Moving into Upper KS2 is an exciting time for our Year 5 children where they move into their last years with us at Echelford. We introduce them to a range of varied and inspiring topics such as Space, The Victorians, Ancient Greeks and The Amazon Rainforest. We are also lucky to read a fabulous selection of high quality texts, showing a range of diversity to support these topics such as Street Child, Floodland and Hidden Figures. Throughout these topics, we encourage the children to write for a wide range of purposes and audiences, helping the children to develop an increasingly sophisticated writing style.

Children are given the opportunity to go to Bowles, a 2 night residential trip to Kent, where they can take part in a wide range of activities such as rock climbing, orienteering, pool kayaking and even dry slope skiing! There is also a day trip to the Victorian Milestones museum, where the children can dress up as children from the era and have the opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of a Victorian child. 

Additionally, we host a range of in school experience days such as ‘Antarctica day’ linked to our Shackleton topic and Rainforest Rangers Day, linking to our studies of South America.

Year 5 brings with it the opportunity to apply to become a ‘Playground Pal’: an important role  in which the chosen children support others at lunchtimes and facilitate happier play experiences for younger children. Sports Leaders are being reintroduced to our Year 5 children where they are used as PE assistants, supporting KS1 in their lessons. A new introduction of Diversity Ambassadors has launched this year, where Year 5 children will lead a group that celebrates all the wonderful qualities that make Echelford unique and yet one.

Throughout Years 1-6 the learning is focused on mastering the end of year objectives set out in the 2014 National Curriculum.

In Years 1 & 2 the children follow the Key Stage 1 programmes of study as outlined in the National Curriculum and in Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 they follow the Key Stage 2 programmes. The National Curriculum for both key stages consists of the core subjects: Mathematics, English, Science and Computing; and the foundation subjects; History, Geography, Design & Technology, Art and Design, Music, and P.E. The Surrey Agreed Syllabus is used for the teaching of Religious Studies (R.S).  

Children are taught in mixed ability classes throughout the school. They progress through the classes according to age except in very exceptional instances where the individual needs of the child make an alternative programme necessary.