KS2 End of Year Newsletter
As the Summer term and academic year draws to an end here at Britannica International School, it is a timely moment to look back at some of the wonderful learning that has taken place across Key Stage 2. From Stone Age tools to Roman inventions, messy science to faraway fiction, each year group has created its own special memories.
Year 3
Our Year 3 students began their KS2 journey with enormous enthusiasm. In English, they explored traditional tales and fables, developing their descriptive language before taking to the stage for performance poetry — building confidence with every rhyme and rhythm. Their non-chronological reports and diary writing allowed them to organise facts and capture emotions, while instructional writing gave them the skills to guide others step by step.
In Maths, the children mastered numbers to 1000, tackled addition and subtraction with exchanges, and built a strong foundation in the 3, 4 and 8 times-tables. They explored length, perimeter, mass and capacity through practical measuring activities that brought numbers to life.
Science provided unforgettable moments this year. The children investigated rocks and fossils, explored forces and magnets, and learned about plants and photosynthesis. But a particular highlight was their unit on Light and Shadows, where they created their own shadow puppets and put on wonderful, entertaining performances — a truly memorable hands-on experience.
Topic learning transported them across time and place. The Stone Age saw them creating cave paintings and exploring the shift from nomadic life to settled communities. They journeyed across Europe, discovering its countries, capitals and cultures, before travelling further back to Ancient Egypt. The children absolutely loved learning the steps of the mummification process and discovering the stories of some of the most famous pharaohs and finding the culprit who stole their Canopic jars! This was a topic that brought history to life and certainly sparked many conversations.
Year 4
Year 4 has been a year of vivid descriptions and persuasive voices. The children progressed from crafting rich descriptive passages to using persuasive devices that encouraged the whole school to think more about sustainability. Their biographies, written during the summer term, gave them a real purpose for writing as they researched world leaders and presented their findings through various text formats.
The children developed confidence with numbers up to 10,000, mastered column addition and subtraction with exchanges, and explored area, fractions, decimals and time. They learned to convert between analogue, digital, 12-hour and 24-hour clocks — a skill they now use to organise their own daily routines.
Science provided some of the most memorable moments of the year. The children explored states of matter, sound and electricity, constructing simple circuits and learning how vibrations travel to the ear. Our sound and electricity unit filtered into our STEAM curriculum perfectly as the children designed guitars, cut them with our laser cutter and programmed algorithms on microbits to create electric guitars! But the highlight was undoubtedly the replication of the human digestive system — a wonderfully messy experience that the children absolutely loved. From the mouth all the way through, this lesson will live long in the memory!
Topic learning allowed for rich cross-curricular links. The children explored mythical beasts and Ancient Greeks, discovering how ancient beliefs and achievements still influence our world today. Their sustainability unit impassioned them to express their feelings about protecting our planet — a topic that came to life during their school trip to the chocolate factory, where they learned about fair trade and sampled many delicious flavours along the way.
Year 5
Year 5 has been a year of creativity, curiosity and challenge. In English, the children became published authors, creating their own Mr. Men and Little Miss stories — a proud moment for every writer as they presented on stage. They explored faraway fiction through Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, making inferences and immersing themselves in an African tale. Their short scary stories, inspired by The 13th Floor, showcased their ability to build suspense and keep readers on the edge of their seats. The children also mastered the art of persuasion and complaint writing, learning how tone and vocabulary can influence an audience — skills they put to the test in a complaint email.
In Maths, the Year 5 children extended their understanding to numbers up to 1,000,000, tackled formal multiplication and division methods, and explored fractions, decimals and percentages with growing confidence. They measured angles, calculated perimeter and area, interpreted line graphs and timetables, and even converted between metric and imperial units — real-world maths at its best.
Science brought spectacular moments, none more memorable than the Egg Drop Extravaganza. After studying air resistance, the children designed and tested parachutes to protect their eggs — with parents watching on, science, engineering and a little bit of drama came together as Mr. White launched the eggs from the school roof! Their exploration of forces, gravity, friction and water resistance was complemented by learning about levers, gears and pulleys. The Earth and Space unit saw them naming planets and distinguishing between day and night, while their living things and habitats work included the fascinating process of metamorphosis and the life cycles of animals and plants. Their studies of rivers gave them the opportunity to use our laser scanner to make 3D versions of their cascading designs.
In Topic, the Romans transported them back to ancient times, exploring leaders, gods, inventions and the eventual downfall of the empire — with a gripping study of Pompeii and volcanoes. The Tudors brought monarchs to life through the stories of Henry VIII, Mary and Elizabeth, examining crime, punishment and social change. Later in the year, the children delved into rainforests, identifying layers, climates and the meaning of 'indigenous', before discovering the fascinating Maya civilisation. A residential trip and a visit to a restaurant provided real-world experiences that will be fondly remembered for years to come.
We are incredibly proud of everything our Key Stage 2 children have achieved this year. They are well and truly ready for the next phase in their learning journey. We wish you all a restful and happy summer holiday, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for another wonderful year of learning.
