4th October
This week in English, we have been completing our extended write. It is a diary entry written as the character from Rose Blanche. We have also been editing and redrafting our work to make it the very best piece of writing possible.
In Maths, we have been learning long division. It is a tricky method that we are aiming to master. Y6 are showing lots of resilience and determination.
In Science, we will be looking at the work of Charles Darwin, specifically his theory of evolution.
In History, we learned about how the Mayans were great at farming. This skill enabled their civilisation to flourish.
In RE, we will be looking at a variety of religious pilgrimages starting with the Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
In PSHCEE, we will be role playing scenarios using play scripts. They will be based on a group of friends. From our performances, we will be discussing the choices made by different individuals and the impact it has on others.
27th September
In English this week, we have been practising using dashes for parenthesis. We have also finished reading Rose Blanche. The children were so shocked by the ending! We have then done a piece of writing as Rose Blanche to really convey the thoughts and feelings of a character.
In Maths, we have been multiplying 3 digit numbers by 2 digits and 4 digit numbers by 2 digits using long multiplication. All children are doing really well with this lengthy process.
In Science, we will be discovering what we can learn from fossils.
In History, we learned about the structure of the Mayan society. Many children were surprised to find that the priest was considered more important than the rulers.
In PE, we have been playing tag netball and practising the skills needed to be successful at this game. We have also been working on our reaction and responses.
In RE, we have learned about the life journey of a Christian. We have thought about how their life is similar and different to a non-Christian.
20th September
In English this week, we have read more in our story of Rose Blanche. We have been writing a setting description based on the text. We have been learning about the difference between formal and informal speech and using semi-colons to separate items in a list.
In Maths, we have been learning the order of operations. We have put this knowledge into practise by solving equations. We have also been embedding the knowledge of how to multiply and divide by 10, 100 and 1000.
In History, we have learned about the religious beliefs of the Mayans.
In RE, we are going to be looking at the life journey of a Christian and comparing it to our own life journey's.
In Science, we will be looking at the adaptations of plants in order to survive.
In PSHCEE, we have been discussing problems involving friendships. We have been giving advice for how to approach these scenarios and we have really thought about how to be assertive when needed.
13th September
This week, in our reading lessons, we have been using the text DK Eyewitness World War II. We have made summaries based on the information we have read and we have discussed how the layout on a page, in a non-fiction text, can help you locate information.
In English, we have started looking at our vehicle text - Rose Blanche by Roberto Innocenti. We have made predictions based on clues from the text. We then began reading and focussed on two characters in the book - Rose and a soldier. Based on our discussions of these characters, we wrote a contrast poem.
In Maths, we have began with place value up to ten million. Y6 have shown an excellent understanding of the values of digits within a larger number. We have also been rounding numbers to the nearest million.
In Science, our topic this half term is evolution and inheritance. We have started by looking at how parents pass on characteristics such as eye colour, hair colour or height, for example, to their offspring. We have learned why there is variation in species.
In RE, our topic is 'Life is a journey.' We will be looking at journeys that take place in various religions.
In History, our topic is The Mayans. We have started by looking at where the Mayans settled which is Mesoamerica or what we call today, Central America
In PE with Mr Saunders, we will be learning how to play tag rugby. In our Real PE sessions, we will be practising the fundamental skills of co-ordination when throwing and catching and action and response skills.
New School Year
6th September 2024
Y6 have settled in brilliantly into a new class and a new routine. We have started as we mean to go on in terms of our daily routines and expectations of learning and behaviour. Every member of our class is trying their very best to meet those expectations which impresses me greatly. We have had a vote and decided on our first 'Blessings in a jar' reward which is earned as a whole class. The reward will be a day sitting anywhere in class.
PE days this year will be on Wednesdays and Thursdays. All children are expected to have their correct PE kit in school on these days. As colder months are approaching, it is acceptable for the children to bring in blue or black jogging trousers/leggings and a jacket to be warmer when outside. This is optional.
Homework will be sent home on Fridays and is expected to be completed fully and returned no later than the following Wednesday. A homework club to complete homework will be available on a Tuesday lunchtime.
Spellings will be given out on Fridays too, ready to be practised the following week. Spelling and times table tests will take place every Friday morning.
Times table knowledge is vital in Y6 as the children work towards their SATs assessments in May. The children will be practising daily in class but they are also expected to be practising at home too in order to have an excellent ability to recall of all times tables and the related division facts. This really will help them in their Maths work.
I'd like to thank all parents and carers in advance for your help and support this year to make sure that all of the children reach their full potential. I welcome any questions or concerns that you might have this year - I am here to help.
19th July
Well Y6, the end is almost here. What a wonderful class you have been and I will miss you all terribly. As sad as endings can be, new beginnings can be so exciting. After the tears have dried from leaving Primary School, make sure you smile at the future ahead of you. It is such a bright future for each and every one of you. We have all worked so hard this year to prepare you for the challenges of high school and beyond; you are all more than ready. Be good, be yourselves and work hard and success will come your way.
We are always here for you all if you should ever need anything. We'd love you to keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on.
I wish everyone a happy and safe summer.
12th July
It has been transition week this week and our Y4 class have spent their mornings with their new teacher for next year, Miss. Lalsing in what will be their new classroom. The feedback that they have given me has been very positive and I think that everyone is looking forward to moving upstairs to upper KS2. We have continued to work through our English and Maths lessons and have been working on money and measurement as well as writing some characterisation paragraphs. May I take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support this year. It has been an absolute pleasure to teach this class this year, I couldn’t have wished for a better group.
12th July
Year 6 did amazingly in their dress rehearsal on Thursday with the whole school watching. We can’t wait to show all parents and families on Friday and then next Thursday.
Y6 also had their final Spanish lesson this week with Miss Interian. They have all worked so hard and they have an excellent foundation of Spanish ready for high school. Hopefully, the children will find the move to KS3 easy and perhaps some will even choose Spanish as a GCSE option.
The children were assessed at swimming this week. They all tried their best to show exactly what they were capable of. There may be a couple of things left to assess next week before the fun session.
5th July
Y6 have enjoyed their transition days at Hawkley Hall High School this week.
We have also been busily rehearsing using our props for the end the of year performance of 'The X-Factory.'
We have been learning how to play rounders for the past couple of weeks which has been lots of fun. We are really starting to understand the rules and practise techniques to help our teams be successful.
In Swimming this week, we completed our sponsored event of swimming 20 widths/lengths in order to raise money for the New Hope School in Uganda. All children achieved their target, if not exceeded it! Well done Y6!
28th June
Year 6 enjoyed their school trip to Liverpool, especially the sweet shop!
Our week has consisted of lots of rehearsals and full run throughs of our performance as we get closer to the big day.
In English, we have been looking for grammatical features of our example text which is a diary entry based on Romeo and Juliet. We are building up to our final extended write.
Y6 were further assessed at swimming yesterday. Many of our children are now in the deep end of the big pool where they will be swimming full lengths of the pool.
21st June
Y6 have had their water safety lesson this week. They learned how to safely help someone who is in difficulty in water without ever endangering themselves by getting into the water. They practised 3 methods of rescue which could potentially help to save someone one day.
We have also started making props and the back drop for our performance. Letters will be sent home soon regarding costumes that the children will need.
In RE, we are concluding our unit of work about 'Who Jesus is/Who Jesus was' by reflecting on our learning.
In English, we have started our last unit of work which will result in our last extended write this year. It is linked to the book we are currently using in our reading lessons - Romeo and Juliet.
14th June
Year 6 have been writing their documentary narrative extended writes this week about flamingoes. I have been very impressed with the formal tone, accuracy of punctuation and the information given about the behaviour of a group of flamingoes.
In RE, we have been comparing what different religions say about who Jesus is/was and then completing our end of unit reflection.
Rehearsals are still going well. We are getting very close to being off-script and our acting skills are improving daily.
7th June
Year 6 have had a busy week of rehearsals. We are doing really well learning our lines, song lyrics and actions, alongside remembering when to be on stage and where to be stood. Our play is coming together nicely.
Our first swimming lesson went swimmingly! Lots of fun was had as staff assessed the class to see which pool they will be in for their lesson next week and beyond.
Year 6 were amazing yesterday during our Sports Day. All of our class helped during the KS1 Sports Day with the KS1 classes. Some of our class helped out on stalls selling refreshments and raffle tickets. All of the children were so sensible and helpful. Lots of blessing in a jar rewards have been given which means we are very close to earning our next reward.
24th May
Year 6 have been busily building their playgrounds this week as part of their DT project. The final structures are very impressive!
We have also cast our end of year play and started rehearsing scenes 1 to 4. We are doing really well learning our lines. There are definitely some talented actors in our class. After half term, we will be starting to talk about costumes and props that will be needed for our performances
17th May
Year 6 have been working so hard this week to complete their SATs assessments. They have shown such dedication, resilience and hard work. We are so proud of each and every member of the year 6 class.
In the afternoons, we have been designing and making a playground. Using wood, straws, cardboard, pipe cleaners, saws and glue guns, we have made models of our designs. Year 6 have really enjoyed this and I have been so impressed with their creativity, team work and problem solving skills.
10th May
Year 6 have been continuing to really perfect their test taking skills this week by reading quickly and accurately, answering as many questions as possible in the time limit and keeping themselves focussed and motivated. Each and every pupil should be proud of themselves for the effort and hard work that they are consistently putting into their learning. The end is in sight now Y6!
We have earned our next 'Blessings in a jar' reward this week so Y6 will have an extra 30 minute playtime today. They are very excited to get out and enjoy the lovely weather. This reward is very much deserved!
3rd May
Y6 have been busily working towards their SATS assessments. We have been doing lots of reading within a short time frame to get used to working quickly. I have been really impressed with our reading fluency and speed and also their understanding of the text. Y6 are so focussed and they have good attitudes towards their learning which is really going to help them be as successful as possible.
In Maths, we have completed out unit of work on position and movement. We are confident at translating and reflecting shapes on a grid. We are able to accurately write co-ordinates too. We have now moved onto finding the 'mean' average of a set of data. After this, we will be looking at pie charts and line graphs.
Alongside this learning, we have been doing daily arithmetic practise. Our skills are really sharp, which again will help on all 3 of their Maths papers.
We have 6 school days left now until the week that we have been working towards all year. Y6 are very much ready! They are also looking forward to the Breakfast Club during SATs week. There is still time to return the reply slip if your child would like to attend that week. It is completely optional though.
Keep going Y6 - we are almost there!
28th March
Y6 have taken part in the Easter service today. They performed a short drama about how Jesus returned on Easter Sunday after his death. We then sang 'Led like a lamb' as a whole class. We even learned some sign language to go alongside our beautiful singing.
We have had our last puberty session today. The class have really enjoyed these sessions. Today, we discussed the importance of personal hygiene, skin care, diet and sleep. The children had to calculate the number of hours sleep they get on a daily basis. They were very surprised when told that the recommended amount of sleep needed from age 10-14 is 10 hours per night. We also talked about good habits around the use of technology.In Maths, we have been learning about negative numbers and applying this knowledge when problem solving. We will be moving onto Geometry next.
22nd March
In Maths this week, we have been finding the volume of cuboids. We have used the formula, length x breadth x height to give us an accurate volume. We will complete this unit of work this week and then we will be moving onto focus on geometry. We also have a daily arithmetic practise to keep our skills as sharp as possible as we get closer to SATs week.
In English, we have been describing a setting while reading about Hansel and Gretel. We have been using colons to mark the boundaries between clauses and using hyphens for clarity. We will be moving onto looking at our WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like) text to investigate how the author has written a dual narrative effectively.
In our SPAG sessions, we have been focussing on recapping our work on word classes and then understanding the differences between clauses and phrases, and then looking at the different types of phrases. Our spelling focus has been on 'cious' and 'tious' and then 'cial' and 'tial'.
