Please find your child's year group to explore what we are learning this term.
Personal, Social & Emotional Development During the first half term, the children will become more confident to leave their parents and carers and go into nursery happily. Our key-worker system will provide your child with a safe, secure and familiar adult to build a relationship within the early days. It is very important that your child feels safe and happy; we will read lots of books about settling into nursery and want to make them feel as relaxed as possible. Literacy We will be reading some of our favourite stories and learning traditional nursery rhymes, which will encourage the children to join in with repeated and familiar phrases. The children will look at books independently, beginning to recognise and discuss illustrations and familiar print within the environment. The children will engage in a range of mark making experiences in order to prepare their fingers for writing! They will enjoy drawing, painting, threading, play dough and much more. independent as possible and will learn about going to the toilet and washing their hands, personal hygiene and healthy eating. They will be encouraged to dress themselves and put their own coat on. The children are provided with many opportunities for movement both indoors and outdoors, we have a range of bikes, scooters, climbing equipment and a weekly gross-motor session (PE). Communication and Language The staff model good communication skills throughout the day by talking to the children, asking them questions and giving instructions. The children are encouraged to talk in a small group and to make their needs clear through speech and gestures. The children will also learn some familiar words related to concepts such as ‘big’ through word aware. Listening games and turn taking activities also help support this area of learning. Physical Development The children will be encouraged to be as
The Federation of Abbey Infant & Junior School Curriculum Map for Year Nursery 2025-2026 - Autumn term For specific class information see: Class Pages For dates see: Calendar For information Year group related – email: YN@abbey.sandwell.sch.uk Our topics are ‘Amazing Me’ And ‘Celebrations’ This topic is split into ‘All about me’ and ‘Celebrations’. During the first half term, we will focus on settling the children into their new surroundings; during this time we will talk to the children about their families, their likes, interests and experiences. This is a great way to start the new academic year as we all get to know each other and the children build excellent relationships with their peers and teachers. During the topic ‘Celebrations’, we will find out about different cultural and traditional celebrations such as Diwali, Bonfire night and Christmas. We will also talk about familiar events such as Birthdays and Weddings.
Phonics & early reading Early phonics in Nursery is all about developing their listening skills. This is achieved through activities such as going on a sound walk, identifying everyday sounds in the environment, listening to rhymes and joining in with nursery rhymes. We read stories daily and ask the children to choose a book they would like to hear.
Life skills, soft skills and bucket list experiences For life skills, children will practise dressing themselves by putting on their coats independently and getting dressed up in the role play area. They will be encouraged to maintain personal hygiene by practising the skill of washing hands and knowing the importance of being clean. Children will experience some fun activities from the bucket list , such as an Autumn fun day, a Bhangra dancing workshop and a Christmas trip to Ash End Farm. These have been carefully planned to enhance the curriculum. Soft skills are skills that are embedded in every day routines and through Child Initiated Learning. This will include making decisions, leadership, creativity, being a good team player, accepting responsibility and developing communicating skills.
Mathematics The children will begin to recognise numbers, patterns and shapes in the environment. They will become familiar with the structure of the day through using a visual timetable and discussions about what happens next. The children will use Numicon as apparatus for counting. We will sing lots of number songs and have plenty of opportunities for Maths through indoor and outdoor learning. Understanding the World Amazing Me is a lovely topic to start the year off; we will talk about similarities and differences between the children and their families, draw self- portraits and learn about different parts of the body. During the Celebrations topic, we will talk about different cultures, beliefs and practices. We celebrate and respect different religions and cultures and will find out about the children’s personal experiences.
Characteristics of effective teaching and learning The children are encouraged to be independent and think of ways to solve problems for themselves. We encourage the children to keep trying when they find tasks difficult and to feel proud of themselves when they achieve their goals. The children are given lots of opportunities to work as a team and make decisions together. We will name parts of our bodies through song and experiment with a range of movements through music. We will be learning a nursery rhyme each week, play musical instruments, sing and dance. Our role play area is a home which encourages children to explore, use their imagination, dress up and act out different roles. Expressive Arts and Design The children will be provided with lots of opportunities to explore a range of creative materials such as paint, play dough, foam and collage.
