Welcome to Year 6
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In Year 6, your teachers are:
Mrs I. Romer-Lee Miss B. Taylor Mr J. Hardy Mrs V Westgate |
Support staff are:
Mrs K. Miller Mrs S. Hoskyns Mrs M Bacik Miss E Cairns Mrs Dionne Williams |
Gripping Yarns Puppet Show
As part of the lead up to Anti-Bullying Week, Years 5 and 6 were treated to some incredible storytelling from Gripping Yarns. The story they were told ’Standing By’ focussed on being the bystander and watching as someone is bullied. It got the children to think about what they should do in this scenario. It tackled the issues of fear of being targeted too, it’s not my problem and I am not doing anything. It taught the children that if they tell a trusted adult in situations like this, it can usually be sorted quickly. It was utterly brilliant and the children all had a wonderful time and were more or less spellbound for the whole hour!
Extra Support
At our last parents' evening, we were asked by a large number of parents how they could support their children in their final primary year. As a year group, we looked into a number of options and at last found a company, which we feel will work well for the children; for us as teachers but most importantly is accessible and easy for parents to use. The company is 'Year Six' and they have a brilliant section named SATs Bootcamp. Although it sounds like it is purely aimed at SATs, it is so much more. The resources they have on their site not only cover all the key areas of the Year 6 curriculum: maths, reading and spelling and grammar, they will also hopefully prove invaluable when it comes to identifying and filling any gaps the children may have in their learning, and hence will enable us to ensure that the children are ready for their transition to high school at the end of the school year.
We will be using it both in class and setting it as homework.
Your child will receive their login from their class teacher and they will then be able to access all of the activities at www.yearsix.co.uk
We will be using it both in class and setting it as homework.
Your child will receive their login from their class teacher and they will then be able to access all of the activities at www.yearsix.co.uk
Autumn 1 2023 |
We have rocketed into the autumn term and thrown ourselves into many fascinating activities over the last few weeks. In maths, we have been working hard to ensure that our arithmetic skills are second to none whilst in literacy we have debated the benefits of baked beans on the school dinner menu, written our own autobiography and even immersed ourselves in some WW1 poetry. In the afternoons, we have put on our chefs' hats and learnt to cook classic street foods: burritos, samosas and pitta bread with hummus. We managed to excel at both the claw and bridge cutting techniques as well as experimenting with some exotic spices. The end products were delicious, even if we do says so ourselves.
.In terms of the arts, we have been truly spoilt. Not only have we been learning to play keyboards in our music lessons, we have also had the pleasure of working with the amazing Wooden Roots, who taught us about dun dun drums and showed us how to make and play our own. It was fascinating!
The excitement has not stopped there. In History, we learnt about WW2 and had a visit from Mrs Fisher, who was able to tell us how the war had impacted our local area, She told us about her father and uncle who had both had their farms aquisitioned by the government and turned into airfields! She was also able to tell us about the arrival of the American servicemen, who brought with them dances like the jive and jitterbug, sweets and sadly segregation. In science, we have started to learn about the heart as part of the circulatory system and enjoyed a brilliant afternoon of immersive technology, where we travelled as a blood cell through the four chambers of the heart. It was slightly freaky but great fun.
Read on to find out about what our Year 6 achieved last year:
Activities Week Day 6: The Finale
To say we saved the best until last is an understatement... Mrs Miller's party was out of this world. Laughter, singing, fierce competition and custard pies. Who could want for more? What an end to a phenomenal week - we hope the children have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The teachers, well we are already tucked up in bed!
Activities Week Day 5: Morning Jump
This week has been non-stop action. Yesterday's film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was certainly action packed too - we loved it. This morning we set off bright and early for Jump, another walk on tired legs but there were very few grumbles. The walk flew by as we tried to make as many lorries drivers toot as we could; huge cheers erupted with every success. Jump was fantastic, from dodgeball to incredible leaps and flips, if we were tired, we certainly didn't show it.
Activities Week Day 3: Afternoon of Sumo
This afternoon we were treated to a fantastic spectacle... the Sumo World Championships. There were many tightly contested fights where only the bravest survived! Spectators roared and cheered while consuming gourmet popcorn.