In RE, we have been concluding our unit of work on the Eucharist by reflecting on our learning so far. We have also written our own prayers that link to the Eucharist service
Our puberty sessions went really well on Tuesday. The girls and boys had separate sessions and they had the opportunity to ask many questions in a safe space. The children were very sensible and mature.
15th March
Y6 have been working hard this week completing grammar work focussing on word classes and types of sentences. We have applied our knowledge to answering SATs style questions.
In Maths, we have been looking at finding the area and perimeter of rectangles and the area of triangles by identifying the base and height.
Y6 had their first puberty session as a whole class this week. They were very sensible and mature when discussing this subject.
In English, we have looked at an example dual narrative as we begin to work towards writing our own based on 'Hansel and Gretel.'
Y6 have entered a 'Young Writers' competition with the title, 'Crazy Creatures.' There are prizes that could be won for the best 100 word saga written by the children. I believe that every entry into the competition also receives a bookmark and a sticker. Hopefully, the winner will be a member of St. Paul's Primary School!
8th March
Y6 have been busily working their way through assessments this week. Every member of our class has shown resilience and determination in abundance as they were faced with challenging questions. They have shown how much they have learned so far and we couldn't be prouder.
We have also celebrated World Book Day this week where we completed a Book Cover quiz, wrote a book review about our favourite books, predicted which members of staff were the 'Masked Readers' and took part in an online virtual event with an author (Louie Stowell) Great fun has been had by all.
1st March
Y6 have settled back into their school routine beautifully after half term.
In Maths, we have been continuing our work on algebra. We have found it quite straight forward and are able to write expressions and evaluate expressions using substitution.
In English, we have started a new unit of work based on the book 'Hansel and Gretel' by Neil Gaiman. We will be building up to write a dual narrative.
In our Grammar work, we have been identifying parts of speech such as determiners, nouns and verbs. We have then been able to identify the subject and the object of a sentence
In RE, we are continuing our work on the Eucharist by finding the connection between the Eucharist and Passover.
Y6 have decided that their next 'Blessings in a jar' reward they would like to earn is a pyjama day.
16th February
Y6 had their 'Blessings in a jar' reward this week which was a day sitting anywhere. They have decided that the next reward they would like to earn is 'free choice' which they are challenging themselves to achieve before we break up for half term this Friday.
In English, we are planning our explanation text based on the adaptations of an animal of the children's choosing. We are aiming to write this before we finish for half term.
In Maths, we have been working our way through the algebra unit of work. The children have taken this in their stride and are able to identify patterns and use an expression to explain this.
In History, we will be looking at the many acts of the suffragettes and deciding whether each action helped or hindered them to gain suffrage.
In Science, we made working sets of traffic lights using circuits. We will also be completing our end of unit assessment now we have concluded our work on electricity.
9th February
In English this week, Y6 have been researching animal adaptations for their extended write. They are gathering information about their chosen animal for an explanation text about the adaptations that it has in order to survive.
In Maths, we have completed our unit of work about ratio and we will now be moving on to algebra.
In History, we learned about the role of women during the war. We will be concluding this unit of work by making an informed decision about whether the militant tactics of the suffragettes helped or hindered the fight for suffrage.
In Science, we have been designing and making a working set of traffic lights using our knowledge of circuits.
In RE, we have learned about the differences in beliefs within different denominations of Christianity, with regards to the Eucharist service.
2nd February
Y6 have been busily writing, editing and redrafting this week. They have been writing their discovery narrative based on Charles Darwin's journey and discovery of new species of animals. I have been very impressed with our formal tone, our adventurous vocabulary choices and attention to detail when punctuating sentences.
In Maths, we have completed our percentages work and we have moved onto ratio where we have introduced this concept by comparing quantities.
In Science, we came up with our own experiment. In groups, we made a control circuit with a cell, wires and a bulb. We then decided on a variable to change (either the number of bulbs or wires) We made a prediction and then carried out the experiment to see if our predictions were correct.
In History, we will be looking at examples of the militant tactics of the suffragettes.
In RE, we will be looking at why Christians celebrate the eucharist.
26th January
This week, Y6 have planned and started writing their extended write which is a discovery narrative. They have decided on an animal that Charles Darwin will discover on his journey and they have planned how to describe this.
In Maths, we have been finding percentages of amounts. The children have shown great resilience to apply this skill when problem solving.
In History, we learned about the differences between suffragists and suffragettes. We discussed the similarities and differences between the NUWSS and the WSPU. We then read descriptions of various ladies who were fighting for suffrage. We had to decide if they were classed as a suffragette or a suffragist based on their behaviour and beliefs.
In Science, we looked at various circuit diagrams and we had to identify and correct problems that prevent the circuit from functioning. Y6 were very knowledgeable and could recognise, explain and fix the issue. I think we may have a class of future electricians!
In RE, we have been discussing the Eucharist service and the symbols involved that represent the Christian belief.
In PE, we have been continuing to focus on our personal cog of recognising our own strengths and weaknesses and then challenging ourselves to improve.
19th January
Y6 have moved onto looking at percentages in Maths. We have been finding percentages of amounts this week.
In English, we have been analysing the WAGOLL discovery text to understand the features used. We will be aiming to include these features in our next extended write.
In Science, we made a circuit and tested the impact of adding more voltage to a circuit.
In History, we learned about the formation of the NUWSS and the WSPU. Both unions were created by women who were fighting for suffrage (the right to vote) but both groups behaved in different ways. We learned about the militant tactics of the WSPU and discussed why they were done and the impact they had.
In RE, we have been looking at the Last Supper. We read a bible extract about it and looked at paintings of the Last Supper. We discussed what was similar and what was different. We then discussed what the eucharist is.
In PE, we have been working on personal skills such as resilience, acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses and then challenging ourselves to improve our performance. We have worked on these skills via throwing and catching and then a game of tag netball.
In PSHCEE, we are completing our Real Leaders programme to help us be the best leaders when we are prefects and play leaders.
22 December
Y6 have been completing their extended write this week which has been a newspaper report based on the book, 'A Story Like the Wind.' We have enjoyed using formal language to report on the discovery of refugees on coast of Greece.
We have completed our Science unit of work about the Circulatory System and we have done our end of unit assessment.
We have earned our final blessings in a jar reward which is an afternoon of PE. We will hopefully be having that reward today or tomorrow - depending on the weather.
Y6 sang beautifully at the Church Service on Tuesday evening. Thank you so much to the children and families who were able to attend.
15th December
Y6 have been immersing themselves in example newspaper reports this week in order to build up to writing their own based on 'A story like the wind.' We will be reporting about how a character from the book managed to be rescued from the boat in the middle of the sea.
In Geography, we have concluded our unit of work about Rainforests and we have completed an end of unit assessment. I have been impressed with the amount of knowledge Y6 has acquired this past half term.
In Science, we will be looking at the affect of drugs and alcohol on the body and the heart. This will be our final piece of work before completing our end of unit assessment.
In Maths, we have been converting fractions to decimals and learning equivalent fractions and decimals. We will be moving on to multiply and divide decimals next. We have also completed a practise arithmetic paper.
Our cricket sessions have now ended. PE sessions will go back to Thursdays and Fridays.
8th December
Y6 have been completing their Flashback narrative extended write this week. They have been working hard to include all of the success criteria and edit and redraft their work to make it their best piece of writing.
In Maths, we have been dividing fractions by a whole numbers. We have understand the rules that we need to follow to do this. We will now be completing the end of unit assessment before moving on to decimals.
In Science, we were looking at the movement of water and nutrients in the blood. We learned that nutrients move from the small intestine into the blood stream via a process called
and the process of water moving into the blood stream is called osmosis.
In Geography, we have been looking at the reasons why deforestation occurs and the impact this has on the environment.
In PE, we have been doing gymnastics and cricket.
In Music, we have been practising our song for the Advent Service at St James Church on Tuesday 19th December at 6pm.
1st December
Year 6 have worked so hard this week on their assessments. They have completed past SATS papers in the same way that will carry out their actual SATs in May so they are as prepared as possible. Each and every member of the class has given it their absolute best effort and they have been really pleased with their results so far. Well done Y6 for showing great determination, hard work and resilience.
24th November
This week, in English, we have been planning our extended write. We have put a lot of time and effort into thinking of the language we will use and making sure we include all of the relevant grammatical features such as expanded noun phrases, transitional language, semi-colons to join two independent clauses, hyphens and ellipsis. We will start writing our flashback narrative tomorrow.
In Maths, we have been continuing to add and subtract mixed numbers and improper fractions. We are becoming more confident with the process now before we move on to multiplying and dividing fractions.
In Science, we will be learning about blood is made up of and the function of each of these cells.
In Geography, we learned about biomes. Using an atlas and maps, we located various biomes and explained what you would find in each one.
In RE, we will be learning about the prophets and their prophecies. We will discuss if what they predicted came true.
We have been keeping up with our kindness challenges each day. We have made sure that we share equipment in class, created a bug house and we have read books with younger pupils.
17th November
This week, we have completed a short, incidental write based on what we have read so far in, 'A story like the wind.' It gave us the opportunity to use a flashback memory which will help us when we build up to our extended write.
In Maths, we have been ordering and comparing proper and improper fractions and mixed numbers. We found that we need to convert all fractions so they have the same denominator before we can order and compare.
In Geography, we have been learning about the climate zones around the world. We discovered that the UK is in a temperate climate zone.
In PSHCEE, we have been learning about friendship and what qualities make a good friend.
In RE, we have been learning about the advent wreath and what it symbolises.
10th November
In English, Y6 have been using hyphens to clarify meaning in sentences. We have looked at an example text of a flashback narrative that we will be building up to writing. We will be analysing the features used in the text which will help us for our next extended write.
In Maths, we have started the chapter about fractions. We have been simplifying fractions and ordering and comparing proper fractions by converting fractions so they have the same denominator.
In Geography, we have been learning about the different layers of the rainforest.
In PE, we have started our cricket lessons. The children worked really hard this week to practise their throwing and catching skills which are needed to be successful when playing cricket.
In Science, we will be learning about veins, arteries and capillaries. We will be doing this using a Science experiment.
3rd November
Y6 have had a great first week back in school after half term. We have got straight back into our routine as if we've never been away.
In English, our new vehicle text is, 'A story like the wind' by Gill Lewis. It is a story about some people in a boat, at sea, who have lost their home and all of their belongings. We have started by immersing ourselves in the text by role playing the situation that the characters were in at the start of the story.
In Maths, we have been learning about common multiples, common factors and prime numbers. We have almost reached the end of this chapter and then we will be moving on to look at fractions.
In Geography, our new topic is about rainforests. We used a world map to locate many of the world's rainforests. We found that they are located close to the equator.
In Science, we are learning about the human body, in particular, the circulatory system. We discussed the role of the heart and the function it has within this system.
In RE, we are looking at advent and how Christians prepare for Christmas.
In PE, we will be doing gymnastics and cricket.
20th October
In Year 6 this week, we have been planning our bravery award speech about Rose Blanche. We will be spending the rest of the week writing, editing and redrafting. We have really enjoyed using this vehicle text but we are looking forward to a new book after half term.
In Maths, we have been problem solving using a range of methods such as using bar models to visualise the problem. We have thought about the step by step actions needed to find the answer and then carried them out in our maths journals. We will be moving on to look at multiples and factors next.
In Science, we have completed our unit of work about evolution and inheritance. We always end our units with an assessment and reflecting on what we have learned. After half term, we will be looking at systems within the human body.
In History, we will also be completing an end of unit assessment about the Mayans. After half term, we will move on to a Geography topic learning about Rainforests.
In RE, we will be ending our unit of work by looking at pilgrimages in different religions.
13th October
In English, Y6 have been immersing themselves once more in preparation for our next extended write. We will be building up to write a bravery award speech about Rose Blanche. We will be ensuring that we write in a formal tone, include semi colons to separate independent clauses and use the passive voice.
In Maths, we have been mastering our understanding of long division and deciding which method we prefer.
