Welcome to Year 6
Teacher - Mrs Mansey
Teaching Assistant - Mrs Hague
Teaching Assistant - Mrs Laycock
Year 6 Key Information
PE Days: Tuesday and Friday. Please come to school dressed in your PE kit on your PE days. This includes a plain white t-shirt, plain black or grey leggings/trousers/shorts/sweatshirt and suitable trainers.
Reading Books: Children will have a book banded reading book and a
reading for pleasure book. These can be changed on a Monday and a
Friday. Book banded books will be changed if reading records have
been signed. In Year 6 the children’s books are often longer with
more chapters, therefore children may not need to change their reading for
pleasure books every week.
Library books: Children have the opportunity to access books from
the library when they are choosing reading for pleasure books.
Homework: Homework is sent out on a Friday and is due the next Thursday
to be marked. Spellings are sent out on a Monday and the children are tested
the following Monday. We also expect children to be regularly completing TTRS
and reading for pleasure at home.
Homework Expectations
This is just a reminder of the
expectations for KS2 homework. Every day, all children should complete five
minutes of spelling practise, reading and times table practise.
At our school we are passionate about
reading and it is massively beneficial to children. It supports their
development in all areas of the curriculum, their mental wellbeing and broadens
their imagination.
What’s happening in Autumn term?
Maths:
Place value – Numbers up to 10,000,000, rounding
numbers and working with negative numbers.
Four operations – common factors, prime
numbers and all four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division)
Fractions – Equivalent fractions, adding,
subtracting, comparing and ordering fractions. Multiplying and dividing
fractions.
English:
– The Arrival – Sean Tan
A stunning picture book that takes the
reader to an unknown place. The book allows the children to delve into what it
might feel like to move to a foreign land where everything is different. The
children will look at character description, playscripts and a narrative
retelling.
– Windrush Child – Benjamin
Zephaniah
A look back to the influx of Caribbean
culture to Britain. The book follows the journey of a young man leaving Jamaica
for a bright new future in England. His journey is full of challenges that
allow the children to look at life through someone else’s eyes. This will
inspire informal letters, diary entries and speeches.
– Can we save the tiger? – Martin
Jenkins
A thought-provoking text that allows the
children to manoeuvre thought poetry and beautiful illustrations to discuss
wildlife and their challenges. The text will be a platform for persuasive
posters, poetry and a discussion text.
– The Last Bear – Hannah Gold
A beautiful story of a young girl who
searches to create a bond with her father, but in the sparse corners of the
Artic finds a bond like no other. The heart-warming story guides the children
to write a character profile, use dialogue and create a newspaper report.
Science:
Properties and Changes of Materials– This
topic will be covered for the whole of Autumn 1 & 2. Year 6 children will
become material detectives! They will explore the fascinating world of solids,
liquids, and gases, investigating how different materials can be identified by
their properties — such as hardness, transparency, magnetism, and conductivity.
Through hands-on experiments, pupils will test which materials are soluble,
learn how mixtures can be separated using filtering, sieving, and evaporation,
and discover which changes are reversible or irreversible. From melting
chocolate to creating simple chemical reactions, children will deepen their
understanding of how materials behave and why these changes are so important in
everyday life.
History:
The Home Front (WWII)–
This topic will be
covered for the whole of Autumn 1 & 2. In this exciting history topic, Year
6 children will travel back to Britain during World War II to discover what
life was like for those who lived on the Home Front. They will learn about key
events such as the Blitz, rationing, and evacuation, and explore how ordinary
people adapted to life in wartime Britain. Through stories, artefacts, and
historical sources, pupils will investigate how communities pulled together,
how children’s lives were changed, and how the war affected homes, schools, and
families. By the end of the topic, children will understand the courage,
resilience, and teamwork shown by people on the Home Front and how their
efforts helped shape the nation’s history.
What’s happening in Spring term?
Maths:
Ratio – Introducing the ratio symbol,
ratio and fractions and scale drawing.
Algebra – A first look at formulae and form
equations.
Fractions, Decimals and Percentages – Understand
percentages and their link to decimals and fractions.
Area and Perimeter – Area of a triangle,
parallelogram and understanding volume.
Statistics – Line graphs, dual bar charts and
pie charts.
English:
– Resist – Tom Palmer
A pulsating story based in the Second
World War. We follow the youth of one of the most iconic stars of stage and
screen (Audrey Hepburn) and how she formed part of the Dutch resistance.
Recruitment posters, persuasive leaflets and an Autobiography will be
intertwined in the story.
– Suffragettes and the battle for
equality – David Roberts
Stand up for what you believe in. A
detailed look at one of the greatest political movements in British history. A
wonderful platform for balanced arguments, short news reports and a persuasive
campaign.
– Paradise Sands – Levi Pinfold
A richly-illustrated text gives us an
insight to the art of making a decision. Would you be tempted by ‘The Teller’.
Formal letters and dialogue will be the foundations for a wonderful narrative.
– Francis – Dave Eggars
Francis is a funny
and thought-provoking story about a man named Francis who gets very frustrated
when people keep forgetting his name. Through his experiences, the story
explores why being noticed and remembered is important, and it encourages
readers to think about identity and how we treat others.
