Class 6
Welcome to Class 6
2024-2025
Summer Term
Spring Term
English
Class 6 have had another great term. The children have been working incredibly hard in all areas of their learning. In English, we have been reading Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo which the children have absolutely loved. On his family voyage, the Peggy Sue – the family yacht – encounters a terrible storm and Michael and his dog Stella Artois are thrown overboard. The pair eventually get washed up on an island known as Kensuke’s Kingdom. We designed our own holiday brochures for the island, thinking carefully about possible tourist attractions and our geographical knowledge of the Coral Sea and Australia. After reading more of the book, and finding out about a crazy wild man ‘Kensuke’, his strict island rules and an obvious lack of five-star amenities, we wrote some online customer reviews.
Geography
In Geography, we have been learning about Scandinavia and the different climate zones. We have learnt about the different biomes found in Scandinavia and the different human and physical features of Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
History
In History this term we have been learning about Ancient Greece. We researched the Battle of Marathon and the clever tactics implanted by the Athenians to defeat the Persians. We then wrote newspaper reports to retell the battle. Have a read below:
Mock Trials
A huge well done to the group of year 6 pupils took part in the Mock Trials at Cirencester Baptist Church. The event, sponsored by the Cirencester Rotary Club, is designed to give children a true taste of what a courtroom is really like and allows them to compete against another school to win the case! Previous to this, all of Year 6 experienced an excellent visit from the Magistrates to further learn about Democracy and the Rule of Law. Then a team of pupils prepared and attended a mock trial against another local school. The children performed admirably and it was evident on the day that they had spent lots of time rehearsing and learning their lines. Although we didn’t win our trial we performed exceptionally well and could only use the evidence that was available to us in the script.
Kev F Workshop!
Class 6 took part in an engaging and interactive comic book workshop with comic book artist Kev F Sutherland this term. He gave us some top tips for drawing comic book style characters and even drew caricatures of us all! We collectively worked together to make our own class comic…PIG!
English
We have started our new book called Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo. We have been busy writing predictions based on our observations. Mr Hockaday gave us some clues to help us including the front cover, a map of an island from the inside cover of the book and we read the first couple of sentences to help us.
Autumn Term
English
Class 6 have been working incredibly hard this term. In English, we have been reading the novel Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick. This is a story set in a dystopian world where global warming has caused the sea to rise until cities are turning into islands and civilization is crumbling. The city of Norwich has been consumed by flooding and new islands have appeared and ten year-old Zoe has been left behind on Norwich by accident when her parents escaped in the last supply ship to visit the island. Zoe discovers a small rowboat and keeps it a secret until she can set out alone on the great sea to find her parents. She lands on tiny Eels Island, where she must survive in a nightmarish world run by wild children and their boy-leader, Dooby. Luckily, Zoe and a boy called Munchkin escape and cross the sea to the mainland, to find not only Zoe’s parents but a new family and a new world. We have been busy writing diary entries, newspaper reports and really focusing on our editing skills this half term. We have even written our own dystopian novels as a possible sequel to Floodland. We have been using a variety of punctuation and sentence types to keep the reader engaged.
Geography
In Geography, we have been learning all about climate change and how we can all work as a team to reduce our own carbon footprints to help the environment. We have investigated how more economically developed countries contribute more to the climate crisis but also have more money to spend on pursuing new green initiatives such as electric cars and solar panels. We learnt about food miles and the distances food has to travel from where it is produced to where it is sold. We used atlases and a food miles calculator to investigate the distances some of our favourite foods have to travel. We were lucky enough to have a special visit from Harry (Bea’s Dad) and his tractor. He spoke to us about the crops that he grows and the food miles they travel. Thank you!
Fencing
Class 6 have also been busy enjoying fencing sessions with Neil from Cricklade Fencing Club. The children have been getting used to different commands and wearing the safety equipment. The fencing sessions are funded by the school as part of our affordability project so no additional cost to parents but a brilliant opportunity for our Y6 children to achieve level 1 fencing. It may even lead to some children taking up the sport and joining the local Cricklade fencing club outside school.
Art
Class 6 started this academic year with two brilliant art days with Mrs Dyminski. We practiced a range of techniques involving how to draw self-portraits. We also worked on our tonal layering skills and researched Chuck Close. Have a look at our artwork below:
Forest School
Class 6 enjoyed their first Forest School session of the year with Mr Jackson and Mrs Willis. We collected natural resources from around the school grounds and added them to different wooden pallets to make an enormous minibeast hotel! Some of us even wore gloves to carefully cut nettles. We wanted to provide a safe hideaway for wildlife; our hotel is suitable to shelter anything from hedgehogs to toads and ladybirds to woodlice!
We also joyed making Christmas decorations with Mr Jackson and Mrs Willis. We had the choice of reindeer, wreaths or stars. Take a look!
