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Welcome to Year 6!

Spring Term 2023

Welcome to Year 6 Spring term! Please find some information below on what our key areas of learning will be this term.

ENGLISH
In year 6, we have a book-centred approach to our learning, where we embed a love of reading through exciting texts. You will see our English curriculum focuses on a key 'Anchor' text. The children will emmerse themselves in this this text in detail, going on to explore a wide range of other text examples with a similar theme. Children are encouraged to 'magpie' ideas from these to create their own, unique Author style. Please see below our Spring Term 'Anchor Texts'. You may wish to purchase these and read them together at home, exploring the stories, characters and vocabulary choices. Children are welcome to bring these into school to follow as I read to them in class. 

                                                                                                  The Selfish Giant

                                                                                                            Island

We will celebrate the children's writing through awarding 'Writer of the month' in our Friday celebration assemblies and displaying every child's final written draft on our classroom showcase wall. I look forward to sharing some of these with you! 

READING

It is important that your child reads every day for 20minutes. In school we will change your child's age appropriate reading book every Monday. Please ensure they are recording their reading in their Reading Diaries each week, and this is being signed by a guardian. Please remember your child is not limited to these books; children can read anything, of any reading level which they enjoy!

Reading is a joy and we foster a love of reading at Whirley. Our Author of the term this term is Martin Jenkins.

Each week I will read a book for pleasure to the class. These are chosen from, but not limited to, Pie Corbett's reading spine and picked by the year 6 children. Should your child wish to share their favourite book, please encourage them to bring it in and share! 

We take part in whole class Guided Reading lessons every day, following the 'Cracking Comprehnsion' scheme. Towards the end of the term we will also answer questions and complete activities on longer texts which we have read together. You may also be sent home with our class Reading Journal. Your child is welcome to create their own page in this journal inspired by a book they have recently read. Please find more information on this on our Class Dojo page. 

MATHS

Maths lessons will take part each morning. We follow the 'White Rose' scheme of learning, practising the children's mastery of each area of maths. We encourage children to be independent thinkers and resilient when problem solving. The children will work independently, in groups and within mixed ability pairings. Each day a challenge is provided for children to work their way through, should they complete the main task. At times, I may set an extra homework task based on that week's maths learning, should I feel the children need to practise this skill a little more.

FOUNDATION SUBJECTS

PE lessons will now be on a Monday and a Thursday. However, please ensure you have a PE kit with you every day. Mrs T will teach Year 6 on a Monday afternoon and on a Thursday morning.

To ensure a broad and balanced curriculum coverage, year 6 work on a 2 weekly cycle of foundation subjects. Please see below our Spring Term timetable for the afternoon sessions.  This term we will learn about 'WW2' exploring how this historical event has impacted our own lives today.  

HOMEWORK

Homework is set every Friday, which must be completed the following Friday.
Children must complete the following every week:

• 5 minutes Spelling Shed daily
• 5 minutes TimesTable Rockstars daily
• 1 x Maths or English worksheet - this must be completed in Homework books. 
• 1 x Dojo task (activities attached on webpage) - this must be uploaded to Class Dojo to be marked.

Children will be given a spelling test each Friday, pracitsing the spelling pattern covered in school that week. 

OTHER INFORMATION

Year 6 children may bring a rucksack and pencil case to school (please ensure these are sensible cases, not too big or with added distractions). Children are responsible for their own equipment, but we do have spare essential kit in school. Year 6 children who walk to school may bring in their mobile phones. Children's phones must be switched off at the school gate and remain off at all times on the school grounds. Phones are handed in to myself as they enter the classroom, and kept in a safe cupboard throughout the day. Phones are returned at the end of the school day. 

We are very lucky to have Miss Sutton work in year 6 Monday, Wednesday and Thursday every week and Mrs Hennerley on a Tuesday and Friday.

I am really looking forwards to starting the new school year and getting to know your children!
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Mr Jackson

jjackson@whirley.org.uk