Year 6: Birch and Willow 2024 - 2025

Welcome to Year 6

Mr Farrell is our teacher in Birch class.

Mr Timms is our teacher in Willow class.

Miss Fry also works in Year 6.

Mrs Platt and Mrs Ivanova support us in Year 6.

In Year 6 at Pinehurst we Experience, Excel and Enjoy.

Join our Class Dojo Pages:

Willow: https://www.classdojo.com/ul/p/addKid?target=class&class=CFJV37D

Birch: https://www.classdojo.com/ul/p/addKid?target=class&class=CPFGHAX

Life in Year 6

The children in Year 6 are looking forward to a busy but exciting year of learning.

We have a focused session on Reading, Writing, and Maths each day. We also enjoy lots of opportunities to learn about Science, Computing, Spanish, History, Geography, RE, PE, Art, DT and Music each week.

Our PE day is Tuesday. Your child will need to come in to school already dressed in their PE kit. This consists of a yellow Pinehurst t-shirt, navy shorts or jogging bottoms and a pair of black pumps or trainers.

This half term we will be swimming on a Thursday.

Our Curriculum

At Pinehurst Primary School we aim to provide a broad and balanced curriculum that provides the children with opportunities to Experience, Excel and Enjoy. We aim to foster a lifelong love of learning, through delivery of a twenty-first century education. A cross-curricular approach to learning encourages the children to make connections between all aspects of their learning and become independent, reflective learners and responsible citizens.

English and Maths skills that we will be developing in Year 6:

English

In English this half term we will be reading a class text as part of our Quality Text Based Approach.

Maths

We have a structured and engaging approach designed to help every student build confidence and excel in mathematics. This will look as follows:

1. Daily Basic Skills Sessions: Each morning begins with a basic skills session. This time is dedicated to reinforcing essential mathematical concepts and skills. We’ll focus on building a solid foundation in areas such as number operations, fractions, and mental arithmetic. These sessions are designed to ensure that students are confident with core skills before we delve into more complex topics.

2. Maths Lessons with the 'Maths No Problem' Scheme: Our main maths lessons will follow the 'Maths No Problem' scheme of work. This scheme is based on the Singapore Math approach, which emphasizes problem-solving and deep understanding. The lessons are designed to help students explore mathematical concepts through hands-on activities and real-world problems. By using this method, students will develop a strong grasp of mathematical concepts and learn to apply their knowledge in various contexts.

3. TT Rockstars for Times Tables Fluency: To support and enhance students' fluency in times tables, we will be using TT Rockstars. This interactive online tool makes learning times tables engaging and fun. Regular practice on TT Rockstars will help students build speed and accuracy in multiplication and division, which are crucial for more advanced mathematical operations.

What You Can Do at Home:

Support Basic Skills Practice: Encourage your child to review basic math skills regularly. Short, daily practice can make a big difference.
Engage with 'Maths No Problem': If your child is working on specific topics at school, ask them to explain what they’ve learned or try some of the problems at home.
TT Rockstars: Support your child’s use of TT Rockstars by setting aside a few minutes each day for them to practice their times tables. Celebrate their progress and achievements!

We believe that with this structured approach, each student will not only improve their mathematical skills but also develop a genuine appreciation for the subject. If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to reach out.

The Wider Curriculum in Year 6

This half-term our wider curriculum topics include:

Science:

Geography:

Computing:

Please see our Curriculum newsletter at the bottom of this page for more information on what we will be stuying each half term.

It will be a busy and fun filled year of learning!

How can I help and support my child at school?

Homework in Year 6

Homework will be set each Friday via Class Dojo. This homework needs to be completed by the following Friday.

Completing homework is crucial in ensuring children have time to revisit and consolidate their learning at home. Children develop their skills and place a higher value on their education when they talk through their learning at home with family members. Completing homework also provides a great opportunity for children to practice what they have learned in a different, independent setting.

Children will recieve one piece of English and Maths homework that will be based on the week's learning objectives as well as a wider curriculum task. Continual practise of times tables is also encouraged and children should endeavor to access Times Tables Rockstars regularly at home.

Reading is encouraged daily and should be recorded in your child’s reading record book. This should be a mixture of your child's levelled reading book and any books, magazines or texts they'd like to read alongside. Reading diaries will be checked in school regularly and your child will also have lots of opportunities to read with their class teacher.

Practical ideas to support your child

Sharing books, reading with and to your child.
Visiting places of interest, talking to your child about them, and encouraging them to ask questions. Places you may choose to visit: the library, country parks and local nature reserves, museums, etc.
Making opportunities to play and work with others.
Opportunities to be creative, solving puzzles and working on projects.

Blended Learning

Please find below for useful resources and websites should your child have to learn from home.

Maths

https://ttrockstars.com/

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/tags/zncsscw/year-6-and-p7-lessons

https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/22/most-popular

English

https://www.audible.co.uk/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/tags/zncsscw/year-6-and-p7-lessons

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/7-11-years/spelling-and-grammar

http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/literacy/

Other

https://www.oddizzi.com/

https://www.duolingo.com/

https://scratch.mit.edu/

https://hourofcode.com/uk

If home learning is required please contact your child's teacher for log-in details, practical activity ideas and additional resources they may be able to offer.