Welcome to Beech Class! We are really looking forward to an exciting and busy Autumn Term with Miss Sales and Mr Beal.

Year 6 is a very special year, with lots of opportunities for children to develop their independence, challenge themselves and enjoy their final year at primary school. Below you can find out what we will be learning about this term, along with some useful reminders and important dates.

Reading

This term, our class text will be The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. We will use the VIPERS reading skills to explore the text in detail, developing our understanding of:

Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval and Summarising.

Alongside our class novel, we will use visual literacy, including photographs, images and short films, to develop inference and comprehension skills. Children will also begin to become familiar with SATs-style reading questions and practice papers, learning how to use the text carefully to find evidence and explain their answers.

English

Our English learning will be inspired particularly by Skellig by David Almond, alongside a range of other texts and stimuli.

Throughout the term, children will have opportunities to write for different purposes and audiences. Our writing will include:

• Internal monologues, exploring the thoughts and feelings of characters
• Narratives, developing character, setting, atmosphere and dialogue
• Poetry, experimenting with language and imagery
• Balanced arguments, considering different sides of an issue
• Diary entries, writing from different characters' perspectives

We will continue to develop children's spelling, punctuation, grammar, handwriting and editing skills, with a strong focus on producing writing that is clear, engaging and appropriate for its purpose.

Maths

During the Autumn Term, our Maths learning will build the important foundations needed for Year 6.

We will study:

Place value, working confidently with increasingly large numbers and developing our understanding of rounding and number relationships.

Calculations, developing efficient written and mental methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and applying these skills to increasingly challenging problems.

Fractions, including comparing, ordering and calculating with fractions.

Converting units of measurement, using our understanding of number to move confidently between different metric measures.

Ratio, beginning to explore relationships between quantities and applying this knowledge to problem-solving situations.

Children will also continue to practise their arithmetic and times tables regularly.

SATs Bootcamp

As part of our preparation for the end of Key Stage 2 assessments, every child will be given their own login for SATs Bootcamp.

We will use SATs Bootcamp regularly in school and at home, and children will be expected to complete activities set by their teachers. The programme gives children opportunities to practise key Reading, Maths and SPaG skills, revisit areas they find more challenging and become increasingly confident with SATs-style questions.

Login details will be provided to children, and we ask that these are kept somewhere safe so that SATs Bootcamp can be accessed easily from home.

After-School SATs Boosters

We will also offer after-school SATs booster sessions to provide children with additional support and practice.

Children can sign up to join the booster sessions at any point during the year. Once a child has signed up, however, we will expect them to attend each scheduled session so that we know exactly which children should be remaining in school.

If your child needs to miss a booster session, please send a note into school giving them permission to leave. Without a note, children who are signed up will remain in school and attend the booster session as usual.

The boosters are designed to be supportive and confidence-building, giving children extra opportunities to practise key skills, ask questions and work on areas where they may need a little more help.

Science

Autumn 1 – Classification

During our first Science topic, children will explore classification and living things.

In line with the Year 6 National Curriculum, children will learn to:

• describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics
• understand similarities and differences between microorganisms, plants and animals
• give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics

Children will develop their scientific enquiry skills by observing, comparing, grouping and creating their own classification systems and keys.

Autumn 2 – Electricity

After half term, we will investigate electricity.

As part of the Year 6 National Curriculum, children will learn to:

• associate the brightness of a lamp or volume of a buzzer with the number and voltage of cells used in a circuit
• compare and explain variations in how components function
• use recognised symbols when representing a simple circuit in a diagram

There will be plenty of opportunities for practical investigation as children build, test and improve electrical circuits.

History – World War II

Our History topic this term is World War II, with our overarching enquiry:

^{What made World War II such a significant event in history?}

Children will investigate the war chronologically while developing different historical skills.

We will explore why World War II began, before investigating the Battle of Britain and the Blitz and considering why these events were so important.

Children will then discover what life was like on the Home Front, including evacuation, rationing and the changing roles of people during wartime.

We will study the Holocaust sensitively and consider its historical significance, before investigating D-Day and other turning points in the war.

Finally, we will explore VE Day and the end of the war, considering how Britain had changed by 1945 and whether the effects of the war can still be seen today.

Throughout the topic, children will work with historical sources, consider causes and consequences, investigate change and continuity and discuss different interpretations of the past.

Geography – Power

Our Geography topic is all about Power and Energy.

Children will investigate where our energy comes from and compare renewable and non-renewable sources of energy, including coal, oil, natural gas, wind, solar and hydroelectric power.

We will consider the advantages and disadvantages of different energy sources and investigate their impact on the environment and our planet. Children will also consider how our energy choices may need to change in the future.

Art

Autumn 1 – Drawing

Our first Art unit links closely with our English work on Skellig.

Children will develop their observational drawing skills through a focus on feathers and wings, experimenting with different grades and types of sketching pencils.

They will learn and practise techniques including hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, shading and blending, before applying these skills to more detailed pieces inspired by Skellig.

Autumn 2 – Painting

After half term, our focus will move to painting, with work inspired by British artist David Hockney.

Children will explore Hockney's distinctive use of colour, landscape and composition before experimenting with painting techniques and creating their own artwork inspired by his work.

Design and Technology – Electrical Systems

Our Design and Technology work will link closely with our Science learning as we explore electrical systems.

Children will investigate how electrical components can be incorporated into products before designing, making and evaluating their own creations. They will use components such as bulbs, buzzers, switches and motors and develop their understanding of how circuits can be used for a particular purpose.

