Throughout this topic pupils will explore artistic genres through dance, music and creative design, focusing on themes of community, identity and belonging. They will learn how the arts express personal experience, cultural heritage and collective memory. As part of this, they will study the Aberfan Disaster, learning about community life before the tragedy, the unity shown afterwards and the resilience of survivors. This will help them understand the importance of remembrance and how communities choose to honour significant events.

Engaging with the Expressive Arts will support pupils’ well‑being, confidence and emotional expression. Through questioning, problem‑solving and reflection, they will develop independence, perseverance and a stronger sense of identity. They will learn to appreciate different perspectives and understand how people express themselves in diverse ways linked to culture and lived experience. Writing activities will reinforce themes of community, shared values and belonging.

These experiences will help pupils become ambitious, capable learners who manage time and resources effectively to produce high‑quality outcomes. Year 5 will create a Rock the Runway fashion show using recyclable materials, while Year 6 will include their recyclable fashion show in their leavers’ assembly. Both year groups will also plan and host an afternoon tea in memory of the Aberfan Disaster, demonstrating empathy, community awareness and the importance of remembrance.

Support learning at home.

Parents can support their child’s numeracy at home by linking simple, everyday activities to what we are learning in school. Measuring materials for crafts, comparing prices in shops and helping to plan small budgets all connect to our fashion‑show and afternoon‑tea projects. Cooking together is a great way to practise weighing, counting and scaling recipes, while music and dance at home can help children count beats, compare song lengths or create small charts of family favourites. Families can also talk about dates and timelines linked to our Aberfan remembrance work, play quick games with dice or coins to build confidence with number and probability, and carry out small surveys at home to practise making bar charts or pictograms. These easy, practical activities help children see how maths fits naturally into everyday life and support the skills they are developing in school.

Parents can support children’s literacy at home by talking with them about what they are learning in school in simple, everyday conversations. Asking children to explain their dance, music or art activities, or to share what they’ve learned about community, identity and the Aberfan Disaster, helps them build vocabulary and confidence. Reading together—whether it’s books, leaflets, online articles or poems—also strengthens understanding, especially when stories link to themes of belonging, culture or remembrance. Writing at home can be kept short and meaningful, such as diary entries, thank‑you notes, invitations or plans for their recyclable fashion designs. Families can also help by discussing creative work in everyday language, asking what a piece of music made their child think of or why they chose certain materials for their design. Getting involved in the recyclable fashion project, gathering materials and talking through ideas encourages problem‑solving and clear communication. Sharing family stories about community, kindness or resilience helps children understand identity and remembrance, while encouraging questions supports curiosity and deeper thinking.