In English, children will be studying Star of Fear, Star of Hope by Jo Hoestlandt, a moving story set during World War II. This unit links closely with our Humanities topic on WWII, giving pupils the chance to connect historical learning with literature. Through reading, writing, and discussion, children will explore themes of friendship, courage, and tolerance while developing key skills such as inference, empathy, and expressive writing.

Key Vocabulary: friendship, courage, prejudice, tolerance, empathy, resilience, identity, hope, fear, choices

In this Block, Year 6 students will investigate place value and number properties, as well as read, write, order,and compare numbers, as well as determine digit values. Additionally, children will investigate negative numbers,count forwards and backwards with positive and negative whole numbers through zero, and round any number upto 1,000,000 to the nearest 10, 100, 1000, 10,000, 100,000, 1,000,000, and 10,000,000. Children will develop mental and written strategies for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing large numbers.

Key Vocabulary: place value, digit, compare, order, round, negative numbers, decimal, whole number, value, greater than, less than

In Humanities, children will be exploring World War II, learning about its causes, major events, and the impact it had on people’s lives. They will study key themes such as the role of leaders, the experiences of evacuees, daily life on the home front, and how communities showed resilience during a time of great challenge. Through maps, photographs, and historical sources, pupils will develop their understanding of chronology, compare perspectives from different countries, and reflect on the importance of remembrance and peace.

Key Vocabulary: evacuation, home front, allies, axis, rationing, propaganda, resilience, remembrance, community, impact

In Science, we will be learning about Living Things and their Habitats. Children will explore how living things can be grouped in different ways and how scientists classify them based on similarities and differences. They will learn about broad groups such as micro-organisms, plants, and animals, and discover how observable characteristics help us to identify and sort living things. This topic will help children develop their scientific enquiry skills through sorting, classifying, and investigating the natural world around them.

Key Vocabulary: classification, characteristics, micro-organisms, vertebrates, invertebrates, species, habitat, similarities, differences, diversity

In PSHE, our first Jigsaw unit is Being Me in My World. This unit helps children reflect on their identity, role, and responsibilities within the class, school, and wider community. In Year 6, pupils will explore themes such as being a global citizen, understanding democracy, working collaboratively towards shared goals, and recognising how their choices can impact others. They will also think about how to face challenges with resilience and how to contribute positively to their school community as role models in their final year of primary.

Key Vocabulary: responsibility, community, democracy, goals, collaboration, respect, resilience, identity, contribution, global citizen

In Year 6, pupils will expand their vocabulary across subjects by mastering challenging spelling words (aggressive, cemetery, necessary, neighbour, recognise, restaurant), using descriptive terms (timidly, pounding, angst, conflict, compassion), and applying historical vocabulary (Jew, Jewish, Holocaust, Nazi occupation, soldier). Words like prejudice, benevolence, community, and authority will link to PSHE, while Madame, Monsieur, and restaurant connect to French. Thematic words from literature (apartment, keyhole, thread) will also support reading and writing, ensuring vocabulary is embedded meaningfully in English, history, PSHE, and MFL.

In Year 6,  students focus on consolidating statutory spelling lists (Years 3–6) and mastering key rules for suffixes and word patterns. They learn to add -ing, -ed, -er, -est, -en to words, following rules such as: doubling the final consonant if the word ends with a short vowel + consonant (e.g. begin → beginning), changing y → i before -ed (e.g. try → tried), and dropping a final e before vowel suffixes (e.g. make → making). With -fer words, pupils recognise that the r is only doubled if the stress remains on the -fer syllable (prefer → preferring vs. transfer → transferal). They also explore words with the /eɪ/ sound, where ei is only used in the middle, ey only at the end, and eigh is rare. Finally, they investigate the many sounds of ough: or (bought), uff (rough), off (cough), o (dough), oo (through), uh (thorough), and ow (plough). Throughout, pupils apply strategies such as mnemonics, word webs, dictations, and sentence challenges to reinforce accuracy and independence in spelling.

