Year 6 News 2023-2024
Ethiopian Folk Tales
To finish off their study of The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird, Year 6 were introduced to Ethiopian Folk Tales. In 1996, Elizabeth Laird took five long journeys, covering the length and breadth of the country to collect stories from traditional storytellers in the many regions of Ethiopia. These 300 stories are now on her website in both English and Amharic. Using the ipads, the children read or listened to some of the stories, enjoying the different genre of the stories and their simplicity. Then, in groups, the children chose one story and gained an understanding of the storyline. Their task was to share their story in the oral story telling tradition: the children enjoyed practising in their groups before entertaining the rest the rest of the class in turns. It was entertaining.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
Summer Beach School - First Session
Even though it was a little cool, the Year 6 children really enjoyed their Beach School session this week. On arriving at the beach, the children were asked to think of something connected with the sea beginning with the first letter of their name. After sharing their ideas, the children were then asked to think of appropriate descriptive words for their sea word. They had fun with creating alliterative phrases.
Next, the Year 6 children were given the task – in small groups – of creating one of their sea creatures using the resources they could find on the beach. When we looked at each creation and listened to the explanations, we were all amazed by the creativity and originality demonstrated.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
Dear Earth - Class Book
The Year 6 children have worked incredibly hard and with great creativity and ICT expertise, to produce a class book. Their work was based on the book Dear Earth by Isabel Otter, which focused on the natural environments that the main character would like to visit. The book, full of exciting and adventurous vocabulary and ideas and pictures, was an excellent model for the children’s own writing. Firstly, using the internet and their own experiences, the children decided on the environment that they would like to visit. Then, the children planned their descriptive sentences, including their actions in their chosen environment. After adjusting the picture into the appropriate book size, the children used WordArt to creatively position their writing. The result was an awesome, collaboratively produced book.
The Year 6 Dear Earth book was shared with the Year 3 children who listened attentively and with great pleasure.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
World War 2 Afternoon Tea
The families and friend of the Year 6 children, were given a real treat on Monday when they attended the World War 2 Afternoon Tea.
The children all dressed up in clothes suitable for the period, spoke with clarity, confidence and passion on many aspect of their WW2 studies.
The subjects included the outbreak of war, the heroism involved at Dunkirk, the Blitz and the often overlooked role of the Bevin Boys. The heart felt topics were held together by the quotes – beautifully spoken – of Anne Frank. Once part of the assembly that was particularly pregnant was the video clips of Nicholas Winton on That’s Life, when he met some of the people who owed their lives to him, as a consequence of his Czechoslovakian Kindertransport project.
The assembly included video lips of Neville Chamberlin, Winston Churchill and we even experienced an air raid siren.
A WW2 assembly would not be complete without singing, which was a very important toll to keep spirits up at the time. The children sang, “We’ll Meet Again”, “The Quarter Master’s Store”, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and “The Blue Cliffs of Dover”, which enthusiasm and feeling. The solos were especially appreciated.
As WW2 has been studied as a cross-curricular topic including History, English, Art and Music, the fabulous art and project work of the children adorned the hall.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes
Year 6 have enjoyed studying The Highwayman poem by Alfred Noyes during the last few weeks. We have read the first part of the poem, gaining an understanding of the storyline. As there are many complex and interesting similes and metaphors in the poem, we have done some focused comparisons. Using Word Hippo on the iPads enabled the children to develop and extend their simile ideas and they were engrossed in exploring and analysing the metaphors in The Highwayman. The children used Pic Collage to imaginatively present their ideas on the pictures created in their minds.
The children wrote some excellent, thoughtful texts, imagining that they were characters in the poem, detailing their thoughts and feelings. The children then had fun recording their ideas using Chatter Kids on the iPads.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
Friend or Foe
Last week in reading work, the Year 6 children worked on understanding the moral dilemma faced by the two main characters in Friend or Foe: should they report the two German pilots to the authorities or should they help them (as one of the pilots had saved David’s life). Having finished reading Friend or Foe this week, we have today been looking at the different themes in the book. Each group had the task of discussing a different theme and finding the evidence for it. The children were able to discuss the themes such as: It’s never wrong to do what you feel is right and Human beings have an immense capacity for bravery. They talked with maturity, listening to each other and responding with their own ideas.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
Remembrance at The Old Garden Care Home
Year 6 had a really rich and feel-good experience this week when we visited The Old Garden nursing home.
On arrival, we were given a tour around the fabulous facilities including the stunning new sensory garden. The children were particularly fascinated by the hydrotherapy pool and the high-tech bath.
The children have enjoyed practising World War songs. They performed three songs for the residents: The Quartermaster’s Store; We’ll Meet Again; and It’s A Long Way To Tipperary. Many of the residents, were popular choices as the children sang with enthusiasm and many of the residents joined in.
After a brief interlude for juice and biscuits, the children and the residents sat around tables together to make Christmas wreaths. It was lovely to see that many of the children felt comfortable enough to chat with the residents who were clearly delighted to be with the children.
All of the Year 6 children behaved impeccably, were cheerful and demonstrated sensitivity regarding the different needs and abilities of the residents.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
Beach School - Last Session of the Year
This week, Year 6 had their third Beach School session and what a fabulous one it was. The weather was perfect (after the constant rain of the previous day), the sea was calm and blue and, just for us, it was in exactly the right place. The children had great fun in the water before, with great excitement, tackling their sand sculpture task. To round the session off, the children enjoyed hot chocolate and a shortbread biscuit kindly provided by Mrs. Probert.
Beach School this term has been a real treat for the Year 6 children after working with such commitment and diligence towards their exams. Many thanks to Angela for organising and facilitating our sessions.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
Beach School
Year 6 had a fabulous time on Thursday morning in their Beach School session. After a sociable walk down to the beach, the children had a stroll along the beach to a place where the water wasn’t quite so far in. The children loved having a paddle – there were a lot of wet feet! We had to leave the beach as the tide had come right up, so we walked up to the field overlooking the beach. The children were given the investigative task of making their own compasses. This involved rubbing a needle along a magnet so that the needle became magnetised. Next, the needle was put through a leaf and put on the top of a bucket of water. The children were delighted that their leaves turned on the surface of the water, to align with magnetic north as shown on the ‘real’ compass. Having worked hard, the children finished their beach experience off with a an enthusiastic game on the field.
For more photos click here for Year 6 class gallery
Our New School Council Members
Welcome on board!
Welcome back to school Year 6
