Explore Skellig by David Almond through a sequence of lessons designed for Year 5, using this engaging and thought-provoking novel to develop reading fluency, comprehension and writing for a range of purposes. The lessons encourage children to explore themes of friendship, family, change, mystery, courage and the power of human connection, while developing their confidence in responding to a rich and challenging text.

Each lesson focuses on key Upper Key Stage 2 reading and writing objectives, building children’s vocabulary, inference, prediction and retrieval skills alongside opportunities for discussion, drama and creative response. Children are encouraged to engage critically with the characters, consider different interpretations of Skellig and the events surrounding him, and explore how Almond creates mystery, tension and atmosphere. Through the novel, pupils develop their understanding of character, setting, narrative structure and authorial choice, while producing purposeful writing inspired by the text.