Year 6 Newsletter Autumn Term
Class 6 Newsletter – Autumn Term 2025
A very warm welcome to Year 6. I do hope everyone had a lovely summer break and everyone is ready for the term ahead.
English: Our writing this term will be underpinned by the story The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Children will explore characters, emotions, different points of view and the challenges faced by the main character and some of the other characters that have made their way to the new land. Following this text, we will use Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah, Can we save a Tiger? By Martin Jenkins and then The Last Bear by Hannah Gold. We are starting off our VIPERS (whole class reading) with the text ‘War Horse’ by Micheal Morpurgo which the children have been reading over the summer. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, handwriting, editing and other literacy skills are weaved throughout all our curriculum. The children are continuing to strengthen their dictionary and thesaurus skills.
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:
All Living Things – Describe how living things are classified and give reasons for specific characteristics.
Light – Through our learning children will recognise that light appears to travel in straight lines, use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain that objects are seen because they give out or reflect light into the eye, explain that we see things because light travels from light sources to our eyes or from light sources to objects and then to our eyes, and use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain why shadows have the same shape as the objects that cast them.
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: 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 to make a Christmas decoration.
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 and Miss Morton will be teaching PE sessions this term. Currently, PE will take place on a Tuesday and Friday – this is subject to change. However, it is essential PE kits are in school from Monday ready for the week. Children will bring home kits on a Friday 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.
P.S.H.E: We start with recapping the NSPCC’s 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. 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 will be posted on Teams on a Thursday and completed by the following Wednesday unless otherwise stated. On occasion the children may be set a project to complete over a set period which will run alongside regular homework. Spellings will be issued weekly on Teams; tests will take place every Friday. Children need to read daily – some of the class will be assigned group texts to read and they will be advised what they need to read of the book and by when. Please do discuss their books and reading choices 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 2026 and the process for applying for a secondary school place.
‘From 12 September 2025 you can apply online for your child’s secondary school (year 7) place. Applications received after the 31st October 2025 are considered late and will reduce your chance of being offered a place at your preferred schools.’ – Essex County Council
Attendance
Attendance – please see our new attendance policy inline with the changes made by the DfE.
Clavering Primary School SEN Information and School Policies – Clavering Primary School
Events for your Diary
Wednesday 17th September – Meet the Teacher evening.
TBC – MacMillan coffee morning
Bikeability- September 2025 – see previous letter for information.
Tuesday 14th & Wednesday 15th October – Parents Evening
Friday 24th October – INSET day
Friday 14th November – Year 6 Sharing Assembly for Parents
Monday 1st December – Tray Day (3.15-4.15pm)
December 9th & 10th KS2 Christmas Play
Wednesday 17th December – Christmas lunch
The team working alongside me this term to support the class is: Mrs Martin, Mrs Elliston 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