In Year 6, home learning is designed to strengthen key skills while building independence and positive learning habits. Reading remains our highest priority, and children are encouraged to read at least five times each week, recording this in their Reading Log. They should also complete one weekly entry in their Writing Log, which will be checked at the end of each block. In Mathematics, a MyMaths task will be set every Tuesday, and pupils are encouraged to continue practising regularly on both MyMaths and TT Rockstars to develop fluency. In addition, a homework file containing weekly tasks will be sent home and should be returned every Monday. While home learning is not compulsory, effort and consistency are recognised and celebrated through Reading Star and Writing Star awards at the end of the year.

In Computing, our topic for this block is 'We are Toy Makers'. In this unit, pupils take on the role of toy designers as they create an interactive soft toy powered by the BBC micro:bit. They begin by revisiting the micro:bit and MakeCode, before researching how electronic toys work in real life. Pupils then design their own toy and program the micro:bit to add interactive features.

Key vocabulary: System, Simulator, Input, Output, Microprocessor, micro:bit, MakeCode, Light-emitting diode (LED), Interactive, Embedded system, Controller, Edge connector, Decomposition, Bluetooth

This block empowers children to express opinions and identity through art. Inspired by graffiti, protest art, and artists who challenge injustice, children explore drawing, painting, and mixed media. They develop confidence, creativity, and visual communication skills to convey powerful personal and social messages. Final outcome - propaganda posters for WW2 and a mini exhibition.

Key Vocabulary: opinion, identity, graffiti, protest, injustice, drawing, painting, mixed media, confidence, creativity, communication, message, propaganda, poster, exhibition

In this unit, children explore Happy by Pharrell Williams, focusing on groove, rhythm, and feel-good expression. They listen to and appraise other pop and soul songs, identifying style, structure, and instrumentation. Through singing, playing tuned and untuned percussion, and improvising short melodic or rhythmic patterns, pupils develop accuracy, creativity, and ensemble skills. The block culminates in a joyful performance, reinforcing musical confidence, teamwork, and appreciation of contemporary popular music.

Key Vocabulary: groove, rhythm, expression, pop, soul, style, structure, instrumentation, singing, percussion, improvisation, melody, creativity, ensemble, performance

In this drama block, Year 6 children explore life during World War II through performance, using perspectives from England and Sri Lanka. They build empathy by developing characters, rehearsing key moments such as air-raid drills, rationing, evacuation, and resilience. Each class works toward a 10-minute ensemble piece, developing confidence in voice, movement, and collaboration. The block emphasises historical understanding, creativity, and teamwork, culminating in a performance for the school community.

Key Vocabulary: World War II, England, Sri Lanka, empathy, character, air-raid, rationing, evacuation, resilience, ensemble, voice, movement, collaboration, history, performance

In this block, children explore popular dances of the 1940s to gain insight into social and cultural life during World War II. They learn characteristic steps and styles, developing coordination, rhythm, and spatial awareness while working collaboratively. Activities encourage creativity, teamwork, and appreciation of historical context. The block culminates in a lively group performance, allowing children to showcase their skills and reflect on how dance connected communities during wartime.

Key Vocabulary: 1940s, World War II, social, culture, dance, steps, style, coordination, rhythm, space, teamwork, creativity, history, community, performance

Athletics: Pupils consolidate skills in sprints, relays, middle-distance running, jumping, and throwing events. They focus on technique, pacing, and performance analysis to prepare for competitive events.

Key Vocabulary: sprinting, relays, pacing, endurance, analysis, competition, performance 

All students will take part in a fortnightly swimming lesson designed to build both confidence and enjoyment in the water. Our programme follows a structured level system that ensures steady progression, tailored to each child’s ability. Alongside stroke development, children also learn important water safety and personal survival skills. We aim for every child to leave Junior School as a competent, confident swimmer with the skills to participate safely in a range of aquatic environments.