What an incredible start to Year 5! It is hard to believe that our first half term has already come to an end, and what a busy few weeks it has been! From travelling 90 metres underground to stepping back in time to Victorian Britain, exploring organic farming and discovering the history of our local landmarks, the children have certainly been on some unforgettable learning adventures. We have been so impressed by their enthusiasm, curiosity and willingness to embrace new challenges.
Gruel, hand caning and children climbing up chimneys… Yes, you guessed it! Our theme this term has plunged us into the grimy yet fascinating world of the Victorians as we explored our inquiry question: How did life change in Wales and Britain during the Victorian era?
After exploring the invention of the steam engine, the children quickly realised how dramatically the Industrial Revolution transformed Britain, turning peaceful countryside into bustling, smoky towns and cities.
A highlight of our learning was our visit to Big Pit, where pupils travelled 90 metres underground to experience first-hand what life was like for miners. The children were amazed, and a little shocked, to discover that children their own age once spent long, exhausting days in cold, dark tunnels, often working six days a week in dangerous conditions. It was a powerful reminder of just how much life has changed and how fortunate we are to have access to education today.
As part of our REAL curriculum, the children enthusiastically took on the role of museum curators, investigating a range of fascinating everyday Victorian objects. They were challenged to select appropriate measuring equipment and accurately measure objects in centimetres and millimetres. They soon discovered that a flexible tape measure was much more useful when measuring the circumference of a silk-filled bobbin or the curved edges of a Victorian iron! This hands-on investigation certainly sparked curiosity, with pupils eagerly using their Talk Tactics to share ideas, ask questions and debate what these mysterious objects might have been used for.
Our exploration of the Victorian era continued as we became history detectives, investigating the question: Who was Queen Victoria and why is she remembered? We uncovered some intriguing facts, including that she was just 18 years old when she became Queen, survived several assassination attempts and helped popularise the tradition of decorating Christmas trees in Britain! Using a range of historical sources, pupils then put their research and writing skills to the test, producing detailed biographies of her extraordinary life.
In Literacy, we have been captivated by Street Child by Berlie Doherty, a moving story that paints a vivid picture of life for poorer children during Victorian times. We explored poetry, creating powerful “You Are…” poems about life in the workhouse, packed with metaphors, emotion and ambitious vocabulary. We also used our critical thinking skills and discussion, preparing the children to write their own balanced arguments. We have certainly seen some fantastic young writers emerging this term!
Our learning certainly hasn’t stopped in the Victorian era! This year, we are fortunate enough to be involved in an exciting ongoing project with Slade Organic Farm, providing the children with wonderful opportunities to take their learning beyond the classroom. To kick-start our project, we visited the farm to investigate our inquiry question: Where does our food come from, and what impact does getting it to our plates have on the planet? During our visit, we explored how plants grow, discovered the different jobs involved in running a farm and developed our understanding of organic farming and its impact on the environment. We were also blown away by the breathtaking views overlooking Southerndown Beach! What a fantastic way to bring our learning to life!
We are incredibly lucky to have Mrs Buckley working alongside us each week, taking small groups of children into our very own polytunnel. The children have been busy preparing the soil, planting seeds, caring for crops and harvesting vegetables. What a wonderful opportunity to put our learning into practice and understand the journey from farm to fork!
We also enjoyed an engaging and informative talk from the passionate team behind our historic Newport Transporter Bridge! The children were fascinated to discover how this incredible structure works and why it plays such an important role in Newport’s industrial heritage. We explored its impressive engineering, rich history and significance as one of Newport’s most iconic landmarks.
Our love of reading has also been given a fantastic boost this half term with a visit to Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating bookfair! The children thoroughly enjoyed exploring the ship, discovering its fascinating story and, of course, being surrounded by so many wonderful books. Alongside this, our interactive Bible Studies sessions with Mrs Meates have encouraged thoughtful reflection, meaningful discussion and creative storytelling.
What a busy, exciting and rewarding first half term we have had! Well done, Year 5!
