Welcome to Year 6 Class 7 – Ms Noonan Class 8 – Mrs King

1. Welcome to Year 6Class 7 – Ms NoonanClass 8 – Mrs King Presentation for Parents Autumn 2016

2. Key Changes to the New Curriculum Higher profile • Spelling • Presentation • Grammar and punctuation • Maths calculations – formal written methods and efficient mental methods Please refer to the Long Term Plan on our website for an overview of what will be covered throughout the year. There is also the termly curriculum plan which provides more detail of termly topics covered.

3. Writing in Year 6 BIG WRITE Every two weeks, the children will have the opportunity to produce a piece of extended writing, linked to the current genre being studied. Alternatively, this work could link to another area of the curriculumi.e. topic There is a greater emphasis on handwriting and presentation of work. Children’s handwriting needs to be fluent and cursive. Children are required to use black ink and can purchase pens from school if necessary. BIG READ Fortnightly, alternating with the Big Write, the children will specifically focus in on reading comprehension skills. We will work through example and past test papers as well as other challenging texts to improve comprehension skills and exam/test techniques, familiarising the children with this type of testing. S.P.A.G. (SPELLING, PUNCTUATION and GRAMMAR) Technical accuracy when spelling, punctuating and composing writing is given greater emphasis within the new curriculum. The expectations in terms of grammar and punctuation are considerably higher than in previous years. For example, children will be expected to identify and use the ‘present perfect’ and ‘past progressive’ verb forms. Children will be expected to use a higher level of punctuation within their writing, including brackets, dashes, hyphens, colons and semi-colons.

4. Reading • In reading there will be little change to the existing curriculum. • Children are expected to read daily, as part of their homework. They will be provided with a reading diary which should be initialled by parents on a regular basis. This record should be brought into school, every day and will be checked over the course of each week. • Children will be encouraged to read and explore classic and quality literature as part of a varied mix of reading material. Guided reading sessions will be held daily. • A suggested reading list has been provided to support children and parents in choosing a range of suitable texts.

5. How to help your child at home • Read with your child as often as possible, discussing the book and making predictions about what will happen next. Encourage your child to read aloud to you, as well as hearing you read to them. Use your child’s reading diary to record comments. • Please ensure your child learns their spellings. Spelling is now more heavily weighted within the Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling SAT test (20% of final mark). There is also an increased emphasis on proper sentence punctuation so please encourage your child to punctuate their writing correctly. • When your child is writing at home, support them to write as descriptively as possible and to use paragraphs to organise their writing. Their handwriting should be cursive and in black ink pen. • Please also encourage them to read their work and edit to improve spelling, punctuation, grammar and composition. • Please monitor your child’s homework to ensure it is completed with care and sufficient attention to detail. If homework is incomplete or poorly presented, children will be expected to complete the task again.

6. Maths in Year 6 • Use numbers up to 10 million. • Use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving the four operations (BODMAS). • Interpret data represented in a variety of tables and graphs, including pie charts and line graphs, and use these to solve problems. • Express missing number problems algebraically.

7. Maths in Year 6 • Multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit whole number using the formal written method of long multiplication. • Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit whole number using the formal written method of long division and interpret remainders as appropriate for the context. • Multiply simple pairs of proper fractions, writing the answer in its simplest form (e.g. 1/4 × 1/2 = 1/8). • Add and subtract fractions with different denominators and mixed numbers, using the concept of equivalent fractions.

8. Maths in Year 6 • Illustrate and name parts of circles, including radius, diameter and circumference and know that the diameter is twice the radius. • Calculate the area of parallelograms and triangles. • Calculate, estimate and compare volume of cubes and cuboids using standard units, including centimetre cubed (cm3).

9. How to help your child at home • Learn and rehearse times tables facts from 1 – 12 times tables. Extend your child by recognising the related division facts. • Help your children to learn and use time, using both analogue and digital clocks. • Children need to read scales accurately. They can practise these skills when cooking at home. Encourage your child to measure accurately when completing craft activities. • When children bring home maths homework involving written strategies, encourage them to model and explain the method and complete examples to extend and consolidate their own understanding.

