Well done, Year 6. You have worked exceptionally hard this term and managed to have a lot of fun in the process.
In Maths, we have spent most of the term learning how to use fractions. We have learned to add and subtract fractions, converting them so that denominators are the same where necessary. We can multiply fractions by multiplying the numerators and divide fractions by multiplying by the reciprocal of the denominators. We can now find fractions of amounts and use our new skills to solve real-world problems.
In English, we have been reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which the class have thoroughly enjoyed. We have drawn on its gothic and often humorous themes to create our own chapters for the book. Our narratives are filled with advanced language techniques such as metaphors, similes, showing rather than telling, pathetic fallacy and much more. We have also explored the poem The Tyger by William Blake. By analysing its hidden meanings and metaphors, we created our own mysterious poems about other animals.
We have continued to enjoy our time at the pool. Some of us swam our first unaided lengths, while others learned to dive properly for the first time. Our team did amazingly well at the Swimming Gala, pushing ourselves to swim faster, further and with better technique.
In Geography, we have been studying Kenya, particularly why migration to its capital, Nairobi, is happening and how it can result from push or pull factors. We examined the benefits and disadvantages of tourism in the country and considered options for its future. Comparing Kenya with the United Kingdom revealed many similarities, partly due to Kenya's historical ties with the UK and its membership in the Commonwealth.
In PSHE, we have focused on 'Celebrating Differences'. Lessons and discussions included exploring similarity and difference, bullying, stereotyping, racism, discrimination and celebrating individuality. In Music, we developed our knowledge of how to read music, improved our singing and deepened our understanding of the cultural significance of songs. In RE, we explored the inquiry 'Why is it important for Christians that Mary was chosen as Jesus’ mother?'
Science this term has been all about electricity. We have learned about complete and incomplete circuits and how electrical currents flow. We investigated conductive materials and applied this knowledge to make switches.
Finally, we had an incredible time at the ice rink. Everyone was in great spirits from the walk up right through to going home. It was wonderful to see everyone having such an amazing time, even if it did leave some of us with one or two bruises! Happy Christmas, everyone. Enjoy the well-earned break.
Mr Dobson
Logistics:
Homework – Keep going with Doodle Maths. This is really important as progress is evident when children complete it regularly. Please also remember to read at home as often as you can and to practise the spellings children receive by Friday.
Forest and PE – These will both be on Monday so they should bring in suitable forest kit to wear over their PE kit. They must have long sleeves and long trousers to protect themselves from scratches and insect bites. Forest will go ahead in all weather, so be prepared for the cold and wet weather.
I can't believe that it is the end of term 1 already. Looking back, we've achieved so much. Year 6 have been busy visiting potential secondary schools and getting excited about their big change next summer. They are going to be more than ready come next September!
In Maths, we tackled some really advanced arithmetic, and we can now use formal methods to work out long multiplication and long division. Some children are even experimenting with using fractions and decimals instead of remainders. We have also mastered using the correct order of working out operations (by using the acronym BODMAS), and we can now answer questions such as 3 x (14 + 11)
In English with Miss James, we have completed two non-fiction pieces and a fiction piece of writing. Our stories based on our class text this term, Kensuke's Kingdom, were full of excitement and featured rich descriptions of waking up on a desert island, finding food and shelter, encountering wild animals, and trying to swim to freedom. We have followed this up with an emotional story based on the short film, The Piano. Conversely, we have written some very serious newspaper articles based on the hideous crimes featured in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Three Little Pigs.
We have enjoyed our time at the pool. Some of us have swum our first unaided lengths, while others have learned to dive properly for the first time. We certainly look forward to continuing with this after half-term, especially with the Gala fast approaching.
In History, our focus has been the Georgian period, especially in our local area. We have learned about important names, like the Master of Ceremonies, Beau Nash, writers who lived in Bath at the time like Jane Austen and Mary Shelley, and the legacy of local architects such as Ralph Allen and John Wood Sr.
In PSHE, we have focused on 'Being Me in My World'. We have had many class discussions on how we fit into our communities, and the challenges of becoming a responsible young person. We also had school council and house captain elections. All the children who took part did an amazing job preparing and presenting their speeches. A huge congratulations to all who took part.
Science has been taking a look at how we classify living things. We have looked at different ways scientists classify animals, plants and microorganisms. The lessons on microorganisms have been particularly fascinating, where we have learned that there are an estimated nine trillion of them in our bodies. Comprehending the enormity of that number has been eye-opening.
Half-term is well-deserved, Year 6! Enjoy every minute of it, and be ready to come back for the run-up to Christmas and the new year!
Homework – Please can I remind you that Doodle maths, spellings and reading journals must be completed every week. Any problems, I'd be happy to help.
Reading - A polite reminder that children must read as often as they can - at least 3 times a week - and record it in their logs. These are checked every Friday.
Forest – Monday afternoon (please come in school uniform on the 6th of November for the school photographs).
PE – Friday afternoon. Please come in normal school uniform with your swimming gear.
It has been fantastic getting to know your children even more during the first week, and I am looking forward to what I’m sure will be a hugely successful and enjoyable year. The children have already started with their work. We have been learning about place value in maths and have begun reading our class text, Kensuke’s Kingdom. We have also created unique art using drawing and collage to make portraits inspired by Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
The start of a new school year is always busy, so please be aware of the following:
We will encourage the children to be as independent as possible this year, especially when it comes to revision for the SATs later in the year. However, help from home (and school) may still be required.
Children will be expected to complete the following homework:
Doodle Maths or Doodle Times Tables: Children should complete 20 minutes per week. I will check their progress on Friday mornings.
Personal spellings: The children will bring home 6–10 words on Fridays. These will be words they have spelt incorrectly in their work. They will be tested on them the following Friday.
Reading: Children must read at least 3 times per week. Throughout the week, they will participate in Book-Talk, where they will share their reading with the class—often inspiring others with what they read. Additionally, your child should complete one Reading Journal entry at home every week. This should be a high-quality, scrapbook-style, creative entry. Children should bring their books and journals to school daily. The journals will be collected on Friday morning, ready for the celebration assembly.
P.E. is on Friday afternoon this year. We will be swimming for P.E. from now until Christmas, so swimming costumes should be brought during this time.
Forest School is on Monday afternoon. Lessons will take place regardless of the weather (unless extreme), so please ensure your child wears appropriate clothing: long-sleeve tops and trousers. Could children please bring their wellies and waterproofs in a separate bag to change into and out of during the day. Please note that it is very difficult to provide spare kits for individual children.
Finally, I’m sure there will be many questions regarding SATs and transition to secondary school; however, we will discuss these in more depth later in the year.
Please do not hesitate to contact me either via email or speak to me before school on the playground.