Dear Parents, Carers & Pupils
As you are aware Year 6 is a very busy time for the children. We have plenty of work to do in preparation for SATs as well as our residential visit to the Isle of Wight.
As there are lots of things to remember we have detailed below some key topics.
1:Homework
i) Homework diaries – In Year 6 we encourage the children to maintain a homework diary in preparation for secondary school. These can be purchased from the school for £1.75. A homework diary will need to be brought to and from school each day. They may be used as a contact between home and school.
ii) Reading – In Year 6 we still expect daily reading for at least 15 minutes each day. As many children will be quite accomplished readers we would suggest that you also discuss texts with your child and note any new words in their reading record books.
iii) Spellings – A termly list of spellings will be sent home in their homework diary. They will be tested on them weekly, on a Friday. Children getting 3 or more incorrect may have to stay in during break times to learn them. Children may move up or down between groups depending on how well they learn their spellings.
iv) Homework – Children will have 1 piece of maths and literacy homework a week, together with a foundation subject (for example history or science). The literacy homework will consist of children completing a diary entry with a specific literacy focus. Children will record homework tasks and deadlines in their homework diaries.
v) Times tables – Children in Year 6 are expected to know their times tables. If this is something your child finds difficult, you should continue to revise these at home. Useful strategies include: chanting in order, writing them out in 2 minutes, responding quickly to questions out of order.
vi) Projects – Children will be expected to produce a project in the Summer Term based around our residential visit to the Isle of Wight (or an alternative topic if they do not participate).
Homework will normally be set on a Friday to be completed by the following Tuesday, unless the children are told otherwise. Children not handing homework in at the appropriate time will have to stay in during break time until the work is completed.
2:Timekeeping
It is vitally important that your child is in school at 8.50am everyday, when the whistle is blown as registration and early morning work start promptly at 8.55am.
3:Appeals!
Do you have any of the following you could donate to the classes?
Tissues (urgently needed with the cold season coming up soon!) & newspapers for art activities.
If any parent has any spare time to hear children read on a regular basis, we would greatly appreciate help, please let us know.
4:Equipment
It would be really helpful if your child could bring the following equipment:
One flat pencil case containing – a cartridge pen, plus spare blue cartridges, 2 writing pencils, 30cm ruler, a glue-stick, a pencil sharpener (preferably one that collects the shavings), a rubber, protractor and a selection of coloured pencils.
5:Behaviour
Each day children start school with 5 behaviour points. If they still have 22 points or more by Friday, they are rewarded with an extra play. However, if a child misbehaves they may lose points (please see attached Behaviour Sanction Policy) and subsequently not participate in these activities. When a child has lost 1 or 2 points, the class teacher will inform you at the end of the day. You will receive your child’s behaviour chart at the end of each half term. For more serious misdemeanours, children will be referred to the year group leader, then deputy or head teacher.
6:Uniform
Please note ALL uniform should be clearly labelled.
Girls’: Blue shirt, school tie with logo, sweatshirt with a v-neck or cardigan with school logo, navy skirt or pinafore dress, smart, plain navy trousers – no leggings
White socks or navy tights, blue/white check dress (Summer). Plain black, brown or navy leather shoes.
Boys’: Blue shirt, school tie with logo, sweatshirt with a v-neck with school logo, grey trousers, long or short (Navy shorts are not acceptable – only short, grey trousers), grey socks. Plain black, brown or navy leather shoes.
7:Physical Education
PE days for Year 6 are Monday & Tuesday (6R) or Wednesday and Thursday (6L), so please ensure your kit is labeled with your name and in school on these days. Children will receive one warning per term if their P.E. kit is not in school, after this they will lose a behaviour point.
8:Curriculum
In literacy we will be looking at all genres of writing in both narrative and non-narrative form. As well as this, we will continue to work on developing reading and comprehension skills.
In numeracy we will be building on all work covered in the last year, including the four operations, problem solving, data handling, using and applying, measure, shape and space.
Preparation for SATs in English and Maths will be ongoing up until the Summer Term. SATs week this year starts in May 2012.
On the reverse, please find a copy of the foundation curriculum to be taught in the Autumn term in Year 6.
9: Trips
Children in Year 6 all look forward to the Isle of Wight, which will take place during the summer term.
10: Wet Day Procedure
If the weather is very wet at the start of the school day, children in the juniors may come into the middle hall and wait until it is time to go to their classrooms. The infant children should say goodbye to their parents at the link corridor door and make their way to the lower hall and wait until it is time to go to their classrooms. Both halls will be supervised by a member of staff from 8.45am.
11: Walking home
In preparation for secondary school, some of the children will be walking home independently. If this applies to your child, please would you send a letter giving permission for this to the class teacher.
12: General reminders
Please report your child’s absence on the first day of absence & dinner money should be paid a half term in advance (no cans, bottles, flasks or fizzy drinks please).
No nail varnish should be worn in school, only plain stud earrings should be worn and hair accessories to tie back long hair should be blue, our school colour.
No ipods, mobile phones or electronic equipment should be brought into school. No attention seeking hairstyles are permitted and trainers are not part of school uniform for either boys or girls. Thank you for your co-operation with these.
We are looking forward to working with you and the children this year. If you have any concerns then you can speak to either one of us at the end of the school day. If you have an issue that will require some time, then please ring the office for an appointment with the appropriate class teacher.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Learmouth
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