English

Over the term, Elm will continue to explore 'The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane' by Kate DiCamillo, engaging with storytelling, grammar, punctuation, and creative writing techniques to develop their literacy skills. They will begin by focusing on the character Pellegrina and the novel’s themes. They will explore fables—stories with a moral—and learn how authors use literary devices such as foreshadowing, personification, and tricolons (the power of three). Through short burst writing, children will build Edward’s character and consider Pellegrina’s perspective. Their main writing task will be to retell the start of the story from Pellegrina’s point of view, helping them to apply their storytelling and grammar skills.

Following on from this, the children will adapt Edward Tulane into a fable using a digital writing tool called Coda. This activity will strengthen their ability to structure narratives whilst incorporating literary devices such as foreshadowing and personification. They will refine their sentence-writing skills, working on complex sentence structures, varied paragraph organisation, and linking ideas smoothly.

At the end of the term, Elm will be introduced to William Shakespeare, focusing on Julius Caesar. They will learn about Shakespearean language, play scripts, and how Elizabethan theatres were structured. A key activity will be performing a section from 'Friends, Romans, Countrymen' to develop their speaking and dramatic interpretation skills. Throughout this focus, the children will enhance their ability to analyse texts, express their ideas in writing, and build confidence in language, grammar, and punctuation. This structured approach helps them develop a strong foundation in storytelling and critical thinking, ensuring steady progress in their literacy skills.

Maths

The children will develop their mathematical understanding through a range of topics, building confidence in problem-solving and reasoning.

They will begin by exploring decimals, learning how to recognise and compare decimal numbers, understand place value, and apply their knowledge to real-world contexts. This will include tenths and hundredths as fractions and decimals, using place value charts and number lines, partitioning decimals, comparing and ordering decimals, rounding to the nearest whole number, and dividing numbers by 10 and 100.

We will then move on to learning about money, where the children will use their understanding of decimals to work with pounds and pence, calculating totals, change, and solving practical problems. They will also learn to convert between pounds and pence, compare amounts, estimate costs, and solve problems involving addition and subtraction of money.

The children will then move onto focusing on shape and geometry, covering key concepts such as turns and angles, identifying and comparing angles, types of lines, triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, symmetry, and 3D shapes. They will also practise drawing polygons and explore how shapes relate to real-world structures.

In position and direction, Elm will learn to describe movement using mathematical language, interpret co-ordinates, and understand translations and reflections.

Finally, they will study statistics, developing their skills in collecting, organising, and interpreting data. They will work with tables, pictograms, bar charts, and line graphs, learning how to analyse information and draw conclusions.

Science

Elm will explore the science of forces, learning how pushes and pulls affect movement. They will discover how forces change speed, direction, and shape, and investigate gravity, the force that makes objects fall to the ground.

The children will then study friction, understanding how rough surfaces create more resistance whilst smooth surfaces allow movement with less force. Through experiments, they will test how friction affects the motion of objects on different surfaces.

Moving on to magnetism, the children will learn that magnets create an invisible push or pull force and can attract or repel certain materials. They will explore the north and south poles of magnets, investigate magnetic fields, and test whether size affects a magnet’s strength. Pupils will also learn that some natural rocks, like lodestone, have magnetic properties.

Throughout the unit, the children will work scientifically, making careful observations, recording findings, and conducting fair tests. They will develop critical thinking skills, using evidence to draw conclusions about forces they cannot see—such as gravity and magnetism—by observing their effects.

History

The children will learn about the War of the Roses, a civil war fought between 1455 and 1485 between two noble families—the House of York and the House of Lancaster—over the English throne. They will learn about key figures such as Henry VI, Edward IV, Richard III, and Henry Tudor, discovering how their actions shaped English history.

They will examine important events, including Henry VI’s defeat by Edward IV, Richard III’s controversial rise to power, and the Battle of Bosworth, where Henry Tudor triumphed, bringing an end to the conflict and establishing the Tudor dynasty through his marriage to Elizabeth of York.