Activities Week Day 3: Morning at the Park
The sun kept shining and we had a fabulous morning in the park. We played Capture the Flag; French Cricket; had a ball on the playground equipment; football and a relaxed chill when we had had enough. A fabulous morning - look at the smiling faces below.
Activities Week Day 2: Felixstowe
What a fantastic day! The sun dances worked; and the rain stayed away - it was glorious! The children had a truly wonderful time paddling, creating sand sculptures, finding extraordinary things as part of a scavenger hunt, crazy golf and ice-cream. It was a complete joy to hear the laughter and watch a sea of happy faces.
Activities Week Day 1
What a brilliant first day! Rounders, swimming followed by games, circus skills and magic. Thank you so much Mr Bean Entertainment.
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St Giles Trust Visit
On the 27th of June, Ariana from the St Giles Trust, visited Springfield to talk about gangs and weapons. This is a hugely important topic, which built upon the information the children had received at Crucial Crew, a couple of weeks earlier. Using her first hand experience, she gave the children insights into many common misconceptions about gangs, how they target children and how to avoid being drawn in. She also covered weapons, including knife crime. Although it was a far from fluffy talk, it was vital that the children were able to take away some crucial knowledge that will hopefully keep them safe in years to come.
Wattisham Air Base
Here are some photographs from our amazing trip to Wattisham Airbase. This trip was linked to both our History and English topics about WWII.
Summer 1st 2023
This is the term in Year 6 that we all dread as SATs loom! The children were amazing in the run up to
May, with many of them throwing themselves into early morning and after school interventions to
ensure that they were ready for anything. During SATs week, the children came in early and were
treated to breakfast by the teachers – we even had chocolate spread on the bagels! The tests
themselves soon passed and the children proved their resilience especially when thrown some
particularly challenging assessments. However they do, we are all incredibly proud of how hard they
worked and the progress they have made throughout their time in Year 6.
May, with many of them throwing themselves into early morning and after school interventions to
ensure that they were ready for anything. During SATs week, the children came in early and were
treated to breakfast by the teachers – we even had chocolate spread on the bagels! The tests
themselves soon passed and the children proved their resilience especially when thrown some
particularly challenging assessments. However they do, we are all incredibly proud of how hard they
worked and the progress they have made throughout their time in Year 6.
Away from SATs, the children had great fun creating their own fantasy stories - tales of wizards and
monsters filled pages as quests were undertaken in a variety of unusual settings. In Science, they
turned back time to look at where life began and how life has evolved. Did you know the first life on
Earth was a single cell approximately 3.7 billion years ago called LUCA (Last Universal Common
Ancestor)? It was fascinating to learn about how life has adapted to changing environments and how
we have evolved into the human beings we are today.
monsters filled pages as quests were undertaken in a variety of unusual settings. In Science, they
turned back time to look at where life began and how life has evolved. Did you know the first life on
Earth was a single cell approximately 3.7 billion years ago called LUCA (Last Universal Common
Ancestor)? It was fascinating to learn about how life has adapted to changing environments and how
we have evolved into the human beings we are today.
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In DT, the children’s interest was sparked by once again revisiting and further deepening their
knowledge around electricity and circuits. They learnt about protons, neutrons and electrons and then created both series and parallel circuits. During tea afternoon, they were able to show off their new electrical skills to their parents – light bulbs and buzzers sprung to life! Their next challenge was to design and create a product which used a light bulb and a fan. Maybe Dragon’s Den awaits! |
Finally, finishing the term with a flurry of excitement, the children were given the amazing opportunity
to visit Wattisham Airbase, where not only were they able to get up close to one of the Apache
helicopters, they also had the chance to visit the WW2 museum, which links to both our current literacy
and history topics. Photographs to follow!
to visit Wattisham Airbase, where not only were they able to get up close to one of the Apache
helicopters, they also had the chance to visit the WW2 museum, which links to both our current literacy
and history topics. Photographs to follow!
Spring 2nd 2023
What a busy term! The children have been hard at work in Year 6.
