Friday, 25th April 

Welcome back to the Summer Term - your final term in Year 6 and at St. Mary's! We hope you all have returned feeling well-rested and ready for the term ahead. 

We felt incredibly lucky to spend our first day back at the Sky Up Academy learning how to create, film and edit a shot movie trailer. We were shown around the studios, we saw where Sky News and Sky Sports News are filmed. They were in action while we were there which meant we had to be very quiet! We were introduced to some of the latest Sky Technology, and experienced this for ourselves in the Recording Studios. Each child received a QR code which you can scan at home to watch your trailers back! It was a truly informative and inspiring day for us! Some photos are below.

Our new topics for the half term are:

Science - The Human Circulatory System

Geography - How does erosion affect coastlines?

DT - Cooking using seasonal British Produce

Music - The Ukelele

RE - Humanism

PSHE - Being My Best

Computing - Programming: Variables in Games

Home Learning

Make sure that you are keeping up with Doodle Learning and completing enough each day to keep you in the green zones. You have one Maths assignment on reading and interpreting pie charts, and one English assignment on using bullet points in lists. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which contain -ei when it does not follow a c:

protein, caffeine, either, weird, heinous, foreign, seize, height

Next week: 

PE is on the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday. 

Please make sure that Reading Records are in school on Friday. 

Have a lovely weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 4th April 

We have come to the end of a very busy half term! Today, we celebrated with our Easter Bonnet Parade and learning about Easter traditions around the world in our family groups. 

Earlier in the week, we used biscuits to explore the idea of Evolution. We ordered them from the simplest (the 'early' biscuit) to the most complex. We discussed why the 'early' biscuit (the digestive) has not died out and compared this to the concept of natural selection. 

In Computing, we learned how to use formulas and input data in a spreadsheet. We planned an end of the year party using the spreadsheet to demonstrate our knowledge. This helped us understand how to organise and manage data efficiently.
In Spanish, we focused on describing portraits, specifically learning how to describe facial and hair features in Spanish. This included vocabulary and practise in using adjectives to describe people.

In PE, we played tag rugby and learned how to apply attacking and defensive tactics in game situations. This helped us understand how to work as a team and develop strategies during the game.

Home Learning

Please continue to read regularly over the Easter break. 

In the Classwork Section of Google Classroom are some Flashcards to support Maths, Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Revision for SATs. You may wish to print these at home, stick them back to back and practise in short bursts. 

There is also a Vocabulary and Standard English Revision Booklet, should you wish to go over these skills. 

After Easter

Children return to school on Thursday, 24th April. 

We wish you a happy and healthy Easter and look forward to seeing you back on the 24th. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 28th March 

In PSHE, we had an exciting hands-on experience as we held our very own Mock Parliamentary Election! The children worked in teams to create manifestos, give speeches, and vote for their chosen candidates It was an excellent way to learn about how elections work and the importance of democracy in our country.
Alongside our election, we also explored the process of law-making in the UK. We learned about how laws are created, debated, and passed in Parliament. We also explored some rather interesting and unusual laws that were created many years ago!
In RE, we focused on Easter Sunday, a day of hope and renewal for many. We learned about the significance of Easter for Christians and the message of hope it carries. 
In our final Positive Minds session, we set personal goals for the future. Whether it’s improving in a subject, learning something new, or being kind to others, we reflected on what we want to achieve and how we can make positive changes. It was inspiring to see how determined and thoughtful everyone was!

Home Learning

Doodle - You have two new Maths assignments to complete (finding the area of triangles and parallelograms) and one English assignment (using commas to avoid ambiguity). 

Reading - Your reading record should be signed weekly to show that you have read at least five times. 

Spelling - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which all contain the suffix -ation, which is added to verbs to form nouns: 

information, adoration, sensation, preparation, admiration, application, anticipation, duration

Next Week: 

Class photos will be held on Monday.

It is a busy week next week, celebrating all things Easter! 

On Thursday evening, we have our Easter Service at 6pm at St. Mary's Church. Children should wear their smart uniform. 

On Friday, we will host our annual Easter Bonnet parade in the morning on the playground - parents and carers are invited to see!

