Our Students - Year 5

In this section you'll find out about our talented students and discover some of the wonderful work they have done over the past couple of years.

 

Programme Of Study

Click on the link below to see an overview of what Year 5 will be studying this half term:

Year 5 Programme Of Study - doc file - 74KB
 

'William Shakespeare' by Andrew Martin, Aged 9, Class 5AD

William Shakespeare wrote a lot of plays,

He lived for a very lot of days.

People still read his work years and years ahead,

Even after the days he was dead.

Most people thought his plays were great,

His fans attended his plays and were never late.

Most of his plays were performed at the Globe Theatre on stage,

To remember what he had put he wrote it down on a page.

If the actors there were not very good,

They would have rotten food thrown at them as they stood.

 

'Ode To Stockingford' by Daniel Crossfield, Aged 10, Class 5AD

 

The area of Stockingford,

It really is a great place.

There are pubs, clubs, schools and parks,

That can put a smile on our face.

 

There is Stockingford School, run by Mr Smart,

With lessons including English, Maths, Spanish, even Art.

SEAL is in force to help me,

Run by Mrs Phillips, Mrs Haynes, Mrs Brindley and Kylie.

 

There is Mr Hammond,

He is second in charge.

The teachers he is over,

 The number is very large.

 

There is Mrs Doyle, Mr Talbot and Mrs Logan

To teach Year 5,

But don’t start to worry,

They have Mrs Sweeney, Mrs Perry and Mrs Gordon by their side.

 

The park up the way,

It’s such a great place.

I love to play on swings, play soccer

And even have a BMX race.

 

People are talking,

Their dogs have a bark.

Everyone’s talking.

Welcome to Stockingford Park!

 

Y5 visit Bosworth Battlefield – 22^nd April 2008

Year 5 enjoyed a wonderful day at Bosworth Battlefield recently, the site of the battle that ended the War of the Roses and marked the beginning of Tudor times.

After being welcomed to the site, the pupils were divided into three groups.

One group was taken on a walking tour of the battlefield site, and pupils and staff alike listened with interest as the guide brought to life how the battle developed so many hundreds of years before.

The second group were taken to a marquee, where they were given a demonstration of the types of weapons which would have been used in the battle. Pupils were invited to handle some of the weapons, and to try on helmets and armour.

They also had the opportunity to participate in a re-enactment of the pole arm drill, with the boys taking on the girls.

The third group visited an interactive exhibition charting the journey of Richard III and Henry VII as they fought for the crown of England. Pupils could find out about heraldry, try handling a crossbow, and there was much laughter as they tried on chain mail and helmets and staggered under the weight of it all.

        

Everyone met for lunch, and after a visit to the gift shop, the groups moved round so that by the end of the day everyone had experienced the same activities.

(To see more photos of the trip, go to our Galleries page, or click here)

 

A Pupil's Report

"On the 22^nd of April the whole of Y5 went on a trip to Bosworth Battlefield. When we got there we met with a man who gave us a tour of the battlefield and where everything happened. On the way he told us interesting facts like when the battle took place (22^nd August 1485) and about Lord Stanley, who joined in the battle towards the end.

We then went to the gift shop and had dinner.

After that we went to an exhibition and had a talk about the different weapons."

 

By Andrew Martin 5AD

 

Y5 Tudor Day – 13^th March 2008

Tudor Kings, Queens, nobility and peasants mingled on the playground at the start of Tudor Day.

The first activity was heraldry. Pupils looked at shield design and decided on colours to be used, as each colour held a different meaning.

Once shields were finished, a smaller replica was made into a badge, to be worn at the pageant later in the day.

After break, there was a variety of crafts on offer – pupils could make marzipan delicacies, gift boxes, and nosegays. Tudor people often wore nosegays (pouches filled with herbs and spices) to disguise the strong and rather offensive smells that wafted from the streets.

