Autumn 1

We hope everyone had a wonderful break and feels refreshed. We have lots of exciting learning lined up for Autumn term, here is a summary of what we’ll get up to:

History – Stone Age to Iron Age

In history, the children will study life in prehistoric Britain, exploring how society developed from the Stone Age through to the Iron Age. They will learn about hunter-gatherers, early settlements such as Skara Brae, and the development of tools and technology. The Bronze Age will be examined for its impact on farming, trade and permanent communities, while the Iron Age will highlight tribal life, hillforts, roundhouses and the use of iron tools. Alongside this, the children will discover how archaeology, artefacts and sites such as Stonehenge provide valuable evidence about how people lived, worked and believed during these times.

English

In English, the children will focus on developing their skills in spelling, punctuation and grammar, alongside comprehension and sentence structure. Over the term they will progress through different writing tasks based on animal stories, including character descriptions, story openings, dilemmas, resolutions and endings. They will also learn how to write an informal letter based on one of our class texts. Comprehension activities will support their ability to summarise texts, ask and answer questions, identify main ideas and use inference skills.

Reading will play an important role, with class texts including Stone Age Boy by Satoshi Kitamura and The Hodgeheg by Dick King Smith.

Maths

In maths the focus will be on place value, addition and subtraction. Children will work on building their understanding of number, practising their skills and applying these concepts across a variety of problems and activities.

Science – Rocks

In science, the children will study rocks. They will learn how to describe rocks based on their appearance and physical properties, as well as how to compare and group different types of rocks. They will also explore how fossils are formed when living things become trapped within rock and will come to recognise that soils are made from rock and organic matter.

Computing – Connecting Computers

In computing, the focus will be on understanding how digital devices work and what parts make them up. The children will explore how digital devices help us, how they are connected to one another and what a computer network looks like. They will also learn how these networks support communication and collaboration.

PE

In physical education, the children will take part in three main activities: invasion games, dance and boccia. During invasion games, they will develop an understanding of different movements, focusing on travelling correctly and controlling equipment. In dance, they will create simple themed sequences inspired by Stonehenge, including movements representing the construction of the monument and the celebration of the solstices. In boccia, pupils will learn the rules of the game, practise improving accuracy when bowling and develop gameplay strategies and tactics.

Art – Prehistoric Painting

In art, the children will explore prehistoric painting, applying their understanding of the artwork created by early humans. They will practise using scale to enlarge drawings in different media, investigate how natural materials can be used to produce pigments and experiment with different painting techniques. These skills will be applied in the creation of a collaborative artwork.

PSHE – Me and My Relationships

In PSHE, the children will focus on the theme of ‘Me and My Relationships’. They will learn about the importance of rules and identify the people with whom they have special relationships. They will rehearse and demonstrate simple strategies for resolving conflicts, while also developing their understanding of the qualities of friendship. Through class discussions and activities, they will practise expressing their opinions, listening to others, and understanding that no one has the right to force them into a dare.

Religious Education – Signs & Symbols

In religious education, the children will study signs and symbols. They will explore what signs and symbols are and how they are used in everyday life to represent ideas, instructions or concepts. They will look at how foods in religious and cultural traditions symbolise stories or celebrations, and they will begin to recognise metaphors in religious texts and practices. Pupils will consider how symbols, stories and rituals express beliefs about God and spirituality across different religions. They will also identify and explain symbols found in places of worship and reflect on how these symbols communicate aspects of faith and religious identity.