Welcome to Year 6! Here we are at the beginning of your child’s last year at Solent - a year that is particularly important.  We are delighted to have all the children back at school after the summer holidays and we are keen to help them feel happy and safe, but also to address any areas of learning which may need more focus.

This term will include lots of interesting learning which we hope will be challenging as well as enjoyable for the children.

We will continue to structure the majority of our learning around our LEARNING UNITS. Some subjects will still be taught discreetly where they do not easily unite into the overall theme. 

Our main Learning Unit theme for this term will be ’Nature’s Fury’ and ‘Biomes’ – encompassing a Geographical enquiry, Maths and Art.  A curriculum overview can be found HERE and will also be uploaded to our TEAMS platform.

Maths HOME LEARNING will be set on TEAMS on a Monday and should be completed by the following Monday each week.  English HOME LEARNING will be set on TEAMS every Monday, with a deadline of the following Monday each week. We expect all work to be completed and uploaded on to TEAMS so that it can be checked and feedback given.

Spelling lists will be available on Microsoft Teams each Monday and tested the following Monday. All pupils will be tested on the same words, as this will be the format used in the KS2 SATS.  However, we will make a folder available on Microsoft Teams for activities to help those children who may require extra support.  We hope that we can continue to rely on your support, so that together we can help your child reach his/her full potential during their final year.

In MATHS, we are currently commencing our sixth year of ‘teaching for Mastery within Mathematics’, which is an approach that favours mixed ability teaching, allowing consolidation of concepts and ensuring that greater depth opportunities are available for all learners without moving children on too quickly.  The planning will be guided by the Primary Curriculum with objectives being sequenced using the White Rose scheme of learning. The children will be expected to know their times tables and the corresponding division facts. Your help with this task is invaluable.

ENGLISH lessons will be organised into three classes in the same way as the Maths classes.  During the term we will be studying different types of texts, but we are beginning the term with a study of descriptive writing using a video as a stimulus. Other learning over the term will focus on writing linked to our Guided Reading book ‘Running Wild’ and the film trailer ‘The Impossible’. These are both linked to our Geography unit of natural disasters for this term.

The children will be encouraged to read as widely as possible, accessing a range of different authors and genres. Your child should read every day and try to read at least five books over a half term. The school library is now open, so all children will have the opportunity to choose a book of their choice.  The children will also be bringing home one book from the Pandora Book Band series, with a book that has been assessed as appropriate for your child’s reading ability.  It will encourage your child to read and improve their fluency if someone could hear them read at home. Thank you for supporting this.  Library books should be coming to and from school each day so that staff can listen to the children read and so the children can use their books during independent reading opportunities, often during afternoon registration.

P.E:  Pupils should come into school in their P.E kit on their designated P.E days, ensuring that they are adhering to the correct school P.E kit guidelines (available on the school website).  Weather permitting, all P.E lessons will take place outside for the time being, so sturdy trainers should be worn rather than plimsoles.  All of Year 6 will have their outdoor Games lessons on a Monday and their indoor P.E on a Tuesday afternoon.  Additional safety precautions during PE: Earrings need to be removed or covered with plasters or tape (to be supplied from home) and long hair needs to be tied back. No watches or rings please.

We are sure that we shall have a happy and successful year; please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have via the office email:   solentjunior@thesolentschools.org

Yours Sincerely

The Year 6 Teachers

Miss Smith, Miss Palmer and Mr Washer