Year 6 — Spinosaurus and Diplodocus
Class teachers
Mr. Mike Pennington (Spinosaurus) and Mr. Nik Larcombe (Diplodocus)
Learning Support Assistants and 1:1s
Mrs Allison Penwell, Mrs Di Smith and Mrs Emilie Stevenson
Phase Leader and Deputy Head
Mr. Mike Pennington
Dear Parents/Cares & Year 6 Children
Welcome back to school! We hope you had a lovely Easter break and that you are all ready for the term ahead – particularly as this term brings us to the end of the children’s journey at DPS and the start of a new adventure!
We continue to work towards the Year 6 SATs assessments taking place in the week beginning Monday 13th May and the transfer to secondary school. Even though there is a temptation to think that Primary School is over once the SATs have finished, there is much valuable learning still to come, and we look forward to Year 6 giving of their very best.
In the run-up to the SATs tests, we will be running booster groups either before or after school. Learning and revision sessions will also continue during the school day. The boosters will start next week, so we will be in touch as soon as possible if your child is invited to attend one or more of these groups. Initial details are as follows:
Time:
Morning Sessions – 8.15am-8.45am
After School Sessions – 3.25pm-4.15pm
Venue:
Mr. Larcombe/Mr. Pennington’s classrooms
Final details will be shared very soon.
The majority of the year group organisation will continue as before the holidays but for your information, please be aware of the following:
· Indoor PE will begin again on a Thursday afternoon. Children are to wear their Outdoor PE kit to school on a Tuesday. Children will need to wear their PE kits on these days.
· Forest School will begin for Spinosaurus Class tomorrow, 17th April, and for Diplodocus Class on Wednesday 24st April. Classes will then revert to alternate weeks. Children must have a waterproof pair of trousers, top and appropriate footwear to take part in these sessions.
Maths and English homework will continue to be set. Reading, Spelling Shed and TTRockstars will continue to be monitored each week. We are trying to encourage the children to independently record their reading in their ‘Home School Diary’. This is in preparation for secondary school. We very much hope you will support your child/ren with this.
Topics
For the first part of the term we will be studying ‘Earth as an Island.’
In Art, we’ll be learning about:
- Different techniques to represent islands artistically
- Printing techniques.
In Geography, we’ll be learning about:
· Geographical terms to name and describe features of islands
· How island cities have developed over time
· How changes on earth are causing issues for island communities
· Challenges when relocating island populations
· How maps are organised
· The climates on different islands and how this impacts life there.
In International, we’ll be learning about:
- The Sustainable Development Goals
- How our daily actions contribute to global issues
- How plastic in the ocean causes problems on islands
- How we can advocate for positive change.
In Design, Technology and Innovation, we’ll be learning about:
- The main food groups and healthy eating
- Designing a menu based on island cuisine
- Staying safe while preparing and cooking food
For the remainder of the year we will be studying the Fairgrounds unit of work as well as Sex & Relationships Education:
In Science, we’ll be learning about:
- The relationship between forces and movement
- Newton’s laws of motion
- Measuring forces with a Newton meter including gravity
- How loops work on rollercoasters
- Friction when different surfaces meet
- Centripetal and centrifugal forces
- Potential and kinetic energy in elastic bands
- Simple machines
- Magnets and magnetism
- Series and parallel circuits
- Creating special effects with our knowledge of light
- The properties of sound.
In ICT & Computing, we’ll be learning about:
- Control and smart technology
- Collaborating using digital tools
- Writing, testing and debugging code to control a fairground ride.
In Design Technology and Innovation, we’ll be learning about:
- Designing fairground attractions that use mechanisms and simple machines
- Using magnets and electricity to power fairground games
- Making a powered boat.
In International, we’ll be learning about:
- Where theme parks are located and how this impacts quality of life in the area
- How fairgrounds and theme parks can adopt more sustainable practices.
We’ll shortly be giving you information about how to order Leavers’ Hoodies.
We’ll also be sharing details about our Leavers’ Celebrations as we approach the latter part of the term.
If you or your child have any questions, please feel free to email us directly or chat to us on the school gate at the end of the school day.
Kind regards,
Year 6 team
Nik Larcombe: nlarcombe@deanshanger.northants.sch.uk
Mike Pennington: deputy@deanshanger.northants.sch.uk
Term 1 overview
Term 2 overview
Term 3 overview
Term 4 overview
Term 5 overview
Term 6 overview