Science:
Forces
(Spring 1)– In
this dynamic topic, Year 6 children will become physicists as they explore the
invisible pushes and pulls that shape the way things move. They will
investigate how gravity, air resistance, water resistance, and friction affect
moving objects, and experiment with ways to reduce or increase these forces.
Pupils will also learn how levers, pulleys, and gears help us move and lift
objects more easily by changing the size or direction of a force. Through
practical investigations and exciting experiments, children will develop their
scientific enquiry skills and gain a deeper understanding of how forces are at
work all around us — from the playground to outer space!
Earth and Space (Spring 2)- In this fascinating
topic, Year 6 children will take a journey through the universe to explore our
solar system and beyond! They will learn about the movement of the Earth, Moon,
and Sun, discovering how day and night, the seasons, and the phases of the Moon
occur. Pupils will investigate how planets orbit the Sun and compare their
sizes, distances, and unique features. Through hands-on activities and
model-making, they will deepen their understanding of gravity and how it keeps
planets in orbit. By the end of the topic, children will have developed a sense
of awe and wonder about our place in the vastness of space and the scientific
discoveries that help us understand it.
Geography:
Resources and Energy (Spring 1 & 2)- In this thought-provoking geography topic, Year 6 children will explore the natural resources that people use to power our world. They will learn where different resources—such as water, coal, oil, and gas—come from, and how humans use them to produce energy. Pupils will investigate the differences between renewable and non-renewable energy sources, thinking carefully about how our choices affect the environment and the future of our planet. Through maps, data, and real-world case studies, children will develop their understanding of sustainability and consider how energy use varies around the world. By the end of the topic, pupils will be inspired to think about how we can all help create a cleaner, greener future.
What’s happening in Summer term?
Maths:
Shape – Calculating angles and nets of 3D
shapes.
Position & direction –
understanding and plotting coordinates, translation and reflection.
English:
– The Wind in the Wall – Sally
Gardner
Children will build toward writing an
extended spooky narrative within the Gothic horror tradition. Children will
learn about some of the famous titles in this genre and explore their features.
– TBC
– Some Places More Than Others –
Renee Watson
The project is timed with children moving
on to secondary school and is aimed at helping them understand themselves and
answer the question, What makes you, you?
Planned opportunities include letters,
diaries, memory maps, recipe instructions, leaflets, poems and a biography.
– Night Mail – W H Auden
Using the poem ‘Night Mail’, which was
written in 1936 to accompany the documentary film of the same year and the same
title. The film depicted a London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) mail
train travelling from London to Scotland. It was produced by GPO Film Unit,
directed by Harry Watt and Basil Wright, and narrated by John Grierson and
Stuart Legg. Auden’s poem was read toward the end of the film, set to music by
Benjamin Britten. Lines were chopped and changed to fit the film. The intention
of the film was to show the public how the mail was distributed by train. The
rhythm of the film matches the train’s movement. Auden apparently used a
stopwatch as he set the lines to the film. The form of the poem is made up of
eight rhymed, four-beat couplets.
Science:
Living Things and Habitats (Summer 1)- In this exciting biology topic, Year 6 children will
become nature investigators as they explore the incredible diversity of life on
Earth. They will learn how scientists classify living things into groups based
on their characteristics and explore how microorganisms, plants, and animals
are organised within these systems. Pupils will study how living things adapt
to survive in different habitats and discover the importance of protecting
endangered species and ecosystems. Through hands-on investigations, fieldwork,
and observation, children will deepen their understanding of how all living
things are connected and why biodiversity is essential for the health of our
planet.
Animals and Including Humans (Summer 2) – We will explore the
wonders of the human body and the changes that happen as we grow and develop.
They will learn about the circulatory system, discovering how the heart, blood,
and blood vessels work together to transport oxygen and nutrients around the
body. Pupils will investigate the impact of diet, exercise, drugs, and
lifestyle on the way their bodies function, and understand how to make healthy
choices to keep themselves fit and well. Through models, experiments, and
scientific enquiry, children will gain a deeper understanding of how their
bodies work and what they can do to look after them for life.
History:
The Mayans (Summer
1)-
In this captivating history topic, Year 6 children will journey back in time to
explore the fascinating world of the ancient Maya civilisation. They will
discover where and when the Maya lived, learn about their incredible cities
hidden in the rainforests of Central America, and find out how their society
was organised. Pupils will investigate the Mayans’ amazing achievements — from
their complex writing and number systems to their impressive architecture, art,
and calendar. By studying artefacts, maps, and historical sources, children
will develop their skills as historians and uncover what life was like for the
Maya people, as well as explore possible reasons for the decline of this
remarkable civilisation.
Geography:
Population (Summer 2)- We will explore how and
why people are spread across the world. They will learn about population
growth, density, and movement, discovering the reasons why some places are
crowded cities while others are sparsely populated. Pupils will investigate how
factors such as climate, resources, and jobs influence where people choose to
live, and explore the impact of migration and urbanisation on communities and
the environment. Using maps, graphs, and data, children will develop their
geographical enquiry skills and gain a deeper understanding of how human
populations change over time and what this means for the future of our planet.