Some pupils had spent many hours at home recreating Tudor houses, castles and boats. These are on display in the Y5 area, along with Mr Talbot’s own wonderful creation – a row of authentic Tudor houses made of wood and papier mache.

After lunch, pupils could choose to go outside and participate in Tudor-style games, or stay inside and practise their skills for King Henry’s pageant.

The day ended with a royal procession in front of the crowds, and, once King Henry (aka James Hutton) made his grand entrance, the pageant began. (PHOTO 34)

Musicians played, Tudor ladies danced, and court jesters entertained.

Then, names were drawn, horses were prepared, and the jousting began. Prince Edward (aka Andrew Martin) and Lord Richard (aka Richard Edwards) were the first to compete.

The crowds cheered them on, as more competitors volunteered to display their jousting skills.

A great day was had by all.

(To see more photos of Tudor Day, go to our Galleries page, or click here)

 

A Dickensian Christmas with Year 5 - 19^th December 2007

Year 5 had a fantastic day experiencing a Victorian-style Christmas. The inspiration for this event came from their study of the work of Charles Dickens, and pupils were invited to dress either as a Victorian, or as a character from one of his books.

Pupils spent part of the day in each classroom, where they had the opportunity to try a variety of traditional Christmas crafts. 

Mrs Doyle’s room was a hive of activity, with groups of children making gift bags and following instructions for creating a gift box out of paper. This was then filled with a satsuma wrapped in tissue paper.

Another group were busy sewing felt stockings using a variety of stitches!

At break time, pupils were given a mince pie and a glass of old-fashioned lemonade, before joining in Victorian games on the playground.

After break, each class moved to another room to participate in a different activity. In Mr Talbot’s room, pupils were making Christingles and Christmas crackers.

An appetising aroma wafted from Miss Logan’s room, where pupils were busy making mince pies and chocolate truffles.

Some children just couldn’t resist the temptation to dip their finger in the truffle mixture – it looked delicious.

After lunch pupils finished their crafts before going carol-singing around school.

(To see more photos of our Dickensian Christmas, go to our galleries page, or click here)

 

Y5 Victorian Evening - 21^st November 2007

Y5 hosted a very successful Victorian evening, inviting parents and grandparents to sample life in the 19^th Century.

On arrival, we were greeted by excited Victorian children, welcoming us to an evening of intrigue and elegance.

In the Drawing Room, pupils were waiting to sketch portraits in silhouette.

A variety of handicrafts were being made in Mrs Doyle’s room. Visitors could create a kaleidoscope, sew a sampler, fold paper to make a gift box or make a corn dolly.

In the Parlour, there was a tempting selection of Victorian food to try – dainty cucumber sandwiches, steaming oxtail soup, buttered scones and Victoria sponge.

While adults sipped cups of tea, children drank ginger beer and traditional lemonade.

Victorian wooden toys were on display in Mr Talbot’s room. Many children took up the challenge of making a somersaulting acrobat or a spinning top.

The Music Room was host to an evening of delightful Victorian entertainment, beginning with a dance by Y5 girls. This was followed by a spine-chilling performance of the tale of Dr Crippen.

The corridor outside Y5 had been used to recreate the atmosphere of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Many wonderful inventions were on display, from a stamping machine, to a gift-wrapping machine, to a Wow box. It was obvious that a lot of thought and effort had gone into creating these masterpieces.

 

(To see more photos go to our galleries page or click here)

 

Victorian News Reports - Year 5

The children have read about Dr Crippen and this has inspired them to write newspaper reports about the Victorian period.

Click on the thumbnails below to view their reports.

                               

  

 

Victorian Day – 18^th October 2007

Year 5 spent an enjoyable day finding out what life was like as a Victorian child. Many pupils and staff entered into the spirit of things by dressing in clothes from the Victorian period.

The school bell rang, and pupils lined up on the playground, girls in a separate line to boys, before filing into school for lessons.

The day began with a nail and shoe inspection, and pupils were reminded that hands should be clean and nails short.