School finishes at 1.10pm on Friday for the Easter holidays. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 21st March 

It's been such a busy week this week with Matilda! performances. It was wonderful to see the culmination of months of hard work and dedication. They should all be incredibly proud of themselves for putting on such a fantastic show. I'm sure they will sleep well this weekend! 

In Geography, we have been learning the differences between migrants and refugees, and considering some of the factors that influence people to migrate. We also explored whether these factors were for economical, environmental or social reasons. 

In Art, we have been learning how to create Set Designs. This week, we studied an extract from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and have begun to design this on a set, considering the audience's perspective and without limiting the actors' movements. 

Home Learning 

Doodle - You have two assignments to complete: Maths (finding the area of compound shapes) and English (identifying and using adverbials). 

Reading - Please make sure that you read at least five times during the week and record this in your Reading Record. You also have a new Reading Comprehension Booklet to complete this week and return next Friday 28th. 

Spelling - Please learn the meaning and spelling of these hyphenated words:

forty-eight, re-evaluate, self-esteem, co-operate, co-ordinate, no-one, re-energise, re-examine

Next Week

It is Parent's Evening on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

PE is on the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday. 

In Maths, we will be learning to calculate the area of triangles and parallelograms. 

In Maths, we will finish drafting autobiographies in role as Emmeline Pankhurst. 

Have a great weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 14th March

We had a fantastic afternoon participating in the K'NEX Challenge this afternoon. The task was to design and build a ride for a funfair! It needed to be able to move on its own, be sturdy enough when moving that it didn't wobble or fall down and safe for children to ride on. 

In Science this week, we explored how plants and animals have adapted to be able to survive in extreme environments, such as the desert. We then designed a fictitious living thing and created characteristics that enable it to thrive in a chosen extreme environment.

In PSHE, we learnt some different ways that we could save our money, such as in Junior ISAs, and the advantages and disadvantages of each saving type. 

Home Learning

Doodle - You have two assignments to complete on Doodle this week: A spelling assignment with the homophones listed below and a Maths assignment on calculating the area of rectangles. 

Reading - Make sure that you read (at least) five times during the week and get your reading record signed to show this. You have been given a new Reading Comprehension Booklet (Retrieval Skills) to complete and return by Friday 21st March. 

Spelling - Please learn the meaning and spelling of the following homophones: 

profit, prophet, weather, whether, altar, alter, aisle, isle

Next week

Children have the opportunity to watch the full Matilda! performance. Please see the information from the school office to sign up. 

In Maths, we will be learning to calculate the area and perimeter of a range of shapes. 

In English, we will begin drafting our autobiographies in role as Emmeline Pankhurst. 

Have a brilliant weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 7th March 

We have had a truly brilliant Book Week this week! Yesterday, we held an assembly for World Book Day to share all of the fabulous outfits and creativity! It is wonderful to see how books have captured children's interests through their chosen characters. We also watched this year's 'The Masked Reader' - it was quite difficult to guess who was who, but we did spot some clues to help us. Today, we enjoyed some chocolate milk and biscuit as we settled down for Bedtime Stories. 

Home Learning

Reading - You have been given a new vocabulary-themed reading booklet to complete this week. Please return to school on Friday, 14th March. 

Doodle - Please make sure that you are in the green zone in all areas of your Doodle Learning. You have been set one Maths assignment on converting percentages and fractions, and one Spelling assignment on the letter string 'ought'. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which contain unusual GPCs (where the spelling does not always reflect the sound): 

amateur, physical, awkward, stomach, convenience, tongue, antique, leisure

Next Week: 

On Friday, we are taking part in this year's K'NEX challenge - we are looking forward to finding out the theme for this year. 

In Maths, we will be learning to find percentages of amounts and to find missing amounts when given a percentage. 

In English, we will be learning how to portray emotions of important figures in autobiographical writing through specific word choice. We will also begin researching a significant figure to begin planning an autobiography in role.

Wishing you a great weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 28th February

Welcome back to school! We hope that you enjoyed the half-term break. We have begun exploring our new topics this week, which you can find listed below. 

In Science this week, we learnt about inherited and environmental characteristics and how we can inherit features from our parents. We learnt that variation is the differences across a species, and identified these in different dog breeds. It was interesting to consider what the offspring of a poodle and a dalmatian might look like! 

We had a brilliant performance today from M&M Productions of 'The Railway Children'. We have some copies of the book in school, but you might like to see if you can find one in your local library too. 

