Literacy

We began the term by completing our instructional writing unit, where pupils strengthened their use of precise verbs and extended sentences using adverbs and relative clauses.

Our new writing journey focuses on narrative recounts in the form of letters, inspired by Journey by Aaron Becker. Pupils are developing their use of past tense, first and third person, and descriptive techniques such as similes, metaphors and personification. They are also learning to apply the correct layout and tone for more formal letter writing. Through drama, they have been exploring characters’ thoughts and feelings to deepen their understanding and oracy skills.

Numeracy

This term, pupils have been consolidating their understanding of measure, including converting between centimetres, millimetres and metres, millilitres and litres, and kilograms and grams. They have also been working on fractions—adding and subtracting fractions and finding fractions of amounts.
For extra practice at home, you may find the following links helpful:

Fractions tasks and games - Fractions Decimals and Percentages - Mathsframe

Fractions and percentages - Fractions - Year 5 Maths - BBC Bitesize

Measurement games and activities Length and distance - Year 5 Maths - BBC Bitesize

Topic: Tudors and Stuarts

Our topic this term is ‘Tudors and Stuarts’, with strong links to our writing through biographies, letters and report writing. Pupils have been learning about Henry VII, the first Welsh king, exploring how he gained support and won the Battle of Bosworth, bringing an end to the Wars of the Roses. They have studied the symbolism of the Tudor Rose and connected this to their own cynefin, considering how traditions and laws have evolved over time.

Pupils analysed the causes and consequences of King Richard III’s defeat, using a Diamond 9 to evaluate the most significant factors. We also enjoyed an engaging visit from “Henry VII”, who shared stories from his early life, exile in France and eventual return to claim the crown.

The children have mapped key features of the Battle of Bosworth, considering how the landscape influenced events, and have researched and labelled important locations linked to Henry VII’s life. They have also compared how Wales was governed before, during and after the Tudor period, examining the roles of princes, nobles, the monarchy and the growing influence of Parliament.

We will be moving on to Henry VIII next as we continue exploring this fascinating period.

Photos and videos from our learning will be uploaded to our class page by the weekend under Our Learning Journey – Spring Term 2025–2026: Tudors and Stuarts.