Our Year 6 Class

A very warm welcome to our Year 6 class page.  Year 6 is a hard year, but a memorable one. The children are our oldest pupils and they are therefore expected to be role models to the rest of the school. It is our intention that the children's experiences will stay with them and they will be able to look back at their time at Christ Church with fond, happy and special memories. 

Our Year 6 Class 2024-2025

Class Information

This half term.... Spring Term 1 (January - February 2025)

This term we will be focusing on making sure we are ready and prepared for SATs and the future transition to high school. We will use this term as an opportunity to focus on and address any gaps in key learning. We will still be learning about new topics and we are particularly excited about our PE lessons and our art sessions, but we understand that we may have to prioritise other key subjects and content this term.

In Writing, we will start the term by focusing on creating our own verb poem. The purpose of this writing will be to entertain. We will then shift our attentions to a different writing topic - flashback narratives and letter writing. We will be using 'The Piano' by Aiden Gibbon as a stimulus for writing, and this is always a very popular unit. Hooks for the writing will include books from our class library and clips from Literacy Shed. As with all our writing, the children will be encouraged to use a range of high level and ambitious vocabulary and develop their skills as editors through the use of editing stations. The children will also be encouraged to use formal and informal language and a range of sentence types for effect - sometimes less is more!

As always, we will be utilising the benefits of Reading Plus in order to work on our reading skills and there will be regular VIPERS sessions planned in order for the children to improve their reading. 

We will develop these reading skills:

• Research & note-taking
• Exploring the meaning of new vocabulary
• Making inferences from the text
• Retrieving, recording & presenting information from different sources
• Asking questions to improve understanding
• Summarising key ideas from what we have read 
• Comparing sources of information

The children will continue to receive their weekly SPAG sessions. Spelling will be taught using 'Spelling Shed' and will focus on suffixes and the 'sh' sound (spelt ti, ci, si, ssi) and words containing silent letters. We will also be making sure that we are regularly working on words taken from the Y5/6 statutory spelling list.

In Mathematics we will be starting to prepare for our upcoming SATs tests.  It is crucial that all children continue to be competent and confident in using formal written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. These will be practised on a daily basis in 'Number Ninjas'. During lesson time, start the term with a topic on ratio and proportion focusing on:

• Add or multiply?
• Use ratio language
• Introduction to the ratio symbol
• Ratio and fractions
• Scale drawing
• Use scale factors
• Similar shapes
• Ratio problems

In all of the above, reasoning and problem solving will be a key focus. 

Towards the end of the term the children will be introduced to algebra. The focus will be on:

• 1-step function machines
• 2-step function machines
• Form expressions
• Substitution Formulae
• Form equations
• Solve 1-step equations
• Solve 2-step equations  

In Science our topic is the Circularity System. Throughout the course of this topic the children will carry out a number of different scientific investigations and cover the following objectives:

• Identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system, and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood.
• Recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function.
• Describe the ways in which nutrients and water are transported within animals, including humans.

RE - Our topic is 'Why do Hindus want to be good?' Within this unit, pupils will build on their learning about the Hindu worldview and way of life with particular progression from the units on ‘what do Hindus believe God is like?’ and ‘what does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?’ They will build on their understanding of dharma. Pupils will hear and interpret the story of the man in the well from the Mahabharata. They will investigate the key concepts of Karma, Dharma and samsara and how this might affect how a Hindu chooses to live their life using the example of two charities.

Music- In our Film Music topic, children will explore a diverse range of music from different traditions, genres, styles, and historical periods. They will develop their listening skills by paying close attention to musical details and learn to describe and evaluate what they hear using appropriate musical vocabulary. This topic encourages an appreciation of the power of music in storytelling and enhances their understanding of how music can evoke emotions and create atmosphere. The focus will be to: 

Our indoor PE sessions will focus on gymnastics, in particular rolls, jumps and balances. Throughout this unit the children will be learning the following skills:

• To develop the straddle, forward and backward roll.
• To develop rolling into sequence work on apparatus.
• To develop counter balance and counter tension.
• To develop counter balance and counter tension and sequence work with apparatus.
• To develop jumps and explore the effect of height.
• To explore jump sequence work with consideration of performance tools.