Science - Evolution and Inheritance

RE - Salvation

Geography - Why does the population change?

Art - Set Design

PSHE - Rights and Respect

Computing - Spreadsheets

Music - Baroque

Home Learning 

Reading - Year 6 have been given a new Reading Comprehension Booklet today to complete and return by next Friday 7th March. 

Doodle - You have been set Maths and English assignments this week. As well as completing these, make sure that you are staying in the green zone across all areas. 

Spelling - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which all contain the -ough- letter string.

borough, plough, brought, bough, toughest, roughly, although, throughout

Next Week: 

It is Book Week! Thursday is World Book Day - you are invited to dress as your favourite book character. There will be a book-themed cake sale in the hall after school on Thursday. Please drop any sweet creations into school on Thursday morning. 

On Friday morning, parents are invited to join their children in the new school library from drop off until 9.15am to share a story together. On Friday, children are invited to come in to school in their pyjamas to enjoy a 'bedtime story'. 

In Maths, we will be learning to find fraction and decimal equivalents. We will also being exploring percentages. 

In English, we will be learning how to write factual information in a way that represents the author's feelings. We will be revising the active and passive voice and learning how this creates formality. 

Please see the separate letters sent our regarding Multi Sports on Tuesday evening at the Reach Free School and the Cross Country at York House on Friday afternoon, if you wish for your child to take part. 

Have a brilliant weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 14th February 

It was wonderful to have so many parents attend our writing workshop this morning. We hope that you found it useful to see our approach to writing and came away with some tips to support your child's writing. 

In History this week, we learnt about the events of VE day and reflected on why it is a day that is marked each year. 

In Music, we have been learning to sing The White Cliffs of Dover by Vera Lynn in two parts. 

Our wave bowls are coming together. After half term, we will assemble them and give them a final gold trim before evaluating! Some photos are below to show you how they are looking so far. 

Spanish

This half term, we learned a range of verbs to help us express what we like and dislike. We revisited vocabulary related to food and drink, allowing us to discuss our preferences in more detail. We also practised asking and answering questions about our lives. This helped us build confidence in speaking about our personal experiences and using new verbs and phrases in conversations.

PE 

This half term, we focused on performing a range of balances on the beam. We practised holding steady positions and learnt how to perform a handstand and cartwheel. We developed this skill further to performing cartwheels on the beam! We worked on maintaining control and form throughout each movement, learning how to transition smoothly between different balance techniques. 

Computing

This half term, we learned how to create our own webpages using Google Sites. We explored the features of a webpage and selected appropriate layouts that suited the purpose of our site. We also learned how to view our webpages on different devices to ensure they look good on mobile phones, tablets, and desktops. Additionally, we practised adding hyperlinks to our webpages, making it easier for visitors to navigate. We also discussed the importance of copyright, understanding how to respect others' work online and use content responsibly.

Reading

To help further develop reading comprehension skills, the children have been given a booklet to complete over the coming weeks. The booklet includes 3 texts: fiction, non-fiction and poetry, each with a set of SATs-style inference questions to answer. Please complete the booklet by Friday, 28th February and bring in to school to be marked.

After half term: 

In Science, we will be learning about evolution and inheritance. It is always useful to study photos of ourselves and our parents, grandparents, siblings or other family members to see how genes are passed on. If you would like to share any photos that we can study in our science lessons, please email them in to the school office by Wednesday, 26th February. 

In Maths, we will finish our topic of decimals, learning to multiply these in context, before moving on to identify equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages. 

In English, we will be learning the features of an autobiography, analysing the language and structure. 

Have a fantastic half term break. We will see you back in school on Monday, 24th February. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 7th February

We had a wonderful visit from a parent in our school community to talk to us about life as a Hindu and what this means. We learnt about important festivals, rituals that take place during these times and their meaning. We learnt that Hindus believe in Dharma, which is your duty to do the right thing, and Karma, which are your actions that have repercussions. Year 6 asked some insightful questions. 

In Positive Minds, we learnt about the positive and negative effects of gaming. Whilst it can be a coping strategy, we must make sure that we have boundaries set so that it does not become an unhealthy coping strategy. We learnt about the age ratings of some of these games and why they are given these. It is important that these restrictions are adhered to so that we are not exposed to violence, foul language or negative messages. 