Personal, Social & Emotional Development Children will learn class rules, becoming aware of routine and boundaries. Opportunities will be given during ‘child Initiated learning’ activities where team work and independence will be encouraged. Children’s ability to take turns and share will continue to be developed. Circle time activities will allow children to express how they feel and share experiences. This will all help children to develop self-regulation. Literacy Our ‘Talk for Writing’ uses language, pictures and actions to help children remember and learn each story or poem. Our poem ‘All of Me’ helps children develop a sense of rhyme, rhythm and alliteration. The story of ‘Harry and the Dinosaurs Have a Happy Birthday’ will enable children to relate to something they have experienced themselves and provide writing opportunities for mark making and letter formation. Physical Development In P.E. children will be using story to practise large and small movements, making them aware of the space around them, including jumping, hopping and skipping. They will be developing fine motor skills through different activities such as using Playdough, threading and using pegs and pegboards. Children will also be working on pen and pencil control and developing correct grip. This term, children will start Forest School on a rotational basis on a Friday where they will be able to explore the outdoor Forest area. Our PE days are Wednesday and Thursday. chosen roles. Children are learning traditional rhymes and songs to learn new words and their meaning. The children will also learn some words related to concepts, starting more simply with words they may already know such as ‘cold’. Communication and Language Our role play areas are set up as home corners and will be changed to link with the different celebrations. This encourages imaginative language and the confidence for children to act out their
The Federation of Abbey Infant & Junior School Curriculum Map for Reception 2025-2026 - Autumn term For specific class information see: Class Pages For dates see: Calendar For information Year group related – email: YR@abbey.sandwell.sch.uk
Our topic is All About Me!
Phonics & early reading Children will be learning new letter sounds every week. They will be encouraged to identify sounds in words and will segment, blend and read CVC words (e.g. p-i-n, f-i-n) and tricky words during daily phonics sessions. They will have the opportunity to apply this knowledge during ‘Child Initiated Learning’. They will be encouraged to talk about what is happening in the illustrations of books and to talk about a theme in the story, talk about the characters and describe the beginning, middle and end of a story. Life skills, soft skills and bucket list experiences Life Skills will be encouraged through experiences such as learning how to dress themselves independently during ‘Child Initiated play’, P.E. and Forest School. It includes personal hygiene, where children practise self-care, the skill of washing hands and knowing the importance of being clean and using the toilet independently and hygienically. Children will be giving us ideas of what they would like to put on their bucket list (experiences that make learning memorable and fun), and taking part in activities such as a Bhangra Dancing Workshop. Soft skills are skills that are embedded in every day child initiated learning and this will include making decisions, leadership, creativity, being a good team player, turn taking, sharing, accepting responsibility and developing communication skills.
Through this topic we will be talking about ourselves, family and community. We will then make links to our own experiences and celebrations. This topic is designed to encourage children to build relationships with others, learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others and to respect and celebrate thoughts, experiences and beliefs. Children will be creating work inspired by Autumn and we will have a ‘Celebration of Differences’ day, where we celebrate individuality, share our likes, dislikes and family experiences. We will also be going on a trip to the farm to see Santa.
Mathematics Children will be looking at ways to represent numbers from 1-5 including the different ways 5 is made up; e.g. 2 and 3. They will also be practising counting to 10 and learning number rhymes. Children also explore numbers with Numicon, counters and tens frames. They will be learning new vocabulary to describe the position of an object and name and describe shapes. Expressive Arts and Design In our music sessions, the children will be learning to keep a steady beat and using body parts to make sounds. Later in the term, children will be learning songs for our Christmas performance. Children will be exploring different textures and colours by painting paper plate self- portraits, designing a firework display and making models with junk modelling resources. Children will be learning about the work of Andrew Goldsworthy and Frida Kahlo and creating their own work based on these artists.
Characteristics of effective teaching and learning Through playing and exploring, children will investigate and experience new things and develop the confidence to have a go. Through active learning, children will develop the ability to concentrate and persevere when encountering difficulties and celebrate and enjoy their achievements. Through creating and thinking critically, children will develop their own ideas, make links between their ideas and develop strategies to complete tasks. Understanding the World Children will be using their box brought in from home to talk about people and experiences special to them. Children will be able to observe and make comments about nature and living things during outdoor learning. The role play area will be set up as a kitchen for imaginative play. The children will have the opportunity to take part in Forest School this term where they will be able to explore the natural world around them and understand the effect of changing seasons.
Life skills, soft skills and bucket list experiences Life Skills Knowing my full name Know my address Looking after own belongings Fastening buttons/zips Getting ready for PE/ folding clothes identifying simple objects from a birds-eye view, and the children will then use practical resources to plot out a map of their own classroom, and that of a Victorian classroom. Geography Children will be introduced to different types of maps and why people use them. We will focus on Music In music, we will be looking at ‘Old School Hip Hop’. We will listen to and appraise a range of songs that use this style of music. The children will have the opportunity to identify the different types of musical instruments that are used within the song. We will also learn about how pulse and rhythm work together to create music, which will help the children when composing their own rap. Maths Time will be spent ensuring that the children have a secure knowledge and understanding of numbers within 10. We want the children to have flexibility in working with numbers to 10, allowing them to quickly apply this knowledge to larger numbers in the future. We will explore addition and subtraction within 10 and look at the different ways in which numbers can be partitioned, developing fluency in number bonds for all numbers up to 10. In all lessons, the children will be encouraged to use equipment to support their learning such as numicon, part-part whole models, 10 frames and number lines. We will also be building on learning from Reception, mastering basic 2D and 3D shape terminology and exploring patterns.