The topic for our outdoor sessions will be Tennis and the objectives we will work on are as follows:

• To develop placement of the ball using a forehand
• To develop placement of the ball using a backhand groundstroke
• To develop the volley and understand when to use it
• To employ tactics when working with a partner 
• To develop accuracy and consistency using the underarm serve
• To apply rules, skills and principles to play against an opponent

Our Computing unit this term is titled - Big Data

Throughout the course of this unit the children will acquire the following skills:

• Understand why barcodes and QR codes were created.
• Create (and scan) their own QR code using a QR code generator website.
• Explain how infrared can be used to transmit a Boolean type signal.
• Explain how RFID works, recall a use of RFID chips, and type formulas into spreadsheets.
• Take real-time data and enter it effectively into a spreadsheet.
• Presenting the data collected as an answer to a question.
• Recognising the value of analysing real-time data.
• Analyse and evaluate transport data and consider how this provides a useful service to commuters

We are really looking forward to our Art work this half term, and we have many talented artists in our ranks! The focus for this half term will be on painting with the topic entitled 'Painting and Mixed Media'. This unit focuses on understanding narratives and descriptive language in art, exploring meanings behind paintings, and developing personal interpretations and abstract art pieces based on selected artists. Lessons explore creative expression, analysis, and evaluation skills in art. Objectives covered are:

• To understand how to analyse a famous painting.
• To understand how to find meaning in painting.
• To apply drama techniques to explore the meaning of a painting.
• To apply interpretation skills to analyse and respond to an abstract painting.
• To apply interpretation skills to analyse and respond to an abstract painting.
• To understand how art can tell stories or portray messages.
• To develop starting points for creative outcomes.
• To demonstrate an understanding of painting techniques to make personal choices.

HeartSmart is a creative approach to delivering the PSHE Curriculum that primary schools use to build character, emotional health and resilience in children. It equips them with foundational principles, skills, habits and a mindset that will improve their mental health, relationships and academic achievement. The topic for our Spring Term is 'Too much selfie isn't healthy' and the lessons will focus on the following: L1- Introduction L2 - Growing Together L3 - Social Media L4 - Reflection

I'm sure you'll agree that it's a very jam-packed start to the new year, but we're excited to get going! :)

Autumn Term 2 NEWS!

During Autumn Term 2 the children have continued to grow and mature in their attitude and outlook. There has already been plenty of difficult work to carry out, but they have raised to the task admirably. We loved spending time with each other during the build up to Christmas and enjoyed doing lots of Christmas crafts. We were so proud of how responsible and caring they were with their Reception partners on our visit to the cinema, and we had a whale of a time at our Christmas party, with some very dodgy dancing! 

A lot of hard work has taken place in Maths and English as we work towards Year 6 expectations and the sheer volume of work that needs to be completed. All the children have now completed all the written methods for calculation and regular practice of these takes place every morning during 'Number Ninjas'. We have also dived right in to our fraction topic and the children are beginning to have a good feel for the sense of number with fractions when comparing and ordering them.  Reasoning and problem solving skills linked to these topics is developing, but there is still a lot of work to be done in deciphering what some of the trickier questions are actually asking them to do. We have seen some super progress in writing; children have really taken on board the importance of careful and thorough editing and the results have been encouraging to see! The children, as did we, thoroughly enjoyed Who Let the Gods out, our class novel, and are looking forward to picking a new class reader.

The work Science work on electricity was really fun and informative. The children really enjoyed getting to grips with this topic and enjoyed finding out as much information as possible. We have already completed a number of investigations into electrical circuits and are able to understand the different scientific symbols linked to these. It's been nice to build on their knowledge of this topic from their time in Year 4.

In RE, we really enjoyed learning more about what Bible says about Jesus being the Messiah. Children could explain who the prophets were and what they said about Jesus being the Messiah. Children could also explain what other people say about Jesus being the Messiah and how this impacts on celebrations of Christmas. We also enjoyed learning about how Christians prepare for Christmas and were proud to play a big part in the school advent service in church. 

Our topic work on South America was really interesting and the geography work that was produced was of a very high standard. We loved the use of the Oddizzi website, especially the quiz pages. We learnt the names of countries in this continent, the different geographical features, how to use longitude and latitude, different time zones and compared features with our own country. We also created an Amazon fact-file.

As always, the children have enjoyed their PE lessons this term, and were able to show off their Handball skills. The children learnt how to develop agility and quickness, develop and refine throwing and catching skills, combine the skills of moving and passing in handball and take part in a intra-class competition. In their Dodgeball sessions the children enjoyed their Friday sessions, especially the opportunity to take part in a competition - we have some very competitive children! ;)

Computing work has been tough but very rewarding and we learnt lots as the topic progressed (adults included!). Over the course of the sessions the children were able to display a number of skills including:

• Decomposing a program into an algorithm.
• Writing increasingly complex algorithms for a purpose.
• Debugging quickly and effectively to make a program more efficient.
• Remixing existing code to explore a problem.
• Using and adapting nested loops.
• Programming using the language Python.
• Changing a program to personalise it.
• Evaluating code to understand its purpose.
• Using logical thinking to explore software independently, iterating ideas and testing continuously.

