Welcome to Year 6 

Welcome to the Year 6 class page from Mr Minett, Miss Gillam, Miss Gillespie, Miss Thompson, and Mrs Inns.

Year 6 is nearly always one of, if not the most memorable times in a child's education. Old enough to fully appreciate the things going on around them and the opportunities they receive, the final year of primary school is a chance to achieve, reflect, and then celebrate this stage of their childhood. The transition to secondary school can be daunting for some (parents included!), but we will ensure that everyone in our class is adequately prepared as much as possible, both academically and socially, for this crucial next step.

As ever, we will be working hard to keep our class safe while providing them with plenty of opportunities to learn, have fun, and grow to fulfil both their academic and personal potential.

If there is anything we can do (or that you feel we need to know), please don't hesitate to get in touch. You can do this by talking to a member of the Year 6 team at drop-off or pick-up on the yard, or alternatively, you can message us using Class Dojo or call via the school office.

SATs

s you will all be aware, Year 6 is especially important for both children and their primary school. The end of Year 6 National Curriculum tests are used to measure the progress of your child (and their year group) over their time in our school. The children will be supported in their preparation for the tests, and our priority is for the children to feel confident and relaxed about their SATs. The tests will take place during the week commencing Monday 11th May, running until Thursday 14th. A more detailed timetable will be relayed to you once it has been made available.

Please avoid booking any holidays during (or in the run-up to) May. Furthermore, your child's regular attendance, including arriving at school on time throughout the school year, will play a significant part in allowing us to help them achieve their full potential.

These tests are vital to us as they provide an opportunity to demonstrate the excellent progress the children have made to those outside our school community. Additionally, they give the children's new schools insight into a suitable starting point for them in Year 7.

We will be practising for these tests throughout the year alongside our regular curriculum. If you have any questions, however trivial they may seem, please speak to me about them after school.

Daily Reading

We ask all children in Year 6 to read for at least 15 minutes per day and to take quizzes regularly using Accelerated Reader. While I recognise that families can sometimes be busy in the evenings, establishing a short daily routine of homework (rather than a block of time at the weekend) will make the transition to Year 7 much easier.

Homework

From the Autumn term, we will assign short daily homework, usually based on work we've done in class that day or will cover the next day. This will help prepare children for secondary school. Children are expected to do as much as they can within 15 to 20 minutes, and most tasks should be possible to complete in that time.

We expect that daily homework will be completed the vast majority of the time, though we understand that unforeseen circumstances might prevent children from completing tasks occasionally.

Reading is always given in addition to these daily homework tasks and should be for a minimum of an additional 15 minutes.

Intervention and SATs Boosters

To help some Year 6 children prepare for secondary school, we will be running 'booster classes' throughout the year. Children will work with an adult in pairs or very small groups to help them reach their academic potential in Maths and English. These sessions will not necessarily be just for children who need to 'catch up.' We aim to run sessions to push more able children towards even greater achievements and to support some children with social and emotional development. All booster sessions will be conducted after school, and if your child is selected, you will receive a letter informing you of the subject focus and the day/finish time of the weekly session.

Prefect System

The aim of the prefect system is to recognise and reward children who consistently act as excellent role models for their peers. Prefects will be trusted to complete small tasks for adults around the school, set a good example when playing at lunchtime, and be a visible presence in the school.

All children will begin the year as prefects. As long as they continue to demonstrate the six Rs, they will remain prefects throughout the year. We do not expect anyone to be perfect, but we do expect everyone to endeavour to be the best person they can, even when things go wrong. Throughout the year, especially in the summer term, there will be rewards for prefects to thank them for being such positive role models throughout their time in Year 6.

Wednesdays

On Wednesdays, Year 6 will be taught by Mrs Inns. This arrangement allows me to have PPA (planning, preparation, and assessment) and leadership release time, as well as providing the children with experience working with different adults throughout the school week.

PE

Our scheduled PE day is Wednesday, with swimming on Thursday. Children are required to come to school dressed in their allocated PE kit on PE days. For swimming, children must bring a swimming costume and a towel. Children with long hair must have it tied back, and no jewellery should be worn.

Secondary School Transition

Application information for parents can be found here and is usually updated to go live in September.

Though we are happy to discuss various options for different secondary schools, particularly if you have specific concerns linked to transition, the choice of schools to apply to is ultimately at the parents' discretion.

Please note that we have no involvement in secondary school selection or the transition days each school will arrange for the summer term. If you have any questions, it is always best to contact the relevant school directly.