English Our ‘Talk for Writing’ will kick off with the children learning and reciting a short piece entitled ‘Summer Holidays’. This should lead them nicely into writing their own piece of writing based on their recent summer holiday experiences. We will also be looking at the features of traditional tales such as ‘The Little Red Hen’ and ‘The Three Little Pigs’, and will even try writing our own letter to Santa! Throughout, we will be teaching the children the importance of finger spaces, capital letters, full stops and the use of adjectives in their writing. Our trip to the Black Country Museum will provide us with an opportunity for some cross-curricular writing. Science The children’s knowledge and skills will be developed through our unit of work on materials. It will provide opportunities to learn to identify a range of different materials, to differentiate between an object and what it is made from and to use appropriate vocabulary to describe what a material is like. Throughout the year, we will also be observing seasonal changes by tracking the life cycle of a tree and a bulb, over the four seasons. Computing The children will be learning to understand that devices respond to commands and to understand that they can programme a simple sequence of commands into a programmable toy to send it on a route. They will also explore an on-screen turtle/Bee-Bot, navigating it around a course or grid, and will be encouraged to predict what will happen once the next command is entered. In Autumn 2, the children will learn about logging in and password safety before practising entering their username and passwords for Purple Mash. We will be discussing our SMART message on a regular basis so that the children become increasingly aware of how to use technology safely and respectfully. Religious Education During Autumn 1, Year 1 will be discussing what people believe God is like, how they show their love for God and listening to parables from the New Testament. In Autumn 2 we will explore why Christmas matters to Christians and how and why we celebrate special times.
The Federation of Abbey Infant & Junior School Curriculum Map for Year 1 2025-2026 - Autumn term For specific class information see: Class Pages For dates see: Calendar For information Year group related – email: Y1@abbey.sandwell.sch.uk Our topic is The Victorians. To help ease the children back into school life we will spend the first couple of weeks on a mini topic entitled ‘All About Me’. This will enable us to really get to know the children and to create a safe and happy environment. We will then move onto our main topic of The Victorians. Through this topic we will be linking our subjects of History, Art and Design and Technology. The children will be comparing our present lives with those of the Victorians, looking at schools, toys, work and homes. We will be using drama, books, the internet, a Victorian dress-up day and a visit to The Black Country Living Museum to explore the Victorian era and to help bring the children’s learning to life. Our educational visit will be to The Black Country Living Museum – a great place for the children to develop their historical language, knowledge of the Victorians and their curiosity to find out more. We will be holding a parent workshop in which you will be able to work with your child to create a Victorian wooden spoon doll.
History Through our topic of The Victorians, the children will be developing an awareness of the past, using words and phrases related to the passing of time. Through looking at a range of sources, they will identify and discuss similarities and differences between the Victorian times and our way of life today. Aspects covered will include homes, school life, jobs and the way that people dressed. The children will be involved in a Victorian Dress-up day and our classrooms will take a trip back in time to the Victorian era. Art & Design This term we will be looking at developing our mark making skills. We will be looking at different grades of pencils and the effects that can be created using them. The children will also experiment with making marks using media other than pencil, such as crayons, biros and felt tip pens. We will be looking at some of the work of LS Lowry and using charcoal to recreate a Victorian townscape.
PE Within our P.E lessons, the children are going to practise and master their basic movements. Some of these include running, jumping, throwing and catching. They will also be developing their balance, agility and co-ordination skills and begin to apply these within a range of activities. Additionally, the children will participate in team games where they will be able to develop simple tactics for attacking and defending. This will also allow the children to develop their team building skills as well as taking on leadership roles. Design Technology As we are learning about the Victorians, our DT lessons will be based around this topic. The children will explore and experiment with a variety of materials in order to create their own spoon doll. The children will begin by looking at dolls from the past and then move onto creating their own design, labelling key features and resources needed. Our parent workshop is where their design will be brought to life. The children will follow-up with a simple evaluation of their completed spoon doll.
