Welcome to Dosbarth Elm and Elder!

Our class teachers are Mr. Howard and Miss Kelly. 

We are delighted to be sharing this space with you, so we can share news and events during this incredibly busy final year. 

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

We will be continuing to set mathematical challenges via our Matheletics platform. Children are welcome to borrow a physical reading book from our library and online books will be available via Oxford Reading Buddies - your child will be provided login details for this. 

This term, we are excited about launching our first whole-school context for learning of the year: Friend or Foe

Year 6 Autumn Term Reading: Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian. 

This term, Year 6 will be reading Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian as part of our learning journey, Friend or Foe. This much-loved novel is set during World War II and tells the story of a young evacuee, Willie Beech, who is sent from London to live with Tom Oakley in the countryside.

Through this powerful story, children will explore important themes such as friendship, resilience, kindness, and the impact of war on families and communities. The book will help pupils to develop empathy and a deeper understanding of the experiences of children during WWII, linking closely with our history focus on evacuation, Homefront life, and the question of trust in difficult times.

Reading Goodnight Mister Tom will not only support pupils’ literacy skills, but also spark meaningful discussions about compassion, courage, and the choices people make in times of conflict.

Friend or Foe – Year 5 and 6 Learning Context

(Exploring conflict, right and wrong, authority and influence and relationships). 

We are excited to be launching our new context, Friend or Foe, where children will explore what life was like on the Home Front during World War II. With a strong Humanities focus, pupils will learn about evacuation, rationing, and daily life during wartime. They will even get hands-on by “Digging for Victory” in our own allotment space!

Across the curriculum, learning will be brought to life through rich and meaningful experiences. In English, pupils will write persuasive wartime speeches in the style of Neville Chamberlain, as well as emotive recounts from the perspective of evacuees. In Expressive Arts, they will discover and perform wartime dances such as the Lindy Hop and the Charleston. In Science and Technology, children will investigate electricity and learn how Morse code helped the Allies communicate in secrecy.

Health and Wellbeing sessions will focus on the importance of building strong, healthy relationships - reflecting on what this means both in their own lives and in the wider world. Numeracy will link to the historical theme too, as pupils use weight and measure to explore rationing and consider the vast numbers associated with a global conflict.

Through Friend or Foe, pupils will deepen their understanding of this significant period in history while developing key skills, creativity, and empathy.