Year 5 are the oldest pupils in our Junior Department. The girls wear their blazers all year to show they are the role models for appearance and behaviour.  Every pupil is given an area of responsibility, such as School Councillor, Librarian, or Art Room Monitor. 

During the year, we hope that Year 5 will participate in a team-building trip, involving outdoor challenges or a residential experience. Year 5 prepare for their transition to Year 6 in the Senior School by being taught some lessons by Senior School teachers, sometimes in the Senior School classrooms.  The Junior Department staff liaise with Senior School colleagues to share academic results and curriculum information. Year 5 pupils are often invited to attend events, assemblies and trips in the Senior School. 

Examples of our Knowledge Rich Projects include: 

Dynamic Dynasties (History) 

Your daughter will learn about periods of ancient Chinese history. They will take a deep dive into the history of the Bronze Age Shang Dynasty and explore evidence found in the ancient city of Yin. They will study oracle bones, learn about religious beliefs and explore bronze artefacts that set the Shang Dynasty apart from other civilisations. The children will look at significant aspects of life after the Shang Dynasty, including the work of Confucius in the Zhou Dynasty, the short but significant reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty and the importance of the Silk Road created by the Han Dynasty. To end the project, your daughter will find out how ancient China’s lasting legacy can be seen in the world today. 

Sow, Grow and Farm (Geography) 

Your daughter will learn about allotments in the United Kingdom and how the government encouraged people to have them to support food rationing during the Second World War. They will learn about food webs and animal life cycles, including how living things are dependent on one another within a habitat. They will investigate the different ways that plants reproduce and will dissect flowering plants to identify the different structures. They will have the opportunity to learn about farming in the United Kingdom and the techniques used in modern farming, including the challenges that farmers face. They will learn about the benefits of eating seasonally and about the pros and cons of importing food. They will also learn about world farming and how the different climate zones affect where different foods can be grown. 

Earth and Space (Space) 

This project teaches children about our Solar System and its spherical bodies. They describe the movements of Earth and other planets relative to the Sun, the Moon relative to Earth and the Earth's rotation to explain day and night. 

Moving Mechanisms (Design and Technology) 

This project teaches children about pneumatic systems. They experiment with pneumatics before designing, making and evaluating a pneumatic machine that performs a useful function. 

Light, Shade and Shadow (Art and Design) 

This project teaches children about the visual qualities of line, light and shadow. They explore the work of Pablo Picasso and Rembrandt and are introduced to a range of shading techniques. They take black and white photographs and use pencil, pen and ink wash to reimagine their photographs in a shaded drawing.