Bucket List BCLM trip Victorian Day Christmas Party Soft Skills Communication
Pantomime No Pen Day
Parent Workshop
Accepting Responsibility
Teamwork
Creativity
Making decisions
Science Our main focus for the term is ‘Materials’. We will be identifying materials that can be changed by the actions of squashing, bending, twisting and stretching, and link these actions with the properties of the materials. The children will look at how the properties of materials make them useful for particular purposes. During the term, the children will test a range of different materials for different purposes. At the end of the term, we will look at Electricity and make a simple circuit. be an emphasis on using sentences containing two adjectives, conjunctions and the correct use of punctuation. Cursive handwriting lessons will also be taking place to ensure the correct formation of both upper and lower case letters. English We will be using ‘Talk for Writing’ as a vehicle to assist the children in writing a range of text types. We will be kicking off the term with a postcard and the children will then move on to creating their very own lost and found story. In the second half of the term, the children will be producing a leaflet to encourage people to visit Scotland, followed by a persuasive letter based on ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’. Throughout our English lessons, there will
Maths The children will be developing their understanding of place value - recognising the value of each digit in a 2- digit number and understanding the role of 0 as a place holder. They will apply this knowledge when comparing numbers using the < and > symbols and when solving place value problems. We will move onto addition and subtraction of 2-digit numbers, using resources and written methods, as well as showing their answers with different representations. As the term progresses, we will solve multiplication and division problems. The children will be recalling the 2, 5 and 10 times tables, as well as the division facts. Mu sic To start the year, we will be developing our ability to sing in tune and in time. We will be finding the beat within songs, showing it using our bodies and percussion instruments. Children will be given the opportunity to improvise using a range of percussion instruments.
The Federation of Abbey Infant & Junior School Curriculum Map for Year 2 2025-2026 - Autumn term For specific class information see: Class Pages For dates see: Calendar For information Year group related – email: Y2@abbey.sandwell.sch.uk Super Scots During the Autumn term, our topics are based around Scotland. We will start the year with a Scottish Day, where children will carry out several activities including playing Highland Games and learning the Highland Jig. Children will be finding out where Scotland is, in relation to England. They will learn how to use an atlas and how to read maps. The children will also become historians and look at the history of Scotland and significant people, such as Mary Queen of Scots. Children will also create pieces of art in the style of famous Scottish artist, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. We shall also celebrate St. Andrew’s Day with a variety of activities on November 30 th .
Life skills, Soft Skills and Bucket List experiences Life Skills Map reading Computer skills Debating Folding clothes Planning a journey/ route Know and write own address Bucket List Trip to Weston-Super-Mare Theatre Workshop Scottish Traditions Day No Pen Day Soft Skills
Geography We will be using an atlas to locate countries and capital cities in the United Kingdom, then look at the physical features of Scotland. The children will also be developing their skills in using simple compass directions (N,E,S,W). They will be adding their own key to a map of ‘The Isle of Struay’. They will learn how to identify physical (e.g. valleys, cliffs) and human features (e.g.harbour, factory) of a place. In addition, comparisons will be made between Bearwood and Western Super Mare, after their exciting visit to the seaside. move onto Gymnastics, where the children will be travelling in different ways; making shapes and linking movements. Please ensure that your child has a named PE kit in school. We also ask that all children have their hair tied up and earrings taken out on PE days, where necessary. PE The first half term, our focus will be on Games in which we will be extending the children’s agility, balance and co-ordination (ABC). In the second half term, we will
History As our topic is based on Scotland, we have lots of exciting lessons based around the history of Scotland. We will be starting the topic by looking at the lives of significant people in Scottish history. Additionally, the children will be finding out about what life was like for them and ordering events on a timeline in chronological order. The children will also be using different sources to find reliable information. Art & Design To start, the children will find out about the Scottish artist, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The children’s blending techniques will be developed, using oil pastels to create a piece of work in the style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. In sculpture, children will be making and evaluating their own divas, linking to Diwali in R.E. The art of stippling will be explored, culminating in a Remembrance Day outcome. Finally, children will look at sliding cards, which will help them design their own sliding Christmas cards.
Computing We will be developing an understanding of what algorithms are and how they are implemented as programs on digital devices. The children will find out that programs work by following precise instructions. They will also look at how to create and debug simple programs. Alongside this, we will be learning basic computer skills, including how to log on to a computer, use a search engine and use a keyboard with greater confidence. Lessons will be underpinned by ways to keep safe online. Religious Education We will start the term looking at celebrations where we will explore celebrations within different religious communities and discuss why they are important to some people. This will focus on the Christian, Muslim and Sikh faiths. The children will then move on to learning more about Islam, recognising what Muslims believe and discussing how they live.
Decision making Communication Accepting responsibility Teamwork Creativity
Computing Children will be continuing to develop their sense of e- safety related specifically to email. Pupils will use a safe mail platform to learn about how to appropriately use email, the do’s and don’ts and email etiquette. They will also continue to develop their touch-typing skills. Throughout the computing lesson, the SMART message will be constantly revisited and reinforced. Music The children will be focusing on being able to identify the pulse of a piece of music and following the beat of a tune using body percussion. Simple musical notation will be consolidated as well as identifying the beat of a tune. They will be following instructions on how and when to sing and begin to learn how to play the recorder. The children will also be learning songs for a performance. Design Technology Year 3 will be learning how to use a range of stitching techniques to hem a cape and attach fabrics onto the cape. This links in with their Superhero topic and crosses over with what is being learnt in Art. The children will explain the strengths and weaknesses of different materials which will aid them in choosing the correct materials for the final design. They will then evaluate their work against their own design criteria. Science The focus for Autumn 1 will be learning about our ‘Amazing Bodies’. In this unit, the children will be exploring both the human and animal skeletons, muscles, and what constitutes to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Autumn 2 is our topic of ‘Light’. Here, the children will develop an understanding of how light travels and the sources of light and reflections. Scientific working will enable children to record scientific findings and draw upon conclusions. A wide range of scientific language will be used. English This term, our English lessons are based around the topics we are studying. The genres focused on this term are: letter writing, persuasive writing, information text and a narrative. All of these will have links to our topic. The children will use fronted adverbials as well as a variety of sentence structures, punctuation and vocabulary to enrich their writing skills. Spellings will also be tested weekly.
