Milepost 3: Years 5 and 6
Milepost 3 comprises of Year 5 (ages 9 to 10) and Year 6 (ages 10 to 11). In this Milepost, students experience a rich, varied and individualised curriculum.
Years 5 & 6
In Milepost 3, students continue to follow the English National Curriculum and combined with IPC topics.
Child development is characterised by an increasing level of independence and, alongside the acquisition of essential skills, knowledge and understanding of how to learn, their attitudes and personal development are also central aspects.
By the beginning of Year 5, pupils should be able to read aloud a wide range of poetry and books written at an age-appropriate interest level with accuracy and at a reasonable speaking pace. They should be able to read most words effortlessly and to work out how to pronounce unfamiliar words with increasing automaticity. Pupils’ confidence, enjoyment and mastery of language is extended through public speaking in class assemblies, Christmas productions, other performances and debate.
We encourage pupils to read widely and frequently, outside as well as in school, for pleasure and information. They should be able to read silently, with good understanding, inferring the meanings of unfamiliar words, and then discuss what they have read.
Pupils’ grammar and punctuation should be broadly accurate. Their spelling of most words taught so far should be accurate and they should be able to spell words that they have not yet been taught by using their knowledge of common spelling patterns.
By the end of year 6, pupils’ reading and writing should be sufficiently fluent for them to manage the general demands of the curriculum in year 7, across all subjects and not just in English.
The principal focus of mathematics in Milepost 3 is to ensure that pupils extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. This should develop the connections that pupils make between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio.
At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient written and mental methods of calculation.
With this foundation in arithmetic, pupils are introduced to the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems.
Knowledge and understanding of geometry and measures is consolidated and pupils are able to classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties. In addition, more complex mathematical vocabulary is learned.
By the end of year 6, pupils should be fluent in written methods for all four operations, including long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages.
International Primary Curriculum (IPC)
All other subjects including Science, Geography, History, Art and Design, ICT, Design and Technology, Music and International studies, are taught using the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). These topics cover the learning outcomes for each subject from the English National Curriculum but allow more flexibility to make teaching and learning appropriate in an international setting.
All IPC topics begin with an exciting ‘Entry Point’ to engage the children and a ‘Knowledge Harvest’ to discover what pupils already know. Teaching is then tailored to ensure the necessary learning outcomes are covered and time is allocated for pupils to investigate areas of interest and to answer questions surrounding the topic.
Each topic ends with an ‘Exit Point’ whereby the pupils showcase their learning. Exit Points range from yeargroup performances to the creation of blogs and webpages. In each case, the school community, including pupils, teachers and parents, is involved.
Activities and Trips
Throughout Milepost 3, the curriculum is enhanced with visits to local places of interest and a residential trip that links to the topics the students are studying. We also welcome visitors into school to share their expertise, enrich our curriculum and help us celebrate events and festivals such as carnival and World Book Day and International Week. Through our holistic approach to education, children take part in musical recitals, art exhibitions and drama performances during class assemblies and our Christmas production. We also offer a variety of extracurricular clubs and peripatetic music classes.
