Today in Year 5 we have been learning how to calculate the volume of cubes and cuboids. We discovered that volume is the amount of space inside a 3D shape and that we can find it by multiplying the: length × width × height
We practised finding the volume of different shapes and used cubes to help us understand how the space inside the shapes could be measured.

After this, we were given a challenge: How many different cuboids can you make with a volume of 12 cm³? We worked systematically to find different combinations. Some of the cuboids we found were:

• 1 cm × 1 cm × 12 cm
• 1 cm × 2 cm × 6 cm
• 1 cm × 3 cm × 4 cm
• 2 cm × 2 cm × 3 cm

Although the cuboids looked very different, they all had the same volume of 12 cm³.
We then explored our reasoning by answering the statement: “The taller the cuboid, the greater the volume.” We had to decide whether this was sometimes, always or never true. To test our thinking, we built and compared cuboids using different numbers of cubes and discovered that the answer is sometimes.
Our reasoning was because a cuboid can be taller but still have the same volume if the other dimensions are smaller. For example, a cuboid measuring 1 cm × 3 cm × 4 cm has the same volume as one measuring 2 cm × 2 cm × 3 cm, even though one is taller than the other.
Today’s lesson helped us to understand that volume depends on all three dimensions, not just height. We enjoyed building shapes, investigating patterns and proving our ideas using mathematical reasoning.

Year 5 have begun an exciting and important life skill course – Bikeability! 
The course started on today with Level 1, which took place in our school playground. During this  session, the children focused on developing their control and confidence on their bikes. They practised basic manoeuvres and learned how to carry out important safety checks to make sure their bikes are ready to ride.
So far, the children have made a fantastic start. They have listened carefully to instructions, shown great focus and supported one another as they build their skills.
Later in the week, they will move on to Level 2, where they will take their learning onto the roads near school and begin to apply these skills in real-life situations. Level 2 teaches children how to:
• Start and stop with more confidence
• Pass stationary vehicles parked on a road
• Understand the road, including signals, signs, and road markings
• Negotiate quiet junctions, crossroads, and roundabouts
• Share the road safely with other vehicles
We’re really proud of how Year 5 have approached their first session and are looking forward to seeing their confidence continue to grow over the rest of the week!

Last week the children were informed of this press release.

To say that they objected to the proposal would be an understatement. However, we decided that we would object formally to this proposal through writing a letter to Mr Starmer outlining our opinion and our reasons for this.
The children engaged in the task extremely well and channelled their anger and frustration at the proposal into the letter, remembering who we were addressing.

Today, two representatives from the class went to the Post Office to send the letters to the Prime Minister. Debbie invited the children behind the counter to ensure that this very important package was shipped correctly.
We will keep everyone updated as to whether we receive a response.

Year 5 had a fantastic time taking part in their second cricket session today, led by a professional cricket instructor. We still have three more sessions to go and the children are absolutely loving the experience so far!
Last week, the focus was on developing our catching skills and this week we moved on to batting. The children learnt how to hold the bat correctly and were introduced to the different parts of it – the front is called the face and the back is known as the spine.
To put their new skills into practice, the class took part in a fun competition to see who could score the most runs. There was lots of excitement, encouragement and great teamwork on display.
We were lucky to enjoy the session in the sunshine, which made it even more special. Year 5 are already looking forward to next week’s lesson!

This half term in Year 5, we are exploring the important and thought-provoking topic of homelessness in both our reading and writing lessons.
In reading, we have started reading an extract about what homelessness is to help us understand the experiences and challenges faced by people who are homeless. Alongside this, we will be studying parts of two powerful texts: The Night Bus Hero and The Wrong Shoes.
The Night Bus Hero by Onjali Q. Raúf follows a boy named Hector who meets a group of homeless people and begins to see the world differently as he learns about kindness, empathy and truth. The Wrong Shoes by Tom Percival tells the story of Will, a young boy whose life changes when his family loses their home, highlighting resilience and hope during difficult times.
As always, our reading and writing will go hand in hand, with our writing closely linked to the themes and ideas we explore in our reading lessons.
In writing, we will be developing our skills by learning how to choose language according to formality, extend sentences using sophisticated conjunctions, indicate degrees of possibility using adverbs and modal verbs and use parenthesis accurately.
We will be applying these skills by writing a formal letter to a politician or councillor, expressing our thoughts and concerns about homelessness and suggesting ways to support those affected.
We are looking forward to some thoughtful discussions and powerful writing this half term!