In maths, they have been ensuring that their arithmetic skills are excellent – particularly focusing on pesky
percentages, long division and working with mixed numbers, which can sometimes prove to be extra
tricky. They have entered the magical world of algebra and statistics as well as revisiting all the topics
they have learnt across the years – this list is endless and shows just how much they have covered since
Year 3!
In maths, they have been ensuring that their arithmetic skills are excellent – particularly focusing on pesky
percentages, long division and working with mixed numbers, which can sometimes prove to be extra
tricky. They have entered the magical world of algebra and statistics as well as revisiting all the topics
they have learnt across the years – this list is endless and shows just how much they have covered since
Year 3!
Within English sessions, the children have delved into the world of newspaper reports and autobiographies. In their newspaper report, they revisited their work on natural disasters, which also linked with our science
topic, looking at the formation of mountains, learning about tectonic plates, earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions (sadly topical with regards to Turkey and Syria). In their autobiographies, they took on the
persona of a famous sportsperson. They had great fun imagining their childhood, what they had
achieved and what their future goals would be. Maybe it has inspired a few to follow their dreams and
achieve the ultimate fairytale.
topic, looking at the formation of mountains, learning about tectonic plates, earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions (sadly topical with regards to Turkey and Syria). In their autobiographies, they took on the
persona of a famous sportsperson. They had great fun imagining their childhood, what they had
achieved and what their future goals would be. Maybe it has inspired a few to follow their dreams and
achieve the ultimate fairytale.
In the afternoons, we have not only looked at mountain formations in Geography but a History topic too, where the children also deepened their understanding of the trials that faced many of the Windrush generation, who migrated to Britain from the Caribbean to help with the war. Many were quite shocked by how badly they were treated considering they had been invited to come to help us rebuild our nation.
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In Science, the children have broadened their understanding of the body’s important life systems by revisiting the circulatory system and they have also learnt about the digestive system.
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In art and design and technology, the children created 3D forms inspired by Dale Chihuly (an American glass sculptor) and in DT, looked at ways to repurpose and recycle materials – we all tried our hands at crocheting, which was particularly challenging.
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Excitingly, towards the end of term, the children put the final touches to their incredible puppets, which not only look amazing but are also a lovely keepsake from their time at Springfield. The end of term performance is going to be an amazing spectacle!
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Finally, we had our first school trip to the Buddhist Centre in Ipswich, which was fascinating and a great
start to our RE topic on Buddhism. The children even had a go a meditating – it was so peaceful. What a
term – we are truly exhausted!
start to our RE topic on Buddhism. The children even had a go a meditating – it was so peaceful. What a
term – we are truly exhausted!
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Spring 1st 2023
January has flown by and we have had a brilliant start to the spring term – throwing ourselves into our new exciting curriculum.
We have researched and written our own natural disaster adventure stories and some children enjoyed reading them to parents and carers during our last tea afternoon.
We have researched and written our own natural disaster adventure stories and some children enjoyed reading them to parents and carers during our last tea afternoon.
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In Science, we have been looking at the circulatory system, which has been fascinating: we have learnt about all the components of the blood, how the heart works and how blood is transported around the body.
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As well as Science, we have also been delving into some Design Technology and learning about structures; the methods engineers use to create tall but sturdy and stable constructions – have you ever heard of a flying buttress? We tried to create our own, using what we had learnt, with only spaghetti and mini marshmallows – I am not sure the lovely cleaning staff were too impressed!
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As the half term draws to an end, we are currently studying The Windrush in History and were so incredibly lucky to have a visit from Karen Walker at the Suffolk Windrush Select Committee. She told us some wonderful stories about her grandparents who had left Jamaica to come and help after the war but also other important black figures in history. Did you know that Queen Victoria had an African goddaughter called Sara Bonetta who she raised as her own?
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Last but by no means least, as part of our apprenticeship mornings we had a visit from a Suffolk Punch horse. These animals are enormous and the history behind them from their vital work during the world wars, to farming was really interesting. They are as endangered as the giant panda, which is sad although we learnt that they are once again becoming more popular as riding horses so hopefully this will change.
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