Learning Metaphor – Life in all its fullness
Class 6 also started the new school year with our learning metaphor – ‘Life in all its fullness.’ As a class, we read the book Every Child a Song which celebrates how unique and wonderful we all are as individuals. This book says that EVERY child in the world has a voice and deserves to be heard. This book helps us to learn about our rights as part of the UNCRC (United Nations Conventions on the rights of a child).
We’ve learnt about the different rights all children, wherever they are born or live, have. We have focused in particular on the rights of children to education. We are learning about barriers which stop some children across the world accessing their education. We have thought about what life in all its fullness means for children everywhere.
2023-2024
Summer Term
Class 6 have had an absolutely brilliant summer term! They have continued to work exceptionally hard and have been practising relentlessly for their end of term production ‘I’m an 11-Year Old, Get Me Out Of Here!’ which they are excited to perform to the rest of the school and their families in the last week of term. Oh yes they are! They have been busy learning lines, song lyrics and dance moves and it will be a brilliant end to their AK journey.
Forest School
Class 6 have enjoyed their final few Forest School sessions which have included making fires, eating smores and making wooden knives out of willow. The children persevered throughout the task and used potato peelers to perfect their new utensils! Some of the children even oiled them at home! Thank you Mr Jackson and Mrs Willis!
Computing
In Computing, Class 6 have enjoyed 3D modelling using TinkerCad software. The children have been learning how to resize and rotate objects using the software and how to add different 3D shapes. They also learnt about duplicating them and the importance of rotating the shapes and grouping them accurately. They even designed their own name badge – have a look at a couple below!
Music
In Music, Class 6 have been busy composing their own hip-hop and grime tracks using compositional software Yumu. The children created drum beats, melodies and basslines and added chords based on a chosen musical key and scale. They used different instruments and sounds effects as well as experimenting with the arrangement as a whole to create an effective track. The children absolutely loved this unit of work and listening to each other’s compositions. Well done Class 6!
Spring Term
English
In English, we have been reading Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo which the children have absolutely loved! On his family voyage, the Peggy Sue – the family yacht – encounters a terrible storm and Michael and his dog Stella Artois are thrown overboard. The pair eventually get washed up on an island known as Kensuke’s Kingdom. We designed our own holiday brochures for the island, thinking carefully about possible tourist attractions and our geographical knowledge of the Coral Sea and Australia. After reading more of the book, and finding out about a crazy wild man ‘Kensuke’, his strict island rules and an obvious lack of five-star amenities, we wrote some online customer reviews. Have a read through some of them below – they are very impressive!
Science
In Science, we have been learning about properties of materials. We have focused on different states of matter (solids, liquids and gases) and their properties as well as electrical insulators and conductors. We also investigated static electricity using balloons – take a look!
Forest School
Class 6 have also really enjoyed Forest School sessions with Mr Jackson this half-term. We made towers (as tall as we could) using a lump of clay, sticks (no longer than 30cm long!) and leaves. We then pond-dipped and were lucky enough to find common newts and great-crested newts in our school pond! Mr Jackson really carefully put them back into the pond at the end of the session.
Geography
In Geography, we have been learning all about Scandinavia – the countries that it is made up of and its climate. We have researched and written about the different biomes that can be found there as well as human and physical geographical features across Scandinavia. Have a look at some of our work below:
History
Class 6 have been learning about the Anglo-Saxons so far this term. We have learnt about the different tribes that they were made up of and where they came from to invade Britain. Have a look at our maps below:
We have also been learning about the reasons why the Anglo Saxons invaded Britain, considering push and pull factors that different people faced at the time. In Britain, after the Romans had left, King Vortigern needed help to fight off the Picts and the Scots; he needed a strong, determined army to help him. It is believed that he wrote letters to members of the Jutes, Angles and Saxons to ask them for their help. Have a read through some of our letters – as Vortigern – below:
English
In English this term, we have been reading the novel Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo. So far, Michael – an eleven-year old boy – has set sail on an around-the-world trip with his parents after his Dad was made redundant from the local brickworks. The family set off with their dog, Stella Artois, in Southampton. Up to now, the voyage has gone well: Michael’s family have visited several exciting locations, including Brazil and South America. However, after leaving Australia, the weather has become perilous and their yacht is now damaged. Michael’s mum is sick with severe stomach cramps. Stella Artois appears on deck, and given that she had previously fallen overboard in the Indian Ocean, Michael tries to retrieve her. A sudden wind takes hold of the yacht…
Have a read through some of our published diary entries, in role as Michael, after finding out the news of the around-the-world trip…
Autumn Term
Class 6 have once again been working incredibly hard this half-term in all areas of their learning – I am so proud of them all. In English, we have been reading the novel Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick. This is a story set in a dystopian world where global warming has caused the sea to rise until cities are turning into islands and civilization is crumbling. The city of Norwich has been consumed by flooding and new islands have appeared… Ten year-old Zoe was left behind on Norwich by accident when her parents escaped in the last supply ship to visit the island. Zoe discovers a small rowboat and keeps it a secret until she can set out alone on the great sea to find her parents. She lands on tiny Eels Island, where she must survive in a nightmarish world run by wild children and their boy-leader, Dooby. Luckily, Zoe and a boy called Munchkin escape and cross the sea to the mainland, to find not only Zoe’s parents but a new family and a new world.
