Year 6
Key dates for the year group (Spring term):
W/b Monday 5th February - Children's Mental Health Week - activities in school
W/b Monday 5th February - Y6 Bikeability (see separate mailing)
Tuesday 20th and Friday 23rd February - Y6 visits to QMC Science Centre (see separate mailing)
W/b Monday 26th February - Y6 residential to Runways End
Monday 4th March - Y6 Reading Cafe
Thursday 7th March - World Book Day (more information to follow)
Thursday 14th March - Y6 Maths Cafe
Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th March - Parent - Teacher Meetings
Monday 25th March - Informal SATs drop-in session 5pm to 5.30pm (see SATs information below)
Tuesday 26th March - Year 6 Outcome Event 2.30pm
Tuesday 26th March - Informal SATs drop-in session 3.30pm to 4pm (see SATs information below)
Thursday 28th March - End of term
SATS Week 2024
SATS week for this academic year is week commencing Monday 13th May 2024.
Monday 13th May 2024 | English SPaG Paper 1: 45 minutes English SPaG Paper 2 (spelling): approx 20 minutes |
Tuesday 14th May 2024 | English Reading: 1 hour |
Wednesday 15th May 2024 | Maths Paper 1 (Arithmetic): 30 minutes Maths Paper 2 (Reasoning): 40 minutes |
Thursday 16th May 2024 | Maths Paper 3 (Reasoning): 40 minutes |
Information, including a SATs presentation and practice papers can be found below. If you have any further questions or would like to speak to a member of the Year 6 staff, we will be holding two informal drop-in sessions.
Monday 25th March between 5pm and 5.30pm in Class 10
Tuesday 26th March between 3.30pm and 4pm in Class 10
(after outcome event)
Key dates for the year group (Autumn term):
Tuesday 12th September - Hampshire Fire and Rescue Visit to Y6
Wednesday 27th September - Mini Me Yoga taster sessions
Tuesday 3rd October - Flu immunisations
Wednesday 4th October - Harvest assemblies
Wednesday 4th October - School nursing team (Y6 heights and weights)
Wednesday 11th October - Y6 Mini-Medics sessions
Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th October - Parents evenings
Thursday 2nd November - Y6 Reading cafe 9-10am
W/b 13th November - 'It's Cool to be Kind' week (activities in school)
Friday 17th November - Children in Need (own clothes for a donation)
Thursday 30th November - Y6 Outcome event
Monday 11th December - Listen2Me concerts
Tuesday 12th December (am) - Y5/6 Pantomime (in school - more information to follow)
Wednesday 13th December - Christmas lunch (details to follow nearer the time)
Welcome to Year 6!
The Year 6 Team
This year in Year 6, our teachers are Mrs Hagger (Year 6 Team Leader), Mr Finklaire and Miss Grainger. We are also supported by our dedicated Learning Support Assistants (LSAs): Miss Byrne, Ms Fisher, Ms Green, Mr Norgrove and Mrs Venner. They support us throughout the day in and out of the classroom.
PE
Each week, the children will have two sessions of PE - one indoor session (Wednesday) and one outdoor session (Monday). Children should come in to school wearing their PE kits on these days.
PE kit should consist of a red or white t shirt and black shorts (no football kits thank you). Black leggings/tracksuit trousers are advisable for colder weather. Dark blue or black hoodies are also advised for outdoor PE (no brightly-coloured hoodies please). For more information about PE kits, please see our school uniform section.
Please note - long hair must be tied back for PE and earrings must be removed.
Home Learning
Each week we will set a reading, maths and spellings task for home learning.
Maths - The maths home learning will be linked to their times tables using the TT rockstars website. There will be one set session each week, but your child can play as many of the games on TTRS as they wish.
Spellings - Spellings home learning will continue to focus on the statutory year 3/4 and 5/6 lists of spellings. There will be a short spelling task on the new Purple Mash system that all pupils have been given a username and password for.
Reading - Reading stamina and fluency are key and your child should read for at least ten minutes per day. If your child can read aloud to an adult at least once a week, they are able to improve their reading fluency. The reading home learning will be set on the Purple Mash system, under the reading section and the Serial Mash link. Children will have a short chapter of a scheduled book (that can also be listened to by clicking the audio tab). There will be 5 to 10 questions to answer linked to that chapter.
Home learning will all be set on a Thursday and then due back in on the following Tuesday. As we are trying to develop the independence of the children, it will be their responsibility to complete their work on time.
If your child is having problems completing the home learning, please speak to their class teacher.
Year 6 Reading Cafe March 2024
Runway's End Residential 26th February - 1st March 2024
The presentation for the parent meeting and the kit list are attached. Please ask your class teacher or Mrs Hagger if you have any questions, or email the office and messages and questions will be forwarded to us.
Year 6 Reading Cafe Presentation November 2023
Follow the link below to the 'If you like...try...' book suggestion lists.
Topics
In Spring 2, our topic will be Biomes. In geography, we will be looking at different biomes across the world and consider how plants and animals have adapted to live in such varied conditions. Our Guided Reading units will look at information texts linked to the Great Barrier Reef as well as starting SATs revision. Our English units will descriptive narratives with speech based on the book The Explorer by Katherine Rundell and information writing linked to The Wonder Garden by K S Williams. Science will be an exploration of light and will follow on from our learning during our visit to QMC. Maths will continue to recap learning across all domains as we expand our SATs revision.
