As we near the end of the children’s first term as Upper Juniors, the Prep 5 teachers have been reflecting on how beautifully the children have responded to the new English curriculum. The introduction of special exercise books which support handwriting development was an immediate hit with the children, and the teachers couldn’t agree more - the books have already made a difference to the quality and consistency of the children’s handwriting!  

We have enjoyed diving into two beautiful, short-form books over the Autumn Term in Prep 5. The first was ‘Queen of the Falls’ - the true story of Annie Edson Taylor, the retired charm school teacher who in 1901 became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and survive! Exploring Annie’s fascinating story from different perspectives gave us opportunities to practise writing in different styles, from diary entries and letters to newspaper reports and even social media posts! 

This half term, we are enjoying the story of fairytale heroine Jub, in her quest to save bedtimes across the land by rescuing all ‘The Lost Happy Endings’. This has led us to explore narrative arcs and character archetypes in fairytales, and we have had lots of fun choosing ways to describe the central characters.  

This text has also given us lots of wonderful opportunities to analyse the different literary devices which make storytelling sparkle. The children have loved applying this knowledge into their own creative writing: crafting vivid, multisensory descriptions that transport the reader right into the setting of their story. We really feel we have some budding future authors in the making, here at Lady Barn! 

Miss Foster 

Prep 5 Teacher