The Junior School Curriculum
Year 6
This is a year when we expect a higher level of personal organisation and responsibility. Each Year 6 pupil will be a prefect for one term and are expected to be good role models for the younger pupils. In May 2010, your child will probably take the End of Key Stage 2 tests in English and Mathematics. In previous years, these tests have taken place over a week and are on specific days.
To ensure that all children receive the most appropriate teaching for their learning style, we group the children for English and Mathematics using information from the Year 5 examinations.
It is important that the children are able to focus for at least a 45 minute session. We spend time throughout the year preparing the children so that they are confident when the time comes.
LITERACY /ENGLISH
Spelling
Spellings are set for testing on the same day the following week. A practice test at the weekend would help to identify any words needing further work.
Writing
Throughout the year the children will learn to write in a variety of ways: e.g. Reports, letters, discussion, information leaflets as well as poetry and creative stories. Sentences will need to be grammatically correct and punctuation and capital letters need to be consistent.
At Home
Please encourage your child to read through their homework aloud on completion, checking for simple spelling and punctuation errors.
Reading
We will be asking the children to read at home at least three times a week building up to a focused 15 minutes. Reading together with you is often rewarding particularly for less confident readers. They will need to be familiar with a variety of texts, including newspaper articles and information books.
Handwriting
At this age children are expected to write legibly using joined, consistently sized letters.
Library
Year 6 will visit Bourne Hall Library twice each half term. We will be encouraging the pupils to read a wide range of books including fiction and non-fiction.
NUMERACY /MATHEMATICS
The Scheme
We will be working on targets set out by the Numeracy Strategy. Much of our work will be investigative so that children can develop their reasoning skills and mathematical vocabulary.
Tables
It is expected that children are already familiar with all their times tables up to 12. The main emphasis this year is on speed of recall.
Problem Solving
This is an important area which can cause difficulties for some children. Tasks include:
- being able to read and use a train or bus timetable
- deal with money - calculating the cost of tickets and discounts, giving change
- altering recipes to give different quantities
- converting between metric and imperial measurements
During homework sessions, there may be some practical tasks where your child may need to work with you. We would appreciate your cooperation in this.
SCIENCE
The main topics that Year 6 will study this year are:
- Solids and Liquids
- Changing Materials
- Variation and Classification
- Adaptation
- Food Chains
- Micro-organisms
During PSHE lessons, your child will cover Healthy Living and there will be a course for Year 6 pupils on growing up to prepare them for the immediate future - this will include Sex Education. If any parent wishes to discuss this further please contact Mrs Crossley.
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
The children will be required to design and make mini theatres following the technological process. Skills such as sawing and joining will be learnt as well as learning about 3D sketches, magnetism and electrical circuits.
HISTORY
Topics will include The Anglo-Saxons and Tudors.
GEOGRAPHY
Topics will include river study, mountains, cities of the world and world events.
GAMES / P.E. / SWIMMING
Pupils will need their named football kit for Games on Mondays and their named P.E. kit on Thursdays.
Pupils do not need huge bags to carry their kit. It can be packed in their rucksacks with a boot bag for their boots. No plastic bags please unless they are inside another bag.
Swimming will take place each term. All pupils will be required to wear a hat.
Swimming costumes and hats are available to purchase from the Junior School Office
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
The children will be using a variety of software packages including Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point. In addition, they will be expected to access the internet for research in different subjects. If pupils wish to use the Internet for homework but are not able to do this at home, they may use the class computers immediately after school by arrangement with form staff.
HOMEWORK
Homework for Year 6, in particular, is very important for consolidating class work as well as establishing good habits for Year 7.
As well as reading and spelling, two subjects are set three nights a week with one subject on the other two nights. Homework is usually due in the following day. If family trips are planned that are likely to affect homework, we would be grateful if parents could write a note in homework diaries ahead of time so that we can give the homework early.
Children work hard all day at school and need time to relax in the evenings. For this reason, we have asked them not to spend longer than 45 minutes on any one subject, apart from French which is 15 minutes. If the work is incomplete we do not mind, provided they have tried their best, uninterrupted, for 45 minutes. Again a note from you to this effect is appreciated.
A 45 minute after-school Detention (on a Friday) is given to any child who fails to hand in three pieces of homework in a month.
VISITS/SPECIAL EVENTS
We aim to have a visit each term as well as special events in school.
Year 6 take part in a special event organised by The Surrey Business Partnership called the Business Game. In November, Year 6 will be involved with the English Speaking Board Assessments. Year 6 have a theatre visit to see a Shakespeare 4 Kidz production of 'Macbeth' on Tuesday 6th October. On Thursday 17th December J3-J6 will go to the Bloomsbury Theatre to see 'Skellig'.
We are planning a residential trip to France next year.
Year 6 also have the opportunity to take the Bikeability course.
ASSEMBLIES
Assemblies take place everyday. Once each half term we meet as a whole Junior School at Chessington Lodge. We hold an assembly in the Church for J1-J6 twice a term. The next church assembly is our Harvest Festival on Wednesday 23rd September at 9.00 am.
The Carols by Candlelight service will be held on Monday 14th December at 6.30 pm at St. Mary's Church, Ewell.
If you have any concerns or problems during the year please do not hesitate to come and see Mrs Goff, Mr Darlow or Mrs Crossley.