We recognise that after Christmas the expectations will be heightened again, but I'm sure we're ready for the challenge and as always - work hard, play hard!

This half term.... Autumn Term 2  (October - December 2024)

Well another half term has fast approached, and we have lots planned for our lovely lot! 

Over the next half term our geography topic will be 'South America'

We are looking forward to starting our new topic, with the children using a number of their skills in geography to discover more about this fascinating continent. Skills that will be developed over the course of this unit will be:

• To locate the Amazon on a map and consider the significance of its location.
• To describe the importance of the Amazon Basin and Rainforest.
• To understand some of the threats to the Amazon and why they matter.
• To understand some of the main human and physical features of Manaus.
• To compare the Amazon Basin with South-East Brazil and the children's home area.
• I can share my knowledge and understanding of the Amazon Basin.

  
In Literacy we will begin with a piece of poetry writing with a specific focus on carefully chosen verbs and adverbs. We'll then write a story inspired by the short narrative 'Paper Man'. The plan is to write our own version of the story and then create an independent piece of writing following the lenses we have focused on from our Writing Rainbow'. The purpose of this writing is to entertain and I'm really looking forward to seeing new writing skills in action! 

We will continue to explore and embed different sentence types, focusing on selecting the right sentence type for the particular genre of writing. Children will be encouraged to edit their writing by re-reading and re-drafting, fine tuning their language choice and punctuation. Grammar work will continue and will be taught through writing and also in a standalone weekly grammar lesson. Spelling continues; this half term we will continue look at the statutory spellings for Year 6. Don't forget also to log in to Reading Plus - our personalised reading intervention!

In Mathematics we will be really concentrating on developing our reasoning skills to explain our mathematical thinking. We shall complete the final written method of calculation, division, which is always the trickiest, trying to master the 'bus shelter' method. BIDMAS will also be covered before moving on to work on fractions. In the unit of work on fractions the children will learn a number of different skills: finding equivalent fractions, comparing and ordering fractions, adding and subtracting fractions and then working on mixed multi-step problems. Fractions, decimals and percentages are a major part of the Year 6 curriculum and they are tested in both the arithmetic and the reasoning papers. Times table facts are crucial for this work, so it is vital that the children continue to work on TTRockstars at home, if necessary.

In Science our topic is Electricity. We will work scientifically and use enquiry skills with the children learning to:

• Explain how our understanding of electricity has changed over time.
• Draw circuit diagrams using the correct symbols and label the voltage correctly.
• Decide which variables to control while planning an investigation.
• Decide how to report their findings.
• Make new predictions based on the previous results.
• Select an appropriate scientific enquiry. 

RE - We will be starting a new topic entitled: Why do Christians believe that Jesus was the Mesiah? 

• What was going on that meant the People of God needed a saviour?
• What kind of rescuer/Messiah were people expecting?
• Why do Christians believe Jesus fulfils the expectations of the Messiah?
• Why do most Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah?
• How does Christmas fit in with Christian beliefs about Jesus?
• Why do Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah? 

Music - Musical Theatre

A new musical topic to Year 6, but a popular one no doubt! Throughout the lessons children will be learning a number of new skills. The children will be reminded of how to stand and sit with good posture when singing, the importance of breathing correctly and clear diction. The children will be introduced to a wide range of musical theatre songs. They will learn the story, setting and characters behind each song. They will learn each song by heart and to a high standard, focussing on performing to an audience.

Computing - Intro to Python

Another popular topic in Year 6 and one that we are keen to get to grips with! There are a number of objectives to be met over the course of these lessons.   

• Iterate ideas, testing and changing throughout the lesson and explain what their program does.
• Use nested loops in their designs, explaining why they need two repeats.
• Alter the house drawing using Python commands; use comments to show a level of understanding around what their code does.
• Use loops in Python and explain what the parts of a loop do.
• Recognise that computers can choose random numbers; decompose the program into an algorithm and modify a program to personalise it. 

Design Technology - Structures: Playgrounds

In this unit of work children research existing playground equipment and their different forms, before designing and developing a range of apparatus to meet a list of specified design criteria. Objectives in this unit are to:

• Create five apparatus designs, applying the design criteria to their work.
• Make suitable changes to their work after peer evaluation.
• Make roughly three different structures from their plans using the materials available.
• Complete their structures, improving the quality of their rough versions and applying some cladding to a few areas.
• Secure their apparatus to a base.
• Make a range of landscape features using a variety of materials which will enhance their apparatus.

Heartsmart- Don't forget to let Love In

You’re important, you matter, you’re one in a million and above all you’re loved. These are messages that we all need to hear, believe and remember – because sometimes we forget. The healthier our internal dialogue, the greater our sense of worth which is the cornerstone of character and resilience. How kind are the thoughts we listen to? How patient are we with ourselves? How often do we find ourselves listening to the Scrapman? 