Religious Education This term we will explore what it means to be a good citizen in our community and find out about the values of different religions. There is a focus on Christianity, Sikhism, and Judaism, looking at some of the core morals of these three religions and beginning to compare and contrast. The topic of light allows children to see how light is important to these three religions in different ways. Children also touch upon humanism and how core morals and values may also be similar. French This is a new subject taught in Key Stage 2 (Juniors) and introduced in Y3. This term children will start to learn simple French phrases, such as greetings and numbers. The focus will be to develop the children’s confidence to enable them to be able to have a short conversation with their peers. By the end of the term, they will have experienced lots of oral rehearsal for numbers 1-20, months, days and main colours.
The Federation of Abbey Infant & Junior School Curriculum Map for Year 3 2025-2026 Autumn term For specific class information see: Class Pages For dates see: Calendar For information Year group related – email: Y3@abbey.sandwell.sch.uk
Our topic is Superheroes (Autumn1) Festival of Light & Stone Age (Autumn 2).
Through this term, our topic is Superheroes. Here, the children will explore a range of diverse “real-life superheroes” and the impact that these people have had on the wider community. They will be creating a piece of Pop Art inspired work, make a dance sequence to a piece music consisting of the basic elements (shape, form, space, time and energy) and build on existing sewing skills learnt in KS1. During Autumn 2, the children will learn about an ancient civilisation; The Stone Age. They will be finding out how Stone Age people lived, what they ate, what they wore and how they developed tools. The children will be receiving a visit from a Stone Age person to enhance their knowledge and experience the life of a stone age person. Additionally, we will be performing our Festival of Light and all lessons will be focused upon the importance of light. The children will be learning about light sources and the invention of light. Throughout this term, the children will be offered these experiences in conjunction with our Abbey ethos: Soft skills: Respecting everyone, showing tolerance towards other cultures, listening to others, problem solving and working together collaboratively as a team. Life Skills: Sewing, survival skills and mapping skills. Bucket List: Stone Age person visit and “Sensible Pencil” workshop.
Mathematics We will be consolidating the written methods, which the children learnt in year 2, for addition and subtraction, as well as the mental strategies used for addition and multiplication. Place Value will be the key element emphasised this term, working on hundreds, tens and ones. Children will also be exchanging hundreds for tens and tens for ones in subtraction. Another key focus this term will be ensuring that multiplication tables are learnt off by heart! It is expected that children will already know their 2x, 5x and 10x tables, and these will be consolidated in the Autumn Term, before moving onto 3x and 4x tables. It is advised that you regularly practise the times table with your child.
History In the first half term, the children will explore the lives of significant individuals both present and past, who have contributed to national and international achievements. They will be comparing aspects of their lives in different periods. The second half term focusses on the culture and civilisation of the Stone Age, where the children will explore settlements and housing, culture and artwork. They will also learn about the key historical events of the Stone Age as well as developing their understanding of the terms BC, AD and prehistoric. The children will have the opportunity to handle artefacts and experience an immersive day with a Stone Age visitor. Art & Design The children start the unit with a visit from Sensible Pencil - Mr Marshall, a caricaturist in order to start their Pop Art topic. They will compare Roy Lichtenstein to Andy Warhol and work in their style to create an individual piece. The colour wheel is used to explore tertiary colours building on their knowledge of primary and secondary colours. Linking art to our Stone Age topic, children will use their skills to recreate a cave painting after analysing existing cave paintings, using charcoal and water colours.
Geography Children will develop their map making skills drawing a map of a superhero planet, plotting locations and features developing their understanding of OS symbols. They will use OS maps and 4-figure grid references to locate heroes in the local area and plotting routes. Children will be taught the differences between physical and human geography of the U.K and give justifications for their understanding. In their study of the Stone Age, children study different types of settlements and the way in which the land is used. PE In Autumn 1, we will be focusing on ‘Invasion games’, specifically handball. They will use a combination of different movements to play competitive games and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending. In Autumn 2, we will be concentrating on gymnastic skills to improve basic movements including running, jumping, hopping, skipping as well as developing flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance.