We will investigate healthy eating during DT and create tasty and healthy smoothies.
In Spring 1, our topic is Civil Rights. In history, we will look at the Civil Rights Movement in 1950' America and its impact. Our English and Guided Reading units will be linked to refugees and their experiences. We will use the books 'Story like the Wind' by Gill Lewis and 'The Island' by Armin Greder to write from different viewpoints and debate the treatment of characters. Science will be Evolution and Inheritance, while our art unit will be still life of animals using oil pastels in the style of Henri Rousseau.
In Autumn 2, our topic will be Globalisation. In Geography, we will look at the impact of globalisation on the way we communicate and trade as well as its impact on food and fashion. Our English and Guided Reading units will be based around books linked to difference and how we treat others, including the books 'Wonder' and 'The distance between me and the cherry tree'. We will investigate sound as our Science topic, while the Art unit will look at Pop Artists, including Andy Warhol.
Our Topic for Autumn 1 is the Industrial Revolution. In History, we have looked at the social and economic aspects, as well as some of the inventions. We looked at the impact of the Industrial Revolution on Basingstoke - did you know there were two workhouses in our local area?
In English, we have read the book 'Street Child' by Berlie Doherty which looks at the plight of a young Victorian child. The children really immersed themselves in the characters and wrote amazing diary entries, as well as informative non-chronological reports about workhouses. Our science has seen classes investigating electrical circuits and we have used our understanding to help us build motorised vehicles in DT.
We are looking forward to showcasing our hard work to you all at our outcome afternoon in November.
What have we been up to?
Tuesday 12th September saw a visit from Hampshire Fire and Rescue to teach Year 6 about fire safety. Our School Council leads were eager to write about it for the newsletter.
On Tuesday, Jo from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service visited each of the three Year 6 classes.
Jo told us how to stay safe in case of a fire and also told us the three main things a fire needs. We watched a video about what would happen if you left your device charging on a flammable surface. The results in the video was that the whole room caught fire in less that 2 minutes as the charger was damaged. We learnt that the four main things that could cause a house fire are cooking, electrical, smoking and candles. Jo showed us different fire alarms and talked about the importance of testing them weekly. We were given booklets to take home and encouraged to think about escape plans with our adults, just in case.
Lola and Asmara
Mini Medics sessions took place on Wednesday 11th October as part of our PSHE curriculum.
Some of our DT vehicles
Monday 27th November - we had a very informative visit from Fyffes - AKA the Banana Man!
When the Banana Man came into school, we learnt that one banana was called a finger, a cluster is 5-6 bananas, a hand is 10 -20 bananas and a bunch is 100-120 bananas. He told us that bananas do not grow on trees, they are a plant - in fact they are a herb. It takes 6-7 days to ripen the bananas in a hot space. They are imported from countries with hot climates, such as Columbia.
Orlagh and Winn
Thursday 30th November was our Outcome event and we were pleased to welcome visitors into our classes. We shared our English work for the term, especially our Wonder diary and letters, and were keen to talk about JIBO. Our DT vehicles were on display and some of them were working! The singing balloons returned and our visitors enjoyed playing with them as much as we did. Finally, everyone enjoyed relaxing with some Pop Art colouring in the style of Roy Lichtenstein.
Year 6 Reading Cafe Presentation - March 2023
Year 6 SATS information parent meeting - March 2023
Bikeability 5th - 9th February
Here are some notes for the Bikeability week and some answers to some FAQs.
We hope this helps. Please ask if you have further questions.
Bikes
- Bikes will need to be in good working order but will be checked by the Instructors during the first session.
- Children who have applied to borrow a bike will be supplied with a checked bike for use during each of their sessions
- The bikes will be stored at the bikes stands at the front of the school. There will be a section of the stand for each class to make it easier for children to collect their bikes.
-Secure locks should be provided so the bike is protected while not in use. If children are sharing locks, please make sure they are in the same class.
-Bikes DO NOT have to be left on site over night, they can be brought to school each morning and taken home each night. You are welcome to leave your child's bike overnight if it is more convenient, however this is done at your own risk.
Clothing
- Children should wear their school uniform on Monday, Thursday and Friday. PE uniform should be worn on Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Trousers and leggings are suggested on school uniform days. Children who wish to wear a skirt should wear tights or leggings under the skirt.
- Children can bring trainers in to wear during their Bikeability session but will need school shoes to change back into on Monday, Thursday and Friday.
- Please be aware of the weather conditions. Warm and water resistant coats, gloves or scarves are suggested if the weather is cold and wet.
Helmets
-Helmets are compulsory.
- The helmet will be checked by the instructors on the first session and the fit adjusted if required.
- Children who have requested to borrow a helmet will be provided at the start of each of their sessions.
- Helmets can be stored in the lockers when not in use.
Safety
-Children are expected to listen to the Instructors and abide by the safety rules.
-During the earlier sessions, the Instructors will assess all pupils and only those assessed at an appropriately safe level will be taken out of the school grounds and onto the local roads.