10. Science topics • Electricity • Light • Animals including humans • Evolution and inheritance • Living things and their habitats Please refer to the curriculum plan for further information about each topic.

11. TOPIC History (Autumn Term) Henry VIII and St Albans in Tudor times Geography (Spring Term) Brazil • Locational: Locate the countries, oceans, rivers, mountains, deserts and major cities of South America • Place knowledge: A study of human and physical geography of Brazil. • Human and physical: A study of Amazon Rainforest. History (Summer Term) The Mayans

12. HOMEWORK Monday Maths – due the following Thursday Monday Literacy – due the following Thursday Sometimes this may incorporate Science, RE and topic work. Monday Spelling – to be tested on the following Friday 20 minutes reading each night as well as learning times tables regularly.

13. Assessment/SATs • National Curriculum levels were removed Sept 2014. • We are using the Herts for Learning System for assessment . • The SATS tests in May will be externally set and marked in mathematics, reading, and grammar, punctuation and spelling • Teacher assessments in writing and science

14. How will we inform you? We will refer to your child’s current level of attainment using phrases such as: • Workingtowards the expected range of attainment for his/her age. • Working within the expected range of attainment for his/her age. • Working beyond the expected range of attainment for his/her age.

15. SATS Timetable 2016 Monday 8thThursday 11th May It is very important that your child attends school this week. Reading Comprehension – 60 minutes reading a range of genres and answering related questions Grammar and Punctuation – 45 minutes Spelling test of 20 words Maths Paper 1 ARITHMETIC – 30 minutes Maths Paper 2 REASONING– 40 minutes Maths Paper 3 REASONING – 40 minutes Parents will be invited to attend a SATs Information Evening date to be confirmed.

16. General Information • PE – Tuesday is indoor and Friday is outdoor. It is important that your child has the correct kit i.e. red shorts and a white t-shirt for indoor PE. Children are permitted to wear long tracksuit bottoms and long sleeved tops during the colder weather, for outdoor PE. They also need trainers for the outdoor session. We will contact parents if your child forgets their PE kit on more than one occasion. • Library – every other Friday. • Reading books – in year 6, most children will be ‘free’ readers and we therefore allow them to bring in books from home to read. They also have access to a range of year 6 reading books to choose from. 1 in 3 books read will be taken from the new Class Books box of recommended reading.

17. Stationery • Pencil case with black ink pen (no biros) and pencils • Coloured pencils • Rubber • Sharpener • Ruler • Glue stick Due to the children moving around the school during the course of the day, it is a good idea to label stationery.

18. Uniform • Appropriate summer/winter uniform • ALL UNIFORM TO HAVE NAME LABELS • Hair below the shoulders should be tied back • No jewellery apart from stud earrings and a watch • Nail varnish and make up is not permitted

19. Shakespeare play & workshop The Tempest • Autumn Term: Workshop and a theatre visit

20. Tudors Hatfield House Children will be asked to dress in Tudor-style costume for this trip. Before & After the Dissolution Trail: St Albans

21. Residential Trip • 3rd – 7th October • Stackpole – Pembrokshire • Paperwork being sent out over the next couple of weeks. Details to be confirmed.

22. Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) SRE sessions are delivered in the summer term in year 6. We will follow the ‘All that I am’ scheme that is produced by the Diocesan Department of Religious Education. Parents will be invited to attend a separate information evening to view the materials.

23. Secondary School Transfers • DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS OCTOBER 31ST • Read admissions guidance carefully, for example, to apply to Loreto and Nicholas Breakspear you will need a separate application form, signed by a priest. • Meeting this Thursday at 6:30pm

24. Year 6 Diary Dates • Class 8’s assembly is on Monday 16th January • Class 7’s assembly is on Monday 23rd January • Leavers’ Production - 7pm Monday 10th July & 2:30pm Tuesday 11th July • Leavers’ Mass – 7pm Tuesday 18th July

25. Any Questions? • Thank you for coming to our presentation. • Any questions?