In PSHE, we have been learning about the laws on drugs in this country. We were surprised to learn that caffeine is a drug!

Home Learning:

Doodle: Make sure that you are completing enough of your Doodle Learning to stay in the green zone. You have assignments set for English, Spelling and Maths. 

Reading: Make sure that your reading record is signed to show that you have read (at least) five times this week).

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which contain the prefixes un-, dis-, mis-, re- or auto-. 

unebelievable, uncertain, misunderstand, disagree, disappear, recycle, autobiography, automatic.

Next week: 

PE is on the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday. 

In Maths, we will be learning to multiply decimals by integers, and to multiply and divide by 10, 100 and 1000. 

In English, we will finish drafting our setting description narratives and begin to publish these. 

A Year 6 Writing Workshop is being held on Friday (14th) at 9am in the hall. 

Have a great weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 31st January 

In Positive Minds this week, we learnt what coping strategies are and thought about what ours are at home and at school. We recognised that we may have different ways of coping with stress and low feelings depending on the situation and where we may be. We explored different examples of healthy and unhealthy coping strategies. 

In Science, we have been learning how changes to circuits affect how the components work. This week, we explored how the length of the wires affect the brightness of a bulb. 

In Art, we have begun making the triangles for our Wave Bowls using watercolours. We have been exploring how the paint sits on the foam board and will add detail to these using black pen. 

Home Learning

Please make sure that you are in the green zone for Maths, English and Spelling on Doodle. 

Ensure that your reading record is signed to show that you have read (at least) five times this week. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which contain unstressed vowel sounds:

stomach, restaurant, ordinary, necessary, disastrous, parliament, favourite, bargain

Next week: 

PE is on the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday. 

On Wednesday, we have our Art Week session. Please see the email sent from the school office. 

In Maths, we will start a unit about Decimals, learning to identify the place value in decimal numbers and how to round these. 

In English, we will begin drafting our narratives which focus on settings based on an evacuee in the Second World War. 

Wishing you a great weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 24th January 

We thoroughly enjoyed our WW2-themed day this week. The children all looked fantastic in their outfits - thank you for putting in an incredible amount of effort! In the morning, we had a visit from the National Holocaust Museum who gave us clues about a boy called Leo. From the clues, we worked out that Leo was a Jewish German boy who had to leave his home on Kindertransport in the 1930s, before the war broke out. In the afternoon, we completed blackout poetry and Blitz paintings - some photos are below. 

In Positive Minds, we learnt how to build positive relationships and how to recognise the qualities that we look for in the relationships in our lives. 

Home Learning 

Ensure that you are in the green for your Doodle Learning by Monday - your learning should be completed daily. 

Make sure that your reading record is signed to show you have read (at least) five times. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which contain silent letters: 

solemn, rhyme, reign, doubt, conscious, debt, vehicle, guarantee

Next week:

In Maths, we will be completing our algebra unit by finding possible pairs of values to solve an equation. 

In English, we will be planning our own narrative which describes a changing setting. 

Our PE days are the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday.  

Have a fantastic weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 17th January 

We've had a busy first full week back at school with an Athletics competition and our first Positive Minds session. On Thursday, we represented St. Mary's at a Year 6 Indoor Athletics competition where we showed fantastic teamwork and sportsmanship with the other competing schools. In our first Positive Minds session, we learnt what mental health is and were quite surprised to discover that we all have mental health! We looked at a continuum of how good our mental health can be, and learnt that we can move up and down the scale multiple times, even multiple times a day! We learnt the names of some specific mental health issues, and talked about strategies that have helped others overcome these issues. 

Home Learning

Your Doodle Learning should be completed daily so that you remain in the green zone. 

You Reading Record should be signed to show that you have read (at least) five times this week. 

Spellings - Please learn the spellings and meanings of the following words which end in -sure or -ture. 

mixture, adventure, temperature, furniture, enclosure, measure, leisure, pressure

This rule has been set as an assignment for you on Doodle. 

Next week: 

On Wednesday, we have our WW2-themed day in school which includes a visit from the National Holocaust Museum. Children are invited to dress up in role!

In Maths, we will be learning to write and solve equations, e.g. 2a = 8. 

