Autumn Term 2026 

Reading

In the Autumn term the children will be making comparisons within and across books, identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to retrieving information, recording and presenting information from non-fiction and summarising the main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph and identifying key details that support the main ideas. They will be predicting what might happen from details stated and implied in the text. Exploring meanings of words in context to the text. Inference of characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions and supporting this with evidence from the text.

In our reading lessons the children will be focusing on fluency, vocabulary definitions and how to answer comprehension questions.

To help your child at home, please continue to encourage them to read daily and record their progress in their reading records for the teachers to see.

Writing

In the Autumn term, we will be focusing on writing to inform, writing to narrate, writing to advise and writing to entertain. They will learn new skills; practise using them and apply them through pieces of extended writing. They will have time to edit their work and evaluate their work. In spellings we will be focusing on learning the Year 5/6 statutory words.

To help your child at home, please continue to encourage them to learn their spellings daily.

Maths

In the Autumn Term, the children will be focusing on the following units:

Year 5: Place value of numbers up to 1,000,000, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with associated problem solving and fractions.

Year 6: Pace value of numbers up to 10,000,000, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions and converting units.

French

In French this term the children will learn about transport and houses. They will identify which nouns are cognates or near cognates and use strategies to work out the meanings of new words. They will form simple statements and apply accurate word

order in French. They will learn the key vocabulary for the topic areas and identify and extract key information from short texts. The children will use prepositions and be able to write a short piece in French describing a house.

Computing

The children will be using Scratch to learn simple programming skills. This program will help them to iterate ideas, test and change their ideas throughout the lessons. The children will be linking sound and musical concepts to the scenes they create based on a topic area e.g. space. The children will learn how to create a loop, correct their own mistakes and include repeats. The children will evaluate their own work as well as their peers.

The children will also create a stop motion animation by creating a simple image of a toy and a single movement. The children will create a stop motion with small changes between the images and think of a simple story for their animation. The children will make changes to their animation to ensure it is smooth and add effects.

PSHE

The children will be learning about how they can support their mind and body as they grow. They will be looking at food labels identifying how to make healthier choices, looking at how being active can have a positive influence on their mind and body. They will also identify and look at more complex feelings and describe signs of these feelings and how to respond. In the second half of term, we will be looking at the online world and how this influences us. The children will be considering how online content can influence choices by examining advertising, influencers and persuasive techniques used online.

Music

In music the children will be exploring musical influences on an artist by comparing pieces of music from different genres. They will identify features of timbre, instrumentation, expression in an extract of recorded music and they will create a shadow movement piece in response to music.

Science

This term our topics are Rocks and Soils and Fossils, Geological time and Classification. We will be looking at the different types of rocks and how they are formed, investigate porosity, hardness and reaction to acidity as well as identifying what makes up soil and how different types of soil allow water to pass through. In Fossils, Geological time and Classification we will be delving into the past and evolution investigating how we know it happened through fossils as a source of evidence. We will also be looking into how organisms are classified into groups based upon their physical features.

Art and Design

Pop Art is our art topic for this term. We begin by learning about facial proportions and how to draw the facial features accurately leading on to creating a self-portrait. We look at the work of Roy Lichtenstein and how he created his Pop Art creations before applying this knowledge to creating our very own self-portrait in the Pop Art style and reflecting our interests.

Design Technology

This term we begin our DT with creating fabric slippers. The children will learn how to make a pattern and mock up for their slipper, know what seams are and build upon their sewing skills with blanket stitch in order to construct their slipper. They will also consider decoration to create a well finished slipper.

History

In history we will be exploring British history and Alfred the Great to consider the enquiry question: Was Alfred great or just lucky? We will be looking at what historical sources are, their reliability and using them to discover Alfred’s life and reign in order for us to answer the enquiry question. We will also be visiting Winchester Cathedral where the children will take part in workshops designed to deepen their understanding of Alfred’s life, his influence on Winchester and his significance in British history.

Geography

Our focus for geography is “What is life like in the Alps”. We will be using atlases and maps to locate continents, seas and countries in Europe and locating the Alps before examining further what the Alps is like in terms of human and physical features in particular describing the similarities and differences of the human and physical geography of the local area and Innsbruck.