2. What we've been learning

Year 5 – Shackleton Writing Project

Year 5 have been learning about Ernest Shackleton’s famous journey to Antarctica. The children have loved stepping into the role of explorers and have written fantastic letters as if they were applying to join his expedition. Their enthusiasm and creativity have been brilliant to see!

Geography - Latitude and Longitude

This week, the children have been learning how to navigate an atlas with growing confidence. They explored maps of the UK to locate different islands and then widened their search to discover islands from around the world. The class has really enjoyed developing their map‑reading skills and learning more about the diverse places that make up our planet.

In computing this week, the children have been exploring how to create imaginative images using Google Drawings as part of our ‘Creating Media – Introducing Vector Graphics’ unit. They have enjoyed experimenting with shapes, lines and colours to build their own digital artwork, while learning how vector graphics allow them to edit and refine their ideas with ease. We are really proud of their creativity and growing confidence with digital tools!

In our recent computing lesson during Spring 2,  the children explored Crumbles and learned how to code and run different programs. They really enjoyed experimenting with the technology and showed lots of curiosity and enthusiasm while bringing their ideas to life.

In Cooking and Nutrition this week, the children have been exploring ‘Celebrating Culture and Seasonality’ by researching and creating their very own soup recipes. They carefully followed safety and hygiene guidance throughout the process, while also considering allergies and respecting religious dietary needs. The highlight of the lesson was the evaluation stage, where everyone had the chance to taste their final product—there were lots of proud smiles and enthusiastic reviews! Many children even suggested that their vegetable soup should become a regular option on the school dinner menu. It was a fantastic learning experience full of creativity, teamwork and delicious results.

DT – Structures: Bird House Project

In our DT structures unit, the children designed and built their own bird houses using wooden frame structures. They carefully talked through the risk assessment and practised important skills such as measuring, sawing, cutting, joining wood and using glue guns safely. Working brilliantly in pairs, they reinforced their frames with triangular supports and turned their designs into real, sturdy bird houses. We are extremely proud of how focused, responsible and serious they were throughout the process, following instructions carefully and producing a final product that is truly fit for purpose.

In our science lessons  under the topic of Earth and Space, we have been learning about how day and night occur. The children used models of the Earth and torches to represent the Sun, helping them to understand how the Earth rotates on its axis. They really enjoyed the hands‑on activities and were very engaged as they explored how this movement creates day and night.

In our DT lessons, we learnt all about different types of structures. We investigated how tall structures rely on a wider base and studied the design process in detail. 

As a project, we explored birdlife in the local area and how this changes seasonally. We then explored the idea of creating birdfeeders to encourage birds to visit our school area. After doing market research and carefully following the design brief, we followed the design process and used cutting and joining techniques to build the structures. We are extremely proud of our designs. Our birdfeeders are now spread around the school and we've put food and water out for our winged visitors.