In English, we will be learning to use precise verbs to show how characters respond. We will also be learning to use simple repetition as a cohesive device in setting descriptions. 

Wishing you a great weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 10th January 2025

A warm welcome back to you all after the Christmas break! We hope that you had a wonderful few weeks off with your families and feel rested and recharged, ready for a new term. We have begun exploring our new topics this week which we are very excited about! A list of our topics can be found below. 

In PSHE this week, we explored how to be respectful and responsible online. We discussed the age restrictions of social media platforms and video games, learning that these are set because of the functions on these platforms, such as being able to send/receive messages, share videos, share live locations and interact with strangers. We learnt to 'think before you click' by considering how we may feel about what we post in the future. Even if something is deleted, it may still be found online!

Next week, we begin our Positive Minds programme. This is a 10 week mental health and wellbeing programme, designed for Year 6 pupils, delivered by Watford Football Club Education Trust. They will visit us each week (on a Wednesday) and carry out sessions based on different themes, such as gaming, social media, body image, mental health and transition. 

RE - Hinduism
History - The Second World War

Science - Electricity

Art - Wave Bowls

PSHE - Keeping Safe

Computing - Webpages

Music - Songs of World War 2

Home Learning

Please ensure that you are completing your Doodle Learning. This is best completed in small chunks but more frequently, rather than all in one go. 

Please maintain your logs in your Reading Records to show that you are reading at least five times during the week. Reading Trackers are stamped for 5+ reads. 

Please learn the definitions and spellings of the following words which have endings that sound like 'shun'. 

invention, completion, tension, occasion, permission, possession, musician, electrician

Next week:

Our PE days return to the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday, we will have our first session of Positive Minds. 

On Thursday, we are participating in the Indoor Athletics Event at the Reach Free School. Please see the letter from the school office for details on picking children up at the end of the day. 

In Maths, we will begin a unit on Algebra, learning about simple input/output machines and statements. 

In English, we are learning the features of a narrative which focuses on showing the character through the setting. We will learn how to use figurative language to convey emotions. 

Have a great weekend - stay warm! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 20th December

We've thoroughly enjoyed the final week of school, from Discos to the Carol Service and everything Christmassy in between! The children sang beautifully in Church on Wednesday for our Carol Service and represented themselves well at their final St. Mary's Christmas celebration. This week, we have been concluding our learning journeys and reflecting on all that we have achieved this busy term. 

PE: Netball - Attacking and Defending

We focussed on mastering both attacking and defending techniques in netball. The children learnt how to create space, pass efficiently, and shoot accurately during attacking play. Defensively, we learnt to mark opponents, intercept passes, and block shots. 

Computing: 3D Images on Tinkercad
In Computing, we explored 3D modeling using Tinkercad.  The children learnt how to manipulate basic shapes, combine objects, and create simple 3D designs.

Spanish: Food and Drink - Conversations in Cafés and Restaurants
This half term we focussed on food and drink vocabulary.  We practised ordering in cafes and restaurants, using phrases like - 'what would you like to eat/drink?' and 'I would like'. We also practised translating menus. In addition to speaking in Spanish, we have also been practicing our writing.

We would like to extend our thanks to you all for our heartfelt and generous cards and gifts over the last week. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope that you have a restful break spent with loved ones. 

We look forward to seeing you back in school on Wednesday 8th January 2025. 

With warm wishes, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 13th December

We had such a wonderful time on our trip to the Imperial War Museum today. We explored the First and Second World War galleries, and Lord Ashcroft's gallery which houses a wide range of war medals. It was eye-opening to read some of the letters that soldiers wrote to their loved ones, see the uniforms that soldiers from different countries wore in battle, and the enormity of the weapons that were used. After Christmas, as part of our History topic we will be learning about the Second World War; today gave us a glimpse of what this was like. A big thank you to all of our parent helpers to made the trip a success! 

Home Learning 

Please make sure that you record in your Reading Record this week. As we were out today, these will be checked and stamped on Monday instead. 

Keep up with your Doodle Learning - little and often is best - to stay in the green zones. 

Next Week

The KS2 Carol Service is on Wednesday evening. Please arrive at church in smart uniform at 5.45pm, ready for a 6pm start. 

It is the final week of term next week. School finishes at 1.10pm on Friday. 

