Curriculum overview
Year 5 Curriculum Overview
A clear, parent-friendly overview of typical Year 5 subjects in the British National Curriculum—plus how ETIA Academy delivers them through calm, flexible, project-based learning.
How to use this page
This overview is designed to help home-educating families understand what Year 5 commonly covers across subjects. It’s a guide—not a checklist—and children can progress at different rates depending on confidence, needs and interests.
British National Curriculum (typical Year 5)
Subject overview
Below is a high-level snapshot of the kinds of knowledge and skills many children develop in Year 5.
English
Reading comprehension and discussion; expanding vocabulary; writing for different purposes (narrative, explanation, persuasion); grammar and punctuation (including relative clauses and modal verbs); spelling patterns and word origins; confident speaking and listening.
Maths
Place value to larger numbers; the four operations with larger integers; fractions (equivalence, comparison, addition/subtraction) and decimals; measurement and unit conversion; geometry (angles, shape properties, coordinates); statistics (tables and graphs); reasoning and problem-solving.
Science
Forces; Earth and space; properties and changes of materials; planning fair tests; recording results; drawing conclusions using evidence; scientific vocabulary and models.
Foundation subjects
History, Geography, Art & Design, Design & Technology, Computing, Music, PE, PSHE/RSHE and Languages—taught through meaningful themes and projects that connect knowledge across subjects.
ETIA Academy academic curriculum
How our projects cover Year 5 learning
Rather than teaching subjects in isolation, our 12-module programmes integrate core and foundation subjects into real-world projects—so children practise reading, writing and maths while exploring science, humanities, creativity and life skills.
How this works in practice
What a Year 5 learner does at ETIA Academy
Families can move through modules at a pace that suits their child. Each module includes clear guidance, project steps and outcomes—so learning feels structured, but never rushed.
Start with a theme
A module begins with an engaging real-world theme (for example: sustainability, innovation or community).
Learn through tasks
Children complete reading, writing, maths and research tasks that build toward a final project outcome.
Create a project outcome
Learners produce something meaningful—such as a presentation, model, report, prototype or campaign—showing what they understand.
Reflect and progress
Simple reflection prompts help children notice their growth and build confidence before moving on.
Important note for home-educating families
This page is an overview of typical Year 5 learning areas and is provided for information only. Requirements can vary by child and by local authority. For official guidance on elective home education, please refer to gov.uk.
Ready to see the full pathway?
Explore ETIA Academy’s project-based programmes
See how our 12-module programmes support confident, pressure-free progress across the curriculum—at your child’s pace.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us about your child and your home education goals—we’ll help you choose the best next step.