The first lesson consisted of reciting times tables, followed by repeating the alphabet backwards.

Our next activity was to make a kaleidoscope. Here are the instructions for making one:-

• Get a sheet of plain card.

• Measure 18 cms across the card, then another 2 cms for the flap. Cut it out.

• Stick a piece of tin foil, shiny side up, onto the card.

• Fold the card into thirds, with the 2 cm flap overlapping. Stick the flap down. You should now have a triangular prism.

• Use either greaseproof or tracing paper to cut out a triangle 1 cm bigger than the end of the prism.

• Stick it over the end of the prism and use a sharp pencil or needle to make a small hole for you to look through.

• Cut another triangle from tracing paper and decorate with sequins or glitter. Stick this onto the other end of the prism.

• Look through the hole while slowly turning the prism. You should see lots of different patterns.

Next it was time for handwriting practise. We got our copybooks out and practised the copperplate writing that Victorian children used, remembering to put our ‘hooks and hangers’ in the right places!

After that, we had some Victorian biscuits and a drink before going onto the old playground and playing Victorian street games. There was skipping, hopskotch, cup and ball and bowling a hoop.

When we went back into class after break, we copied the Lord’s Prayer into our copybooks and wrote the instructions for making a kaleidoscope.

We were allowed to try some Victorian vegetable soup with bread and jam. It was very nice.

(Report by Andrew Martin 5AD)

 

In the afternoon, pupils were given the opportunity to try their hand at traditional Victorian handicrafts. A lot of families could not afford to buy dolls and toys for their children, and so they were often handmade.

Pupils tried making corn dollies, which proved harder than it looked, but the finished products were lovely.They also tried sewing samplers, using wool on hessian pieces.

The third activity was making moving pictures. Cards with a different picture on each side were fixed to straws, which, when spun round very quickly, made the two pictures seem as one. It was very effective.

The day ended with Year 5 hosting an assembly for the whole school, in which they performed Victorian songs and dances, and recited poems.

 

The Black Country Living Museum - 12th October 2007

On Friday 12^th October Year 5 visited the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. The whole village has been painstakingly recreated brick by brick, to look exactly as it would have done in Victorian times. It gives a fascinating insight into the kind of life people led, and the conditions they had to work in.

It certainly made us think about all the things we have that we take for granted.

Each group was allocated a ‘villager’ to act as guide for the day. They took us into shops and homes in the village, where we met people who described what life was like for those who used to live and work there.

Our first glimpse of Victorian life was in ‘Jerushah’, the famously tilted cottage. Here we could clearly see the effects of subsidence caused by mining.

Everything was on a slant, but this only seemed to add to the character of the place.

Inside the house there were signs that the family who lived there were fairly wealthy. We saw china crockery on a table that had a lace tablecloth. The walls were covered in wallpaper, which only rich people could afford to buy. There were books, which showed the family had learnt to read. In the parlour there was a beautifully ornate piano, another sign of wealth. None of these things were found in the poorer, back-to-back cottages, where families of ten or more often had to live in very cramped conditions.

There were no bathrooms – the toilet was situated outside, often at the bottom of the garden, and we could understand why people kept a ‘pot’ under their bed rather than brave the elements at night. Some children were rather shocked to discover that squares of newspaper were used as toilet roll!

Bathtime was once a week, in a tin bath in front of the range, with the same water being used for all members of the family. We imagined what it must have been like to be last in the queue!

From here we walked to the chapel, which is still used today. We discovered that some traditions are still carried on in Stockingford, such as the annual presentation of books to Sunday school children, and the harvest festival.

The Black Country was well-known world-wide for the quality of its handmade chains. We watched the chainmaker hammering them into shape while he explained that between two and thirty links could be made in an hour, depending on the size. We were horrified to learn that children as young as four were set to work in the chain shop in Victorian times.