The Federation of Abbey Infant & Junior School Curriculum Map for Year 4 2025-2026 - Autumn term For specific class information see: Class Pages For dates see: Calendar For information Year group related – email: Y4@abbey.sandwell.sch.uk
Mathematics This term we will continue to develop our mastery approach. This will include place value to 10,000, addition and subtraction, perimeter and multiplying and dividing. The children will continue to use ‘Times Table Rockstars’ to develop their fluency. There is daily opportunity for fluency and catch up for children. The children will be developing their explanations and reasoning. French The children will be looking at two units of French work: La date (the date) and Quel temps fait-il? (What is the weather like?). Throughout these units, the children will be given opportunities for speaking and listening and beginning to write short phrases and sentences.
Science Children’s knowledge and skills will be developed through units of work on Animals and their habitats. These units will provide children with an understanding of the animal kingdom, plant kingdom and their local environment. The children will also explore climate change and the impact it has, whilst looking to make positive changes. English Children will be developing their use of adjectives, conjunctions, fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses, through the following text types: Non chronological report, biography, narrative and instructions. A continued application of spelling and grammar features will run throughout and development of a variety of punctuation marks and vocabulary. Computing The children will develop their use of basic computer navigation, internet safety and essential skills such as editing and saving a word document and using the internet to complete effective research. They will also develop an understanding of the internet, what it is, how it works, who owns it and can they believe everything they read on it?
Our topic is Planet Protectors. This topic is designed to build on children’s understanding of the wider world and their impact on it. Children will recognise that they can make a positive impact to their future world, through choices and changes they make. This will allow children to develop their understanding of how the environment impacts animals in their locality and the wider world. Children will see the impact of these choices in other areas of the world. We want the children to be the change and make a difference now! Our educational visits will be to Warley Woods, to create some land art, and visiting Dudley Zoo, to enhance our knowledge of animals, habitats and current issues surrounding them. Throughout this term, the children will be offered these experiences in conjunction with our Abbey ethos: Soft skills: Debating, creative problem solving, listening skills and showing empathy. Life Skills: Tying shoe laces, sewing and caring for the community. Bucket List: Visiting a zoo, Christmas party and fundraising.
PE Throughout the year, the children will be developing their confidence in swimming and then will be practising a range of strokes during our weekly visits to Sandwell Aquatics Centre. During the course of the year, the children will be developing their football and gymnastics skills. Through these units, the children will learn how to dribble, pass and shoot the ball. They will then be able to strike the ball confidently and play a game of football competitively. In gymnastics, the children will develop their balancing and rolling techniques and stability.
Art & Design During the first term, we will be looking at the topic of sculpture. We will explore how we can be inspired by nature, examining natural form and textures. Our artists studies will focus on the work of Andy Goldsworthy, Rechang Tsang and Noriko Kuresumi. In the second half of the term, we will be learning how to use watercolours and taught to develop their control of this medium. Music Children will develop their composition skills. The children will choose, order, combine and control sound to create an effect. The children will begin to show recognition of a minim, crochet and semibreve and say how many beats they each represent. They will continue to develop their understanding of different genres of music.
Design Technology We will be looking at a variety of stitches; cross stitch, running stitch, backstitch and blanket stitch, to practise in order to create a product in the Summer term. Children will develop confidence in basic sewing skills. They will develop the competency to be able to thread a needle, cast off their stitching and select and use a wide range of stitches for various purposes. Geography The children will focus on human and physical geography within Russia and the UK, making comparisons. The children will be locating and looking at the major cities within them. There will be a focus on the five main lines of latitude and understand the Northern and Southern hemispheres. We will also be looking at the way that the environment is changing due to global warming and how we can contribute to conservation.
Religious Education Our units of work will be: What is it like to be a Hindu in Britain today?’ and ‘Keeping the five pillars of Islam’. Throughout these units, the children will be looking at worship, the community and celebrations.
History This is a Geography based topic, with History being focused on throughout the next two terms.
Computing Internet safety will be reinforced in every computing lesson using our S.M.A.R.T acronym. We will be looking at how we communicate in different ways through technology. They will also be learning how to search the Internet effectively and safely and move on to understanding how search results are ranked and influenced. The children will also have the opportunity to develop their touch typing skills throughout the term. Religious Education The children will be looking at the Christian religion and weighing up how biblical ideas and teachings about God as holy and loving might make a difference in the world today, whilst developing insights of their own. In addition to this, we will be looking at how different religions help people in times of need and hardship. They will be exploring the ways people seek help and use coping mechanisms when times get tough. Science Our topic this term is ‘Everyday Materials’. We will be looking at properties of certain materials and how and why those specific properties make them suitable for particular uses. The children will explore familiar objects in detail and find out about accidental scientific discoveries. They will continue to work scientifically and carry out comparative and fair tests to answer questions about how and why certain materials are selected and used because of their properties. We will be encouraging children to develop their inferential skills and the detail of their written responses during reading comprehension and guided reading sessions. English We will be studying how to write non-chronological reports, instructional texts, diary entries and narrative whilst exploring a range of sentence structures, subordinate clauses and vocabulary. Spelling and grammar will be included in every lesson as well as experimenting with a range of punctuation.
