Class Six Newsletter – Autumn Term
Class 6 Newsletter – Autumn Term
Welcome to Year 6. I hope you all had a very enjoyable summer and are looking forward to the busy term ahead. Below is a brief outline of what we will be covering between now and Christmas
English: We will be studying fiction genres with a focus on significant authors and historical stories as well as extended narrative and persuasive writing linked to our History topic. Non fiction work will include recounts, instruction and explanation writing as well as classic and performance poetry.
Spelling, grammar, punctuation, handwriting, guided reading, vocabulary expansion and improving self editing skills are ongoing.
Maths: improving mental calculations, place value up to three decimal places, patterns and sequences, handling data and interpreting information, contextual problem solving, securing number facts, relationships and calculations, efficient written methods for calculation, algebra, fractions, decimals and percentages
Science: What would a journey through your body be like? We will be studying our circulatory system.
Topic (History/Geography): How can we rediscover the wonders of Ancient Greece? We will be studying people, events and advancements of the Ancient Civilisation of the Greeks, their legacy and how they have influenced our lives today. We will also be visiting the British Museum (date to be confirmed).
Languages: Our topics in French will be En Ville and Les Saisons. We will be building on our previous learning, broadening our vocabulary, exploring patterns, structures and sounds and developing greater confidence to speak, read and write French with increasing fluency within a range of contexts.
Computing: We will focus on internet safety this term and will be developing skills in programming.
Art and DT: We plan to study Cubism for the first half of the term and will go on to look at frame structures after half term as we become architects designing and building our own Greek temples.
P.E: We will be starting the new school year with fitness, cross country and football. Children will need full PE kits on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. In Year 6 we do encourage children to get onto a routine of bringing all PE kits in on a Monday and taking them home for washing each weekend. Track suits may be preferred later in the term as the weather begins to get colder, sports socks and a roll on deodorant are also advisable to include in the P.E. bag for obvious reasons of good hygiene.
P.S.H.E.E: We will be starting off with Play Leader training and hope that all the children will graduate by the end of the month and be able to begin their new roles very quickly. The children will also be taking over as buddies to the new Reception children which has become a very special link between the oldest and youngest children over the last few years at Clavering. We will then begin to focus on relationships and feelings beginning in our Friendship Week at the end of this month. We will also be taking part in the Bikeability Scheme in October/November (dates to follow shortly).
Music will be taught through an integrated approach of listening and appraising, composing and performing through singing and the playing of pitched and non pitched instruments. This term will start with samba.
Mrs Ford will be teaching the class on a Tuesday morning when I am out of class in my assistant head teacher role.
Homework: The children will be set Maths and English or Topic homework each week which should be completed in their Learning Logs or on the sheets provided and returned to school by the date set. Spellings will be given to learn on a weekly basis. Every child has a reading journal where they should be recording their responses to books they have read both at home and at school and aiming to complete the Reading Challenge. Please do discuss their books and reading choices with your child and continue to listen to them reading aloud when possible; this enables them to read at a pace to allow spellings and grammatical structures to be absorbed more readily. Additional homework may be set on occasions to support specific areas of learning as required.
Water/Snacks
Children are actively encouraged to bring in water and a snack for break time each day. It is often a long time between breakfast and lunch and a snack is important to keep us all going. We ask that these are healthy, in line with our Healthy Schools ethos (fruit or vegetables in their natural forms).
Secondary Transfer
You will shortly receive details regarding secondary school open days and the process for applying for a secondary school place, the statutory cut off day for which is October 31st.
Dates for your Diary
September 19th – Meet the Teacher evening (7:00pm, repeated at 7:30pm)
September 20th – Class Walk
September 28th –MacMillan coffee morning (information to follow)
October 3rd – Archaeology Day
October 9th-10th – Friendship Days
October 11th – E safety workshops at JFAN for Years 5 and 6 followed by parent information evening 7:00pm – 9:00pm
October 15th-18th – bikeability (information to follow)
October 16th (3:30pm-5:30pm) October 17th (5:00pm-7:00pm) Parents’ Evenings
October 19th – INSET day
December 3rd – Tray afternoon (3:15-4:15pm)
December 12th – KS2 Christmas performance
If you do have any questions or concerns at any time please do come and talk to me after school.
Lynn Lipscomb