Our next visit was to the chemist. The shop was filled with medicine bottles of all shapes and sizes, and we watched in fascination as the chemist demonstrated how tablets were made.

We learnt that many people would go to the chemist if they were ill, as they often could not afford to pay for a doctor. Babies were also taken to be weighed as there were no clinics. We also found out that the chemist was regularly asked to perform the duties of a vet.

We weren’t so keen on the idea of using a finger wrapped in a rag and dipped first in soot and then in salt, to clean our teeth. This is what happened if you could not afford to buy toothpaste!

The Hardware store was next. This sold many things, including carpet beaters, tin baths, brooms, rat traps and lamp wicks. The shop-keeper showed us how to catch and dispose of cockroaches, which was not very pleasant, but necessary.

After this, we went to the General Store. This sold a bit of everything – it was part butcher, baker, haberdasher, tobacconist and confectioner. There was great amusement amongst the children when they discovered that up until the age of six, boys and girls wore the same clothes.

Victorian children started work at a very young age. The baker told us that children who worked in the bakehouse would start at 5 o’clock in the morning, greasing loaf tins and cleaning out the ovens, before going to school. At lunchtime they would go back to the bakehouse to do more chores before returning to school for the afternoon.

Children also started working in the mines at an early age. The ground beneath the museum was mined for limestone, coal and ironstone, and over 40 mine shafts have been found.

The children donned hard hats and, carrying torches that gave the same amount of light as a candle, made their way into the mine shaft. Once underground, we learnt how the mines were run, how pit props were used, and how children were employed. The sound of a simulated explosion made a few of us jump in surprise.

After stopping for lunch, we walked back into the village to play some traditional street games. Our efforts were hilarious, and we soon found out just how hard it was to use a whip and top, and bowl a hoop. Mrs Perry and Mr Talbot joined in the fun, and easily won the skipping competition.

At 3.15 precisely, the school bell was rung, and we filed into the classroom in some trepidation – the school mistress looked very stern. Girls and boys lined up separately, and sat on opposite sides of the room.

First we had nail inspection, and anyone whose nails were dirty or too long, got told off. Then the teacher checked we had all paid our penny, and anyone who hadn’t paid was caned.

Children had to sit up straight at all times, with hands joined behind their backs, and feet together. The alphabet and times tables were recited, and then it was time for handwriting on our slates. Victorian children wrote in copperplate, which consisted of ‘hooks and hangers’. They were not allowed to write with their left hand, and this proved a challenge for some of us!

At the end of school the bell was rung again, and we were marched out onto the playground, breathing a sigh of relief that most of us had managed to escape the cane!

We just had time for one more ride on the tram before setting off for home.

It was a fantastic day, absolutely packed full of things to look at, find out about, and do. It was great fun.

(To see more photos from our day out go to our galleries page or click here)

 

Year 5 - The Story Writing Process - April 2007

Year 5 have been looking at the story writing process, and using what they have learned to write stories of their own.

Here is a selection of their work. Click on the thumbnails to see the full size images.

         

 

Christmas Concert – Y5 & Y6 - Thursday 21^st December 2006

The Y5 and 6 concert took place on Thursday 21^st December. Again, all pupils were invited to participate in some way – as musician, actor, singer or solo instrumentalist.

There were fantastic performances from the recorder group, guitarists, flautists, and choir, as well as drum accompaniment and a fabulous rendition of ‘Electricity’ by soloist Jordan McGuire.

A rather unusual, but much enjoyed feature of the concert was a performance of ‘Jingle Bells’, very cleverly played on wine bottles.

The drama group then explained about Christmas customs from around the world, revealing how they have been passed down through the generations until the present day.

Audience participation was a must during the Rock ‘n’ Roll Medley – many people instinctively started to clap or tap their feet in time to the music. It created the perfect atmosphere for an evening of festive entertainment.

To see photos click here, or go to our Galleries page.