In Science, we have found out about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution.
In History, we hypothesised why the Mayan empire suddenly declined after years of flourishing. Y6 made some excellent predictions using their knowledge of the Mayans. They then used historical sources to reach a conclusion about what happened.
In RE, we learned about Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
Y6 also enjoyed their slipper day on Tuesday. They have decided that the next reward they are going to earn is an afternoon of sporting activities.
6th October
This week in English, we have completed our extended write. I have been so impressed with the quality of writing produced by everyone. What a great start to the year. Vocabulary choices have been amazing, handwriting and presentation is improving daily and sentences are being punctuated accurately. Well done Y6!
In Maths, we have been mastering long multiplication. It is a tricky method but one that needs to be embedded as we move through the Y6 Maths objectives. Lots of resilience and determination has been shown by all
In Science, we looked at how fossils can be used to learn about species of animals and plants. We learned about a palaeontologist called Mary Anning who is famous for discovering dinosaur fossils on the Jurrassic Coast in England.
In History, we learned more about the Mayan Gods and what they were in charge of according to Mayan beliefs.
Y6 have completed their 'Blessings in a jar' challenge and so now they have earned a slipper day. Details on when this will be will be posted on Class Dojo soon.
29th September
This week in English, we have been planning our extended write which is a diary entry of Rose Blanche. We have worked hard on using grammatical features such as informal speech, dashes for parenthesis and semi colons to separate items in a list. We have started writing our diary entries and I have been so impressed with the vocabulary choices and the standard of writing.
In Maths, we have moved on to chapter 2 which is focussing on multiplication and division. We have been multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000 and then using that knowledge to then help us to multiply by a multiple of 10.
In History, we have learned about the hierarchy system within the Mayan society. We found that the priests were considered more important than the rulers and the slaves and farmers were considered the least important. We also discussed the differences of roles between men and women.
In Science, we have learned about plant adaptations. We found that epiphytes grow on other plants in order for the species to thrive when there is no space in soil. Also, a venus fly trap is found in boggy areas where there are little nutrients in the soil. Therefore, they have adapted to their habitat and they capture insects in order to give them the nutrients needed to survive.
In PSHCEE, we have been learned about respect. We looked at different scenarios and discussed how we could respond to each in a respectful way.
22nd September
In English this week, we have been analysing a diary entry WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like) as we understand the features needed to write our own successful diary entry. We have been understanding the differences between formal and informal language, using dashes for parenthesis and using emotive language.
In Maths, we have completed our place value work. We have moved on to look at order of operations. We have been learning the rules we need to follow when faced with a calculation containing a mixture of operations.
In Science, we have been learning about adaptations of various species of animals. We then researched animals to find out how they survive in certain habitats and climates. We discussed what adaptations they would need in order to survive in different climates.
In History, we used historical sources to decide if we believed that the Mayans were actually civilised or blood thirsty. We backed up our decisions using historical facts.
15th September
In English this week, we have been immersed in our new text called ‘Rose Blanche’ by Robert Innocenti and Ian McEwan. It is a fictional story about a young girl experiencing the war in 1940’s Germany. We have been developing our use of language in order to create outstanding writing.
In our reading lessons, we have been reading about the Mayans which links to our History topic this half term.
In Maths, we are ensuring we have a good understanding of place value of numbers up to ten million. We have been ordering and comparing these numbers which will be the foundation for the rest of our leaning in Maths this year.
In Science, we have started this half term’s unit of work about Evolution and Inheritance. We have been looking at how characteristics, such as eye colour and height, can be passed from parent to their offspring.
In RE, we have started our unit of work about Journeys and pilgrimages. We reflected on what journeys are and we came to the realisation that our whole life is actually a journey.
In PE, this half term, we are learning about the skills needed in rugby. We have been learning how to hold, throw and catch the ball correctly.
New School Year
8th September
Our first few days in Y6 have been really successful. The children have been busy learning their new routines and understanding the expectations that we have throughout this year. Our prefects and hall monitors have begun their roles within school too. Y6 Playleaders will be established over the coming weeks, as will the football teams.
We have had a class vote for our first class 'Blessings in a jar' reward which will be a slipper day. We have already collected some blessings so hopefully we'll earn that reward very soon.
14th July
Y6 have been working tirelessly on the end of year production. Today will be our dress rehearsal in front of the whole school. We are very excited to perform in front of an actual audience and we are even more excited to share our hard work with our families next week.
This week was Y6's last swimming lesson which was the 'fun' session with floats. What a great way to end the lessons!
On Tuesday, we went on a school trip to Liverpool. We enjoyed exploring the Maritime museum and the Museum of Liverpool. The children were then allowed to go into the sweet shop to buy a treat. It was declared to be the best trip ever! Well done to all of Y6 for their sensible behaviour and enthusiasm. They represented our school brilliantly.
23rd June
Rehearsals have been in full swing this week in Y6. We are now increasing rehearsals to twice a week as we get closer to the end of term and our actual performance date. Letters will be sent out in the next couple of weeks about the costumes needed for all children. We will try to keep them as simple and as manageable as possible.
We have been continuing to read and enjoy 'The Last Wild' in English lessons. We will be doing one final piece of writing based on this book.
In Science, we have been learning about light and reflection. We will be designing and making periscopes based on this learning.
At this week's swimming lesson, we learned about water safety. The children all took it seriously and discussed how to help someone who is struggling in water. They practised different methods of saving others. Hopefully they will never have to put it into practise, but they have that knowledge just in case they are ever in that situation.
16th June
This week, we have continued with our 'Raising Aspirations' programme by learning about what a CV is and we have had a go at writing our own.
We have read more in our class book of 'The Last Wild.' We have been working on describing settings and characters.
We have been enjoying playing rounders in our PE lessons. We are getting better at understanding the rules of the game and we are now working on how we can work as a team and use tactics to win.
In Science, we have been learning about light. Yesterday, we completed an experiment to test how reflections occur and we tested the reflectivity of different surfaces.
In RE, we have started learning about what faith is and people of faith.
9th June
Y6 went swimming yesterday and it was very successful. There was a lot of excitement to go to the pool on a coach and go swimming with their class mates. Everyone did really well and I think all children were exhausted by the end of it.
In English, we have started a new book called 'The Last Wild' by Piers Torday. It is a dystopian story about a boy named Kester who lives in a world where animals no longer exist. So far, Y6 are really interested in what is going to happen as we begin reading.
Rehearsals for our class play are going well. There is a lot of enthusiasm from all children which is really pleasing. I am also very impressed with the dedication from all with speaking parts. We are all looking forward to the performances in July.
19th May
Y6 completed a first aid course on Tuesday this week. Wayne, who led the training, was so impressed with the attention, focus and hard work of Y6 all day. There was so much to learn - which will really help for the rest of their lives. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it.
SATs may be out of the way now but we are back on our normal timetable to learn the rest of the curriculum.
In Maths, we have been completing our learning about volume. This is also this week's homework.
In English, we are continuing to read 'A Beautiful Lie' and we are building up to write a narrative based on the chapters we have read.
In Geography, we learned about what an earthquake is and how they occur. We learned about where the fault lines are globally.
We have started our rehearsals this week for our end of year performance. The majority of parts have been given out but there is still some organising that is needed. Y6 have been very patient while we audition and begin practising lines and organising different parts for everyone.
12th May
Y6 have been absolute superstars so far this week completing their SATs. Every single member of class is putting in 100% effort and showing us just what they are capable of. Well done Y6!
5th May
Y6 have had another busy and productive week revising for SATs. We have all been working really hard to stay as focussed and as prepared as possible. On Friday afternoon, we will be celebrating the King's coronation. This will be a lovely way to end our week.
28th April
Y6 have spent this week revising for SATs. In Reading, we have been answering questions which focus on using the skill of explaining and finding and copying. Using a variety of texts, we have made sure that we have read at pace, accurately read the question and then used skimming and scanning skills to refer back to the text to help us answer the questions. The concentration and effort has been brilliant.
In Maths, we have been finishing off our understanding of position involving co-ordinates and describing movement on a grid. We have then learned how to translate and reflect shapes on the x or y axis. We have also had a daily focus of sharpening our arithmetic skills.
In SPAG, we have been revisiting our understanding of word classes such as nouns, adjectives, adverbs, preposition, pronouns and conjunctions. We have also been identifying the subject and the object of a sentence and converting the sentence from the active to the passive voice. We have really enjoyed using Rollama to play SPAG related games.
Keep going Y6. We are nearly there now!
21st April
Y6 have returned to school after Easter and settled well back into our routine. We are now down to our final days before the SATs assessments. We have all had a conversation in class about how we can stay as focussed and as positive as possible over the next couple of weeks as we approach this deadline.
We will be focussing on revising skills in all areas of the curriculum and embedding knowledge to give every child the best chance possible to succeed.
31st March
This week, in Maths, we have been learning about how to read and interpret pie charts. We have used our prior knowledge involving fractions and percentages to help us. We will be moving on to look at line graphs next.
In English, we have been planning our next extended write which is a newspaper article. We have looked at what features are needed in this genre such as formal language, third person, past tense and including both direct and reported speech.
This morning we went to church for our Easter service. All of year 6 behaved very well and were very helpful when assisting other classes to walk to church. It was a lovely service, as always, by Rev. Mark.
24th March
This week in Maths, we have completed our work on Geometry involving angles inside triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons and circles. We have then moved on to look at negative numbers. Next week, we will start looking at graphs and averages.
In English, we have been learning about the partition in India in 1947. This is a major event which happened in our class novel, 'A Beautiful Lie.' Based on this, we will be writing a newspaper article detailing exactly why the country was divided and the impact it had on everyone.
Y6 have all been working so hard by participating in various booster groups as we approach SATs. I am seeing a lot of hard work, dedication and progress as we start revising previous learning and tweaking and improving all necessary skills. Well done Y6 - Keep going!
10th March
This week has been an assessment week in Y6. We have completed past SATs papers to see where we are up to with the actual SATs fast approaching. All scores from these assessments will be shared individually with the children.
In Geography, we started our new topic about natural disasters by finding out about volcanoes. We found that they mostly occur where 2 tectonic plates meet.
In Science, we learned about the 7 characteristics that all living things must do to be classified as living. We also found out about the 6 kingdoms of life.
3rd March
This week, we enjoyed celebrating World Book Day in school. Y6 were really creative with their costume ideas.
In English, we have started a new book called 'A Beautiful Lie' by Irfan Master. It is set in India in 1947 during the time of the partition. It is about a boy called Bilal, whose father is dying, which leads to him telling a lie to protect his dad from the knowledge of the partition.
In Maths, we have been focussing on finding area and perimeter of shapes.
In Science, we have started our new topic about classification.
Next week, we will be doing an assessment week.
17th February
In English, we have planned and written our own playscripts based on Romeo and Juliet. We really enjoyed coming up with our own ideas set in the modern day.
In Maths, we have started looking at ratio.
In Science, we completed our unit of work about the circulatory system by looking at the effects drugs and alcohol can have on the body. We will then recap on everything learned before completing an end of unit assessment.
In History, we have completed our Suffragette unit of work and completed an end of unit assessment.
In RE, we have been learning about Passover and how this Jewish celebration links to Christian celebrations.
10th February
In Maths this week, we have been continuing our work on algebra. We have been forming expressions, using formulae and solving equations. Now we have almost covered all the objectives so next week we will be moving on to look at ratio.
In English, we have been absolutely engrossed in reading Romeo and Juliet. Y6 were so shocked at the twists and turns throughout this very famous text. Based on this, we have had a go at writing our own playscript by re-writing the first scene but in a modern way. We have got some talented writers amongst us! We will now be going on to plan our own playscript for our next extended write.
In Science, we have been learning about the cardiovascular system and heart rates. We conducted an experiment yesterday to investigate the effect of exercise on our heart rates and why this is. We found that heart rates increase after exercise. We also learned that the average resting heart rate should be between 60-100 BPM.