Throughout this topic, the children will deepen their understanding of how historical narratives and interpretations develop over time. They will explore different perspectives, debating historical theories such as whether Richard III was responsible for the disappearance of the princes in the Tower. Through discussions and source analysis, they will learn to evaluate evidence and develop their own reasoned judgements.

Geography

This term, the children will explore the countries India and China, their first detailed study of a region outside of Europe. This unit helps them to understand key aspects of physical and human geography, including climate, biomes, land use, settlements, and population distribution.

The study begins by examining how ancient civilisations developed near rivers, with a focus on the Indus River in India and its role in the early Indus River Civilisation. The children will learn about New Delhi, its climate, and key landmarks such as the Taj Mahal and the railway system. They will also explore India's diverse landscapes, including deserts, mountains, jungles, and coastlines, while considering how India compares to the UK.

Moving on to China, the children will use maps to study population distribution and learn how geography influences where people settle. They will locate the Plateau of Tibet, the Yangtze River, the Gobi Desert, and the Yellow and East China Seas. The children will also examine China’s arable farming regions and urban settlements, considering how geography affects economic activity.

A key focus of the unit will be on  the Great Wall of China, where the children will learn about Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi’s decision to build the wall to protect China’s northern border from Mongol attacks. This will encourage discussions on the interaction between history and geography.

Throughout the unit, the children will develop their map-reading skills, work with relief and political maps, and refine their ability to compare regions. To conclude, they will compare India and China, looking at similarities and differences in geography, climate, and human activity.

Art

The children will build on their previous knowledge of architecture by exploring key aspects of modern architectural design. They will begin by comparing traditional and modern buildings, focusing on St Paul’s Cathedral and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, examining differences in materials, structure, and artistic style. This will include refining their drawing skills to create detailed sketches of the Guggenheim Museum.

The children will then investigate how function influences design, using the Scottish Parliamentary Complex as a case study before designing their own bed system. They will explore architectural inspiration by studying the Serpentine Pavilion, the London Olympics Aquatic Centre, and iconic London skyscrapers, leading to a creative task where they design a skyscraper based on an everyday object.

The unit will end with an in-depth look at architectural design processes, including architectural drawings, models, and engineering concepts. The children  will work in pairs to create their own structures using matchsticks and conduct an experiment to understand the physics behind the Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world.

RE

This term's focus will be on Sikhism, exploring the central value of equality. The children will learn that Sikhs believe in one God and follow the teachings of ten Gurus, beginning with Guru Nanak. Elm will learn that Guru Nanak taught that all people are equal, regardless of religion or gender because everyone shares the same divine light. Elm will also look at how equality is lived out in Sikh practice, such as the langar, a community kitchen in every Gurdwara where everyone is welcome to share a free meal. Children will hear stories about Sikh Gurus who championed fairness, compassion, and service to others. They will also explore sewa (selfless service), and how Sikhs of all ages contribute equally to their communities. Through discussion, storytelling, and creative tasks, children will develop their understanding of equality as a human right and spiritual value. 

Design Technology

This half term in Design Technology, our focus will be on 'cook'. The children will be learning how to prepare and cook a traditional British dessert—apple crumble. Over three sessions, the children will follow a simple recipe to make their own crumble using seasonal British cooking apples. They will develop key food preparation skills, including coring, peeling, chopping (using the bridge technique), measuring ingredients using scales, and rubbing butter into flour to create a crumble topping. As part of this unit, children will explore the concept of seasonality and learn about the benefits of using local produce. They will also discuss how apples contribute to a healthy diet and compare different varieties of apples through tasting activities. Finally, children will evaluate their finished crumbles by reflecting on the cooking process and how the dessert looks and tastes. Their work will form part of a special summer lunch for parents, giving them the opportunity to consider presentation and serving as well.