Class 6 Newsletter Autumn Term
Class 6 Newsletter – Autumn Term 2023
A very warm welcome to Year 6. I do hope everyone had a lovely summer break and everyone is ready for the term ahead. The children have had a great start to the new year, and I am very much looking forward to the exciting times we have ahead.
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 – World War I. Non- fiction work will include recounts, instruction and explanation writing and performance poetry. We are starting off our VIPERS (whole class reading) with the text ‘War Horse’ by Micheal Morpurgo. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, handwriting, editing and other literacy skills are weaved throughout all of our curriculum. The children are continuing to strengthen their dictionary and thesaurus skills – if they can bring in a named small dictionary/thesaurus to use in class that would be beneficial as our resources are limited. These skills are great to embed at year six in preparation for secondary school.
Maths: Improving mental calculations, place value up to three decimal places and 7- digit numbers, 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. It is essential children are fluent in their multiplication and can recall multiplication division facts up to the twelve’s times table.
Science:
Evolution and Inheritance – Recognise that living things have changes over time, that fossils provide information from millions of years ago, explore factors associated with inheritance and identify how plants and animals adapt to their environment. We will also be examining the theories of evolution constructed by Darwin and Wallace.
All Living Things – Describe how living things are classified and give reasons for specific characteristics.
Topic (History/Geography): Our first topic is World War I. We will be learning about the causes of the war and its impact on Britain and the local area. In the second half term we will be learning about the geography of the United Kingdom. We will learn the counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), land use and patterns: and develop our understanding of how some aspects of these have changed over time.
Languages: Mrs Rudkin will be teaching French. Topics 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 and developing our coding skills. Next half term we will be developing our understanding of algorithms for searching, sorting and maths.
Art and DT: In Art we will learn about great artists focusing on the work of Georgia O’Keeffe. In DT we will be looking at textiles and combining textiles, hopefully improving our sewing skills.
RE: We will be studying moral philosophy: investigating moral issues such as peace and conflict. We will be studying three main religions Christianity, Hinduism, Islam the role of the individual, community and society and the life and work of a Christian, Muslim, Hindu individual and how their faith impacts on their actions.
P.E: Mr Snelling will be leading both of our PE sessions this term. Currently, PE will take place on a Thursday and Friday afternoons. However, it is essential PE kits are in school from Monday ready for the week and children will come home in kits on a Friday (uniform in their bags) so it can be washed. Please remember deodorant needs to be stick/roll on – please no aerosols and all uniform and PE kits are clearly named, including footwear. We will be starting the term PE lessons with dodgeball and football.
P.S.H.E: We start with recapping the NSPCC’s PANTS and Speak Out, Stay Safe lessons. We will then move onto the unit on Families and Friendships covering subjects such as attraction to others; romantic relationships; civil partnership and marriage. Then we move on to the unit Safe Relationships covering recognising and managing pressure, consent in different situations. We will also be doing Play Leader training and the beginning of the Autumn term and once the new Reception children have settled into school, the children will find out their Buddies and begin supportive activities with them. This has become a very special link between the oldest and youngest children over the last few years at Clavering.
Music: We will listen and appraise music from different times and cultures and compose short pieces. On Thursdays the children will have Wider Opportunity music lessons learning about brass instruments. This will begin later in the term. We will also have our Christmas production which will involve learning new songs and the potential for solos and duets.
Homework: The children will be set Maths and English or Topic homework each week which should be completed in their Learning Log by the following Wednesday. On occasion the children may be set a project to complete over a set period which will run alongside regular homework. Six sets of spellings will be issued for the half term and tests will take place every Friday. Children have a reading record (little blue book) where they need to write their daily home reading into, this must be signed by an adult at home, handed in every morning and house points will be awarded accordingly. Soon the children will be bringing home reading challenge books to complete in relation to the book they are reading/completed. Please do discuss their book 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 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). Children must have a water bottle in school every day.
Secondary Transfer
You will shortly receive details regarding secondary school applications for 2023 and the process for applying for a secondary school place, the statutory cut off day for which is October 31st, 2023.
Events for your Diary
Tuesday 26th September – Meet the Teacher evening.
Wednesday 20th September Girls’ football.
September 29th – MacMillan coffee morning
Wednesday 11th October Football Tournament Boys am/Girls pm
Bikeability- more information and dates to follow.
October 17th & 19th – Parents Evening
October 18th – Cross Country
October 20th – INSET day
Friendship Week – TBC
December 13th & 14th Christmas Plays
December 15th – Tray Day
December 19th – Christmas lunch
The team working alongside me this term to support the class is: Mrs Lipscomb, Mrs Martin, Mrs Neal and Mr Snelling.
If you do have any quick questions, please do come a speak to me at the beginning or the end of the day, if a longer discussion is required, please phone/email the office to arrange an appointment.
Miss Morton