In History, we have been plotting key events on a timeline from the Suffragette movement.
In SPAG, we have completed our learning of all verb tenses. We will begin to look at sentences, clauses and phrases next.
3rd February
In English, we completed our extended write about a balanced argument. I was so impressed the quality of the writing that was produced. Well done Y6.
We have now moved on to out new unit of work based around Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The class are absolutely loving reading about what happened. Based on that, we will be producing our own playscripts.
In Maths, we are looking at algebra. We have identified rules and learned how to write algebraic expressions for each rule.
In Science, we are planning our own investigations based on our heart rates. In groups, we will carry out the investigation and discuss what we have found.
In History, we had to make a decision about several events and protesting tactics during the Suffragette movement. We had to decide if these events/actions helped, hindered or both in order to gain the right to vote for all women. We then had to justify our choices.
27th January
In Maths this week, we have completed our work about percentages and we will be moving on to algebra. Y6 seem rather enthusiastic to begin this next unit.
In English, we have planned our extended write which is a balanced argument about the tactics used by the suffragettes. We will spend the next couple of days writing, editing and redrafting.
In Science, we learned about blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries) We completed an experiment to compare how blood flows through different sized arteries. We discussed that the effects of unhealthy lifestyles (eating foods high in saturated fats and not exercising regularly) can impact our arteries which narrows the passageway for blood to move around our bodies.
In History, we focussed on the force feeding of suffragettes when they went on hunger strike. We learned about why the Cat and Mouse act was introduced and how successful it was. We then looked at primary sources and discussed how reliable they are as evidence about the past.
20th January
We have had our second 'career conversation' this week. We had a Teams call with a Zookeeper who showed us all around the zoo in Sheffield and explained his role there. He told us how we ended up on this career path too. Hopefully it has inspired some children who are interested in a future job working with animals.
In English, we wrote a diary entry this morning as a suffragette during one of the events that we have been learning about. Y6 were really keen to write about how they were feeling and what they were thinking as they (in character) were fighting for the right to vote.
In Maths, we have been finding percentages of amounts. We were surprised that in order to find 10% of a number, then we divide by 10. This helped us to feel more confident when finding other percentages such as 20% or even 15%.
In Science, we learned about what blood is made up of. We learned that red blood cells carry oxygen around the body, platelets help the blood to clot if bleeding, white blood cells work to stop and destroy and bacteria or viruses and plasma is the liquid part of the blood. We are all finding this topic very interesting!
In History, we learned how the war helped women to gain the right to vote, not just the protesting and militant tactics from the suffragettes. We also learned that even when the law was passed allowing some women to vote, there were still restrictions and more protesting was done to gain the vote for all women. This information will help us when we write our balanced argument next week.
13th January 2023
Y6 have started a new book called 'Suffragette: The Battle for Equality' by David Roberts. We are enjoying reading about who the suffragettes were and what they were fighting for. We have been using this text to answer retrieval, explanation and vocabulary questions.
We will be building up to write a balanced argument about the tactics used in order to gain the vote.
In History, we have been continuing our learning about Suffragettes by learning about the WSPU and the militant tactics they used to try to win the right to vote for all women. We used primary sources to identify what we can learn about this time in history.
In Science, we have started looking at the circulatory system. We have been really interested to learn about the heart and find out how it works to pump blood all around the body.
Our class reading book is called 'Pig Heart Boy' by Malorie Blackman. This is a story about a 13 year old boy who needs a new heart and is given the option of having a pig heart in a revolutionary transplant operation.
In Maths, we have been multiplying, dividing and rounding decimals.
In PSHCEE, we have started a new unit of work about Keeping Safe. We started by discussing how to keep safe online and how we should be very cautious about what we say and share online.
16th December
Well, we have just about completed out first term in Y6 and it has been a very productive couple of months. I'm so proud of how well everyone has settled in and how hard they have worked in all areas of the curriculum. As soon as we are back in the new year, we will be straight back to work as we are on the count down to SATS. I hope that everyone has a restful break and returns to school refreshed and raring to go.
I'd also like to wish all families a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Be safe everyone!
9th December
This week, we have been learning how about similies, metaphors and personification for descriptive writing. Using these skills, we have written a description of the city in 'The Promise.'
Our SPAG focus this week is active and passive voice.
In Maths, we have been consolidating our skills of multiplying and dividing fractions and completing an end of unit review. We are continually working on our arithmetic skills each day to solve questions as quickly and efficiently as possible.
In Science, we carried out our own investigations as part of our Electricity unit of work. In groups, the children decided on one variable in a circuit (for example, the number of batteries, bulbs or wires) and they looked at what effect it had on the output of the circuit. We found that the more batteries we add to a circuit, the brighter the bulb becomes but the fuse can blow if the voltage becomes too high. We found that when we add more batteries to a circuit with a buzzer, the buzzer gets louder and faster. We found that the number of wires in a circuit has no effect on the brightness of a bulb.
In Geography, we looked at the effect of deforestation and we ordered them depending on what we thought was the most important effect and the least important. We then had to justify our opinions.
In PSHCEE, we have been learning about tolerance and respect and what makes a good friend.
2nd December
This week in English, we have started a new text which is 'The Promise' by Nicola Davies. It is a story about a promise made by the main character which impacts the environment. Based on this text, our next extended write with by a story which is the sequel to this book.
In Maths, we have been multiplying fractions by integers and multiplying fractions by fractions. At first, what sounded like a tricky concept is actually much more straight forward. Y6 were pleased to know that this would be their homework this week.
In Geography, we have been learning about Fairtrade and how this links with the rainforest. Please keep a look out when you are in shops for the Fair trade logo on various products.
Since we completed our 'Blessings in a jar' reward last week, we have decided on a new reward which we hope to earn by Christmas. The next reward will be time playing Blooket as a class. We have discovered how much fun this game can be playing against other teams online.
In Spanish, Y6 have been learning ir, ur and ar verbs along with classroom objects. This will really set all pupils up well for their transition to high school.
25th November
Y6 have been doing an assessment week this week. We have completed SATs papers in exactly the same way that they will be carried out in May. Every single member of the class approached the work with a positive attitude and tried their very best. I am very proud of the mature attitudes and their determination to do their very best.
We have gone back over our assessments to look at how we can learn from them for future. Everyone reflected well and found something that they could take away from this experience and improve on next time.
Our 'Blessings in a jar' reward will be taking place this week. It is brilliant that Y6 have worked together as a class to earn this treat but also, it is perfect timing to mark the end of our assessment week.
18th November
This week, in English, we have planned our extended write which is a persuasive report about deforestation. We have thought about which points we would like to make to our reader and supported the point with an explanation and evidence. We then began writing our reports where we will hopefully convince our readers to agree with us about how damaging deforestation is to our planet.
In Maths, we have been ordering and comparing fractions. We have learned that we have to convert fractions so they have the same denominators before we can compare and order them.
In Science, we have been identifying problems with circuits and we have been correcting them in order to create a functioning circuit.
In Geography, we have learned about the various climate zones on our planet. We used world maps to colour each zone. We discovered that England falls into the 'temperate' climate zone.
This week has also been Anti-Bullying week. We wore odd socks at the beginning of the week to show how everyone is an individual. We also discussed what bullying actually is and how to deal with a situation that involves bullying. We talked about the importance of our school golden rule which is to treat others the way we would like to be treated. We discussed how we can show kindness to others.
11th November
In English, we have been learning how to write a persuasive report. We have ensured that we use a formal tone and use emotive language and rhetorical questions to make our reader think. We have also included the rule of 3 and backed our points up with evidence.
In Maths, we have been simplifying fractions. We found that we need to have an excellent knowledge of times tables in order to find common factors and then write fractions in their simplest form. We are then moving on to looking at ordering and comparing fractions.
In Science, in our electricity topic, we have been building a series and a parallel circuit to see the impact it would have the brightness of bulbs.
In Geography, we have learned about biomes. We wrote about the conditions found in each biome such as desert, rainforest and tundra. We then located each biome on a world map
We also had a Science assembly on Tuesday where a scientist came into school to do various experiments with each key stage. All of the children thoroughly enjoyed learning about different topics such as light and electricity.
4th November
Y6 have been very settled after coming back after half term and we have jumped straight back into learning.
In English, we have started looking at a new text called 'Can we save the tiger?' by Martin Jenkins. It links to our Geography topic about the Rainforests. We will be using this text to write a persuasive text about Deforestation.
In Maths, we have completed our work on the four operations, multiples, factors and prime numbers and we will be moving on to focus on fractions.
In Science, we have started our new unit of work on Electricity. We started looking at the universal symbols used when drawing and making circuits. Next week, we will be making our own circuits.
In RE, we will be looking at how Christians prepare for Christmas.
In PE, we are now doing gymnastics.
We have an assessment week coming up in 2 weeks where the children will complete past SATs papers. This will give us a really good indication of how they will likely perform on their actual SATs assessments in May. This will of course be communicated to you during Parents Evening as well as what can be done between now and then to support learning.
21st October
In Maths, we have been finding common multiples and factors.
In English, we have been writing our non chronological report about the Mayans to bring this topic to an end. We have enjoyed writing about everything we know about this ancient civilisation. We have also edited and redrafted our work to make it our best possible work.
We have completed end of unit assessments in RE and History to show everything we have learned. We are ready to move onto new topics after half term.
I hope that everyone has a safe and restful half term. I look forward to welcoming everyone back after our week off.
14th October
In English, we have been using the internet to research facts about the Mayans. We will be able to use all of this information when we write our non chronological reports. We have enjoyed learning so many new interesting facts.
In Maths, we have been focussing on our understanding of division before moving onto learn how to do long division. The resilience the class have shown has been impressive when faced with new concepts and more challenging work.
In Science, we learned about Mary Anning. She was a scientist who collected fossils on the Jurassic coast. She sold these fossils and helped scientists to learn more about past species of animals. We had a go at making our own fossils using salt dough and plaster of paris. We enjoyed doing this and helped our understanding of what a fossil actually is.
In History, we discussed why the Mayan empire fell. We found that no one knows exactly why some Mayan cities were just abandoned so suddenly but using facts and clues, we made our own theories about what happened and why.
7th October
In English, we have been looking at the features of non chronological reports as we build up to write a report about all of the facts and information that we have learned about the Mayans. We know that we need to include a brief introduction, subheadings, fact boxes, bullet points and we need to write in the third person and use a formal tone.
In Maths, we have been mastering long multiplication. We have felt very proud of ourselves for having a lot of patience and perseverance in order to feel confident using this method.
In Science, we learned about how fossils are important to Scientists in order to find out about animals who are now extinct. We can also use them to learn more about how species of animals and plants have evolved over time.
In History, we learned about the various roles in the Mayan Society. We were surprised to learn that priests were more important than rulers! Also, that farmers were particularly unimportant even though they helped provide the food for everyone.
In RE, we have been learning about Christian pilgrimages in order to find out more about the significance of these journeys. We read about Lourdes and Jerusalem being important locations for Christians to visit.
30th September
In English this week, we have been planning to write our own story which will be an alternative version of 'Rain Player.' We discussed which aspects of the story we could keep the same and which we could change. We started writing the story but we will continue over the next couple of days. Then, we will edit and redraft our first version.
In Maths, we have been learning about the order of operations. We learned that when faced with multiple operations in an expression, we solve the brackets first, followed by multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction. We have also looked at multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000.
In Science, we have been learning about DNA and we did an experiment to extract the DNA from a banana. The results were rather interesting!
In PSHCEE, we have been discussing how to solve friendship problems. Using scenarios, we discussed what we could do to help resolve any issues.
23rd September
In English this week, we have focussed on the use of apostrophes for contractions and for possession. We have been linking our writing to ‘Rain Player’ as much as possible. Next week, we will be building up to an extended write where we will be demonstrating our knowledge of accurately punctuating sentences.
