Y6 Curriculum Information

Term: Spring Term 2025

 

Home Learning

Home Learning is set on Friday due in the following Thursday.

This will include a Maths task and an English task. Tasks will be posted on Google Classroom.

Maths will be an online task through the My Maths platform unless stated otherwise.  

English will alternate between a reading comprehension task and a grammar task in CGP books.

Spellings should be practised via Spelling Shed, and a paper copy will also be sent home each week.


You should be practising your spellings, rapid recall target and times tables daily, as well as reading for at least 15 minutes.

Please continue to encourage your child to read EVERY DAY and access a variety of authors and genres of writing - reading underpins all areas of the curriculum.

 

Maths

Children should by now be very confident in all their times tables (up to the 12 times table). Children must be able to answer related questions quickly and fluently. Please practise these at home with your child on a daily basis.

Maths No Problem will be used throughout Year 6 and the children will be continuing to use Rapid Recall to develop and consolidate mental maths skills. 

Most Maths No Problem chapters include problem solving activities where children will be consolidating and extending their use and understanding of bar modelling method. All children will be expected to complete reasoning challenges related to the topic of study. 

Rapid Recall will be given out weekly. Rapid Recall is very important to practise as an arithmetic paper is included as part of the SATs tests at the end of the year.

 

This term children will be learning:  

Measurement

Pupils will further expand their knowledge of measurement looking closely at converting the following units of measure; millimetres, centimetres, metres, kilometres and miles.  We follow this up with converting units of mass, volume and time.

 

Word problems

In this chapter, pupils solve complex word problems using the four operations and bar model diagrams.

 

Percentages

In this chapter, pupils will be exploring how to calculate percentage of numbers and quantities. They will be learning about how to solve for percentage change and use percentage to compare amounts. Children will begin by finding the percentage of a whole number which will involve both division and multiplication skills. They will then move on to finding the percentage of a quantity, measured in amounts such as litres and millilitres. Pupils will be looking at difference and percentage change before finally moving on to using percentage as a way to compare numbers and amounts.

 

Ratio

In this chapter, pupils will be comparing quantities, including numbers, objects, fractions and mass before moving on to solving word problems. In the first six lessons, pupils will use bar models and concrete materials to compare amounts. They will be using both pictorial and abstract multiplication and division to support their learning while simplifying and comparing ratios. In the final three lessons, pupils will be solving word problems involving ratio by constructing bar models to support their understanding.

 

Area and perimeter

In this chapter, pupils will be exploring how to calculate the area of rectangles, triangles and parallelograms. The chapter begins with a review of perimeter and area of rectangles, and progresses by consolidating pupils' knowledge of the area of a rectangle to develop their understanding to calculate the area of a parallelogram. This is followed by finding multiple methods for calculating the area of a triangle. The chapter ends with finding the area for a parallelogram using the triangle method.


English

The texts that we are using to teach writing in the Spring term are: Fire, Bed and Bone by Henrietta Branford.  This is a historical novel detailing the British feudal systems and peasants revolt.  It is a unique fictional tale set in 1381 and told from a hunting dog's point of view. Children will be focusing on sentence level work before moving on to write longer pieces, using the skills they have learned and practiced in previous weeks.  Children will then work towards writing a persuasive text about why we should choose Hilltop, in preparation for our residential trip.

 Throughout the half term, the grammar, punctuation and spellings expectations for Year 6 will continue to be taught and revised. As listed in Appendix 1 and 2 of the Year 6 programme of study for English. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239784/English_Appendix_1_-_Spelling.pdf

 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335190/English_Appendix_2_-_Vocabulary_grammar_and_punctuation.pdf

In our Destination Reader lessons, the children will explore a range of texts as part of Biblio-Buzz 2025 that encourages reading for pleasure.  Biblio-Buzz is aimed at young people in North London aged nine to 12 years old, and challenges them to read the novels of six shortlisted authors, whilst taking on a series of literary challenges, including activities and roadshows in local schools and libraries. range of books selected.  They will then vote for their favourite book and author and attend the awards ceremony at Alexandra Palace theatre.

RE

We follow the ‘Come and See’ scheme of work. Each topic usually lasts for four weeks. We begin by exploring what each topic means to us before moving on to how it relates to religion and the gospels. During the year we also learn about other faiths. At OLM we focus on Judaism and Islam. This is a brilliant way to teach respect for our community as a whole, regardless of cultures and beliefs.

 

Topic 4: Sources

Topic 5: Unity

Topic 6: Death and New life

 

Catholic Social Teaching

Throughout the year, OLM focuses on different elements of Catholic Social Teaching (CST). Each half term we look at a different theme and discuss what each one means:

Autumn 1 - Care of Creation

Autumn 2 - Preferential Option for the Poor

Spring 1 - Solidarity and Peace

Spring 2 - Community and Participation

Summer 1 - Dignity of Workers

Summer 2 - Human Dignity

Science

In science our topic is Animals including humans, where children will build on skills learned in previous year groups. Children will be able to identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system, and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood. Pupils will learn what is needed to keep hearts healthy and about some blood disorders.

 History

Our History topic builds on knowledge gained from our last topic about London.  Children start exploring London in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, starting with the British Empire and how London was connected with the rest of the world.  We go on to look at the effects particular historical events had on migration to London for key groups of people.  Children will be able to draw conclusions about how London became a global metropolis in the 19th century and how it was the centre of the world's largest empire and a hub of international trade. 

 

Geography

We begin the term with looking at Birmingham, the second biggest city in the U.K. Children will apply earlier learning about settlements and urbanisation to the case study of Birmingham.  Children focus on human geography, in particular urbanisation. We will consider how Birmingham has changed in the past, how it is changing in the present and how it might change in the future. We will continue to develop geographical skills such as interpreting photographs, graphs and thematic maps. 

 

Art/ Design and Technology

This unit focuses on understanding narratives and descriptive language in art, exploring meanings behind paintings, and developing personal interpretations and abstract art pieces based on selected artists. Children will explore creative expression, analysis, and evaluation skills in art.  We will explore some artists such as David Hockney, Paula Rego and John Singer Sargent.

Computing

 In computing we are looking at variables in games.  Children will be introduced to variables by using real life examples before they explore them in Scratch project. They will understand that variables are used in programs and apply the concept of variables to enhance an existing game in Scratch.

Online-safety

The popularity of social networking sites is growing. It is important for children to know how to protect themselves and behave responsibly when they are part of an online community. Their profile is who they are online. When they choose a nickname and profile picture it is important to remember it will be viewed by strangers. Online, it is not safe to give personal information away because even friends might not be who they say they are.

Children must use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable and unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.
How to make ourselves SMART online:
  • SAFE - keep safe, do not give out personal information 
  • MEET - don't meet someone you have met/spoken to online
  • ACCEPTING - don't accept messages from people you don't know
  • RELIABLE - information may not always be true
  • TELL - tell your parent/carer if something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried
A useful website for e-safety: http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/

PE

Children may wear their PE kit and trainers on PE days only

The children will have 1 lesson with our PE coach, and 1 with their class teacher. 

Our topics this term will be Dodgeball, Tag Rugby and Dance.

 

Music

Each class will have a have a weekly music lesson with Ms Edwards every week.

 

French

Each class will have a have a weekly French lesson with Madame Wolton every week.

 

Useful sites:

https://www.mymaths.co.uk/

https://ttrockstars.com/

https://www.spellingshed.com/en-gb/

 The BBC Bitesize website is worth having a look at for interactive games to support your child's learning: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

Oak National Academy also has some fantastic resources to support your child's learning: https://www.thenational.academy/

SATS information: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-tests