Welcome to Year 6
SATs Parents' Presentation - details of the date of the SAT, papers and support.
Y6 Residential Presentation - what to expect and other information.
Year 6 Curriculum Map
The Year 6 long term plan is below. This shows the coverage of work for the whole year. Items to note: Art and DT are generally taught on alternative terms; this is the same for History and Geography.
As with other half terms, we will be covering many topics across the curriculum in the first half of the Spring Term.
English
This half term, English is split into Reading, Writing, Grammar and Spellings.
Reading
We will be looking a range of texts (both fiction and fiction) to build the suite of reading skills - fluency, vocab knowledge, retrieval, inference, explanation and summary. A greater focus will be given to deeper retrieval questions and inference skills (including explanations). Mainly, a text will be read each week to develop each skill; some of the texts are linked to our current half term value and out Science and History units.
Please ensure your child is reading at the very least 3 times per week at home to support them, not just reading independently but also support learning across the curriculum. Planners should be signed on the day they have read, with a comment as appropriate. If children particularly like a word or phrase they can write it in their planner as well.
Writing
We will be writing two pieces in different styles this half term. There is a focus on building and embedding existing writing skills, as well as develop some new skills and authorial style and The writing units this half term are:
- Explanation report - Blitzed based
- Narrative
Grammar
We are continuing with dedicated grammar lessons and testing into the timetable. This is to help children prepare for their SATs and be as successful as possible. The grammar to be covered this half term is:
- Word types: conjunctions; Verb forms
- Tense: simple present, simple past, perfect, present progressive, past progressive, model form.
- Tense consistency; subjunctive form; passive and active voice
- Punctuation including full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas and inverted commas
- Punctuation including apostrophes, parenthesis, colons, semi-colons, dash, hyphen and bullet points
- Synonyms/antonyms; prefixes/suffixes; word families
Spelling
Spelling is still an important part of learning, helping children develop their vocabulary, how they convey meaning and how they are understood.
New spellings will be learnt weekly, supported by activities in class and homework. Spelling will come in two lists: rules and common exception words.
The Rule Spelling words for this half term are:
- Homophones 1
- Homophones 2
- Homophones 3
- Words containing 'ough'
- Words with silent letters
- Adding suffixes beginning with vowel letters to words of more than one syllable
Maths
As in Spring 1 and Autumn terms, Maths will be structured to recap existing knowledge and teach new learning. This also continues with the application of the concrete, pictorial and abstract strategies, and knowing when it is best to apply them. The topics covered this term are:
- Decimals
- Fractions, decimals and percentages
- Area, perimeter and Volume
- Statistics
- Shape
Extra lessons will be including this half term to allow for revision sessions in Summer 1 before the SATs.
We are still continuing with arithmetic practise, which includes a weekly test and times table practise.
Science
This half term sees children focussing on the question: How can we classify living things according to their characteristics? This involves recapping how animals are classified by observable characteristics; applying this knowledge to explain how animals have changed over time. Additionally, children learn that adaptation leads to evolution and within this learn the process of evolution.
RE
This half term are tackling a new question: What difference does the resurrection make to Christians? This falls under the topic of Salvation. Children will recap the Easter story and look for evidence that Jesus was resurrected and learn about difference Christian practices for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, including how these are reflected in hymns sung on these days. The unit will end with a silent debate about the resurrection and how this makes a difference to how people live today.
Geography
In Geography we will be looking national parks - public spaces that were created after WW2. Children will cover the number and location of the national parks, then look in at detail at human and physical features of the national parks local to Adel St John: the Yorkshire Dales and The Peak District (the first national park). The unit will close with looking at the impact of tourism and a debate on whether tourism is always positive or not for national parks.
Art
Tying in with the Geography unit, children will be creating a painting based on the Yorkshire landscapes of David Hockney. Within this unit, they will be looking at perspectives in his landscapes, as well palette and composition.
Computing
This half term, children will be data organisers and recorders, learning about how to record, organise and manage data in spreadsheets.
