Week commencing 22.6.26
The warm weather has certainly been a challenge, but thanks to the adaptations made around school, the children have shown great resilience and have continued to work hard in their lessons and rehearsals. We are so proud of the mature attitude they have demonstrated throughout the week.
On Monday Struan Murray (a published author) visited us and we were all very excited as we have read one of his books Orphans On the Tide in class. He inspired us with his drawing and doodling and how this can link to writing - we have loved drawing our own dragons this week based on his ideas.
In RE, we have been learning about Judaism and exploring some of the key aspects of this faith. The children learned that the Torah is the Jewish holy book, containing teachings and laws that guide Jewish people in their daily lives. We also discussed the importance of the synagogue, which is the Jewish place of worship where people gather to pray, learn and celebrate important events within their community.
Our costume preparations are almost complete for the production. A huge thank you to all parents and carers for your support in helping to source costumes. We really appreciate all your efforts, and the children are looking fantastic already!
In English, the children have begun planning and writing a prequel, recount or sequel to a short film called Francis. This will be their final extended piece of writing in Year 6, and I am excited to see what they produce. They have thoroughly enjoyed discussing ideas and, as always, have embraced the opportunity to create suspense and mystery in their writing.
Of course, a large part of our week has been dedicated to play rehearsals. Sarah and I are incredibly proud of how the children are growing in confidence and truly stepping into their roles. Their dedication and enthusiasm have been wonderful to see, and we cannot wait for you to watch their hard work come to life next week - I have put on a few pictures from Monday's (much cooler) rehearsal!
Have a lovely weekend!
Week commencing 15.6.26
What a busy week it has been in Year 6!
We started the week with a normal Monday morning full of learning. In Maths, we continued our Moving On Up project work, applying our skills and tackling new challenges with great resilience. In English, we worked on writing diary entries in character for Titanium. These were looking fantastic, with children really thinking carefully about their character's thoughts and feelings. During our spelling sessions, the children showed excellent resilience as they remembered and applied key spelling rules. The finished work is now proudly displayed in our classroom. In the afternoon, we turned our attention to play rehearsals, working on scenes and songs involving Shere Khan, our powerful tiger character.
Tuesday began with more play rehearsals alongside Mrs Barron, focusing on The Bare Necessities. The children worked hard on their singing, acting and movement, showing growing confidence as they prepared for the production. In RE, we learned about God's covenant with Abraham and discussed why it remains important today. The children explored how Abraham is a significant figure in Judaism, Christianity and Islam and reflected on the values of faith, trust and commitment that continue to influence believers around the world. We finished the day with a joint PE session with Year 5, where everyone had the chance to bat and field in rounders. We also worked on bowling and considered how accuracy can improve our performance.
Wednesday morning was dedicated to further play rehearsals as we worked through as many scenes as possible. The children showed real aspiration as they refined their performances and supported one another. In Geography, we completed our final lesson of the topic before moving on to History next week. The children considered what should be included in an earthquake survival kit and showed great empathy as they thought about the challenges faced by people affected by natural disasters. In English, we completed our Titanium diary entries. The standard of writing was incredibly high, with all children demonstrating high expectations of themselves and producing pieces they should be very proud of.
Thursday was a very special day as we attended the Leavers' Mass at Clifton Cathedral. Our class, who were part of the choir, had the privilege of sitting right at the front, and their singing throughout the service was absolutely stunning. A special mention must go to Hebe and Marianne, who made us incredibly proud with their beautiful solo singing of the psalm. They performed with remarkable confidence and were a credit to the school. We were also proud of Ellie and Marmaduke, who had the important responsibility of carrying the school banner during the service. They carried out this role with great maturity and respect, representing the school brilliantly.
A huge thank you must go to Mrs Wooldridge, Miss Gardener, Mrs Barron, Mrs Howells and Mrs Pickering for accompanying us to the cathedral and supporting the children throughout the day, alongside myself. Their help and encouragement were greatly appreciated and helped make the visit such a memorable occasion.
