Year 6

Hello to Year Six and your parents and carers!

I hope that you had a lovely half term break, and enjoyed meeting a handful of you at the recent fun PTA Quiz Night, and also the Parent and Pupil Target Setting Evening. 

Welcome to our Web page which gives you information about imminent events, projects, homework and assessment schedules. We have fortnightly Spellings and Times Table Tests, along with Maths and Reading Comprehension tasks.

These are an important part of our schedule, and also it is important that Year 6 take the initiative to do extra, independent research, and enjoy learning outside of the classroom too. Please encourage your child to keep a diary and record of anything extra that they are achieving.

Most of Year 6 are avidly reading to complete the first term's ten week challenge. Keep reading! Everyone has a Trust Partnership Book which parents and carers can sign to validate this reading, and also it serves as quick and easy communication with the form tutor. The Eistedfodd poetry reading competition takes place on Friday; in our school, where we shall be listening to all of Year 6 being recorded on Thursday. They should learn their preferred poem by heart. Please look at the link that I have uploaded here. We also hope that you will find our student & parent friendly websites useful too, such as BBC Bitesize for KS2 videos and SPaG exercises for example, and NRICH Maths which is interactive and provides excellent problem solving activities. The SATS practice papers before half term proved to be a positive experience for our Year 6, in terms of broadening test skills and strategies. Do start to think about buying some SAT Buster books to reinforce your child's learning at home.

All Year 6 have opportunities to focus both on their curriculum but also extra-curricular activities, so that they have a good school/work and life balance. Please let us know if your child is involved in something exciting outside of school. We enjoy hearing about our children's interests and successes! Some are involved in truly exciting things like gymnastics, filming, horse-riding and swimming. In house, we have marquetry and fencing clubs, choir, music and singing lessons.

Year 6 are going to be helping Year 1 to get ready for their scripted Christmas story performance  in December, to take place at St Mary's Church, White Waltham. We see Rev Dave for inspiring Monday morning Collective Worship every Monday. Thank you to our Collective Worship Team for their hard work. The Prayer Pod is being used more purposefully now. Our theme for this term is 'Trust' and we are currently practising a super song called 'In God we trust' by Hillsong.

Watch out - Year 6 are about! They will be 'taking over' the school on Friday 22 December, which should be eventful and an eye opener for us all. But, WHO will be Mr Thompson? Pupils are busy with their various roles and responsibilities like: School Council, Green Team, Playground Pals, Shed and Digital Monitors, Art and Library. Year 6 have recently written a short history booklet about the Anglo Saxons, and are currently writing a biography about Joan of Arc. We have moved from reading about King Arthur, to medieval history in France which describes the brave girl soldier Joan of Arc, known as The Maid of Orléans. Linked with this, Michael Morpurgo has written our current guided reading book 'Sparrow'. Our Big Book and P4C (Philosophy for Children) contain superb examples of pupil work and pupil voice.

Year Six continue to show potential students and their families around the school, to view the range of spacious classrooms, modern indoor and outdoor facilities, and fabulous displays. Visitors always seem impressed at the range of opportunities to shine, and the family spirit at White Waltham Academy. Our weekly Show and Tell is going from strength to strength. It was set up by Uzuri initially to talk about her grandfather's handmade mirrors with their beautiful emblems. We have since enjoyed hearing Max talk about his passion for art and his favourite book about birds of prey. Illy talked about his trip to Japan House in London where he saw an art exhibition called The World of Anno Mitsumasa. Lottie talked about her role models such as Malala and Simone Biles, whom she has traced onto paper; Thomas talked about his unique sketches. Struan talked about his inspirational half term trip to Rome, and Roman history.

Feel free to contact me, your child's form tutor, or Mrs Bain, the KS2 Co-Ordinator. We are here to listen and guide. It is going to be a busy run up to Christmas now with dress up day for the charity 'Children in Need' this Friday to start us off.

Kind regards,

Ms S.L Shaw

Year 6 Form Tutor

Important Dates

AUTUMN TERM PART 2

28.10.2019  Half Term Break

11.11.2019    Remembrance Day

12.11.2019   Flu Vaccinations

15.11.2019   Children in Need Charity Day (dress in spotty)

21.11.2019   Individual pupil recording of Eisteddfod poem

22.11.2019   Class round of Eisteddfod poetry

16.12.2019   Christmas Shopping Day

17.12.2019   Book Sharing Afternoon 2.00pm - 3.30pm

18.12.2019   Christmas Lunch & Jumper Day

19.12.2019   Christmas Party

20.12.2019  End of Term

SUBJECT INFORMATION

NOVEMBER 2019

English, Literacy and Topic

We are currently working towards our next extended writing which is a biography of Saint Joan of Arc, who was canonized in 1920. 

Guided Reading, Storytelling and Newsround

We are currently reading Michael Morpurgo's Sparrow. We try to read as much as possible, and watch Newsround daily. We write down our comments about the news in our class book,

P4C (Philosophy for Children)

Sitting in a circle of trust, and with a theme or question in mind, pupils and staff discuss what we feel and what really matters, in a constructive and empathetic way. Our voice is important, and we should listen respectfully to others' opinions.

Maths

We are working in our current block on the topic of FRACTIONS. We use differentiated resources from White Rose Maths and Power Maths. We want all of our pupils to feel confident to enjoy and deal with Maths for their future jobs and the wider world. Intervention sessions help pupils who work at a slower pace.

Geography

We are using atlases to learn about location, landmarks, capital cities, counties, climate and environment. We label our maps in our class book, and write our observations and viewpoints.

Science

We are studying about Light, Reflection, Darkness, Shadow and our Eyes' reactions. We will be aiming to make a Periscope.

Art

We have looked at the legendary Bayeux Tapestry, and Chinese, Greek and Egyptian ceramics. We are practising our sewing skills, and will be making an embroidered piece of linen from our designs, based on Joan of Arc's dramatic life, tragic death and sainthood.

PE (Physical Education)

Children have PE three times a week: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Mr Edwards, our sports coach, takes pupils on a Tuesday and Thursday for two half hour sessions - remember to bring fresh PE kit and provide a medical and/or parental note if not participating.

Useful Websites

Stars of the Week : Congratulations to Struan & Louise for excellent attitude to learning

Dojo Points Winner = MAX. Congratulations for achieving the highest number of DOJO!

SPELLING & TIMES TABLES

Year Six pupils are given a weekly spelling test and fortnightly times tables test, normally on a Friday. Details and due dates for both are on PDFs on this web page.  T

MATHS AND ENGLISH

Every other Monday, two homework tasks are given out for both Maths and English. Maths tasks will be related to their current topic, i.e Fractions currently, and a Reading Comprehension. It is collected on the Friday the week after it is given out. Pupils may be asked to do some independent research at home to compliment class.

Reading & Book Reviews

READING CHALLENGE

We must ALL encourage our children to read as widely as possible, whether fiction, non-fiction or magazines. This includes during the school holidays. Please check their Partnership Books for the ten week reading challenge, with your signature!