PE
In PE, children will be focussing on fitness, build up their speed and stamina, and netball (building on their skills learnt in basketball)
Year 6 Class Blog
Mock SATs next week - 16 - 19 March
Peter Dalrymple (PDalrymple) on: Year 6 Class Blog
Letting you know that we are doing mock SATs next week, Mon 16 - Thurs 19 Mar.
These are to give the children a feel of how the real SATs will be - sat in rows, in the hall, in exam conditions. Adaptations are made as appropriate to give every child the chance to do the best they can.
The mock SATs next week:
- Mon: Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Papers 1 and 2
- Tues: Reading
- Wed: Maths Papers 1 and 2
- Thurs: Maths Paper 3
This timetable mirrors the timetable for the actual SATs in Summer. If you wish to have more information on when they will be held follow this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/primary-assessments-future-dates#academic-year-2025-to-2026
I would like to stress that these are mock exams and are a practise for the real thing. It is so important the children are relaxed and settled on the Monday – it is best that they are rested the weekend before - so no need to do extra cramming. If you have any questions, let me know.
Let's Read!
Peter Dalrymple (PDalrymple) on: Year 6 Class Blog
What an amazing week! We have finished our model of the explanation report – we will be writing about an aspect of WW2 that kept people safe in the Blitz. In Maths we finished our Fractions, Decimals and Percentages Unit – can’t wait to see what the children do in their end of unit test. We did the assessment in our RE unit on Creation – answering the questions Creation and Science: Conflicting or Complementary. It is such a deep question, but they gave it all good attempt; we have got some really thoughtful answers on the role of Genesis, in the Bible, and science in how we understand the nature around us. In PE we have been looking at stamina in fitness – doing lots of planks and quad stretches – and our second lesson was focussed on skipping. Then we carried on the nature theme was looking at the Yorkshire Dales physical features in Geography and in Science we looked the classification system for living things, looking at the observable features in birds, bats and lizards. As you know, Thursday was world book day. The children looked ready for bed in their PJs. We saw some excellent reading with their buddies as well being creative as re-designing a book cover. What a fab learning time!
Homework
Books - Due Wed 11 Mar
Maths: P28 and p29 – Fractions; Decimals and Percentages; P56 - Units
English (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling): p25 - Passive and Active Voice; p51 – Hyphhens; p76 and p77 – Word Ending – The ‘shul’ sound
Mathletics - Due Thurs 12 Mar
3 new task has been added: Fractions to Decimals 2, Simplifying Fractions, Rounding Decimals
Children must do any outstanding tasks.
Mr Routledge runs a Mathletics Club for children who have 9 or more outstanding tasks and for those scoring 50% or less – this will run twice a week for children who have continually had more than 9 tasks outstanding.
I will reassign tasks if children have got 50% or less. Mathletics Club is a brilliant opportunity for children to show that they are great mathematicians.
Spellings – homophones and near homophones 2
Spelling test is on Mon 09 Mar
|
Rule: Homophones and Near Homophones |
CEW |
|
aisle isle affect effect father farther past passed stationary stationery |
develop familiar interfere occur sincerely |
The work just gets better and more interesting...
Peter Dalrymple (PDalrymple) on: Year 6 Class Blog
Another great week of learning. We have published our balanced argument in Writing, and started a new unit – writing an explanation report on how to stay safe during the Blitz. Children have found it really interesting combining History and English, whilst thinking about appropriate formal language. In Maths we have been comparing fractions, percentages and decimals – eyes were opened when we showed that you could calculate the equivalent decimal of a fraction. We have started our new Geography unit, looking at National Parks – it was lovely to hear the ‘ohs’ and ‘ahs’ as we watched an aerial video of the Cairngorms. We are pushing our stamina in PE as we have started a unit focussed on fitness. Children we rather surprised to have to run so much, so all felt better afterwards. We ending the week the usual test and computing – where we evaluated our game from the last unit and started a new unit focussed on the very useful tool of spreadsheets.
