Learning in Oak Class
Welcome to Oak Class! Mr Cole is the class teacher on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Mrs Lancaster is the teacher on Thursdays and Fridays. Our TA is Mrs Davis.
We are encouraged to always be kind and to respect each other, as well as to always have a positive approach to our learning and do our very best.
Homework is given out on a Thursday and due in the following Thursday. It consists of Reading, Spelling and Times Tables. In addition, a termly project linked to our learning in class will be set by Mr Cole.
We follow the Twinkl Spelling scheme and learn a different rule each week. Our spelling tests are on a Thursday.
PE is on a Tuesday afternoon. This term’s focus will be Dance and Football.
Information for Autumn Term 2026
English
We will begin the term by studying the text “Stig of the Dump”. Clive King’s classic story will provide us with a wealth of writing opportunities including character descriptions, diary extracts and narratives. We will also link some of our Humanities topic of World War Two to writing tasks such as instructions for fitting a gas mask and letters as evacuees. The children thoroughly enjoy debating and we are hoping to hold one or two debates during the term. This provides the children with an opportunity to develop their speaking and listening skills. Of course, as well as writing and debating, we will continue to focus on other key literacy skills including reading, spelling, grammar, punctuation and comprehension. Please encourage your child to further develop a love of reading by listening to them read at home, reading stories to them at home and encouraging them to pick up a book, magazine or newspaper whenever there is a spare moment!
Children are regularly taught punctuation and grammar skills and are encouraged to use these skills accurately in their written work.
Reading is so important. Children are given the opportunity to read at school daily, both individually and with reading buddies. In addition, Mr Cole and Mrs Lancaster read to the children every day. This will support the development of fluency, where children will learn skills to enable them to read accurately, at a reasonable pace and with expression.
Comprehension work is also completed every week with Mr Cole. Children read and analyse a range of texts and answer questions, further developing their deduction and inferential skills.
Maths
We follow the Hamilton Trust scheme of work for Maths.
This term we will be focussing on Place Value (to tens of millions), Addition and Subtraction, Decimals, Multiplication and Division, Fractions and Shape.
Quick recall of times tables facts is so important and children are encouraged to practise regularly at home.
Science
We will start the term with the topic “Evolution and Inheritance”. We will begin by looking at fossils and finding out about the famous palaeontologist Mary Anning. As part of the topic, the children will learn about adaptation and even have an opportunity to create their own unique breed of dog! Later in the term, we will move onto studying the classification and habitats of animals and plants.
Humanities
This term, our focus will be on World War Two. We will learn about what caused the war and explore areas such as evacuation and rationing amongst others. Some of our learning will be through Art and DT. Mapping skills and locating countries across the world will feature too in our learning.
RE
We follow the RE Agreed Syllabus for Herefordshire and our units this term are: “ What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?” and “Why do Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah?”
Art / Design Technology
Much of our work in Art and Design Technology will be linked to our Humanities studies of World War Two and Stig of the Dump. Among other activities, we will be making a gas mask, Anderson shelter, creating Stig’s den and cooking using some World War Two recipes. We will also be creating a clay replica of a fossil in Science. In Art, we will be studying Kandinsky and creating our own piece inspired by the artist. Later in the term we will be studying Escher and creating a piece of work using mark making skills.
Computing
This term's topics are Data and Information: Flat File Databases and Creating Media: Vector Drawing.
French
We will begin the term by starting the topic “All About Ourselves” and then move on to “Family and Friends”.
Music
The term’s focus this term will be using Garage Band where we will be further developing our skills in sequencing, recording, composing and computing. We will also be learning new songs and singing for our Christmas production.
PSHE / SRE / Citizenship
This term’s focus will be on British Values, Friendships and Relationships.
Included in our PSHE lessons is our Values Education. The Values for this term are:
September - Creativity
October - Cooperation
November - Flexibility
December - Gratefulness
Please see below for the topic plans for Oak Class for the whole academic year.