Year 6

Welcome to Year 6!

Mrs Haenelt is the Year 6 teacher and Miss Taylor and Mrs English are the teaching assistants. 

Check this page throughout the year for photos of the class as they embark on their learning journey and for information about class events...

Welcome to the Summer Term 2023. As we move into Year 6’s final term at St Joseph’s, we move into a phase of celebrating the children’s journey through the school and using their talents to give back to the community. Our vehicle theme is ‘Giving Back and Making Change’ which reflects this term’s celebration of their achievements and talents and considers how they can be used to help others. Through this, Year 6 will be taking their end of KS2 assessments, going on an outdoor education residential visit, attending transition events at their new schools, creating a performance of ‘Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat’ and focusing on how we can step up to help others in our community.

English and Guided Reading

Throughout the summer term, we will be writing a variety of different genres: diaries, short stories, and discussion-based essays. As they move towards the end of Year 6, we focus on using our voice as writers to share ideas and opinions. The focus of our writing will centre on our vehicle this term of sustainability in Geography and the Kingdom of Benin in History. Our class novel Cogheart by Peter Bunzl will be central in our guided reading sessions where children develop key reading skills such as retrieval, vocabulary definition, inference, prediction and summarising. In guided reading sessions, children will also be exposed to a wider range of texts.

Maths

During the summer term, we will apply our growing knowledge of the primary mathematics curriculum to problem solving. Children will continue to build their knowledge in Geometry, investigating properties of shapes, angles and position and direction; they will also focus on statistics – exploring line graphs, advanced bar charts and pie charts. The children will continue to utilise their fluency in arithmetic and knowledge of key mathematical concepts such as fractions, decimals and percentages, geometry and statistics, alongside the four operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

RE

In our RE sessions this term, Year 6 will begin by learning more about Easter and Pentecost. They will then move on to exploring ‘Belonging to the Church Community’ and celebrating the life of Mary and the Saints. Alongside this, we will be focusing on charitable actions, exploring how we can give back to our community.

Science

Our science topic is Evolution and Inheritance in summer term. Year 6 will learn how humans, animals and plants have evolved, adapted and changed over time.

History

In History, Year 6 are exploring ancient African history, studying the Kingdom of Benin (AD 900 – 1897). The children will be exploring artefacts and artwork to understand the rise and fall of this less-known civilisation.

Geography

Sustainability is the theme of our geography learning this term. Year 6 pupils will learn about energy security and the need to shift to renewable, sustainable forms of energy.

PE

Children will be developing their skills in athletics, rounders and cricket this term. They will also get the opportunity to attend an outdoor education residential during May.

D&T

Year 6 begin the summer term with a focus on food. They will research, plan and test different dishes with a focus on one key ingredient. They will prepare food, considering health and safety measures required and evaluate and refine their recipes.

Art

Henri Rosseau is the focus artist for Year 6 this summer term. They will study examples of his work, sharing their own opinions and knowledge. Then they will develop their observational drawing techniques and then experiment in using different watercolour. They will work towards creating a final watercolour piece, critiquing and evaluating their work.

Spring Term 2023

English and Guided Reading

This term, we will be writing a variety of text types: persuasive writing, character descriptions, narratives, explanation and newspaper articles. The focus of our writing will centre on our vehicle this term of WW2 and the Blitz, using our class novels Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Goodnight Mr Tom. These key texts are also central in our guided reading session where children develop key reading skills such as retrieval, vocabulary definition, inference, prediction and summarising. In guided reading sessions, children will also be exposed to a wide range of texts.

Maths

During the spring term, we will cover a range of mathematical areas such as ratio, algebra, decimals, percentages, statistics, and area, perimeter and volume. Alongside this, fluency in arithmetic remains a focus with daily number fluency sessions, with times tables also recapped each day. The children will continue to complete daily ‘mini maths’ homework based on the four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This will support fluency and retrieval of key mathematical processes.

Our K.I.R.F this term (Key Instant Recall Facts) are focused on application of key facts such as applying knowledge of times tables to more complex facts such as 7 x 3 = 21 so therefore 0.7 x 3 = 2.1.

RE

In our RE sessions this term, Year 6 will begin by learning more about the sacrament of baptism and confirmation. The children will explore the Gospels accounts of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. They will learn about the meaning of the Holy Trinity and will then follow the liturgical year by studying Lent and Holy Week. Year 6 will also explore other faiths by studying Islam.

Science

Our science topic is Living Things and their habitats in spring term, where Year 6 build on their previous knowledge of how animals and living things can be classified into different groups. The children will develop their classification skills by applying classification keys to sort living things based on their observable characteristics. They will also apply classification keys for observing and sorting flowering and non-flowering plants and test the best conditions for growth of micro-organisms.

History

In History, Year 6 are stepping back in time into the 1940s and studying WW2 and the Blitz. From beginning at the beginning, where the children will learn how both WW1 and WW2 came about, to learning about evacuation, the Home Front, Britain’s motivation to staying strong, the Battle of Britain, the Blitz to finishing with VE day. We will visit RAF Cosford for a Blitz workshop to build our understanding and explore WW2 artefacts and then end the term with our own VE day street party with food we prepare from wartime recipes.

Geography

Fairtrade and CAFOD are the theme of our geography learning this term. We will visit a supermarket to identify Fairtrade products, learn more about the Fairtrade foundation and its impact on communities and individuals. We will also depend our understanding of climate change and how that is impacted by farming and food production.

