Autumn Term
Information for parents/carers
Year 6 – A Brilliant Start!
Year 6 have made a confident and thoughtful start to the year. We’ve been exploring Pig Heart Boy by Malorie Blackman, which has sparked some fantastic class debates around ethics and medical testing — the children have shown great maturity in discussing these complex topics. In English, we’ve been working on recount writing, using the first chapter of Letters from the Lighthouse to inspire descriptive and reflective pieces.
In maths, our focus has been on place value, building strong foundations for the year ahead. We’ve also been exploring the concepts of respect and stereotypes, encouraging open-mindedness and empathy in our classroom community.
The children are settling well into their routines, including daily reading and regular homework, and we’re really proud of the responsibility and enthusiasm they’re showing already. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic year!
W/C 3/10
This week in year 6 we have been really focussing on our writing. We are nearly at the end of our WW2 recount and I have been incredibly impressed by the writing the children have produced.
In maths, we have spent time looking at common factors of numbers, using factor bugs, and common multiples. We have also covered different rules of divisibility.
| Number | Rule for Divisibility |
|---|---|
| 1 | Every number is divisible by 1. |
| 2 | If the number is even (ends in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8). |
| 3 | If the sum of the digits is divisible by 3. |
| 4 | If the last two digits form a number divisible by 4. |
| 5 | If the number ends in 0 or 5. |
| 6 | If the number is divisible by both 2 and 3. |
| 7 | Trickier! Try dividing—if it works with no remainder, it’s divisible. |
| 8 | If the last three digits form a number divisible by 8. |
| 9 | If the sum of the digits is divisible by 9. |
| 10 | If the number ends in 0. |
In foundation subjects this week, we have looked at Abrahamic creation stories and the similarities and differences between these, as well as resolving conflict and creating a positive online reputation.
Have a lovely weekend!
W/C 6.10
To start off our week, we had a workshop run by the Catch Your Breath programme about the dangers and history of smoking and vaping.
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Here's what some of the children said...
Elizabeth – This morning, we did a workshop about smoking. We learnt about how smoking and vaping are bad for the lungs and how it could damage our health. We looked at pictures to learn and understand the meaning and played some fun games and did the activity which the children loved.
Evalyn – Today we talked about smoking and vaping, which was very interesting and fun. We saw pictures of people who had been smoking and looked at the health implications of smoking, vaping and things that happen in both as they both contain nicotine. It was fun to look more into it than just saying, “It’s bad for you." We did some activities, and I really enjoyed it.
Bea – On Monday we had a visitor come in to talk about smoking and vaping. We learnt why some people smoke and vape and the bad things about it, like it gives some people lung cancer or lung disease.
Kathy – Today we had a workshop about smoking and vaping. I learnt that the brown stuff inside the cigarette is called tobacco.
In RE this term we have been looking at the creation stories of different religions, including Islam, Hinduism, Juedo-Christian and Sikhism. This allowed us to look at differences between these descriptions and the common threads that run throughout them.
In maths, we have started to look at formal written multiplication (long multiplication) using 4-digit numbers multiplied by a 2-digit number (for example, 2462 x 24).
W/C 13/10
What a busy week Blackman class have had this week!
In English, we have been looking at the nonsense poem - Jabberwocky. Children have worked hard to decipher the meanings of the nonsense words and have looked at word class and poetic devices.
Jabberwocky
By Lewis Carroll
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
In maths, we have started looking at short division and are moving on to long division next week.
We were lucky enough to take part in a sports event on Monday with a visit from Paralympian Sean Rose - an inspiriation to us all.
The children were put through their paces and even enjoyed a singing session to encourage others.
Next week we will be completing our DT project of building playground structures. We also have an interactive online session booked with the author Emma Carroll (who wrote Letters from the Lighthouse).
Have a lovely weekend!