Autumn - Ancient Civilisations

What a fantastic term Class 8 has had! We’ve worked hard and discovered so many exciting new things.

In Science, we explored Earth and Space, learning about planets, stars, and the mysteries of our universe. In History, we stepped back in time to study the Ancient Egyptians—even taking part in a fascinating mummification workshop at the Dorman Museum!

Our DT lessons introduced us to pneumatics, where we designed and built moving models using air pressure. In Computing, we became filmmakers, learning how to shoot and edit our own videos.

We pushed our limits during our adventure at Robinwood, and the festive season has been full of joy with the Mayor’s Carol Service, a trip to the Pantomime, and our own Christmas parties and performances.

What an amazing term it has been—well done, Class 8!

Spring - Sow, Grow and Farm

This Spring term has been packed with exciting learning and hands-on experiences! Our Geography topic, Sow, Grow and Farm, took us beyond the classroom walls with a fantastic trip to Sheepfold Farm, where we discovered how a farm runs day to day and saw first-hand the hard work that goes into producing food. In RE, we have been deepening our understanding of Hinduism and exploring the meaning of the Resurrection through thoughtful discussion and reflection. Science has been full of fun investigations as we explored forces, experimenting with gravity, air resistance and water resistance before finishing the term by learning all about life cycles. In Maths, we have worked incredibly hard, mastering fractions, decimals and percentages, exploring shape and angles, and even tackling some algebra! Our English lessons have been just as busy, with pupils crafting imaginative narratives, expressive poetry, detailed reports and powerful persuasive writing. It has truly been a term full of curiosity, creativity and fantastic progress across the curriculum!

Summer - Groundbreaking Greeks

What a busy and exciting Summer term it has been in Year 5/6!

Our Year 6 pupils showed incredible determination and resilience as they completed their SATs, while our Year 5s worked equally hard in preparation for their turn next year. We are extremely proud of the effort, perseverance and positive attitudes shown by all of the children throughout the term.

We have focussed extremely hard on developing our writing skills across a range of genres this term. From crafting persuasive speeches and engaging narratives to creating informative fact files, the children have worked hard to improve their vocabulary, sentence structure and overall writing quality. Science lessons have seen us exploring life cycles and the properties of materials. Through a variety of practical investigations, the children have deepened their understanding and developed their scientific enquiry skills.

Our History learning has taken us back to Ancient Greece, where we discovered fascinating facts about Greek gods and goddesses, explored the achievements of Alexander the Great and learned about the lasting impact of this remarkable civilisation. In RE, we have been learning about Christianity, thinking carefully about what Jesus was like and exploring the importance of freedom and justice for Christians today. The children have enjoyed sharing thoughtful ideas and engaging in meaningful discussions.

Of course, it hasn't all been hard work! Our Year 5 pupils enjoyed an action-packed trip to Air Trail, while Year 6 celebrated the end of SATs with a bowling trip and, more recently, a fantastic day at Planet Leisure. Year 6 also had the opportunity to reflect on their time at school during the Durham Leavers' Service, marking an important milestone as they prepare for the next stage of their education.

Looking back, it has been a year filled with achievements, challenges and memorable experiences. The children have worked incredibly hard, pushed themselves out of their comfort zones and adapted brilliantly to the changes and challenges that came their way, including our teacher swap earlier in the year. Their resilience, maturity and positive attitude have been truly remarkable.

We would like to wish all of our children and families a restful and enjoyable summer break. We look forward to seeing our Year 5s continue to flourish next year and wish our Year 6s every success as they begin the next chapter of their learning journey.