Homework
Books - Due Wed 04 Mar
Maths: P25 – multiplying with decimals; p26 – dividing with decimals
English (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling): p24 - Passive and Active Voice; p55 – Apostrophe Practice; p74 – Word Ending – The ‘shus’ sound
Mathletics - Due Thurs 05 Mar
3 new task has been added: Long Division, Fractions to Decimals, Fractions: Subtract like Mixed Numbers
Children must do any outstanding tasks.
Mr Routledge runs a Mathletics Club for children who have 9 or more outstanding tasks and for those scoring 50% or less – this will run twice a week for children who have continually had more than 9 tasks outstanding.
I will reassign tasks if children have got 50% or less. Mathletics Club is a brilliant opportunity for children to show that they are great mathematicians.
Spellings – homophones and near homophones 1
Spelling test is on Mon 02 Mar
|
Rule: Homophones and Near Homophones |
CEW |
|
altar alter ascent assent cereal serial descent dissent draft draught |
attached curiosity hindrance neighbour restaurant |
Half way through
Peter Dalrymple (PDalrymple) on: Year 6 Class Blog
So, we are half way through; a half term and a bit more away from the SATs. And it is great to see the children improve so much: so many of them want to share their success, with me, with Mrs Milne and with Mr Dalrymple. So many of them came up to me to show me their fabulous success in the end of unit Maths’ test, the arithmetic test and their writing. It is so impressive to see how they have improved this half term.
Well, this last week we have finished writing our balanced argument, as well as completing the decimals unit in Maths. In Grammar, we embedded our understanding of clauses and in science, we looked at how nutrients are absorbed by the body. And we finished our WW2 unit in History, thinking about the legacies of D-Day and the end of WW2.
Now, I have left it a few days for a break, but there is still a bit of homework – to keep that learning going.
Homework
Books - Due Wed 25 Feb
Maths: p27 Rounding Decimals; p45 Sequences
English (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling): p23 – Subject and Object; p54 – Its and It’s; p83 – Word endings – ‘ably’ and ‘ibly’.
Mathletics - Due Thurs 26 Feb
4 new task has been added: Centimetres and Metres; add decimals 2; subtract decimals and decimals test.
Children must do any outstanding tasks.
Mr Routledge runs a Mathletics Club for children who have 9 or more outstanding tasks and for those scoring 50% or less – this will run twice a week for children who have continually had more than 9 tasks outstanding.
I will reassign tasks if children have got 50% or less. Mathletics Club is a brilliant opportunity for children to show that they are great mathematicians.
Spellings – long ‘e’ sound spelt ‘ei’ after c
Spelling test is on Mon 23 Feb
|
Rule: Words with the long e sound spelt ei after c |
CEW |
|
deceive field receive believe ceiling receipt perceive relief deceit achieve |
available criticise embarrass occupy secretary |
And there is more...
Peter Dalrymple (PDalrymple) on: Year 6 Class Blog
Last week was an incredible week. SO much learning. We have written the model and plan for balanced argument, including outlining the pros and cons; this will help us answer the questions ‘Should Joseph return to his grandma’s? (Joseph is the main character in our class book, When the Sky Falls, and he has moved to London to live with a friend of his grandmother. Maths has seen us move on to decimals – the children are amazing at this! We have been debuggers and evaluators in computing, looking to improve the game we have designed. We looked at D-Day and its impact on WW2 in History. And so much more.
Homework
Books - Due Fri 12 Feb
Maths: P44 – Sequences
English (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling): p52 – Apostrophes for missing letters
Mathletics - Due Fri 12 Feb
1 new task has been added, so children can do all outstanding tasks.
Children must do any outstanding tasks.
New tasks: Ratios
Mr Routledge runs a Mathletics Club for children who have 9 or more outstanding tasks and for those scoring 50% or less – this will run twice a week for children who have continually had more than 9 tasks outstanding.
I will reassign tasks if children have got 50% or less. Mathletics Club is a brilliant opportunity for children to show that they are great mathematicians.
Spellings – Already done the test
Sorry for the short deadline – this is due to the lateness of the blog. But, I have given out less homework.