Music

Our Music learning will link closely with our World War II History topic.

Children will learn and perform the famous wartime song We'll Meet Again, made famous by Dame Vera Lynn. We will also consider why music was so important during World War II and how songs could help to raise morale and bring people together.

Computing

Autumn 1 – Communication

During the first half term, children will explore communication and the internet.

A particular focus will be on learning how to use web searches effectively, including choosing suitable search terms, understanding how search engines return results and thinking carefully about the reliability of information found online.

Autumn 2 – Web Page Creation

After half term, children will become web designers!

They will learn how websites and webpages are structured before planning and creating their own webpages. Children will think carefully about layout, text, images, navigation and audience, while also learning about responsible use of online content and copyright.

Religious Education

Autumn 1 – Christians and How to Live

During the first half term, children will explore the question of how Christians believe they should live their lives.

We will investigate Christian teachings and consider how these can influence the choices Christians make in their everyday lives. Children will explore ideas such as love, forgiveness, kindness, generosity and helping others, considering how Christian beliefs may be put into practice.

Children will be encouraged to discuss different viewpoints respectfully and make connections between beliefs, teachings and actions.

Autumn 2 – Why Do Christians Believe That Jesus Was the Messiah?

After half term, our RE learning will focus on the Christian belief that Jesus was the Messiah.

Children will explore what the word Messiah means and investigate how Christians use passages from the Bible to support their belief that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.

We will consider the importance of the Nativity story within Christianity and explore why the belief that Jesus was the Messiah remains so significant to Christians today.

RSHE

Our RSHE lessons provide children with a safe and supportive environment in which to explore important issues, discuss different viewpoints and develop the skills they need to form healthy relationships and make responsible choices.

Autumn 1 – Relationships, Bias and Stereotypes

During the first half term, we will explore:

• Bias – recognising that the information and opinions we encounter may not always present the whole picture.
• Echo chambers – considering how the information we see online can reinforce particular viewpoints.
• Stereotypes – understanding what stereotypes are, where they come from and why it is important not to make assumptions about others.
• Accepting our friends for who they are – celebrating differences and considering how we can build respectful, supportive and positive friendships.

These lessons will encourage children to think critically about the messages they encounter both online and in everyday life, while recognising the importance of respect, kindness and acceptance.

Autumn 2 – The Internet, Belonging and British Identity

During the second half term, we will explore some important questions about wellbeing, community and identity:

Does the internet make us happy?
Children will consider the positive and negative effects of being online and explore how our use of technology can affect our happiness and wellbeing.

Who belongs in our country?
We will discuss belonging, diversity and inclusion, helping children to understand that modern Britain is made up of people from a wide range of backgrounds.

What does it mean to be British?
Children will explore different ideas about British identity, considering shared values, communities, traditions and the diversity of life in modern Britain.

Throughout these lessons, children will be encouraged to listen respectfully, explain their own ideas and recognise that people may have different experiences and viewpoints.

PE

Autumn 1 – Invasion Games and Football

Our Tuesday PE lessons will focus on invasion games, with a particular emphasis on football.

Children will develop skills including passing, movement, attacking, defending, teamwork and tactics before applying these within games.

Friday Swimming

Throughout the first half term, all children will take part in weekly swimming lessons every Friday.

Please ensure children bring their full swimming kit every Friday.

Autumn 2 – Matball and Basketball

After half term, we will continue our invasion games learning through matball and basketball.

Children will develop their throwing, catching, passing, movement and tactical awareness, with an emphasis on teamwork and making effective decisions during games.

Our Year 6 Expectations

Regular routines at home and school make a huge difference to children's progress. We ask that children:

• Complete at least four reads each week, recorded in their planner.
• Bring their planner to school every day and hand it in each Friday so reading can be checked.
• Complete their weekly Maths and spelling homework. This will be given out on a Friday and should be returned by the following Friday.
• Use SATs Bootcamp at home to complete activities and practise key skills.
• Practise their times tables and spellings ready for our weekly tests.
• Complete a spelling test and times tables test every Friday.
• Bring their full swimming kit every Friday during our swimming block.
• Bring their PE kit into school on Monday ready for our usual Tuesday lesson. Having kits in school from Monday means we are also prepared if PE arrangements need to change during the week.
• Attend SATs booster sessions each week if they have signed up. If they need to miss a session, they must bring a note giving permission for them to leave.

Thank you for your continued support with these routines. Working together will help the children develop the independence and confidence they need throughout Year 6.

Important Dates

Please make a note of these important dates for Beech Class:

Thursday 8th October – Crucial Crew Trip

An exciting and important opportunity for Year 6 children to learn about personal safety and how to respond to different situations as they become more independent.

Wednesday 21st October – Tower of London Trip

We are very excited to visit the Tower of London, giving children an opportunity to experience an important historical site and build on their wider historical knowledge.

Further information about both trips will be shared nearer the time.

 

We Are Looking Forward to a Fantastic Autumn Term!

There is lots to look forward to in Beech Class this term, from exploring Skellig and discovering life during World War II to building electrical systems, creating webpages, swimming and producing some fantastic artwork.

Year 6 is an important year, and we want children to work hard while also making the most of all the exciting opportunities their final year at primary school brings. Regular reading, homework, SATs Bootcamp and booster sessions will all help children to build their confidence and prepare for the challenges ahead.

Most importantly, we want Beech Class to be a place where children feel happy, supported and proud of their achievements as they make the most of their final year at primary school.

We are looking forward to a fantastic term together!

Miss Sales & Mr Beal