Year 5

Class Saint: St John Payne

Class Teacher: Miss. L. McKean

 

 

 

  

Curriculum

Summer Term 2026 Curriculum Map

St. John Payne Taster Day - 2nd July 2026

 

We are looking forward to our Year 5 visit to St John Payne Catholic School on Thursday 2 July.

Please find below the arrangements for the day:

• 8.30am: Children will leave St Francis by coach. Please be at school, in full school uniform, by 8:15am for registration.
• 9.30am: Arrival at St John Payne.

The children will take part in a fun and interactive programme designed to give them a taste of life as a secondary school student.

Timetable

• 9.55am – 10.45am: Lesson
• 10.45am – 11.05am: Break (juice and a biscuit will be provided. Please note that St John Payne is unable to cater for allergies during break.)
• 11.05am – 12.45pm: Taster lessons
• 12.45pm – 1.30pm: Lunch (please ensure your child brings a packed lunch and a drink)
• 1.30pm – 2.20pm: Taster lesson
• 2.30pm: Optional information session for parents and carers in Aquinas Hall
• 3.00pm: End of the school day

Collection Arrangements

Parents and carers are invited to attend an optional information session at 2.30pm in Aquinas Hall (there is also an evening session at 6.00pm for those who are unable to attend during the afternoon).

If attending the 2.30pm session, please report to the main reception to sign in.

Please note: There is no parking available on site for the 2.30pm session.

If you are not attending the afternoon information session, please collect your child at 3.00pm from the Merici entrance.

We hope the children enjoy this exciting opportunity to experience a day at St John Payne.

Newhall Retreat 

This half term, Year 5 had the pleasure of visiting Newhall School for a special retreat day. Throughout the day, the children took part in a range of activities, including Mass, PE and art, which allowed them to reflect, be creative and enjoy working together outside of the classroom environment. The retreat provided a wonderful opportunity for the children to strengthen friendships, develop teamwork skills and take part in new experiences.

The class thoroughly enjoyed the day and represented the school beautifully with their enthusiasm and excellent behaviour. 

 

March 2026 

This half term, Year 5 enjoyed an exciting trip to London! We visited the Wonderlab at The British Science Museum, where the children explored a range of interactive experiments and investigations, sparking their curiosity and enthusiasm for science. In the afternoon, we headed to the Theatre Royal to watch Hercules on stage, which was a fantastic experience for everyone. It was a wonderful day, and the children thoroughly enjoyed every moment!

 

February 2026

This half term, Year 5 took part in CPR training, where the children learned the important steps of DR ABC and had a go at performing chest compressions. Everyone was enthusiastic and keen to learn, showing great focus and teamwork throughout the session. The children learned how to stay calm, to check if someone needs help, and to understand what to do in an emergency. It was an exciting and empowering experience that helped the children build their confidence and learn new skills that could one day help save a life.  

 

December 2025 

This half term, Year 5 have been exploring their new geography topic, ‘Enough for Everyone’.

As part of our learning, the children investigated different renewable energy sources, focusing in particular on hydropower and why it is considered renewable.

They had a fantastic time designing and creating their own water wheels — and even managed to make plenty of mess along the way!  

 October 2025 - Play Leader Training! 

On Wednesday 8th October, the Year 5 children had the exciting opportunity to take part in Play Leader training. Throughout the day, they explored the key skills needed to become effective play leaders, including leadership, organisation, communication, and—of course—fun! The children participated in a variety of engaging games and activities designed to help them practise these skills in a supportive and enjoyable way. It was a thoroughly positive and enriching experience, and the children are now well prepared to take on their new roles as Play Leaders during break and lunchtimes. 

 

Academic Year 2024-2025

D.T. and Computing inspired by Ancient Greece! 

This term, children have been designing adventure maps inspired by Greek mythology. Using their knowledge of myths and legends, they created maps featuring heroes, gods, and mythical creatures, then programmed Beebots to navigate them. They explored different materials to build obstacles and challenges, combining design technology and computing.

They also reimagined Monopoly as ‘Mythology’, redesigning each square to represent places, characters, and artefacts from Greek myths. Community Chest and Chance cards were rewritten with rewards and penalties linked to these legends, adding an exciting twist to the game.

The children will now use this work to plan and write their own stories, drawing on ideas developed in class and in small groups. This project has given them opportunities to be creative, work collaboratively, and apply their knowledge across subjects. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm as they brought Greek mythology to life through storytelling, programming, and game design.

D.T. and Art - Seasonal Produce and Ecological Architecture

In D.T. pupils have been learning about seasonal foods in the UK. They explored where our food comes from and how choosing seasonal produce can help reduce environmental impact and promote sustainability. The children took part in a food tasting session, sampling a range of seasonal vegetables, and used what they learned to design a nutritious meal using only seasonal fruits, vegetables, and proteins.

In their Art lessons, Year 5 have been exploring architecture - inspired by striking ecological designs. They’ve created detailed sketches focusing on form, structure, and materials. Next, we’ll begin an exciting new project exploring fashion design!

 

History - Ancient Greek Workshop - March 2025

 

Medusa, Aphrodite, Ariadne, Trojan soldiers, and Greek royalty all made an appearance at the Year 5 Ancient Greek workshop!

Pupils delved into the rich history and fascinating myths of Ancient Greece, bringing legendary tales to life. They marched in formation, wielding shields and swords, and marvelled at the sheer length of the soldiers' pikes.

Throughout the day, they enthusiastically re-enacted key moments from The Iliad, fully immersing themselves in the world of ancient warriors and gods.

Year 5 were truly spectacular!