Our curriculum theme is:

Discover

Our enquiry question for Autumn 2026 is: 

“What can we learn from the conflicts of the past to build a more peaceful future?"

The main subject we will be focusing on during our project is history. The children will discover the causes of WW1 and how the war developed; explore the role of the British Empire; find out how soldiers were recruited; discover what life was like in the trenches; look at how weapons were used during WW1 and the effect that new technology had; understand the jobs and responsibilities of men on the front line; find out about the role of women; understand how propaganda was used to change people’s views; find out how animals helped during the war; discover what people ate during the war; learn about how the war ended and what happened afterwards and find out how the war is remembered today.

During the second half of the term the children will look at the events that led to Britain declaring war on Germany in 1939. They will find out which countries were involved and how people were persuaded to join the war effort. They will study The Battle of Britain and reflect on what life would have been like during The Blitz. They will learn about the importance of technology during the war effort and the key roles that tanks, planes and ships played. They will explore the significance of D-Day and find out how cracking Nazi Germany’s coded messages helped win WWII.

We will be reading the following texts: Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo, The Piano (Film Study), Friend or Foe by Michael Morpurgo, Beyond the Lines (Film Study), Poems from the Second World War selected by Gaby Morgan, and The Place of Moon and Stars by Pie Corbett 

WW1 Enquiry focus questions:

How do conflicts begin?

Was one event responsible for starting WW1?

What persuaded people to join the war?

What was the reality of war for soldiers?

Did new inventions make war more effective or more devastating?

 Did everyone experience WW1 in the same way?

Did peace treaties create lasting peace?

What can we learn from the conflicts of the past to build a more peaceful future?

WW2 Enquiry focus questions:

Who was involved in WW2 and did different people experience the war in different ways?

How did the war affect people, families and communities where we live?

How much did the Blitz affect Britain and people’s daily lives?

Can stories help us understand real historical experiences?

Did the war change women’s lives and roles in society?

What roles did men play during the war and were there alternatives to military service?)

How did rationing affect everyday life and support the war effort?

How did governments influence people’s attitudes and behaviour during the war?

What event brought the war to an end and what were the consequences of victory and defeat?

 

We will explore concepts such as courage, bravery, survival, freedom

The school treasures we are focusing on are peace and courage.

Our United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) this term is - Reduced inequalities (10): Reduce inequality within and among countries.  

 

Enhancement subjects

Science: Investigating light/Earth and Space

RE: Why is the Torah so important to Jewish people?/What does it mean if Christians believe God is Holy and loving? 

SCARF: Me and My Relationships; Keeping Safe

Computing: Computing systems and networks: Bletchley Park and the history of computers; Mars Rover 1

Music: Songs of WW2

Design & Technology: Textiles (Stuffed Toys); Food (wartime recipes)

PE: Real PE Tag Netball (invasion); Real PE River Crossing (OAA)

MFL: Spanish

 

P.E. is on a Wednesday and Thursday this term.

Children should come to school wearing their PE kit on these days.

 

Important dates this term:

Local History Day (Monday 28^th September)

Harvest Festival (Tuesday 29^th September)

World War 2 Workshop (Tuesday 3^rd November)

Hawthorn Class Assembly (Friday 27^th November)

 

There will be information, updates and photos posted on Class Dojo as well as individual messages so please check your app regularly. Please message me if you have any questions.

Miss Taplin