D&T

Year 6 begin the spring term by designing products that use electrical circuits. They will learn and understand terms such as form, function and fit for purpose and create electrical circuits using buzzers, bulbs and switches. Year 6 will then evaluate the product to agree whether it is fit for its purpose.

Art

Leonardo da Vinci is the focus artist for Year 6 this term. They will study examples of his work, sharing their own opinions and knowledge. Then they will experiment in using line and tone with different pencil grades to capture contrasting details and textures, and move on to using watercolours. They will work towards creating self-portraits, critiquing and evaluating their work.

PE

For PE this term , we will be building on our gymnastics skills. We will focus on counter-balance and counter tension then moving onto group sequencing. 

MUSIC

Children will be gaining confidence through performing this half term, we will work on a number of songs and instrumentals that will be performed at an end of term assembly.  This will not only improve their ability to perform, it will also develop their knowledge and use of notation.  Children will also be thinking about how music forms part of our lives and how music can improve our world.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT WORKSHOP!

Year 6 were lucky enough to experience a brilliant workshop based on our current vehicle, crime and punishment. During the day they were able to discover how crime and the legal system in Britain has changed throughout the last 2000 years, as well as handle historical artifacts and make cross-curricular links and use drama and literacy to represent Tudor trials!

OUR 'VEHICLE' IN AUTUMN TERM IS...

Crime and Punishment!

These are exciting times at St Joseph's... Our curriculum across the school is taught through exciting 'vehicles' - big projects for the children to aim for, which will provide excitement, structure and purpose to their learning.

Year Six's vehicle for Autumn term is...

'Crime and Punishment'

This term, the children in Year 6 will be undertaking a thematic study of an aspect of history, learning about Crime and Punishment in England from the the medieval period to the modern day. Children will learn how/why people were punished in the past and how this changed over time along with societal norms so they may understand how the modern world-famous British justice system was formed.  

In our writing this half term, we will begin by analysing and drawing inspiration from the classic poem, The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes. Not only does this poem align perfectly with our Crime and Punishment vehicle but it also allows the class to discover a new and exciting form of poetry, as well as giving them an insight into our literary heritage.

In Guided Reading we will be reading a variety of books, as well as enjoy Mr. Hodgson reading one of his all-time favourite books, Holes by Louis Sachar. This book follows the trials and tribulations of Stanley Yelnets and the boys at Camp Green Lake detention centre - how will they cope in the intense heat of the desert under the watchful eyes of 'The Warden'?

In Autumn term, we will firstly be focussing on Place Value and understanding how large numbers are constructed, before moving on to mastering the four operations - all key concepts to develop children into confident and capable mathematicians. We will then move on to Mr. Hodgson's favourite topic - fractions - where the children will learn how to multiply and divide fractions, as well as calculate fractions of amounts and solve complex problems. 

In our Religious Education lessons, our children will begin the year by investigating 'The Story of the People of God', focussing on the Old Testament in order to better understand Jesus' ancestors. They will then study the lives of the disciples in our unit, "The Followers of Christ", where they will look at the experiences of Jesus' disciples and understand what it means to follow Jesus today. 

In History this term, we will be undertaking a thematic study of an aspect of history, learning about Crime and Punishment in England from the the medieval period to the modern day. Children will learn how/why people were punished in the past and how this changed over time along with societal norms so they may understand how the modern world-famous British justice system was formed.

In Geography this term, the children will studying the fascinating and awe-inspiring biome of rainforests, understanding firstly where they are in the world and what makes them unique. They will then look in depth at the biodiversity which can be found there, how rainforests are vital to our survival and the existential threats they face.

Our art lessons will be inspired by the great Renaissance artist, Rodin, focussing on accurately replicating the proportions of the human form, first working on sketching skills before trying their hands at modelling with clay.

Year 6 will begin the Autumn term studying 'Animals Including Humans', particularly studying the human heart and the circulatory system before moving on to work with circuits and electricity.

In Design and Technology during this term, Year 6 will be learning structures and how to build and strengthen them, carefully selecting materials in order to design their own playground landscapes!

This term, Year 6 will be taught new vocabulary about places in town, such as the post office, hospital etc. They will be able to translate sentences using prior knowledge and build sentences using word cards. They will then orally rehearse their own sentences before writing them down - sentence types now develop from simple sentences they learned in early KS2 to compound sentences, using the conjunctions and (y) and but (pero).

Year 6 will use knowledge of giving opinions and intensifiers to describe places within their town and will use the verb ‘ir’ (to go) along with previous vocabulary and new knowledge of modes of transport to develop longer sentences and small passages.

In their first Music unit of the year, children in Year 6 will look at how music is able to bring us together and can be a peacebuilder and friendship maker, as well as developing their knowledge of musical composition and melody.

Each week homework is issued for pupils to complete. Homework will consist of 'Mini Maths' each day, Monday - Thursday, which will focus on improving children's arithmetic skills, fluency and accuracy. 

They will also receive additional homework every Friday, due in the next Wednesday, as well as weekly spellings. Reading daily is essential and our policy states that Y6 should be reading 30 minutes per night. Children's diaries are checked daily for evidence of this. If the evidence isn't there they spend some time reading during play times.

Occasionally there will be Science and R.E. homework set, as well as independent topic work or additional Maths homework on occasional weekends, depending on the topic and need.

Robotics Club

A massive congratulations to Team Probot for being crowned county champions and qualifying for the national finals of the First Lego League. 

After a brilliant day at the nationals and beating a whole host of secondary school children, you should be incredibly proud of yourselves. Well done!