Neptune Year 6

Hello and welcome to Neptune Class and Year 6.

Undoubtedly, your last year of Primary School is the very best, and we have so much to look forward to this year! Even though there is an emphasis on preparing for the End of Key Stage 2 SATs, we endeavour to ensure that our Year 6 pupils have a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum.

English

We have implemented the Talk for Writing approach to learning English. It is creative, yet rigorous approach developed by the author Pie Corbett. It is fundamentally based on the key principles of how children learn.

Talk for Writing enables children to imitate the key language patterns they needs for a particular text type orally before they try reading and analysing it. Though fun activities that help them to rehearse the tune of the language they need, followed by shared writing to show them how to craft their writing, children are helped to write in the same style.

The process includes three main stages, usually taught over three weeks:

Have a go task!

We begin the teaching and learning process with a ‘cold’ writing task. This means the children have a go at writing in the text type they will learn about. Teachers use this piece of writing to identify strengths and set individual targets.

Imitation

Let’s imitate!

A text is introduced and read to the children; together the class learn to tell the story. To help the children remember a multi-sensory approach is used:

-A visual story map

-Actions

-Using an animated, lively expression

As the children learn the stories word for word, they develop the use of specific sentence structures and language patterns that suit the text type.

The principle is that if a child can tell a story, they will be able to write a story.

During this first stage we also use a range of drama games to develop an understanding of the story and begin to build up a washing line in our classroom with posters reminding children of the learning journey so far.

Innovation

Let’s innovate!

The children explore different ways they could change aspects of the original text, for example changing characters, setting or writing from a different point of view. They then make changes to their story map and orally tell this new story.

Through shared and guided writing, the children write this new version in manageable sections. During this week, we teach spelling and grammar in the context of the story.

This stage is very supportive so children gain confidence and know what they need to do in order to get better.

Invention

Let’s invent!

Show what you know!

In this final stage, the children use all the skills they have learnt so far to write an independent ‘hot’ piece. We call this the ‘Show what you know’ task.

There is a freedom to draw upon their own ideas, or they can ‘hug closely’ to the original shared text should they need to. Teachers use this task to assess how much progress the children have made.

The children present their work by either publishing, presenting or reading out loud to peers to celebrate their successes.

Schools around the country, which have embedded the Talk for Writing approach, have been successful in raising attainment and improving progress of children’s writing. At Thomas Whitehead we are looking forward to teaching and learning in this style and aspire to it showing our children as wonderful story-tellers.

For more information about Talk for Writing, click on the link below.

http://www.talk4writing.co.uk/about/

Maths

In Maths we use Hamilton Trust as a scheme of work, supplemented with other resources such as White Rose Maths.

By the end of the year in Maths, we expect the children to be proficient with:

all four number operations for whole numbers, decimals and fractions
finding percentages and converting between different measures
naming common 2d and 3d shapes
plotting co-ordinates and interpreting data displayed in different charts and graphs

Topic

We teach Art, DT, Science, Geography and History as individual subjects and lessons under an overarching topic using the Cornerstones Curriculum Maestro. Curriculum Maestro, from Cornerstones, is a nationally recognised approach which delivers outstanding learning opportunities for all children.

What is Curriculum Maestro?

Curriculum Maestro is creative and thematic approach to learning that is mapped to the Primary National Curriculum to ensure comprehensive coverage of national expectations.

Curriculum Maestro provides a rich menu of exciting and motivating learning that make creative links between all aspects of children’s learning.

We believe that children learn better when they are encouraged to use their imagination and apply their learning to engaging contexts. Our curriculum provides lots of learning challenges throughout the academic year that will require the children to solve problems, apply themselves creatively and express their knowledge and understanding across the curriculum.