After returning to school, we enjoyed some food before spending the afternoon on the field. Children took part in football, basketball, the log trail and parachute games, making the most of a lovely afternoon together. It was a wonderful way to celebrate a special day and create more happy Year 6 memories.
On Friday, we enjoyed a visit to the convent for story time with Reception and Year 1. Hebe and Marmaduke read brilliantly, and the younger children were delighted (and a little surprised!) to discover that Year 6 pupils would be reading stories to them. The older children were excellent role models and showed great confidence while reading aloud. Back at school, we worked in RE to create leaflets offering top tips for respecting and caring for the Bible. The children carefully considered why the Bible is important to Christians and how it should be treated with respect.
What a fantastic week it has been. From diary writing and Geography to rounders, reading with younger children, rehearsals and our memorable visit to Clifton Cathedral, Year 6 have demonstrated empathy, resilience, aspiration, high expectations and growing confidence throughout everything they have done.
Roll on next week and our technical rehearsal – the big performance is getting closer!
Week commencing 8.6.26
Our play rehearsal is progressing really well, and it’s fantastic to see the children working hard to learn their lines—keep up the great effort! They are showing wonderful aspirations and growing confidence, which is lovely to see. Costumes are starting to appear too, adding to the excitement as everything comes together. If you have any questions or any issues, please don’t hesitate to come and speak to me.
In RE this week, the children explored the Bible and reflected on why it is important for Catholics to read it throughout their lifetime, particularly considering how the Old and New Testaments link together.
In English, the class are very excited to begin writing their diary entries based on the Titanium music video. They have completed their planning this week and are ready to bring their ideas to life.
During class prayer, we focused on kindness. The children showed great empathy as they reflected and each wrote a personal challenge for themselves—let’s see if they can follow these through!
In Maths, we have been working on negative numbers, as well as multiplying and dividing as part of our Moving On Up project. We have also revisited fractions, where the children showed resilience in remembering and applying the different methods they have learned.
In Geography, we have been learning about earthquakes and considering their short-term and long-term effects. The children produced some thoughtful written work, demonstrating a good understanding of how these natural disasters can impact people and environments in different ways.
Week commencing 1.6.26
Despite it being a four-day week, Year 6 have made a fantastic start to the new term and have packed a huge amount into their learning with high expectations across the board.
In Maths, we have begun our new project, Moving On Up. This unit revisits and strengthens the key skills the children have developed throughout Key Stage 2, while encouraging them to apply their knowledge through problem-solving activities. It is excellent preparation for the next step in their learning journey as they look ahead to secondary school.
In English, we have started writing newspaper reports linked to the short film The Lighthouse. The children have been exploring the differences between direct and indirect speech and considering how these techniques can enhance their reporting. They have shown a great deal of empathy and understanding when discussing the characters and events within the film, leading to some thoughtful and mature contributions.
In RE, we spent two sessions exploring the Bible and why it is so important to Catholics. We investigated its origins and learned about its roots in the Tanakh, helping us to understand the Bible's significance within the Christian faith.
One of the highlights of the week was Bikeability. Although the weather was certainly challenging, the rain did not dampen anyone’s spirits! The instructors were incredibly impressed with the children’s cycling abilities, resilience and positive attitudes throughout the sessions. Everyone should be very proud of themselves.
In Science, we launched our new topic on the circulatory system. Through fact-finding and knowledge-building activities, the children began developing their understanding of how this vital system works and why it is so important to keeping us healthy.
Preparations for our Jungle Book production are progressing brilliantly. Rehearsals are going very well, and it has been wonderful to see the children enjoying their time on stage. Many have already learned their lines and are performing with increasing confidence. Their commitment reflects our high expectations and their aspirations to produce a fantastic show for everyone to enjoy.
Our set is also starting to come together, thanks to the wonderful creativity of Sarah, whose ideas are helping to bring the production to life. Costume requests were sent home on Friday, and we would be grateful if these could be brought into school as soon as they are available.
Well done, Year 6, on such a positive and productive start to the term!