Mathematics We will continue to develop our mastery approach to mathematics developing their reasoning, problem solving and fluency. We will begin by looking at the place value of numbers up to one million. We will underpin and consolidate the learning from Year 4 for a smooth transition to the Year 5 curriculum for all. The four operations will be covered throughout the term along with looking at fractions. Children need to continue to learn their times tables up to 12x12 using TTRockstars to support this. We will also look to develop the children’s fluency when solving a variety of calculations during a weekly arithmetic session. French We will be looking at the topics ‘En route pour l’ecole’ and ‘Je suis le musician.’ Throughout these topics, we will be learning the key directional phrases, questions, places of interest and the time. Children will be composing short passages with the support of bilingual dictionaries as well as starting to translate passages by identifying key phrases and vocabulary. Music The children will be developing their singing with accurate pitch from memory. They will also have the opportunity to accompany their singing with musical instruments. A significant amount of music will be incorporated in our Christmas production based on an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. P.E This term, children will be participating in Tag Rugby and Gymnastic sessions. They will build on their previous knowledge of invasion games by practising more complex skills such as passing backwards, forward facing and using a different shaped ball. Apparatus will be used to develop jumping and landing skills within gymnastics. The children will be expected to create more complex sequences with control and linking moves.
The Federation of Abbey Infant & Junior School Curriculum Map for Year 5 2025-2026 - Autumn term For specific class information see: Class Pages For dates see: Calendar For information Year group related – email: Y5@abbey.sandwell.sch.uk
Our topic is Ancient Egypt. This topic is all about the achievements of the earliest Ancient Egyptian civilization, looking at schools, work, home life, culture and religion. We will be using drama, books and the Internet as well as being visited by an Egyptologist, to build a greater understanding of what life was like back in the Ancient Egyptian period. On this day, the children will have the opportunity to dress up as Ancient Egyptians and take part in some of the games that were played during the Egyptian civilisation. This will be a fantastic day with many interactive activities taking place. Throughout this term, the children will be offered these experiences in conjunction with our Abbey ethos: Soft skills: Communication, accepting responsibility, teamwork, creativity and leadership. Life Skills: Participating in a show, speaking clearly, debating, asking interesting question, know how to cook a variety of meals and problem solving. Bucket List: Egyptian day, Bonfire Night experience and Christmas production.
Design Technology During this topic the children will be introduced to seasonal vegtables and how this can aid a healthy lifestyle. They will be taste testing exsisting products, making their own soup and coutons and evaluating their own creations. Hieroglyphics and the number system are just a few of the topics that we cover. The children will compare their lives today to that of an Ancient Egyptian child. History We will start the term by developing a chronological knowledge of world history and where the Ancient Egyptian civilisation fits into this. We explore the achievements of the Egyptians and how they have impacted on the world today. Mummification, Gods and Goddesses, the River Nile, Tutankhamun,
Geography The children will be using an atlas and online resources to locate the continents and the bodies of water that surround Egypt. We will focus on the journey of a river and the importance of the River Nile to the Egyptian civilisation. Throughout this unit, we will explore the human and physical features in the African continent. Art & Design The children will develop their skills using chalk pastels, water colours and sgraffito. The majority of our work will be influenced by Ancient Egypt. The children will be developing their use of artistic vocabulary such as: tone, depth, blend, layering and wet on wet to create their very own Egyptian scene. The children will also be be studying the work of a famous Egyptian artist, Reda Abdel Rahman for inspiration.
Science Children’s knowledge and skills will be developed through units of work on ‘Animals including Humans’ and ‘Living Things’. These units will provide opportunities to learn how a healthy diet and exercise affect our bodies; how the circulatory system works and the role of blood in our bodies. The children will also have the opportunity to dissect a real heart to develop their understanding of the key role it plays within the circulatory system. The children will be given the opportunity to research how disease and medicine have changed over time as well as the effects that unhealthy habits have on the body. The children will be working scientifically through practical experiments, collecting/ analysing data and conducting fair tests. The CPA (concrete, pictorial, abstract) approach will be developed throughout every lesson, with children building upon their explanations. Every week, we will continue to build on the children’s arithmetic skills, pace and fluency. Mathematics Children will begin by re-enforcing their knowledge and understanding of place value and the number system up to ten million. The formal written methods and informal strategies for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division will be developed through the practise of solving multi-step reasoning. This will extend to working with decimals and fractions. Geography Throughout the WWII topic, we will be focussing on locational knowledge and following directions. The children will begin by locating cities, countries and continents that were involved in WWII to identify the allied and axis countries. They will use atlases as well as digital maps to support their learning. Further into the topic, there will be an opportunity to develop the children’s prior knowledge of 4-figure grid references and build upon 6-figure grid referencing of OS maps of the local area. We will continue to explore topical geographical issues, such as evacuation, the Blitz, linked to the major cities and the impact of WW2 on the landscape and resources. MFL - French This term the children will be exploring WW2 throughout our French unit. The children will focus on repeating language chorally and individually as well as having the opportunity for individual spoken and written work. The children will begin to identify cognates and use translation dictionaries in order to develop their reading, speaking and writing skills in French.