Have a great weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday 6th December 

In Science today, we explored how we are able to see colours due to reflection and absorption. We used coloured filters to look at coloured objects to explore how some light is allowed through and some are not. 

Spanish  – Food and Drinks

This half term, the children have been exploring food and drinks in Spanish. They have been developing both their vocabulary and conversational skills. They practised making polite requests to order food and learned phrases for real-life interactions in a restaurant setting. The children also translated different food menus.

PE Lesson Review – Netball

During our PE lessons we have had a focus on attacking and defensive tactics. The children worked on positioning, passing strategies, and teamwork to improve their offensive play. On defense, they practised marking and intercepting, building their ability to anticipate opponents’ moves. 

Computing Lesson Review – Tinkercad

The children embraced creativity and problem-solving in Computing lessons by using Tinkercad to design and create 3D structures and objects. They explored the basics of 3D modelling, including adding, resizing, and aligning shapes to form a range of designs.

Home Learning

Doodle Learning must be completed weekly. This is checked on Mondays so make sure that you are in the green. 

Reading Records are checked on Fridays. Continue to read (at least) 5 times per week to get your record stamped. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words ending in -ance. 

endurance, resistance, assistance, nuisance, hindrance, substance, importance, tolerance

Next week: 

We will be watching KS1 and Reception's nativities in school next week. 

On Thursday afternoon, the school is attending the Pantomime at Watersmeet Theatre. Information regarding pick up will be sent from the office. 

On Friday, we have our trip to the Imperial War Museum. Please see the letter sent by Mrs Palmer for details. All children will need a packed lunch on this day. 

We have a Christmas Postbox in the classroom - please do start bringing in any Christmas cards that you wish to share so that we can distribute them throughout December. 

Have a great weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 29th November

Can you believe that Christmas has already begun at St. Mary's? This week we have been busily preparing for the Christmas Fair and the Christmas Tree Festival at St. Mary's Church. On Tuesday, we drew abstract portraits on individual canvases and painted them using watercolours. We used block colours in singular shapes and we blended colours in larger areas. When complete, we drew over our pencil lines in black liner. 

On Wednesday, we used salt dough to make Christmas tree decorations for the Festival at St. Mary's Church. Our theme was 'Shining a light'. If you visit St. Mary's Church, you will see the school's tree complete with decorations from each year group, decorated by our Head Boy and Girl, Deputy Head Boy and Girl and Ethos Council. 

Home Learning 

You must make sure that you are in the green zones for Doodle Learning. Completing this in short bursts often is the best way to achieve this. 

It is essential that you read (at least) five times during the week and get your reading record signed to show this. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which have the suffix -ence. 

sentence, confidence, obedience, existence, preference, excellence, independence, experience

Next week: 

The school nurses are back in again on Monday to complete a health questionnaire. This is something that is carried out with all year 6 classes and gives the children an opportunity to say if they would like any extra information on a range of health topics.

In Maths, we will be learning about ratio: how to read, write and describe different ratios. 

In English, we will be planning and writing a non-chronological report about a mythical creature, using the skills that we have been practising over the last few weeks. 

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton 

Friday, 22nd November 

In Science this week, we learnt about refraction and explored this through two investigations. We observed what happens to images when you look at them through glasses of water and were amazed to see that they distort or (seem to) disappear. This is caused by the bending of light rays through a dense material like water. Next week, we will learn about the spectrum of light and see how refraction occurs in our everyday lives! 

In PSHE, we explored respectful responses to different scenarios. We learnt about 'norms' in other countries and that what might be respectful to us, might actually be disrespectful in another country or culture. We practised giving respectful responses both verbally and non-verbally. 

In History today, we learnt what life was like for children in Britain during the First World War. It's amazing to think that children our age, and much younger, had important jobs that they had to carry out to support the war effort or earn money for their family. 

Home Learning 

Make sure that you are completing your Doodle Learning. In English, we have been learning about the subject and object in sentences, and so there is an assignment on Doodle about this for you to complete. In Maths, we have been learning how to convert units of measure. There is a Maths assignment on this for you. 

Reading - Please make sure that your Reading Record is in school every Friday and that you have recorded all of your reading for the week. 