In Maths, we have completed looking at place value and we have moved onto looking at four operations. We have started looking at the rules we follow when solving problems with more than one operation. For example, multiplication and division would be completed first, then adding and subtracting.
We have also had a go at practising our arithmetic skills. We will be completing these regularly to practise working at speed and to a deadline.
In Science, we learned about genetically modifying crops. We looked at various case studies to decide on the pros and cons and formulated our own opinions on the issue.
In RE, we have been considering how life is a journey and what that means. We will be moving on next to look at pilgrimages.
In PE, we have been doing cricket and we are learning rugby skills in our lessons with Mr. Saunders.
16th September
It is the end of another productive week in Y6.
In English this week, we have continued to focus on writing with accurate use of punctuation and neat handwriting. We wrote a diary entry based on our book, 'Rain Player.' We then used our editing and redrafting skills to correct and improve our original ideas.
In Maths, we have been rounding numbers to the nearest 1,000,000 and 100,000. This week's homework is focussed around this skill.
In Science, we learned about Charles Darwin and his theory of Natural Selection. We carried out an investigation to look at how natural selection works using different coloured wooden sticks to represent worms and tweezers to represent a bird's beak. We found that 'worms' that had adapted to their surroundings were harder to find and so weren't eaten by the birds whereas worms that had not adapted were eaten.
In PE, we have been learning the skills involved in playing rugby.
In History, we learned about the Mayan Gods and what the Mayans believed. Some children decided to do their own research at home and have made some beautiful art work which will go up on our display.
Our class value is 'Respect' so we have discussed what respect is and why it is important. We talked about how we can show respect to others and what things are considered disrespectful. We linked this to our Golden Rule of treating everyone how we would like to be treated.
New Year 6 2022-2023
9th September
Y6 have settled in brilliantly so far. Even though we have only been back for 4 days, we are right back into the swing of things.
In English, we are reading a book called 'Rain Player' which links to our History topic of 'The Mayans.' We have been answering questions from the text and learning about the Mayans along the way. We have been focussing a lot on spellings, handwriting and basic sentence punctuation to ensure everyone is writing as accurately as possible.
In Maths, we are looking at the place value of numbers up to ten million. We have been comparing and ordering numbers then explaining our understanding.
In History, we started our Mayans topic by learning a bit about who they were. We found that they were a very sophisticated group of people who created their own calendars, built temples, farmed and had their own number system.
In Science, our current topic is 'Evolution and inheritance.' We started looking this week at adaptations of animals and plants. We discussed how different features were beneficial for the conditions in which the animal/plant lives in.
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8th July
This week, year 6 have been to Liverpool as part of our Wake’s Weeks fields trips. They learned about the history of Liverpool and how it wasn’t even founded at the time of the Domesday book but how it became important when King John invaded Ireland as a base for troops and supplies.
Since then it has grown and became one of the most important ports in Britain. We learned about the geography of Liverpool and how its situation on the banks of the River Mersey and the fact that it has a deep harbour meant that it was ideal for an international port.
We have also been busy practising our end of year performance and hope that the parents enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed doing it.
20th May
Year 6 have been getting back to ‘normal’ after the excitement of the SATS.
In English, we have looked at the poem Jabberwocky and written a narrative retelling the story. We have also started to look at how animals are kept in captivity and are looking to write a balanced argument about this.
In Maths, we are going back over coordinates and looking in greater depth at translation and reflection.
In Geography, we learned about what natural resources Britain gas and how the use of natural resources in Britain has changed over the years.
In Science, we are learning about electrical circuits.
In art, we are experimenting with photography and emulating the art of Edvard Munch and the painting ‘The Scream’
In Computing, we are continuing to learn about networks.
13th May
This week Year 6 have been working really hard on their SATS papers.
I cannot tell you how proud I am of them – every single one of them tried their best and that is all we can ask of them. We began each day with tea and toast and a bit of revision then we settled down and took on the tests.
Each and everyone of Year 6 is a superstar and we can now look forward to enjoying the end of primary school together.
Well done everyone.
29th April
This week, in English, we have been continuing with our dystopian story. We have planned our own story and have started to write it. We have been really concentrating on making sure that we create a setting with atmosphere and show the personality of our characters.
In Maths, we have been continuing with geometry and learning about angles in triangles and quadrilaterals.
We have also been continuing with our revision and particularly how to subtract fractions from mixed numbers and percentages.
In PE we are learning about orienteering and combined maths and orienteering in one of our lessons.
22nd April
This week, Year 6 have been working on revision for SATS.
In English, we have been revising the active and passive voice and reminding ourselves what determiners are.
In Maths, we have been practising long division and long multiplication. We have also been learning about angles on a straight line. We learned that vertically opposite angles are equal.
We have also been continuing with our book, The Last Wild and thinking about what it would be like if our world had changed completely.
Mr Rigby has been impressed with our resilience.
1st April
This week Year 6 have been revising for the SATS. We have had a look at the practice papers that we did last week and worked on some of the questions that a lot of people struggled with last week.
In English, we have been practising grammar. We have really started to understand the passive and active voice.
In Maths, we have been revising fractions and how to add them, multiply and divide them. We have also been learning more about perimeter and area and have cut up triangles to prove that they can be made into rectangles. We have learned to find the area and perimeter of rectangles and triangles.
We have had our puberty talks this week and Mr Rigby was very proud of the mature way in which the class engaged in these talks.
On Wednesday, we went to church for our Easter service and it was lovely to see Reverend Cook. We wowed him with our singing. It was lovely to be able to celebrate as a whole school again.
We are looking forward to having a well earned rest over half term and coming back ready to carry on with our revision in preparation for SATS. Mr Rigby and all of the staff are very proud of the way that Year 6 tackled the practise SATS>
25th March
This week Year 6 have been carrying out some practise assessments in ready for SATS.
Mr Rigby is extremely proud of the mature way in which the children have approached these assessments.
We have had a few extra breaks to help us to focus. It has been nice to be able to play on the field for the first time this year.
11th March
This week, Year 6 have continued to enjoy our new book, The Last Wild. We have learned that the protagonist is in a secure unit and that he can no longer speak. We have asked ourselves questions about the text and inferred what the answers could possibly be.
In Maths, we have moved onto Algebra and we are recognising sequences in shapes and spotting patterns. We are linking this to Algebra.
In Geography, we have investigated how the use of natural resources has changed over time and that the rising human population has led to an increase in the use of natural resources. This has led to deforestation, global warming and other effects on the planet.
In Design Technology, we have been designing a waistcoat.
In Science, we have started our new topic of electricity and we thought about what could be a source of electricity. We made our own circuits using a battery, wires and a bulb. We realised that electricity flows from the power source through wires and back to the power source, If we unclipped one of the wires, we broke the circuit and the bulb would not light. We also investigated how we could make a light bulb brighter.
In the picture news this week, we thought about species becoming endangered and learned that the conservation status of Koala Bears has changed from vulnerable to endangered. This links in with our work on Rainforests last term, when we learned about the effects of deforestation and also our work in geography this term on the distribution of natural resources.
18th February
This week, Year 6 have written a letter to the Prime Minister at the time, Mr Asquith, explaining why women should have equal rights to men and should have the vote. They explained that during the war, women had to do the same jobs as men as the men were on the front line.
In Maths, we have started to look at ratio and how we can compare different amounts using the language of ratio and proportion.
In history, we learned about the effect World War I had on the suffrage cause and how women were allowed to join the armed forces and do other jobs. In part because of this, at the end of World War I, in 1918, women over 30 were allowed to vote for the first time in parliamentary elections. We also learned that women got equal voting rights to men in 1928.
In Art, we have continued to make masks from Salt dough.
In PE, we have finished our unit on dance.
I would like to wish everyone a blessed and peaceful half term so that we all have a well-deserved rest and return to school refreshed.
4th February
This week, Year 6 have started to look at formal letters. We learned about how the Suffragettes attacked the postal system to protest for their cause. We looked at letters written by Suffragettes and how the language was different to modern day. We have spent a lot of time working out the difference between formal and informal language.
In Maths, we have reminded ourselves about percentages and how per cent means out of 100. We have looked at the relationship between fractions, decimals and percentages.
In History, we learned about different ways in which the Suffragettes were militant. We looked at propaganda released at the time and used this to decide if everyone supported the Suffragettes’ cause.
In Science, we have been looking at healthy and unhealthy lifestyles and how doing things such as abusing drugs or alcohol can have a detrimental effect on our body.
In PE, we are continuing to put dance moves to protest songs.
In computing, we are learning how to keep ourselves safe on line.
In art, we are continuing to use Graffiti art to express ourselves.
21st January
This week, in Year 6, we have been continuing with our learning about stories with a theme of change. We have used different techniques to create atmosphere in settings, including metaphors, similes and personification. Year 6 have created some excellent setting descriptions.
In Maths, we have been looking at converting measurements of length and weight. We have been looking at the relationship between millimetres, metres centimetres and kilometres and kilograms and g. We have been learning about the prefixes milli, kilo and centi.
In History, we have learned that during the suffrage movement, two different approaches were used to get the vote for women. Some suffrage societies use peaceful and lawful means to achieve their goal. They were called suffragists. One society thought that more militant means were required to achieve their goal. They were called suffragettes.
In Science, we have been continuing to learn about the circulatory system. We have learned about how blood travels around the body and how different blood vessels work. We also investigated the effect of exercise on heart rates.
In Art, we have learning about how Graffiti art is created and experimenting with our own graffiti art.
In Computing, we have been continuing to learn about online safety.
In PE, we are creating our own dance routine to Protest songs.
In RE, we learned about different people who completed pilgrimages.
14th January 2022
In English, we have started a new book called The Promise. We have thought of lots of different words which mean the same as promise and when promises are made. The theme of the story is change and we have been looking at how different events can change things, either for the better or for the worse. The book is beautifully illustrated and we have been thinking of different ways to use figurative language to paint a picture with words.
In Maths, we have been continuing our work on decimals and have learned how to divide decimals by integers. We have learned that an integer is any whole number – so not a fraction and not a decimal.
In History, we have started to learn about the Suffragettes. We learned that Suffrage means the right to vote in Parliamentary elections. We also learned that, in the mid nineteenth century, women did not have the same rights as men. We discovered that women could not be a doctor or a lawyer, even if they had been to University. Women did not have the right to vote; worst of all, we learned that when a woman married, it was like her husband owned her.
In Science, we are starting to learn about the circulatory system. We investigated what our blood is made up of and discovered that red blood cells carry oxygen, white blood cells fight infection, platelets help blood to clot and plasma is what carries the cells around.
In art, we have been learning about Graffiti art and we learned how to write our name out in Graffiti.
In PE, we have started to learn a dance. We listened to protest songs and discussed them.
In RE, we are continuing to learn about how Christians prepare for advent.
In ICT, we learned about spreadsheets.
The picture news this week was about out door learning. We thought about when we go outside for our learning. We often do this for PE but we also do it for Geography and Art. Mr Rigby said that he will try to take us outside more for our learning when it is possible.
19th November
This week, Year 6 have been planning and writing a lesson to Boris Johnson regarding climate change. We talked about the COP26 conference and how it is vital that we work together with other countries to reduce the effects of climate change. We have used our very best persuasive techniques to convince the Prime Minister that this is a worthy cause.
In Maths, we have been learning how to multiply fractions. This has been a tricky concept for some pupils to understand so we will continue to think about this moving forward.
In Geography, we have begun to look at animals that are indigenous to the rainforest and decide which layer of the rainforest they would live in based on their characteristics. We have also thought about how animals have adapted to their habitat.
In Science we looked at Genetically Modified foods and how this has been adapted by man rather than nature. We looked at how there are benefits to GM foods but it can also cause problems.
In DT we started to make models of playground equipment from wood.
12th November
This week, Year 6 have been continuing to look into persuasive techniques. We have looked at exaggeration, fact as opinion and how we statistics and expert opinion to support our arguments. We have also written to Mrs Jackson persuading her to let us go to Guatemala on a field trip to learn more about the Mayans.