Religious Education This term, we will engage thoughtfully with questions based on good and evil, right and wrong through thinking about ‘temptation’. The focus is on Islamic, Christian and Jewish understandings of good and evil. Children will become familiar with stories of temptation and ritual practice from Islam and Christianity and will also be encouraged to think about morals, personal choices and the impact this has on others. We will also research the link between religion and charities and how we can make our world and communities a better place to live. Reading comprehension and daily guided reading sessions will continue throughout the year as well as applying spelling and grammar in our English lessons. Some of our writing outcomes are linked to our World War II topic, along with our class read ‘When the sky falls’. English Year 6 will be developing the use of formal language, direct and indirect speech, characterisation and a variety of complex sentence structures through the following text types: • Character Description • Diary • Instruction • Newspaper report Music Children will develop their singing and playing from memory through the song ‘Happy’ and a selection of Jazz music. Each lesson will include an opportunity to listen and appraise music from the jazz genre and there will be games to support the dimensions of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc). By the end of this unit, children will be able to play and improvise with musical notation on the glockenspiels. Computing In the unit ‘Communication and collaboration’ the children will be exploring how data is transferred over the internet. They will learn: how the internet facilitates online communication and collaboration; complete shared projects online; and evaluate different methods of communication. Throughout this unit, there will be an emphasis on how to communicate responsibly by considering what should and should not be shared on the internet alongside the all-important SMART Message to promote internet safety. In this unit, Year 6 students explore computing using Crumble kits. They design and build systems, combining outputs like motors and LEDs. Through drawing designs and writing algorithms, they use selection to control behaviours. Pupils test and improve their creations, developing problem-solving skills and understanding how code interacts with physical components.
The Federation of Abbey Infant & Junior School Curriculum Map for Year 6 2025-2026 - Autumn term For specific class information see: Class Pages For dates see: Calendar For information Year group related – email: Y6@abbey.sandwell.sch.uk Our topic is World War II World War II was a momentous time for the world and a period of massive change in the UK. The children will discover what life was like in Britain during the war. This topic is designed to build on children’s sense of chronology and of events in living memory. This will allow them to develop historical understanding and enquiry skills, cause and effect, creating historically valid questions and analysing primary and secondary sources of information, including the use of artefacts. The children will analyse and evaluate the causes of WWII, discover who the allied and axis forces were and learn how the roles of men and women in society. Throughout the topic, the children will consider the impact that WWII had on different ethnicities and how the Empire Windrush changed Britain. Throughout this term, the children will be offered these experiences in conjunction with our Abbey ethos: Soft skills: Communication, team work, decision making, creativity, problem solving and building resilience. Life Skills: Internet safety, sewing, debating and developing our mindsets. Bucket List: Plas Gwynant, paddle boarding, cinema trip, World War II historian, forest school, sport and art activities.
Design Technology Year 6 will be designing, making and evaluating their very own seasonal product. They will begin by evaluating existing designs before experimenting with a variety of stitches in order to use applique to enhance their product. The children will then be given a design specification to follow. We will be inviting parents in to help take part in the making process towards the end of term- dates will be announced on the school website soon. most appropriate strategy to win as a team. Gymnastics - The gymnastics focus is on holding shapes that are strong, fluent and expressive in floor performances as well as linking elements in sequences. The children will use a range of apparatus while varying their speed, direction and level. Please ensure that children have a full kit in school and earrings are removed on the day. PE Basketball - The basketball focus is on teamwork, choosing and combining techniques in game situations (running, throwing, catching, passing, jumping, shooting etc.) and applying these skills to select the
History Posing questions of significance about the WWII topic will lead to children analysing historical sources of evidence. This is a significant period in British history and the implications are still felt today. Children will discuss, analyse and evaluate how local and national life was affected including a detailed look at how propaganda was used in different countries, the role of women in the war, and the impact of the Blitz. We will continue to look at the impact WWII had on society once the war had ended and how Britain had changed over time. This period in history will allow children to look at contrasting sources of evidence and the influence on British society at the time. Art & Design During this unit of Art, we will be focussing on Henry Moore and his impact on society during World War II. The children will be comparing and evaluating his art using artistic vocabulary and build upon their knowledge of media by experimenting to create different effects, whilst working in the style of Moore. To finish, they will explore using wax resist, which was a popular media in Henry Moore’s work.
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