Hello and welcome to Year 6! My name is Mr Hinksman and I'm the Year 6 class teacher here at Wellfield as well as the deputy head teacher. Alongside me in Year 6, we have Miss Howard who covers my PPA and Management Time as well as our Teaching Assistant Mrs James. We are all looking forward to sharing this exciting learning adventure with you. Please find below important information about the organisation for the rest of the school year.

Class Staffing:

As previously mentioned, Miss Howard covers my time away from the classroom. This year those days are all day Monday and Wednesday morning. During Autumn 1, the class will be going swimming and will be taught by a qualified swimming instructor at St Peter's Centre. In Summer 2, the class will enjoy a half term at Forest School with Mr Claxton which I'm sure will be a fun time. Throughout the year, we will also have the opportunity to be taught both dance and gymnastics by qualified coaches.

Curriculum:

We will be covering some really exciting topics over the year and the children will be encouraged to explore and ask questions to develop their curiosity and interest. You'll find the curriculum overview on our class page which will give you a more detailed picture of what we will be learning about in the different curriculum areas.. A new overview will be sent at the start of each new term. As we approach our SATs, the children will start to bring home a mini test most nights to help them prepare for the actual week.

Class Equipment:

Children will be provided with everything they need in class therefore children will only need to bring their reading book and reading record in a small book bag; coat; healthy morning snack; named water bottle and lunch bag (if required) with them to school. Please do not send large bags/backpacks or pencil cases into school. Water bottles will be sent home every night to be washed for the following day. Please ensure that all items brought into school are clearly named.

P.E. Lessons:

Year 6 will have P.E. lessons on Tuesday and Wednesdays. On these days, children should wear their P.E. kit and school jumper/P.E. hoodie to school. P.E. kit comprises of a white tee-shirt with the school logo, plain black shorts or plain black jogging bottoms/leggings, school jumper/school P.E. hoodie and black pumps/trainers. Kit may be required at other times but prior notice will be given. Please ensure that cardigans/jumpers/hoodies are clearly named. In Summer 2, we have our weekly sessions on a Thursday so the children will need a change of clothes suitable for these sessions brought into school but I will remind you about this nearer to the time

Reading At Home:

We want to encourage children to read for pleasure at home. Children will select a book at an appropriate reading level to read at home. Books, along with a reading record, will be sent home each day. Please encourage your child to read for at least 10 minutes a day to yourself, another adult family member or an older sibling. Comments about how fluently, accurately or confidently your child has read at home can be added to the reading diary which should be returned to school, along with the book, the following day. Children will be expected to answer questions to assess their understanding of the text once they have completed a book. In addition to their home reader, the children will also have the opportunity to bring books home from the new Key Stage 2 Fiction Library!

Reading in School:

In addition to English lessons there will be daily Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS) sessions and guided reading sessions. Activities taking place may include:

Guided reading with class teacher or teaching assistant;

Language and text comprehension work;

Library sessions;

Independent reading;

Follow-up activities e.g. book review, blurb writing etc;

One to one reading.

Each half-term we will also enjoy reading a class novel together, this half-term we are starting with The Nowhere Emporium by Ross MacKenzie that will help support our English unit this half term.

I look forward to your continued support over the next term. In the meantime, if you would like to discuss anything contained within this information sheet or have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact me via the school office.