Welcome to the first term of year 6, already the pupils are settling in well and working hard as part of a team. Our topic this term is Explorers

This term we will be using our class book - The Explorer by Kathleen Rundell - as our focus for Literacy and Communication tasks. Pupils will be developing their independent grammar and spelling skills through dedicated sessions. These skills will then be demonstrated through informal letter writing; taking on the role of a historic explorer, as well as creating explanation texts for survival in an 'Extreme Environment'.

Pupils will not only be developing their writing skills but will also be focusing on their oracy skills; creating a news interview with an explorer of their choice. They will be forming their own filming team; director, cameraman, interviewer, interviewee and will learn the skills involved in producing a film.

Pupils will also continue to take part in the Accelerated Reader initiative, we will be encouraging pupils to read daily in school for 20 minutes in addition to their daily guided reading session.

During the Autumn term year 6 will be consolidating their number skills knowledge, focusing on: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, negative numbers, rounding, place value and budgeting. Pupils will be securing their knowledge in each area, developing their confidence through practical and written methods.

In addition to securing their basic operation knowledge, pupils will be developing their problem solving and reasoning skills through weekly investigations The aim of these are to encourage pupils to discuss their maths, develop their use of mathematical language as well as put into practise the skills they have learned.

All pupils in year 6 are encouraged to practise their multiplication knowledge at home, 15 minutes of mental recall daily will allow them to challenge themselves further in school.

Through humanities lessons pupils will be developing their geography skills; plotting trans-globe adventures and identifying climate changes across the world. Through the means of RE, pupils will focus on how beliefs can support explorers during their adventures. We will also be giving pupils the opportunity to explore the local environment, comparing it to other world environments.

We have a trip planned that will challenge our pupils; their motivation, stamina and perseverance skills, all to be revealed soon. Through Science and Technology, pupils will be focusing on developing their engineering skills by creating a water irrigation system to support their knowledge on plant reproduction.

Through Health and Well-being, year 6 will be taking part in a fitness programme through which they will learn correct techniques for body weight activities and take part in alternative programmes such as Yoga. Year 6 will also be identifying how everyone can lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

During weekly welsh and Helpr Heddiw sessions, year 6 will creating weather reports using the 3 tenses. The pupils final project will be to create a filmed weather report using the school's green screen.

Year 6 PE takes place on a Thursday afternoon. We ask that children either come into school in their PE kit ready or they bring a change of clothes. We would like pupils to wear appropriate PE kit - no jeans or denim shorts. Pupils would benefit from having the correct equipment in school everyday: pencil case, water bottle and reading book.

Homework will be sent home on a Monday and due in on a Friday. Our main focus will be to develop mathematical knowledge, please support us in building the foundations by testing your child on their multiplication mental recall. Other homework will be sent home to prepare for a new topic or to consolidate learning.