In Maths, we have been continuing to learn about fractions and how to convert improper fractions into mixed numbers and back again. We have also learned how to subtract fractions from mixed number.
In Geography, we have learned about the different layers of the Rainforest and what their function is. We have learned about the emergent layer, the canopy, the under story and the forest floor. We also learned that some of the plants have adapted to where they are located in the rainforest which links to what we have been learning in science.
In Science, we are learning about how fossils are formed and what fossils can show us.
In Music, we are learning about rhythm and tempo.
In design technology, we are continuing to consider how our playground design can be improved to ensure that it is safe for our target audience of 3 – 8 year olds. We have considered what surface can be laid down to prevent injury and how we will keep the children safe inside.
In PE we have been learning about different shapes that we can make with our bodies in gymnastics and how we can put a routine together moving from one shape to another.
Thursday was remembrance day and we did a class collective worship to think about all those people who have been affected by war. We thought about those who had died, those who had returned from war with mental and physical disabilities, people who have lost loved ones and people who have had to leave their homes because of war. We read the poem Dulce et Decorum est and discussed how the government made the war seem ‘Sweet and Fitting’ but the reality is that it was brutal and savage. At 11am, the whole school listened to the last post and then we had a two minutes silence to commemorate those who have been affected by war.
5th November
Year 6 have come after half term ready to learn and full of beans.
In English, we are starting to look at persuasive writing. Our text for this Unit is ‘Can we save the Tiger’ and it is a non-fiction text about endangered animals. We have been reading some persuasive letters and learning some persuasive techniques. I wonder if the children will try any of these techniques out on the adults at home.
In maths, we are moving onto fractions and this week we have been learning about simplifying fractions and equivalent fractions. Ask your child how you can simplify fractions or find equivalent fractions. If a half is equal to two quarters, what would a half be in tenths? It they need any practise, they could watch this White Rose Maths video. https://vimeo.com/466488832
In RE, we are continuing to learn about journeys and pilgrimage and this week we have learned about a special journey in Islam called the Hajj. It is a pilgrimage that Muslims make to Mecca, their holy city.
In D & T, we were designing a playground for Key Stage 1 children and this week we made a prototype.
In computing, we were learning about keeping safe online; we created a game to help.
I music, we recapped our learning from last term and played the guitars.
In PE, we have started to learn about gymnastics; this week we created a simple routine in pairs and groups of three.
In Geography, we have been learning about climate zones and where rainforests are located in the world.
We have revamped our library and we hope that this will help children to be really enthusiastic about learning.
In Science, we are starting to learn about inheritance and adaptation. We learned how fossils are made and what they can tell us.
21st October
This week Year 6 have been on an adventure. We found ourselves at the edge of a Rainforest in Guatemala; we had to decide what things we could take with us in our backpacks. We used machetes to cut through the dense undergrowth and had to cross a river to avoid some deadly rainforest animals. On the other side we collected dry wood and used our flint to start a fire to dry our clothes. We then came across a house made of corrugated iron. Inside was a little girl who was very upset. She told us that she was descended from Mayans but had been adopted by a Spanish family. She was upset because they had told her that the Maya had been forgotten by everyone because they were primitive. Luckily we have been learning all about the Maya and we all wrote non-chronological reports to show her what their accomplishments were. She was so happy when she learned just how marvellous the Maya were.
In Maths, we have been learning how to use our skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to solve problems. It has been lovely to see some of our less confident mathematicians really come alive and understand maths in context.
We have done our assessment on the Maya and Mr Rigby has been impressed with what the class can remember. Mr Rigby was also blown away by how much we have learned in Science.
We have done our computing assessment on gaming.
We are all looking forward to a nice break so that we can come back after half term and carry on with our learning.
We have finished our learning on Pilgrimages and have learned about the Hajj in Islam.
15th October
This week, we were supposed to be going to Robinwood. Although we are sad that we couldn’t go this week, we are looking forward to going at the end of November.
At the beginning of the week, we followed our positive footprints curriculum, learning about possible career choices. We learned about what skills we currently have and what skills we will need in the future in order to be successful in any job that we may undertake. We will be taking part in a career carousel where people will come in to talk to us about different aspects of their jobs.
In English, we continued to learn the skills we will need to write a non-chronological report: this week we learned about using colons accurately and gathering information for a report.
In Maths, we have been learning about problem solving using all four operations.
In History, we learned about why the Mayan culture declined
As it is Black History Month, we have leaned about Malala Yousafzai and how her world was turned upside down when the Taliban took over her region of Pakistan. We learned that she stood up for herself and others and became the youngest person ever to received the Novel peace prize.
In RE, as part of our learning about journeys, we learned about pilgrimages and particularly the Pilgrimage to Bethlehem. We learned why people go on pilgrimages.
In art, we were evaluating our pieces of work.
This week we had our virtual Harvest service and it was wonderful to sing along with Mr Carty and the guitar and think about people who are less fortunate than ourselves. We were also encouraged to ask our parents to donate anything they can to the food banks in the region.
1st October
This week Year 6 have started to write their own stories from another culture. They have been including all of the skills that they have learned from our lessons so far to write a really interesting story.
In Maths, we have continued to learn about long multiplication and have started to look at long division. It is a difficult concept to get your head round at first but we are going to have some smaller practise groups next week for those people who do not feel as confident.
In history, we looked at the darker side of the Maya and learned that they use to perform ritual sacrifices. We had to decide whether they were savages or if they were civilised. There was a bit of debate in class and we were split. Some of us thought that they were savages because they captured slaves and sacrificed them but others thought that they were civilised because they were astronomers and invented new ways of farming.
In Art, we continued to use carve Styrofoam tiles to create patterns.
In RE we are learning about life as a journey and looking at important milestones in our school life and also our spiritual life, such as baptism.
In the big picture we looked at the effect people have on the planet. We thought about natural disasters and why they happen. We also though that after a disaster, there is often a time of hope. After the biblical flood, God gave us the rainbow as a sign of hope. Recently, during the pandemic, the rainbow symbol was used to show our gratitude to the NHS and as a symbol of hope for life after the pandemic.
We thought about acronyms using the word hope. Here were some of the ideas. Help Our People Everywhere, Help Our People Eat, Help Our Planet Earth and Help Our Pain End.
24th September
This week, Year 6 have continued to learn about stories from other cultures. We are looking at how the setting of a story in the rainforest would be different from a setting in this country. We have been thinking of using different grammatical devices to help with our setting and character description.
In Maths, we have looked at the order of operations; Ask your child what BODMAS means. Can they tell what each initial of the acronym stands for? Also we have begun to learn long multiplication.
In history, we have learned about Mayan daily life and looked at the hierarchy of Mayan society. We learned that poorer families lived in one-roomed houses and that most people were farmers. There were also warriors, craftsmen and priests as well as the ruler. We also learned that the Mayan states used to trade with each other.
In Science, we are continuing to learn about classifying animals and have learned how to use a branching key to classify animals which are similar.
In art, we have used our zentangle designs to make a printing block out of Styrofoam and created repeated patterns.
In music, we have been practising our songs for Harvest.
In computing we have used 2code to learn how to create a game.
We have been learning ball skills in PE.
We have been learning about extreme weather conditions and how it affects other people. We had a debate about climate change.
We have also chosen our representatives for different councils:
Harry and Klaudia are our school council representatives.
Rowan, Noah and Maisie are our Eco Warriors.
Lucas and Kai are our ethos representatives.
Ryan is our sports council representative.
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10th September
It has been wonderful to welcome the children back into school this Year. The children seem to have really grown over the break and have settled into Year 6 extremely well.
Just a reminder to parents that homework will be given out on Fridays and should be returned to school by the following Tuesday. We have got a new Spelling scheme and the children are currently being baselined. The first spellings will come home on Friday 17 September and the first spelling test will take place on Friday 26th September. The New scheme has an online element which means that children can practise their spellings on a computer or tablet.
In respect of reading, it is important for the children to read everyday and have their diary signed by a parent. In Y6, we do not necessarily expect parents to listen to children read, but please encourage them to do so as reading opens up the world for everyone. Talk to your child about their book and ask them questions about it. The children are also required to use the rising stars login to complete on line reading and complete the quizzes.
We continue to use TT Rock stars and again, please encourage your child to logon and practise their times tables.
We will have PE on Wednesday and Thursday.
This week, we have started our learning about the Maya civilisation. In English, we are reading a story set in the Maya culture and we are learning through this how the people lived. In history, we have investigated what the Maya are famous for and have discovered that they had their own alphabet and used an organised number system. They are one of the first cultures to recognise the concept of Zero. I think that the most interesting fact discovered by the children is that the Maya were the first recorded culture to use chocolate as a food source.
In Maths, we are learning about place value up to ten million and are comparing different numbers. Mr Rigby has been very impressed with how much Year 6 have remembered from last year.
In art this week we have been learning about zentangle puzzles and how they are used to relax the mind.
In Music, we have been listening to pieces of music and drawing pictures based on the sounds.
We are fast approaching the Robinwood trip. The school office have asked me to remind parents that the trip must be paid in full before we go. If you have any queries regarding this, please speak to the school office on 01942 243068
16th July
Year 6 have had another positive week where they have earned their last reward of an own clothes day after collecting enough 'blessings in a jar.' Well done for working so well together!
Even though this has been our last week of work, Y6 have made sure that they have been as focussed as always and worked hard. We are all looking forward to next week when we will start to relax and enjoy the last few days together in primary school. We have lots of fun activities planned such as a cinema morning, a party and even a last lunch time in the hall!
Y6 you have been a fantastic class. I know that I can speak for both myself and Mrs Fletcher when I say it has been a pleasure to teach you and see you get ready to move onto the next chapters of your lives. I am certain that no matter where you go, or what you do, you will all be really successful! Let's have a brilliant last few days Y6 before having a well earned summer holiday!
9th July
We have had another great week in Y6. The children who are going to the Deanery High School went to look around and meet their head of year. They enjoyed discovering what life at high school will be like. It was lovely to see how excited they are to move onto the next chapter of their lives.
Also, we had a visit from Mrs Holland, the head of Y7 at Hawkley Hall High School. She met with the children who will be joining her there in September. She was able to reassure any children who felt worried and answer all questions they had.
We have also planned how we will spend our last few days in primary school. The class are looking forward to lots of fun activities to end their time at primary school in a really positive way.
2nd July
This week has been assessment week in Y6. Everybody has tried their very best to show us just what they are capable of. Even though some questions were particularly tricky, it did not stop anyone from being resilient and giving it a good try. Well done Y6. You should all be proud of yourselves.
We enjoyed completing a research project linked to our Geography topic. The focus was on 'Natural Disasters.' Some amazing work was produced and lots of interesting facts were learned about sink holes, tsunamis, avalanches and more.
18th June
It has been another great week of learning here in Y6.
In Maths, we have completed our Geometry work by making nets of 3D shapes. It was particularly challenging when having to measure specific lengths and angles. Next week, we will be moving on to look at statistics.
In English, we have written a diary entry as the main character in the book we are reading in class, 'A Beautiful Lie.' I have been very impressed with the description included in each diary entry.
On Wednesday, we managed to reach our target for our 'Blessings in a jar.' So on Wednesday afternoon, we had our treat of extra time on the field. It was a lovely way to end a busy day. Now we looking forward to earning our blessings for the next reward...
11th June
Y6 have had a great week back after half term. In English, we have started a new novel called, 'A Beautiful lie' which is set in India in 1947 during the partition. We have been busy researching about what partition was and why it happened.
In Maths, we have been continuing our work on Geometry, in particular using protractors to measure and draw angles and then accurately drawing shapes.
Thursday was a busy day for us this week as we had Classroom Kitchen where we had the opportunity to be creative to design and make our own mini pizzas. The final dishes were impressive; they were enjoyed by everyone. We definitely have some future chefs in our class!
