Year 6: A Year Full of Challenges and Opportunities

1. Year 6 2019-20Mr Anderton (Class Peru / 10)Mr Higginson (Class Nepal/ 11)

2. Year 6 team • Mrs Hussey (TA) • Ms Mosley (SEN TA) • Mrs Bell (SEN TA)

3. Year 6 • A year full of challenges and opportunities • A time to really develop, both academically and socially • Independence, resourcefulness, responsibility • Enjoyment • We’re a team in Year 6 – all need to play our part if we are to get the most out of it. • Oldest in school – set an example.

4. Structure of the year • Terms 1, 2 and 3 – developing of maths and English skills • Term 4 – developing and applying skills in preparation for SATs assessments (booster groups) • Term 5 – SATs tests (week beginning 11th May) and project work • Term 6 – Leavers’ performance, transition to secondary schools and end of year celebration

5. Organisation • English: Taught in classes. Spelling groups on Fridays. • Maths: Taught in groups, all covering the same curriculum but one group working at a faster pace. Groups will be flexible if needs demand. Organisation of groups will change during ‘Booster’ period in term 4.

6. PE • Mondays and Tuesdays • Keep kit in school all week in case extra opportunities arise • PE kit – house-colour, plain t-shirt, shorts (indoors) joggers (if desired - outside) • Ear-rings – must be removed after 6 weeks post piercing. Until then, please provide your child with tape to cover them.

7. This Year’s Topics…. • Alone on the wide, wide sea (Geography) • Ernest Shackleton (Geography/History) • Excavating Egypt (History) • The Living World (Science) • Fit For Life (Science) • Box of Memories (Design technology) • Stone Age to Iron Age (History) • Settlement (Geography)

8. How you can help • Times tables • Reading – children will be part of a guided reading group in school. During this time (once a week) they will study a short text in order to develop their reading skills. However, they must read as often as possible at home to develop fluency, comprehension and vocabulary. Reading from a range of genres and authors is important. • Reading records – We collect these on guided reading days. • Vocabulary– we will encourage your children to be ambitious in their use of vocabulary. Please ensure that they are similarly ambitious in their homework. • Learning homeworks – please ensure that your child spends sufficient time on these to learn them well. • Encourage resourcefulness / independence

9. Homework – - Year 6 will receive written or online homework most weekends. - Homework will be sent home as appropriate (to reinforce learning in class, for example) - Written homework will often be marked in class with the children - Written homework to be brought into school by Tuesday - Weekly spellings (lists sent home termly and available on website) - Homework may include: maths, English or topic (e.g. research) - Written homework tasks should take no longer than 30 minutes for each (except termly tasks)

10. Other Information • Maths Calculation – copies of our guide for parents available on the website. • School uniform – Please make sure that your child is wearing correct school uniform. If they cannot, for any reason, please send in a note to let us know why. • Jewellery – Ear-rings – studs only (no hoops) and nothing hanging. Taped for PE when new (6 weeks only after piercing), tape provided by parent. No decorative jewellery including rings, bracelets etc. • Watches – OK, but the child’s responsibility. • Lost property -All named. Anything left at end of term must be reclaimed or will be disposed of. Please check that your child comes home with the correct garments!

11. PE kit– not fashion show! T-shirts for houses and black shorts/tracksuit bottoms. Must be brought on a Monday and left in school until Friday or end of term. A text will be sent home if kit is not in school. If this happens twice in the same term, a phone call will be made to ensure that parents/carers are aware of what is happening. • PE bags – the best way to store PE kit at school is in a draw-string bag which will hang on a peg (without being knocked off!). • Bags – should be modest in size, our cloakrooms are overflowing! • Mobile phones – if needed (after school) they must be labelled and put in the ‘phone box’ at the start of the day. They will be stored in the office until 3:30pm. • Snack shop – 20p in a named purse/wallet • Come and see us! – after school please if possible

12. Yearbook / End of Primary celebration Over the course of the academic year, Year 6 pupils are given the opportunity to raise money for their commemorative yearbooks and an end-of-year event. Any volunteers to help with the yearbook would be greatly appreciated.

13. Forest School – November and June Class 10 – 11th and 12th November Class 11 – 13th and 15th November Class 10 – 29th and 30th June Class 11 – 1st and 3rd July We are desperate for volunteers – without them, the sessions cannot go ahead. Please let the office know if you can help out!

14. E-safety Some of the things to be aware of: • Posting unkind messages (Facebook, Instagram, text) • Uploading images onto Instagram (inappropriate images and using images without permission) • Uploading films onto YouTube • Accessing adult sites via Instagram and on mobile phones • Playing age-inappropriate games online

15. E-safety • Please be vigilant • Please talk to your child about these issues • Experience has shown that while we do everything we can in school to teach the children about staying safe online, the message needs to be reinforced at home. • Please see E-safety links on school website (includes information for parents and children)

16. SRE (sex and relationships education) • 2 lessons in year 6 • First one is the 25th September • Parents can view the video before their child sees it with Mr Telfer • Deals with physical and emotional changes which the children either are, or will be, going through.