Welcome to Year 6

Year 6 is a challenging but exciting year with a curriculum that’s jam-packed with a huge range of exciting opportunities to learn new and exciting things and develop key skills. 

English




 

Our English lessons are based on high quality and engaging texts which link to our topic lessons. This year we have chosen ‘When the Sky Falls’, ‘Wolf Wilder’ and ‘The Titanic Detective Agency’ supplemented with a range of non-fiction books and media texts. We will use these texts as a stimulus to inspire the children’s writing across a range of genres including diary entries, reports and letters. In addition, children will develop their Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS) skills in discrete lessons. 

Maths

Year 6 Maths Curriculum: Areas of Study

There are 9 main topic areas of study included in the curriculum for that school year, which are:

• Number - Number and Place Value;
• Number - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division;
• Number - Fractions;
• Algebra;
• Ratio and Proportion;
• Measurement;
• Geometry - Properties of Shape;
• Geometry - Position and Direction;
• Statistics.

This variety of maths concepts will help develop children’s ability to complete complex maths calculations and their number sense. But that’s not all! Included are practical aspects of maths, such as using charts, measuring length, converting between time units and more. These will help children understand how useful maths is in real life.

The Wider Curriculum

Have a look at the Curriculum Maps to keep up to date with all the exciting topics we cover during the year.

How can I help my child? 

“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.” – Roald Dahl

If there is ONE thing you do to support your child this year, it is to hear them read. I know you’ve probably heard every teacher say this. But it really is true. Reading sits behind everything and unlocks so many doors - school based and beyond. 

You’re probably thinking ‘my child can read’ and yes, by Year 6, most children have mastered the ‘nuts and bolts’ of reading and can successfully decode the words. But their deeper understanding of the text - the twists and turns of the plot and the character’s feelings, motives and behaviour - are key aspects we will be focusing on.  

Here is an example question: 

How would your child fare? Would they be able to identify key aspects of a character’s personality and find evidence in the text to support their judgements? This is an important skill we will be developing so discussions at home linked to characters in texts would really help.  You could also make use of the characters in films you watch too - much rich discussion can come from exploring some of the onscreen characters. 

Have a look at these questions to help guide your discussions:

However, for me, it’s not about mastering the comprehension skills but fostering a real love of reading. Reading is all about finding a book you love and disappearing into its pages, being transported by the words. Here are some books which might inspire you:

https://www.thereaderteacher.com/year6

Finally found an author your child loves, but devoured them all? Try here to find similar authors that they might enjoy:

https://www.thereaderteacher.com/bookmatch

This website is also great for finding your next read:

https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/#
 

Fluency in Multiplication Tables 

The second thing that would be incredibly helpful to practise at home are times tables. Maths concepts in Year 6 pose a new level of challenge and it is essential for children know their tables facts. Learning complex new methods, like long multiplication or division and multiplying or dividing mixed number fractions, rely on the children having quick mental recall of these facts so any spare moments encourage the children to login to their Rock Stars account for some rapid recall or try some of these games.
 

Or, just as good, get into the habit of giving them a few questions as you’re going along in the car. Focus on the ones they’re finding hardest and encourage them to find methods to remember them; seeing patterns and links in the numbers and using related facts to help them is a key strategy we use in school. But we’re not adverse to a few mnemonics too!

  Regular Reading 

I would like the children to read (at least) three times each week and log their reading on ‘Boom Reader’ and leave a short summary of the chapter. Not only does this ensure they’re developing key reading and comprehension skills, but it also encourages their independence and enables them to take ownership of their learning - a key skill in readiness for secondary school.

 GPS 

To help secure their Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling skills, I’ll also be setting challenges on Rollama for the children to play to reinforce their GPS knowledge.

 Maths 

 
Regular practice of tables is essential as the children’s ability to recall these facts quickly is crucial - you could use ‘Times Table Rock Stars’ or play some of the games suggested above. 
 

Fancy a Challenge?

https://www.edshed.com/en-gb

What do I need to know about SATs?

 SATs are an important part of Year 6 and we’ll be working hard throughout the year to secure the skills and knowledge to enable the children to succeed in their assessments. However, we want the children to understand they are SO MUCH MORE THAN A SCORE.
 

The SATs tests assess children’s competencies in Maths, Reading & Writing which are, unquestionably, vital skills and set them up for future success in Secondary education and beyond. But, and it’s a big but, these tests do not show what fantastic dancers, artists, golfers, singers, gamers, Lego builders and chefs we have in our midst! 

So, while we want the children to try their best and develop their skills and understanding in these core areas, it’s important for them to know that this is just a small measure of their all-round-awesomeness! 
 

Here is a useful overview of everything you need to know about this year’s SATs assessments:
 

Thank you for in advance for your support with their learning. I’m really looking forward to working with you and your child this year. 
 

Jess Addison and the Year 6 Team