Croeso i Blwyddyn 5!

 

Our teachers are Mr. Lewis (Lime) and Mrs Jackson (Larch)

PE days this year are: Monday and Tuesday - children are expected to bring fresh PE kit to each lesson. They are able to leave school in their PE kit but must ensure their school uniform is neatly stored away in their bag.

We will be continuing to set mathematical challenges via our Matheletics platform. Children are welcome to borrow a physical reading book from our library.

This term, we are excited about launching our whole-school context for learning of the year: Quest

Reading Focus – Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick

As part of our whole‑school Quest context, Year 5 will be reading Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick during their Reading Together sessions. This gripping novel is set in a future Britain that has been almost entirely submerged by rising seas. It follows Zoe, a determined and resourceful girl who escapes the flooded city of Norwich and sets out on a dangerous journey to find safety — and hope.

Floodland is an exciting, accessible text that encourages pupils to think deeply about courage, community, and the choices people make when faced with challenge. Its fast‑paced chapters and vivid setting make it ideal for developing reading stamina and sparking rich discussion.

Themes we will explore

The story links beautifully with our Quest learning, supporting pupils to reflect on:

• Courage — Zoe’s bravery as she navigates a changing world

• Friendship — forming connections in difficult circumstances

• Resilience — adapting and persevering when things feel uncertain

• Curiosity — asking questions about the world and how it changes

• Kindness — making choices that help others

These themes run through our Quest context, where pupils investigate how communities survive, trade, travel and support one another — from Viking markets to modern‑day challenges.

Why this book for Year 5?

Floodland offers rich opportunities for:

• High‑quality discussion during Reading Together sessions

• Developing inference and prediction skills

• Exploring environmental change in an age‑appropriate way

• Connecting literacy with Humanities, especially our work on journeys, survival and community

• Building empathy, as pupils consider how people respond to crisis

Its accessible language and compelling storyline make it a perfect text for stretching Year 5 readers and preparing them for the deeper analysis they will encounter in Year 6.

How it supports our Quest context

As pupils learn about Viking exploration, trade and survival, Floodland provides a modern parallel:

• What happens when communities face change?

• How do people adapt and support one another?

• What does it mean to be brave, kind and resilient?

Reading Together sessions will help pupils build confidence, explore big ideas, and enjoy reading as part of their own learning quest.

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Quest

Our Quest will take learners on an ancient journey into the world of the Vikings, inviting them to think like explorers as they uncover how these remarkable people travelled, traded and survived. Pupils will step into Viking markets to develop number skills through trading challenges, calculating the value of goods and working with quantities and fractions. They will investigate longship design by calculating sail perimeters, ship dimensions, distances and weights, applying the four core operations to real historical problems that bring mathematics to life.

Science and Technology will immerse learners in the practical realities of Viking life as they design and test longboats, experiment with Viking soap to understand how it kills bacteria, and explore food preservation techniques used during long voyages. Pupils will also investigate Viking food trades across the world, learning how ingredients travelled between communities before designing and creating their own Viking‑inspired flatbreads. They will explore flavour combinations, consider how trade influences what we eat, and choose which ingredients to incorporate into their final flatbread design. Learners will then compare modern and natural materials in a fair test inspired by Viking survival methods.

During LLC, pupils will prepare their Reception Helper speeches before transferring these oracy and writing skills to craft a motivational speech from the perspective of Eric the Red, persuading his fellow Vikings to travel to Greenland. They will explore Shakespeare’s The Tempest, using role‑play to step into the shoes of shipwrecked characters and write first‑person accounts of their experiences. Learners will also create Top Trumps‑style character cards of their favourite Vikings, selecting key attributes and strengths to compare and justify. As Christmas approaches, pupils will write mythical stories inspired by the literature they have encountered, including the legend of Rhodri Mawr, the Welsh leader who defended his lands against Viking invaders.

In Humanities, pupils will develop their skills as cartographers, strengthening their map‑reading abilities as they explore how Viking journeys shaped the world. They will evaluate historical sources, question reliability, and investigate how invaders became settlers, debating whether there is truly a difference between the two. Through big‑thinking questions such as whether they would rather have been a defender or an invader, learners will deepen their understanding of perspective and historical impact. They will also explore major world religions and places of worship, comparing sacred buildings and considering how belief systems migrate and adapt across the globe, while reflecting on how and why people pray.

In Expressive Arts, pupils will explore the power of storytelling through movement as they learn about Viking sagas and translate the spoken word into expressive dance. They will experiment with contrasting tempos and styles, shifting between soft, flowing movements and sharp, staccato actions to represent power struggles and alliances within Viking life. Their WOW experience will bring history to life as they take part in a Viking battle re‑enactment, dressing as their favourite characters and using drama, costume and performance to deepen their understanding.

Health and Wellbeing will give pupils the chance to explore personal qualities through the lens of Viking experiences, reflecting on resilience, courage, teamwork and belonging. They will compare Viking clans with modern communities, consider peaceful ways to resolve conflict, and think about curiosity and new opportunities as they set goals for their own “next adventure.” Through discussion, reflection and creative activities, learners will deepen their understanding of themselves and the qualities that help people grow.

On Fridays, pupils will take part in taster sessions before specialising in learning about a specific explorer, discovering what makes someone a true Quest hero. They will investigate four very different explorers — Richard Parks, Captain Scott, Freda Du Faur and Felicity Aston — comparing achievements, challenges and motivations. Learners will then present their findings during our Learn With Me event in November, sharing their research and enthusiasm with families and the wider school community.