Don’t Forget to Let Love In  helps us grow in self compassion. You’ll notice we don’t shy away from using the word love. It’s a big deal. Without it we’re no one, but no one is without it. The ability to receive or reject it in our lives defines us. Our actions, beliefs and very essence is shaped by our experience of it. Our hearts are made strong because of it. So in partnering with love, we partner with a strength that’s stronger than any challenge life might throw at us. Although it can be a challenge to receive it, love never fails. Don’t Forget to Let Love In!

Visit the website www.heartsmartprimary.com for more information on what Heartsmart is all about.

In PE we are moving on to a fan favourite - Handball!

Throughout this fun unit of work the children will be learning a range of skills such as:

• Using a variety of passes to maintain possession under pressure
• Select the appropriate skill to create space, move towards goal and away from defenders
• Select and apply the appropriate skill to score
• Use defending skills to prevent an opponent from scoring
• Use the appropriate defensive technique for the situation
• Apply rules, skills and principles in a tournament

In our outdoor PE lessons, the children will be learning how to play hockey. The main objectives that will be covered are:

To apply skills and knowledge to be able to move with the ball.

• To develop dribbling to beat a defender.
• To send and receive the ball with control under pressure.
• To select the appropriate skill, choosing when to pass and when to dribble.
• To move into and create space to support a teammate.
• To use the appropriate defensive technique for the situation.
• To apply rules, skills and principles to play in a tournament.

Our sporting value this half term is SELF-BELIEF

Autumn Term 1 NEWS!

It's been an absolutely brilliant start to the new school year and the children have really stepped up to the mark and shown that they are ready for their final year at our school. Kicking of the year at Scotman's Flash was a fabulous opportunity for the children to really show what thy are capable of, with many of the class coming out of their comfort zones and taking part in a range of different water based activities designed to really test their character. They were an absolute credit to our school and it's fair to say that we all made memories to cherish. From a personal point of view, it was a lovely way to get to know the class and the wonderful characters we have.

We’ve been working hard on our Literacy and Numeracy skills, but there is still a way to go given the requirements and demands of the Year 6 curriculum. Written methods are coming along nicely and these will stand the children in good stead for the Arithmetic test and problem solving. Place value work and addition, subtraction and multiplication skills are pleasing and the children's resilience to problem solving is getting better. However, we have found that some children still aren't confident in their times table knowledge and this will be a huge focus in the next term. In Literacy, the children used David Guetta's video 'Titanium' as a writing stimulus to complete a number of different written activities: report writing, setting descriptions and diary entries. The resulting work that was produced was truly deserving of Year 6 status. We've really enjoyed reading 'Who let the Gods out', a story which has fitted in nicely with our topic work on Ancient Greece, and allowed us to further develop our VIPERS reading skills. We will continue to read this book after half term. 

Writing has shown promise, especially the diary entries, and the children all have targets to work on. As always, we're trying to master the non-negotiables, but we do still see missing full stops and capital letters, and there will be a real push with spelling: Mrs Kirkman is already planning for a 'Spelling Bee' competition when we return to school and has plenty of 'Kirkman Killers' up her sleeve! Reading Plus, our online reading program, is in full swing and it is pleasing to see children unlocking new levels. It is vital that this is constantly being accessed at home too - little and often is the key!

The children have loved the Light topic in Science, planning and carrying out investigations related to reflection and refraction. The children have been able to understand that light travels in straight lines from light sources to our eyes and been able to investigate what happens to the size and shape of a shadow when an object is moved from the light source.

As always, computing lessons have been enjoyed and lots of new learning has taken place. We kicked off the unit of work by discussing the importance of being safe using social media platforms and the importance of thinking about what what we post, specifically pictures that are shared. We then learnt a number of new skills related to coding. We looked a range of different types of code, which then led on to work using 'Brute Force' hacking. We completed the unit by looking at key individuals that have proved to be pivotal in some way linked to computer science.

PE lessons have been a hit, as usual, with children enjoying their indoor unit on dance and their outdoor unit on basketball. We learnt lots of new skills along the way and particular highlights were the sessions where the children got to showcase their dance routines and our unit finale in basketball as we enjoyed taking part in a intra-class competition. 

We've loved our PATHS sessions and the children have shown just how empathetic and compassionate we can be with our responses. We have had lots of discussion around dealing appropriately in difficult situations and how we can better manage a range of different problems. Towards the end of term, we learned all about what to expect as we approach puberty with a visit from HH Kids team. As ever, the children listened intently, with a few giggles and 'oohs' along the way!  

So, all in all, a very busy first half term - there's more hard work on the way, but we'll definitely rise to the challenge!