We also had Sport's Day in the afternoon which was great fun! There was a great sense of team spirit as all children tried their best and really enjoyed themselves. Well done Y6!
28th May
Y6 have been writing their biographies about the author Piers Torday who wrote 'The Last Wild.' Unfortunately, this will be our last week focussing on this text. It is a shame that we have to stop reading this book as everyone has really enjoyed it. However, we have discovered that there are 2 other books in this series and the prequel is due to be released later this year. It would be amazing to see some of the class
In Maths, we are looking at geometry, in particular angles in shapes. We have had lots of shape related facts to remember which helps us to calculate missing angles. This unit of work will continue after half term.
We have concluded our History topic about the Normans this week. After half term, we will have a Geography focus looking at 'Angry Earth' where we will learn about natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes and floods.
Year 6 have worked so hard this term. They definitely deserve a rest next week so they come back refreshed and raring to go for their last few weeks in primary school. Happy half term Y6!
21st May
In English this week, Y6 have started researching information about the author Piers Torday. He wrote the book, 'The Last Wild' that we have been reading this half term. We will be using this information to write a biography of his life.
In Maths, we have completed our unit of work on area, perimeter and volume and will now be moving on to angles. Y6 are working really hard, particularly when applying their Maths knowledge to reason and problem solve.
In PSHCEE this week, we have been discussing our future goals and dreams. We then thought about the things we need to be doing now in order to achieve those goals. Y6 have impressed me with their ambition. I look forward to hearing about the success of the future footballers, authors, animators, designers and more!
14th May
Y6 have had, yet again, another great week of learning. In English, we are continuing with the book 'The Last Wild.' We have been busy editing and redrafting the story that we wrote last week. It was fantastic to see so many children enjoying writing and wanting to write as much as possible.
In Maths, we have finished the unit on area of various shapes and now we will be moving onto the next unit of volume.
As it is Mental Health Awareness Week, we have discussed what mental health is and the '5 steps to Wellbeing.' Using this information, we made our own Youtube style videos to share what people can do to look after their mental health.
This week is Mrs Fletcher's last week teaching the class remotely before she begins her maternity leave. I believe I speak for all of year 6 when I say she will be missed immensely and we all wish her good luck as she begins this exciting adventure of parenthood.
7th May
Y6 have had a short yet busy week. In English, they have been planning and writing their own dystopian story. There has been a lot of interest and excitement to create their own. I am looking forward to reading the final drafts!
In Maths, we have now completed the algebra unit and we have moved onto looking at area and perimeter.
In PE, we were lucky enough with the weather to enjoy another afternoon on the field learning the rules of rounders and putting them into practise. I have been impressed with the excellent team work and co-operative spirit shown when playing.
On Friday, Y6 are looking forward to applying their knowledge of light and angles to design and make a periscope. Pictures will follow on Class dojo.
30Th April
Y6 have been continuing to focus on the book, 'The Last Wild' in English. The class have worked hard to do some descriptive writing for a setting in a dystopian story.
In Maths, Y6 have been focussing on algebra. I have been impressed with the determination and resilience when finding solutions to problems.
In PE, we all enjoyed an afternoon playing rounders yesterday even though it was a little bit chilly!
Today, we will be taking part in Classroom Kitchen where we will be making Dutch Apple Crumble. We are all looking forward to learning new cooking skills. Pictures will follow on Class Dojo.
23rd April
This week Year 6 have had a busy week getting back into their learning. In Maths, we have continued to work on Alegbra, focussing on writing algebraic expressions and looking at function machines. In English, we have started a new novel called ‘The Last Wild’. We will be writing dystopian stories set in the future based on this.
In History, we have started a new topic on The Normans. In our first lesson we looked at suitable candidates to take over the throne from Edward the Confessor. We discussed their strengths and weaknesses as leaders and kings. In Science, we are beginning our new unit on Light and are thinking about vocabulary such as ‘vacuum’, ‘opaque’, translucent’ and ‘transparent’. We also completed our PSHCEE learning on Puberty this week.
26th March
This week we started to plan for our non-chronological reports on Mongolia. Due to the bubble closure, we had to complete these at home but still put lots of effort into them.
In Maths, we have been learning about scale factors and solving problems related to scale factor increases and decreases. We are completing our assessments this week.
19th March
Year 6 have been busy this continuing their work on Ratio – we have used the bar method to tackle some really tricky ratio and proportion problems. In English we have been practising the skills involved for writing a non-chronological report, including using different types of punctuation to mark parenthesis, adding extra information with relative clauses and using semi colons to link sentences.
In Geography, we have been studying the modes of transport for the movement of natural resources in the past. We have used an online tool called Digimaps to explore the local area, following the Leeds Liverpool canal and marking the route using four figure grid references. A very busy and productive week!
12th March 2021
This week, Year 6 have been settling back into class. It’s been so great to be back in class with our friends. We have started to think about wellbeing and the 5 steps – in PSHCE, we are making a short documentary to teach others about the 5 steps to wellbeing. We have got straight back into our learning. We’ve started work on non-chronological reports for English and we are continuing our work on Ratio in Maths. In Geography, we have been using 4 figure grid references to identify landmarks in our local area. A very busy and productive week in Year 6!
11th December
This week Year 6 have been writing stories on the theme of change. We read a book called ‘The Promise’ about how one small act can transform a city. We have mind mapped ideas about how we can adapt the story to create our own. So far, Year 6 have had some fantastic ideas and have written some brilliant setting descriptions. In Maths, we have continued learning about decimals and we have been converting fractions into decimals using division. In Geography and Science this week we will have our assessments to finish our learning about The Rainforest and Evolution and Inheritance. In PE, we played bucket ball which was lots of fun.
4th December
This week Year 6 have completed their work on fractions and will be moving onto a new unit in decimals. In English, we have started to explore a story called ‘The Promise’. We have identified the theme of change and looked at how the author creates atmosphere through the language in the text. Next week, we will use this to help write our own stories. In Geography, we have been learning about the layers of the Rainforest. In RE, we are continuing our work on how Christians prepare for Christmas. A very busy and productive week!
27th November
This week Year 6 have been working very hard on their assessments. Everyone has given their best efforts – well done! In Geography, we have been building on our work on biomes and have started to study climate zones. We used the Atlases to locate different countries and work out which climate zone they are located within. In RE, we are continuing our work on how Christians prepare for Christmas. This week, we will be looking at the importance of the Prophets in the Old Testament. A very busy week!
20th November
This week, Year 6 have been working very hard on their fractions unit learning to multiply and divide fractions. They have done excellently with this and are becoming really confident with all elements of calculating with fractions. In English, Y6 have been writing persuasive arguments about why it is important to protect tigers and the impact their extinction would have on the planet. They have used lots of features of persuasion effectively, such as: the rule of three; emotive language and rhetorical questions to encourage the reader to think. On Friday, the results of the Year 6 competition will be announced. There have been some fantastic entries already – good luck everyone!
Mrs Fletcher
13th November
This week Year 6 have been practising the skills to write their own Persuasive Argument about why it is important that tigers are protected. We have practised the skills of writing rhetorical questions and we have researched facts about endangered tigers. In Maths, we have continued our learning on fractions, building upon the skills of ordering and comparing fractions to adding and subtracting them. An exciting competition has been launched in Year 6 this week where we have the opportunity to win a prize for the best persuasive poster. We have started our new learning about the Rainforest. A super busy but productive week in Year 6.
6th November
This week Year 6 have been learning about Persuasive Writing. We have been analysing the structure of persuasive arguments and looking at features such as adverbials for cohesion, rhetorical questions and the use of data and statistics to strengthen in argument. In Maths, we have started our new unit of Fractions. We have be learning to simplify fractions and comparing and ordering them. On Thursday we are completing our Classroom Kitchen lesson, cooking Jambalaya which we are very excited about!
23rd October
This week Year 6 have finished the learning about the Mayan Civilisation. This week we have been exploring the reasons why the Mayan Civilisation eventually fell apart. In Maths, we have continued our work on BODMAS using the order of operations to solve calculations. In English, we have been focussing on poetry, looking at the features of poems, rhythm and rhyme.
16th October
Y6 have been continuing to work hard to research and write their non chronological reports about the Mayans. They have produced some high quality writing which they are all very proud of.
In Maths, their focus has been on multiples, factors and prime numbers. Again, they have worked very hard and impressed me with their dedication to their learning.
Unfortunately, we are still waiting on the results for our class Science experiment about the conditions in which mould grows. Hopefully we will be able to share our findings next week.
The whole class have continued to impress me with their behaviour, enthusiasm and work ethic. Well done Y6 - Keep it up!
9th October
Y6 have had a busy productive week working with Mrs Cash. The focus in English has been non-chronological reports about the Mayans. In Maths, they have been working hard to master division and apply their skills to problem solve.
In PE, they had a go at playing a Mayan game called 'pitz' which is similar to volleyball. They enjoyed working as a team to practise the skills needed to win.
In Science, they have started an experiment to investigate the conditions where mould will grow. We will let you know our results next week.
Y6 have impressed Mrs Cash with their hard work, positive attitudes towards learning and excellent behaviour. Well done!
2nd October
This week in Year 6 we have had assessment week so we have been very busy with our tests. We have all worked really hard and put our best efforts into them and Mrs Fletcher has been impressed by the level of effort and concentration. In our worship on Thursday, we thought about God’s kingdom and how we can be ambassadors of this. We reflected and made a list of things we could do in school, such as helping others and showing kindness and compassion. In PSHCEE, we have been learning about how to keep ourselves safe online and have created our own e-safety pledges. A very busy week!
25th September
In Year 6 this week we have been writing Mayan Narratives. We have read ‘Rain Player’ and spent the last couple of weeks building up the skills we need to write a successful in narrative. In Maths, we have continued our work on mental addition and subtraction. In History this week, we have been learning about the reasons why the Mayan Empire flourished for so long – we sorted the reasons according to what we thought were the most important. This generated lots of interested discussion! A very busy and productive week in Year 6.
18th September
This week in year 6 we have been learning about our new History topic, the Maya. We have been introduced to Mayan culture and we have learned about the hierarchy of the Mayan people. In Maths we have completed our work on Place Value and moved onto the four operations. In English we have been practising the skills to help us to write our own Mayan narrative based on our class text, ‘Rain Player’. A very busy but productive week in Year 6.
6th March 2020
This week, Year 6 have started to learn about the poem Jabberwocky. This poem has nonsense words in it and Year 6 have had fun deciding what they might mean. They have also written descriptions of possible settings for Jabberwocky and what the Jabberwock might look like.
In Maths, we have continued our learning about angles and have also learned about 3D shapes.
On world book day, lots of us dressed up as some of our famous characters. We had Professor Dumbledore, Mario and Luigi, Katniss Everdeen, Yoda, Matilda, Aristocats, Fawkes the phoenix, Harry Potter and many more. We even had a visit from one of the characters from our history topic of the Suffragettes, Emmeline Pankhurst.
This week, Year 6 have started to learn about the poem Jabberwocky. This poem has nonsense words in it and Year 6 have had fun deciding what they might mean. They have also written descriptions of possible settings for Jabberwocky and what the Jabberwock might look like.
In Maths, we have continued our learning about angles and have also learned about 3D shapes.
On world book day, lots of us dressed up as some of our famous characters. We had Professor Dumbledore, Mario and Luigi, Katniss Everdeen, Yoda, Matilda, Aristocats, Fawkes the phoenix, Harry Potter and many more. We even had a visit from one of the characters from our history topic of the Suffragettes, Emmeline Pankhurst.
28th February 2020
This week, Year 6 are imagining that they are suffragettes and have written a letter to the Prime Minister in 1917, David Lloyd George. They have also discovered this week that women over 30 finally won the vote in 1918. During the war, women’s contributions to the war effort were recognised.
To further their knowledge of how people have been discriminated against, the children have started to learn about protest songs this week.