English
Have a look at some of our newspaper reports based on Floodland below. We focused on using newspaper specific language, advanced punctuation and shifts in formality:
Geography
In Geography, we have been learning all about climate change and how we can all work as a team to reduce our own carbon footprints to help the environment. We have investigated how more economically developed countries contribute more to the climate crisis but also have more money to spend on pursuing new green initiatives such as electric cars and solar panels. We learnt about food miles and the distances food has to travel from where it is produced to where it is sold. We used atlases and a food miles calculator to investigate the distances some of our favourite foods have to travel. We discussed the importance of growing our own produce and supporting local farmers.
Forest School
In one of our Forest School sessions this term, we helped support our local environment by planting bluebells at Bradstone Field to help the community to create their own bluebell wood for many years to come. The children thoroughly enjoyed it and were a real credit to themselves and the school.
Geography
Class 6 have been learning about climate change in Geography. We have been thinking carefully about how we can play our part to combat the climate crisis. Working in pairs, we designed new initiatives that we could use in the world today to help. Have a look at some of our very creative ideas and initiatives below!
Science
In Science, Class 6 have been busy learning about forces. So far, we have investigated friction and air resistance. We designed our own streamlined bikes, outfits and helmets considering the need to travel as fast as possible in races like the Tour de France!
Art
Class 6 have had two brilliant art days with Mrs Dyminski. We practiced a range of techniques to draw self-portraits including drawing with our weaker hands and without looking! We also worked on our tonal layering skills and researched Chuck Close. Have a look at our amazing artwork below!
Fencing
Class 6 have had an absolutely brilliant start to the year. We have been busy enjoying fencing sessions with Neil from Cricklade Fencing Club in the first few weeks of term. So far, we have been getting used to different commands and wearing the safety equipment.
A special mention to Ella who attended one of Neil’s sessions outside of school at Cricklade as a result of trying it out in school. She did brilliantly: getting stuck into the games and footwork before putting on her fencing kit and using metal swords for the first time. She used distance to make opponents miss as well as lunging to attack and parrying to stop anyone scoring a hit. Well done, Ella!
Floodland
In English, Class 6 have just started reading the dystopian novel Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick. We began by writing our own predictions based on the front cover of the book and other clues given by Mr Hockaday. Then, we read the very first chapter and looked carefully at the language choices used and writing style. We had a go at writing in a similar style to Marcus Sedgwick. Have a read through some of our writing below…
Reading Leaders
To help encourage and inspire reading across the school, our new Reading Leaders from Class 6 (with support from Miss Harrold) led their very own worship last week. The children were amazing and did a brilliant job of recommending different books to KS1 and KS2 children and they also explained the criteria for earning bronze, silver and gold bookworms. Well done, Reading Leaders!
Buddy Letters
We have written buddy letters to our new Class R buddies to welcome them to Team AK! We thought carefully about what we thought they would like to know about our school and we have enjoyed spending time with them during play times. We are now looking forward to a Welcome Worship for Class R.
Learning Metaphor
Class 6 began the year by considering the learning metaphor ‘Our Common Home: Love your neighbour as yourself’. We read the book Dear Earth by Isabel Otter and considered how wonderful and diverse our world is but also how we are damaging it.
Following on from reading the book, we investigated climate change and climate justice. We considered ways in which we can all work together to help the climate crisis and the importance of everybody doing their bit. Have a look at our very own global superheroes who would be the perfect leaders to lead and motivate people to help around the world!
Archive
2022-2023
Class 6 Annual Curriculum Overview-2022-2023
We’ve been given the opportunity to learn to fence! Year 6 has had six weeks of fencing lesson as a part of PE. Have a look at what we got up to!
Year 6 has been working on our Christmas cards already so that they can be scanned and sent off to be printed! Have a look at our cityscapes.
Year 6 has had a busy week this week with a visit from Wiltshire Air Ambulance designed to teach us basic life saving skills. We learnt about when and how to make a 999 call, how to place someone in the recovery position and why that it is so important, how to carry out CPR and the difference doing it can make to a person surviving. We also discussed where our local A.E.D (defibrillator) is and how to access it in an emergency. We watched and listened to how to use it. Later on, we donned some special choking simulator jackets and learnt how to help someone who was choking.