Today, our Year 4 and Year 5 children had an absolutely fantastic time taking part in an exciting hockey event at Darton Academy. From the moment we arrived, there was a real buzz of energy and enthusiasm and the children were eager to get started.
The afternoon was organised into five different stations, with children split into groups to rotate around each activity. This gave everyone the opportunity to practise and develop a wide range of important hockey skills in a fun and engaging way.
At the passing station, children focused on accuracy and control, working with partners to send the ball smoothly and precisely. They quickly improved their confidence, learning how to judge the strength and direction of their passes.
The dribbling station challenged our Year 4's and 5's to keep close control of the ball while moving at speed. They weaved in and out of cones, practising their coordination and balance while maintaining control of the hockey stick and ball.
Shooting was a firm favourite, where children had the chance to aim for goal and put their skills into action. There were some fantastic shots, with children showing great determination and excitement as they tried to score.
At the changing direction station, children worked on agility and quick movements. They learned how to react quickly, adjust their body position and move the ball efficiently to outmanoeuvre opponents.
Finally, the defending station helped children understand how to protect their goal and challenge attackers. They practised positioning, timing and teamwork, developing their understanding of how to play effectively as part of a team.
Despite the windy conditions, our Year 4 and Year 5 pupils showed brilliant resilience and enthusiasm throughout the afternoon. The weather certainly didn’t stop them from giving their best and enjoying every moment!
We would like to say a huge thank you to the Darton Academy students for organising such a fun and well-structured event. Their support, encouragement and excellent planning made it a truly memorable experience for all involved.
Well done to everyone who took part – it was a fantastic afternoon of sport, teamwork and fun!

Today was Enterprise Day and we were given the exciting challenge of creating and designing a sensory room based on the four seasons.

Our first task was to come up with a team logo and a team mascot that would represent our group. After that, we each took on different job roles for the enterprise challenge, including team leader, creative designer, finance manager and presentation leader. Everyone had an important responsibility, which helped our teams stay organised and focused.

We were given a budget of 100 Ambicoins to spend on our “Zen Den,” which was our seasonal sensory room. From the shop we could choose from a variety of items such as fidget toys, a water effect projector, soft building blocks, black fibre optic carpet, an infinity tunnel, a snow panel, tactile boards and many more. We had to think carefully about how to spend our Ambicoins so that our space would feel calm, creative and full of sensory magic. Our Zen Den also had to represent and excite all four seasons.

Before dinner, we split into classrooms to draw our designs and start putting our ideas into action. Within each team, we each took responsibility for one of the seasons —spring, summer, autumn, or winter — and designed parts of the sensory room based on that season.

Most of the children worked really well as a team and supported each other throughout the challenge. However, for some of us it also tested our ability to compromise, as we had to listen to different ideas and agree on the best choices together.
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Finally, we presented our Zen Dens to three judges, Marie, Andrew and Miss Kane who decided which teams would go through to the finals. They had such a  difficult decision to make as everyone had tried so hard! We now have three groups that are through to the finals and are really excited to see if our school could be chosen to have one of these ideas built in our very own school.

We had a great day and developed our teamwork, creativity and problem-solving skills, making it a fun and memorable experience for everyone involved. Well done Year 5 and Year 6!