On Wednesday, all of the school went to church for the Ash Wednesday service. Reverend Mark told us all about how Jesus was tempted in the desert and how he resisted those temptations. We all thought about what we can give up for Lent or what extra things we can do for others during lent.
14th February 2020
This week, Reverend Mark came into Year 6 to discuss the Eucharist and how it is a representation of the Last Supper. Year 6 recreated the Eucharist using bread and Vimto which represented the body and blood of Christ. . Reverend Mark showed the stole, which is like a long scarf, that he uses when he gives communion.
Year 6 also designed an Eco-Friendly home using solar panels and plant instead of televisions and other technology.
We have continued in our learning about the Suffragettes, and have learned about how World War 1 affected the suffrage cause. In art, we have continued to use pop art to explore the suffragettes’ world , drawing of pictures of notable suffragettes and words associated with their cause.
In Maths, we have moved onto volume of 3D shapes and have solved some tricky problems using area and volume.
7th February 2020
This week, year 6 have been learning about perimeter and area of shapes. We have been investigating how to find the area and shape of triangles, rectangles and parallelograms. In English, we have been learning about writing letters in a formal style and have been retelling events that happened to the Suffragettes during their fight for the vote. In Art, we have been carrying on with our learning about Roy Lichtenstein and his use of pop art. To link it to our work on the Suffragettes, we have drawn portraits of famous suffragettes and decorated them in the pop-art style. It has been interesting in science learning how living things are classified and what the Latin names for every day species.
31st January 2020
This week we have been continuing with our history topic of the Suffragettes.
Year 6 have been extremely interested in this topic and have been comparing some original posters that were published at the time to understand how some people supported the Suffragette’s cause, whilst some people were against it.
To help us understand what is was like to live at the time, we have studied a letter that was written by one the of the Suffragettes. We have then written our own letter explaining how the Suffragettes were treated.
Today, as it is the day when Britain officially leaves the European Union, we have had a discussion about what this means for our country and why it has happened. Mr Rigby was really impressed with the views of some of our pupils. They have a really good understanding of current affairs.
In Maths we have learned about ratio and have now moved onto measurements. Year 6 are becoming more resilient in their learning which is wonderful to see.
13th December 2019
This week, Year 6 have been completing their persuasive argument against deforestation. They have thought really carefully about how to put together a persuasive article using facts and evidence to back up their opinions.
This week, we have also opened our Christmas stall and two of our pupils, Charlotte and Callum, have been working really hard to help Miss Roscoe to run the stall.
We had a treat on Wednesday, as the team from ‘Open the Book’ joined us for Wednesday Worship and the children joined in with the retelling of the Nativity Story. On the run up to Christmas, we have had Coverdale puppets in to tell us the true meaning of Christmas and not to forget Hawkley Hall pupils who performed not one but two pantomimes for the whole school (Oh no they didn’t!)
6th December 2019
"We have had another busy week in Year 6. In Maths, we started to learn the basics of algebra. We found this a bit tricky but we kept going! In English, we have been looking at persuasive writing for an argument. We wrote an introduction to our own argument about school uniforms. In Art, we used our Mayan tiles to do observational drawings. We used pencils and oil pastels to add colour. We also designed our own Mayan mask." Evie and Kyle
29th November 2019
"This week has been very busy in Year 6. After school on Monday some of us took part in the Christmas Fayre. Our stall was a lucky dip stall. We had lots of fun going to all the stalls! Also on Monday an author and illustrator came into school to teach us about his career. He inspired us to dream big!" Lyla and Jenny
22nd November 2019
"This week Year 6 have had a very busy week. On Monday the Mad Science Roadshow came into school and showed us experiments linked to the Olympics. Our favourite experiment was when we tested which ball had the best air resistance. In Maths, we have been learning about decimals and fractions. We are looking forward to the Christmas Fayre on Monday and taking part in all the stalls." Lily-May
8/11/19
In Art this week Year 6 have painted their Mayan tiles and have made poppies for Remembrance Sunday. In Maths, the fractions topic has been tricky, but with perseverance they can now add and subtract them efficiently.
1st November 2019
Year 6 enjoyed their visit from Classroom Kitchen, brushing up on their cutting skills to produce a very tasty Jambalya, which was devoured by them! Maths has been quite tricky as the topic is fractions but the children are making good progress.They have also wrote excellent expanded noun phrases and personification sentences to create a different atmosphere in English.
18th October 2019
This week we have had another busy week in Year 6. In Art we completed our Mayan inspired clay tile and we are looking forward to painting them after half term. On Wednesday we celebrated Harvest in Church. We donated tins of food and gave thanks for what we have.
27th September 2019
'This week we have had a very busy week in Year 6. On Monday in PE we had a handball tournament in the hall and the red bib team won. Well done Reds! In Art we designed our own Christmas Card, our theme this year is Silent Night. In Maths we have started to learn about BODMAS. We found out it stands for Brackets, Order, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction. In Science we continued to learn about light. We enjoyed using torches to explore opaque, transparent and translucent objects.' Ella, Lyla and Jenny
14th June 2019
This week in English we started to write a balanced argument about whether Origami Yoda can predict the future or not. We had to take into account both points of view.
In Maths we have continued our work on percentages. We have worked hard to turn fractions into percentages, we have also turned percentages into a decimal number.
On Monday afternoon the Science Roadshow came to school and taught us about electricity. We watched lots of demonstrations and even took part in some of them. Our favourite part was when the scientist made wallpaper out of bin bags! To do this we had to rub a woolly jumper along the bin bag 30 times and then place it on the wall. Static energy was made. The static energy made the bin bag stay on the wall for nearly an hour. It was a rally fun show!
7th June 2019
In English this week we have started to read our new book 'Origami Yoda'. We have enjoyed listening to the different entries which are trying to convince us that Origami Yoda can predict the future. We came up with for and against ideas if Origami Yoda is real.
In Maths we started working on our new topic Percentages and Decimals.
In Art we have been looking at Saxon armour. We have started designing and making our own Saxon helmet.
10th May 2019
This week in Year 5 we have planned and wrote our own stories including using the past perfect and past progressive tense and including adverbial phrases. In maths we have been converting fractions into decimals. We also planned our own science experiments around forces.
3rd May 2019
This week in Year 5 we have been learning about decimals in maths.
We have been reading 'The Firebird', learning about different tenses, writing multi-clausal sentences, adding suffixes to nouns and adjectives to create verbs, using the subjunctive mood to give advice in a letter and exploring synonyms and antonyms.
In topic, we wrote secret messages in ancient Saxon writing.
We began our science topic - forces. We discovered we already knew quite a lot! We identified gravity, upthrust (buoyancy), driving force, air resistance, water resistance, friction.
29th March 2019
At the start of the week all the children enjoyed an assembly all about water safety and celebrating their sporting achievements.
This week year 5 have been working hard on our assessments. The children have shown real resilience and determination to do their best.
We have also created some Egyptian inspired sketches in Art and we have been orienteering in P.E.
22nd March 2019
This week in Year five we have written diary entries in role as Michael from Kensuke’s Kingdom. The children have done some drama, acting out a conversation to get in to character for their writing. In Maths we have begun subtracting mixed numbers with unlike denominators using bar models. In Science we have created lunar path models and explain to one and other how we see the moon at different stages.
15th March 2019
In English this week we have started our new book ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom.’ The children have written balanced arguments about whether or not a sailing adventure around the world would be a good idea. In R.E we have a special visit from Reverend Mark, who taught us all about the Easter story and the stations of the cross, the children acted out each station and wrote a newspaper article about a station of their choice. In science we have learnt all about time zones and the reasons why different countries have day and night at different times!
8th March 2019
This week in English Year 5 have been writing non-chronological reports about the ancient Egyptians. Miss Saunders has been very impressed with their research and the presentation of their findings! It has also been world book day, in our class we did a book scavenger hunt and discussed all the different types of books we enjoy. In Maths we are still working hard on fractions, this week adding and subtracting (even fractions with unlike denominators).
1st March 2019
This week in Year 5, we have been ordering and comparing fractions in Maths. We have been learning the mummification process and writing clear instructions in History.
In Art we made Egyptian neck collars and made a friendship signpost for the friendship garden.
15th February 2019
This week in Year five we have been investigating fractions. The children have been converting improper fractions to mixed numbers and vice versa. They managed to prove this with equipment and even move on to mathematical ways to convert more efficiently. We have also finished our class book and written a review of the parts we liked best – we are very ready for next term!
8th February 2019
This week Year 5 worked with the NSPCC and took part in a 'Speak Out. Stay Safe' workshop and assembly. During the workshop the children were encouraged to discuss how to stay safe and who to turn to if they need help.
1st February 2019
This week in Year 5 we have had a workshop all about Islam and had the opportunity to handle and investigate artefacts. The children made impressive presentations about their learning.
We have also been writing stories of our own in English and practicing our editing skills. Miss Saunders is excited to read the endings of our stories next week.
25th January 2019
This week in Year 5 we have been planning our own stories about time travel, we have been inspired by (spoiler alert) Topher and his adventures through time. We have investigated verbs and adverbs and what makes them effective; we will be using these in our writing next week! In History we have been learning about how pyramids were made and studying the chronology of ancient Egyptian dynasties.
18th January 2019
This week in Year 5 week we have been multiplying using a variety of methods – we used the grid method, long multiplication and partitioning.
In science we have been digging in to our topic of Earth and space; we looked at the order and features of the planets in our solar system. In English we have been planning and writing Diary entries, in role, as ‘Ka’ the stone cat which has come to life!
11th January 2019
This week in Maths we have been dividing using short written method and estimating using the inverse operation.
We have begun our new science Topic ‘earth and space’ and have analysed evidence for Flat earth vs spherical earth theories.
We started a new Egyptian themed book in English ‘The time travelling cat’ by Julia Jarman – “We really like this book so far, it’s about a boy called Topher and mystical cat which oddly looks like a carving Topher’s Mum gave to him before she died.” Ellie & Mia.
21st December 2018
This week Year 5 have enjoyed our Advent Service, the singing was beautiful!
We have also had a lot of fun with our Christmas Party. We played lots of games and danced to our favourite Christmas tunes.
Of course, we have done a lot of practice with long multiplication too!
14th December 2018
This week in Year 5 we have been learning about marine animals in English, we created a setting description from a divers perspective of a coral reef. Due to the fact that we are learning about marine life, we have also enjoyed parts of ‘Blue Planet’.
In Maths we have been learning about long multiplication and looking at the various ways we can present it. Charlotte's tip “If you are multiplying by a round ten, you put a place holder in the ones column to make your answer ten times greater from the start."
7th December 2018
This week in Year 5, we have been enjoying classroom kitchen again. We made fish cakes with potato, spring onions, tuna and breadcrumbs with parsley. We will send the recipes home if you’d like to have another try!
30th November 2018
This week Year five have been really focusing on their Maths. We have investigated factors and prime numbers, creating factor bugs and slugs! Ask Year five and they will explain. We have also produced our second draft of balanced arguments and Miss Saunders was very impressed with the passion that the children had about the topic of saving the rainforest.
23rd November 2018
In Year five this week, we have debated as a class the pros and cons of palm oil farming. The children researched both sides of the argument and practiced listening, responding and effectively countering each other’s point. We have written this up into a balanced argument.
16th November 2018
In Art this week we have looked at tigers of the rainforest and created sketches based on the artist Henry Rousseau. In Science we have been looking at different types of reproduction in plants. In English we have written our own magazine articles about deforestation, it’s impact on the rainforest and what we can do to save it save it.
In Maths we have been looking at different types of data, such as line graphs and conversion charts, and learning how to interpret it.
9th November2018
This week Year 5 have been planning a Science investigation to find out what the most vital need of a living thing is. The children came up with the investigation question themselves.
2nd November 2018
Year 5 have had a very busy first week back.
This week in Science we have been learning about different food chains. We have really enjoyed studying food chains. Our favourite food chain was sea weed - fish - shark.