Welcome to Sycamore 5!

2025 – 2026

Mrs Oz/Mrs Davis - Class Teachers
Mrs Williams, Mrs Crosby, Mrs Komuszynska - Teaching Assistants

Summer 1

Ancient Egypt

In today’s lesson, Teak Class learned about the parts of a flower which allow it to reproduce through the processes of pollination and fertilisation.  They dissected a flower to identity each individual part of the flower. We learned that flowers have both male and female parts.

Male part (stamen) = the filament, anther and pollen.
Female part( pistil) = the stigma, style and ovary (which produces the seeds)

Plants only produce seeds if they are pollinated. Plants are pollinated in different ways including wind, insects and even brushing clothes against it!

Last week, Year 5 enjoyed a fantastic 2-day trip to the North East of England to visit our partner school - Lanchester EP Primary School in County Durham.

The long-awaited day had arrived and everyone was ready and full of excitement, despite the very early start, to make our journey to the North East. Our first stop was at the famous Angel of the North statue in Gateshead, where we stopped for a lunch break in the sunshine and met up with Mr Bailey, who told us about the interesting history of the statue, as well as reciting a famous poem about the Angel complete with full Geordie dialect, which we really enjoyed.

It was then back on the coach to head to our next stop - Durham Cathedral. We had a fascinating tour of the Cathedral, learning about the history of the building, of the legend of St Cuthbert and about the Cathedral's fame, appearing in such films as Harry Potter. We then took part in a variety of challenges - Cuthbert's Challenges - which tested our teamwork, resilience and logic. (As well as being great fun!) The children were considerate, respectful and great ambassadors for Birchwood throughout our time at the Cathedral and it was commented on by both the Cathedral staff and members of the public. Well Done Year 5!

After the Cathedral, it was onto Ask Italia for a delicious 3-course meal enjoyed with friends. We also celebrated three birthdays within the group - Paddy, Gracie and Mrs Shaw, who were all treated to a slice of cake. We then made our final journey of the day to Lanchester EP Primary School, where we were warmly welcomed by the Headteacher, Mrs Davis, and settled into our new surroundings. We enjoyed exploring the village and then a visit to the local park to enjoy the last of the sunshine. 

After a fun sleepover with our friends, we enjoyed our breakfast provided by Mrs Davis and her staff, which set us up for the second day of our North East adventure. We headed into Newcastle and had a walking tour of the city led by Mr Bailey. We found out about where Newcastle got its name, some historical events that had shaped Newcastle over the years and about the significance of the River Tyne and the seven bridges that cross it. 

We then continued through the City Centre to our next destination; St James' Park, home of Newcastle United FC. We had a fantastic time exploring the museum, the press box, the dressing rooms, the pitch and the stands of this amazing stadium. The children even got the opportunity to lead out of the players' tunnel and sit pitch side, which was a definite highlight. They asked insightful questions throughout the tour and showed great interest and enthusiasm.

What a fantastic trip we had and the children were a credit to Birchwood throughout. Their politeness, enthusiasm and impeccable behaviour made everyone incredibly proud. This was a fantastic opportunity for our children and will hopefully have prepared them for their longer stay away from home next year at Manor Adventure. Thank you for a great couple of days, Year 5! 

On Wednesday 15th April, Year 5 enjoyed a history visit to The Black Country Living Museum. The children enjoyed immersing themselves in history and finding out more about life during the Industrial Revolution and beyond. They got to find out about the conditions in the mines and watched a fascinating show, which showed them how different gases created dangers such as fire. They also had a tour of the colliery above ground. The children also enjoyed time exploring the village and seeing what life was like in the past, asking thoughtful and insightful questions of the people they encountered. Highlights were definitely a trip on a double decker bus, playing traditional children's games, a visit to the park, watching someone ride a penny farthing and finding the traditional sweet shop! A fantastic day was had by all and the children were a credit to Birchwood.