment from the Anglo-Saxons to the present or leisure and entertainment in the 20th Century
- the legacy of Greek or Roman culture (art, architecture or literature) on later periods in British history, including the present day
- a significant turning point in British history, for example, the first railways or the Battle of Britain
Ancient Civilizations
Our children will be taught about the achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of one of the following:
- Ancient Sumer;
- The Indus Valley;
- Ancient Egypt; or
- The Shang Dynasty of Ancient China
Ancient Greece
Our children will be taught a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world.
Non-European Study
Our children will be taught about a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – one study chosen from:
- early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900;
- Mayan civilization c. AD 900; or
- Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300[/toggle] [toggle title_open="Modern Languages" title_closed="Modern Languages" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for Foreign Languages in Years 3 to 6.
Note that the curriculum aims state that: Teaching may be of any modern or ancient foreign language and should focus on enabling pupils to make substantial progress in one language.
Listening & Comprehension
Our children will be taught to:
- listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
- explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
Speaking
Our children will be taught to:
- engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help*
- speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
- develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases*
- present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences*
Reading & Comprehension
Our children will be taught to:
- read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
- appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
- broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
Writing
Our children will be taught to:
- write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
- describe people, places, things and actions orally* and in writing
- understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English.
(*Not ancient languages)
[/toggle] [toggle title_open="Music" title_closed="Music" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for Music in Years 3 to 6.
Our children will be taught to:
- play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression
- improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the interrelated dimensions of music
- listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory
- use and understand staff and other musical notations
- appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians
- develop an understanding of the history of music.[/toggle] [toggle title_open="Physical Education" title_closed="Physical Education" hide="yes" border="yes" style="default" excerpt_length="0" read_more_text="Read More" read_less_text="Read Less" include_excerpt_html="no"]The National Curriculum for Physical Education in Years 3 to 6.
Sport & Games
Our children will be taught to:
- use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination
- play competitive games [for example, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], modified where appropriate, and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending
- develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example through athletics and gymnastics]
- perform dances using a range of movement patterns
- take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team
- compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.
Swimming and water safety
Our children will be taught to:
- All schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2.
- In particular, pupils should be taught to:
- swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
- use a range of strokes [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke] effectively
- perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.[/toggle]