We have had many positive comments about our Christmas plays. Here are just a few of them:-

• “Brilliant”

• “Very good”

• “I could watch it all over again”

• “That was so much better than last year”

• “There were some very professional children who kept it flowing nicely”

• “Fantastic”

• “That was the best thing they have ever done”

• “Lovely”

• “Excellent”

• “I didn’t know we had a multi-talented Head Teacher”

• “I enjoyed it so much”

• “It’s nice to see all pupils being included in some way”

• “The boy singing the solo was so brave to stand up there in front of everyone”

• “The Christmas concerts were great, and the Y3 and 4 concert rocked with Hosanna Rock. The Y5 and 6 concert rocked and rolled. The drama group put a lot of effort into the play and I really liked the acrobats and dancers.”

 

World War II Day - 19th October 2006
Account by Bethany Martin, 6BW

"Today at school it was World War Two day. I was really excited as I got dressed into my costume – we had to dress up as evacuees – and I wore a plain purple dress, a cardigan that my Mum had knitted me, my old 1940’s shoes and my hair in plaits. I felt a bit weird walking down the road with a gas mask box and suitcase and I actually felt as if I was being evacuated, because everyone looked so real."

"When we walked into school, we saw that the teachers had dressed up as well and we laughed at them. "

"After break we did cooking with Miss Selby, and we had the choice of making bread, jam or chutney. I chose to make the bread and I really enjoyed it (I really enjoyed eating it as well!)."

"Finally all the year 6 classes went into the hall, and then suddenly the air raid siren went off. We were led down into the basements of the school. I have to say that it was probably the worst part of the day for me, because at one point it was completely black, people kept pushing into me and it was horribly cobwebby!"

"On the whole, it was a great day, but I wouldn’t like to be an evacuee in the war – you would have to live in fear that your family might die, and would have to watch out for planes and air raid sirens."

You can see more photos from our WWII day on our galleries page.

Year 5 Visit To Burton Fields Farm - 27th June 2006

Year 5 pupils were invited to visit Burton Fields Farm, near Hinckley, to find out about how the countryside is managed and how crops end up as products on supermarket shelves.

The visit was funded by FACE (Farming And Countryside Education), and the whole day was packed full of information, exhibitions and hands-on activities, all designed to help us to understand where our food comes from. Each group had a farmer as their guide for the day.

We began by looking at pigs and cows, and what we get from them. There were displays of dairy produce, and animals for us to meet. Just as we emerged from the barn we met a reporter from Radio 4, who interviewed some of the pupils for the ‘Farming Today’ programme.

In the next few barns we learnt about maize, barley, and wheat. We had the opportunity to grind wheat, knead bread dough and see the finished product. We were amazed to discover how many processes sugar beet has to go through before it becomes sugar as we know it.

Pest control plays an extremely important part in the life of a farmer – without it, not many crops would survive. We found out about the many types of diseases caused by insects, and how they can be controlled.

A local farmer gave us a glimpse of a year in the life of an arable farm, explaining how crops are planted, harvested and rotated each year, and which machinery is used for each process. He also demonstrated how fields would have been ploughed before tractors were invented – we didn’t realise how hard this was until we tried to do it!

After lunch we went to find out about hedgerows and wildlife. We did a hedgerow sweep, and were fascinated by the many different creatures found there. We discovered why it is so important to maintain our hedgerows and how they help protect the wildlife that live in them.

Our final demonstration was fly-fishing, and after a bit of a struggle an enormous rainbow trout was caught for us to look at briefly, before being released back into the pond.

We left Burton Fields after an exhausting but very interesting day.

 

To see photos of our visit go to our gallery or click here.

 

Year 5 - Radio Stars!

Year Five recently made a study visit to a farm to look at food origins and production and some of our children were interviewed by BBC Radio 4 for their 'Farming Today' programme. 

Well done to Year 5 for being brave enough to face an intrepid interviewer, reporting for a spot on the daily programme.  At least we all know where beef and bread comes from now! You can see photos from our visit on our galleries page.