Today, Year 5 were extremely lucky to take part in a live Zoom event with author Phil Earle, who joined us to share his brand-new book, Finn's Epic Fails.
Phil began by telling us about his own experiences at school and how he actually found reading very difficult when he was younger. He explained that some of his teachers — who he jokingly described as “dinosaurs” — believed that reading only counted if it was a very long book, with no pictures, written before the 1900s. Because of this, he said that books often looked like “walls of words”, which made them feel quite intimidating.
However, everything changed when Phil discovered comics, especially Roy of the Rovers. Comics and graphic novels helped him find a love of reading because, as he described it, reading allowed him to be “living a life that wasn’t his own.”
Phil then shared the story of how he began his journey into writing. In his twenties, he worked in a bookshop in London, where he was eventually moved to the children’s department. His manager told him that if he wanted to recommend books to young readers, he would need to read them himself first.
One book in particular completely changed how he felt about reading: Holes — a firm favourite here at school too! Phil explained that Holes had drama, comedy, western adventure, love and crime all in one story, and he described it as the book that “lit a fire” in him and made him want to read more.
For the next two years, Phil read as much as he possibly could. Eventually he began to wonder whether he could write a story himself. He talked about how writers find inspiration and reminded us that we are surrounded by stories everywhere. Phil encouraged the children to think of writing as playtime, where you can be anyone, go anywhere and imagine anything — which makes the process far more enjoyable.
We were then very lucky to hear Phil read an extract from Finn’s Epic Fails, and we are very much looking forward to the book arriving in school so that we can all enjoy reading it together.
The children also loved hearing some very funny stories about Phil’s extremely naughty dog, Lenny!
It was a fantastic, informative and thoroughly enjoyable session, and we feel very honoured to have met — albeit virtually — a real author.
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Year 5 Film Project: From Storyboards to the Big Screen
​Earlier this term, Year 5 began their journey into film-making by learning about camera techniques and planning their own films using detailed storyboards. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans for us and for several weeks it prevented us from filming our scenes outdoors.
However, over the last few weeks we have finally had the chance to bring our storyboards to life. The playground once again became our film set as directors, actors and camera operators worked together to capture the scenes they had carefully planned.
Today’s lesson focused on reviewing and evaluating the footage we had filmed. As we watched our first attempts back in the classroom, we quickly noticed that there were some issues we needed to improve. Some shots had unsteady cameras, in other scenes it was difficult to hear the actors because of background noise and in some cases we realised that we had not used the full range of camera shots we had originally planned.

Back in the classroom, the children then began the exciting process of editing, putting together their individual clips to create their own short films.
​Over the coming weeks, we hope to be able to share some of these finished films on our class blog, so that families can see the creativity and teamwork that has gone into this project. Our final lesson will involve evaluating the completed films to see how effectively we have met the original brief and how successfully we have used the film techniques we have been learning.
We are very excited to see the finished productions — we may have some future filmmakers in Year 5! ​

Year 5 Authors Share Their Dragon Stories with Year 1
​Following our fantastic World Book Day, where Year 5 designed and wrote their own dragon stories inspired by Zog, the children had a wonderful opportunity a few days later to share their finished books with a real audience.
Year 5 visited Year 1 to read the dragon stories they had written. The younger children were a brilliant audience — listening carefully, enjoying the stories and showing great enthusiasm for the imaginative dragons our Year 5 authors had created.
After listening to the stories, the Year 1 pupils even became book reviewers! They shared thoughtful comments about the stories, discussing which dragons they thought were the funniest, the cutest and which Year 5 pupils were particularly engaging storytellers.
It was wonderful to see our older and younger pupils interacting so positively. The session was a fantastic example of how writers create work for an audience, and how that work becomes even more meaningful when it is shared with readers.
The experience also helped the Year 5 children see the real impact of their writing. Watching the Year 1 children laugh, listen carefully and respond to the stories showed them that their creativity and effort had truly brought their dragon adventures to life.
It was a lovely moment of collaboration across the school and a brilliant reminder of the joy that reading and storytelling can bring.