Miss Fernyhough: Flame Class Teacher (Monday to Wednesday).
2/6
Mr Gude: Gingko Class Teacher.
3/6
Mr Tye: Trumpet Tree Class Teacher.
5/6
WELCOME
to the
YEAR 5 and 6 CLASSES:
Flame, Gingko and Trumpet
Year 5 Residential
2025
Trip to Plymouth University
This half-term, we have had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Plymouth University campus and give the children a taste of what further education looks like in the local area.
Included in the trip was the chance to get up close to a variety of invertebrates before embarking on a full tour of the campus. The children also got to take a close look at the oceanography facility, viewing the wave-making machine and the university's current work on producing sea-based wind energy. To finish the day, the children also got to design their own ideal university course!
Tree Planting at Sharpham
This spring term, year 5 and 6 have been given the fantastic opportunity of planting sapling trees out at Sharpham. Flame have already been out to do their planting, and Gingko and Trumpet will follow along soon.
This is a brilliant opportunity for the pupils to do their part in looking after the planet, creating a legacy for generations that come after them. More photographs will follow shortly!
Residential 2024 Y6
English
In English this half term, the children will be tying their writing into our history project on 'Injustices Through the Ages'. The writing itself will be based on composing a letter from a well-known historical figure or fictional character that documents the circumstances they feel have left them feeling unjustifiably treated!
The children already have lots of ideas and it's fantastic to see them gathering different types of evidence and compiling their legal cases! Among the chosen characters/figures are: Anne Boleyn, the wolves from 3 Little Pigs/Red Riding Hood, The Witch from Hansel and Gretel, and The Three Bears from Goldilocks. There are many more!
To finish the half-term, the children will also be following a shorter sequence of writing on how to create effective instructions.
Freewrites/Creative Writing
Throughout the six weeks of this first spring half-term, the children will be given the opportunity to 'freewrite' on a weekly basis.
This might entail them being given a photograph to write a story about, or a non-fiction task where they might have to create a report on an animal (for example).
The freewrite is designed to help children maintain their skills in writing and enable them to become better writers as they prepare for the transition to secondary school.
In maths this spring term the children will be delving into fractions. It's quite a big sequence as it covers many facets of using fractions such as decimals and percentages also. The areas of the curriculum that will be covered are as follows:
- What is a fraction (the children can use a variety of visual representations for this, including bar models)?
- Equivalent Fractions
- Simplifying Fractions
- Ordering Fractions
- Converting fractions to decimals
- Converting fractions to percentages
- Fractions and percentages of amounts/shapes
- Adding/subtracting with the same/different denominators
- Multiplying Fractions
- Dividing Fractions by whole numbers.
History:
Injustices Through the Ages.
What do all the historical figures in the pictures above have in common?
In short, in could be argued that Boudicca, Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes, Martin Luther-King and The Suffragettes were all victims of injustice. Throughout the next six weeks, the children will look at these historical figures in chronological order and begin to debate and discuss the events/situations in which they found themselves. Additionally, it provides an excellent opportunity for the children to exercise their critical-thinking skills and delve into history to find evidence to support their own views.
The pictures below are of a question and answer session where the children got to grill some historical figures to help them arrive at their own innocent or guilty conclusions. Anne Boleyn defended herself admirably against the tyrannical opinions of her husband, Henry VIII!
Anne Boleyn and Henry
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Anne Boleyn and Henry
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Anne Boleyn and Henry
3/6
Anne Boleyn and Henry
4/6
Anne Boleyn and Henry
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Anne Boleyn and Henry
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This half-term's art sequence will be based on the African-American sculptor, Kimmy Cantrell. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Kimmy is famous for his imperfect sculptures based on fish, still life and masks. Originally inspired by African art, Kimmy has produced a multitude of different designs.
As part of the art sequence, the children will get to design their own Viking style mask using the same techniques adopted by Kimmy in his own artwork. We look forward to seeing these colourful results very soon!
Personal Social Health Mental Economic
PSHME (Personal, Social, Health, Mental, Economic) is colloquially known as 'Team Grove' here at the Grove School.
This half-term's learning will include the following aspects:
- How to plan a healthy meal.
- How to maintain good dental health.
- How to benefit from and stay safe in the sun.
- How to respect that habits can be both healthy and unhealthy.
- How to recognise early signs of physical or mental ill health.
Science
Our science sequence in upper key-stage 2 this spring term will be Properties of Materials.
This will include looking at the three states of matter (although the children have been keen to know more about plasma as the fourth!).
The science sequence will look at how materials change states and while conducting fair testing experiments/investigations to see which materials change according to their surroundings, and which don't. Additionally, the children will also look at the behaviour of molecules in different conditions and research which changes are reversible and which are irreversible.
Religious Education (R.E.)
Religious Education at The Grove
Our RE topic in Year 5/6 this year is 'Why do Christians Believe Jesus was Holy and Loving?'
Along the way, children will be reminded of some of the facts they've already learned about Christianity, while discovering new facts with regards to the different biblical accounts of who Jesus was, what he did and what he means to Christians.
Children will study:
- The prophecy of Jesus' birth, dating back to the writings of the Old Testament.
- The Christmas Story
- What the words 'Messiah and Saviour' actually mean in terms of Jesus' impact on the world.