Year 5 Curriculum

In Year 5, children explore the world through geography and history, starting with South America to discover why jungles are so wet and deserts so dry, before studying rivers and the water cycle. They also investigate how Chester has changed over time, the effects of volcanoes on people’s lives in Iceland, and the achievements of Ancient Greece, including democracy, science, and culture.

In English, children work with rich texts such as The Kapok Tree, The Explorer, and Shakespeare plays, while writing in a variety of styles including biographies, reports, persuasive broadcasts, myths, and poetry. Maths develops their confidence with larger numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, negative numbers, geometry, statistics, and measurement, preparing them for more advanced problem-solving. Science covers fascinating topics such as life cycles, human development, materials and their properties, forces, Earth and space, and reversible and irreversible changes.

Creativity is nurtured through painting inspired by Frida Kahlo, Tudor building sketches, and sculptures influenced by Alberto Giacometti, alongside practical design projects like bridges, biscuits, and mechanical systems. Children also enjoy music, including rock, jazz, and performance opportunities, and PE lessons that range from gymnastics and dance to team sports and athletics. In PSHE, they learn about teamwork, fairness, resilience, growing bodies, and future success, while computing projects include coding games, green screen news reports, music remixing, animation, and experimenting with AI tools. French lessons cover everyday life topics such as towns, travel, and shopping.

Overall, the Year 5 curriculum challenges children to think deeply, develop independence, and apply their knowledge in creative and practical ways, preparing them for the transition to upper Key Stage 2.