Spellings - Please learn the meaning and spelling of the following words which contain ei. 

conceive, ceiling, deceit, perceive, receive, receipt, neighbour, seize

Next Week: 

Our PE days are the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday. 

On Tuesday, the school nurses will be in to complete the Year 6 Height and Weight check. 

In English, we will be learning to use formal language in our reports. We will also be learning how to use provisional statements, such as 'Ogres as usually found in...., Most people consider...'. 

In Maths, we will be beginning to learn about ratio, including the ratio symbol and the language of ratio. 

We are looking forward to seeing you at Parent's Evening on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 15th November 

On Monday, we attended the Remembrance Day reading of the names at St. Mary's Church. It was a beautifully reflective service in which we listened to all the names read on the memorial of soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War. We then explored the display of poppies inside the church, which had all been made by different groups from the community. We particularly liked the knitted scenes of war memorials. 

In Science, we have been learning how light is reflected and how we are able to see reflected light. We made our own periscopes to demonstrate how light rays can be reflected by mirrors. The angle of the reflected ray is equal to the incidence ray, meaning our mirrors had to be at a 45 degree angle. We enjoyed testing them out! 

Home Learning 

Progress on Doodle Learning is checked on Mondays. Make sure you are completing your learning to stay in the green zone. 

Reading Records are checked on Fridays. Reading Records and books should be in school every day. Make sure that you read (at least) five times during the week. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which contains -cious or -tious suffixes. 

delicious, cautious, vicious, infectious, ambitious, ferocious, malicious, spacious

Next Week: 

PE is on the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday. 

In Maths, we will be learning to convert and solve problems with metric measures. 

In English, we will be learning how to use and identify the active and passive voice in report writing. We will also be learning how to correctly use commas to separate clauses. 

Have a great weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 8th November 

Welcome back to school - we hope that you all had a wonderful half term break and are feeling ready to take on Autumn 2! This week, we have begun to explore our new topics such as Light, The First World War and 3D Modelling. 

We are finishing off our DT project from last half term (playgrounds) so that we can put our apparatus into the base. The photos below show some of the slides we have constructed this week. 

Home Learning 

You must make sure that you are completing your Doodle Learning regularly in order to stay in the green zone. You have two assignments set for you to complete. 

Please make sure that you read at least five times over the week and get your reading record signed. Your reading record should be in school everyday. 

Spellings: Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which contain the suffixes-able and -ible.

sensible, horrible, divisible, possible, reliable, enjoyable, believable, comfortable

Next Week: 

On Monday, we will be walking to St. Mary's Church and attending the 11am Remembrance service to hear the reading of the names on the memorial. Scouting uniform can be worn. Please make sure you have a coat as it is outside! 

PE is on the normal days of Wednesday and Thursday. 

It is anti-bullying week and so we will be taking in part in some activities to help us if we see bullying happening. We are marking this week with Odd Socks Day on Tuesday. 

Please begin to sign up for the parent consultations on 26th and 27th November

Have a great weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 25th October 

It's hard to believe that a whole half term has flown by already. We have achieved so much this year and are looking forward to a reset, ready for another busy half term. This week, Herts Young Homeless visited us to carry out workshops on Conflict Resolution and Anger Management. We learnt about our argument styles and how we tend to deal with conflict, and how this may be different in different situations. We also discussed many strategies that we find useful if we find ourselves angry, e.g. listening to music, cooking, going for a walk, reading a book. 

In English this week, we finished and edited our narratives based on the book Skellig. In our narratives, our characters find an everyday item which transports them to a mysterious place. We have worked hard to make sure we are not just telling our reader everything, but rather implying information instead. 

Home Learning

Please continue to read regularly and keep up with Doodle Learning so that you are able to stay in the green. There are no spellings set over half term. 

After half term: 

In Maths, we will be learning to solve problems involving fractions. We will also learn how to multiply fractions by integers and other fractions. 

In English, we will begin exploring the features of non-chronological reports to understand how information is presented. 

Wishing you a wonderful, restful and safe week off. See you on 4th November! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 18th October 

In Geography this week, we began analysing our research from our fieldwork study. We are working on presenting the data in pie charts and explaining what they show. In Science, we concluded our topic on classification by designing and classifying our own living thing that falls within one of the five kingdoms. We then wrote about our living things, explaining where they live, what they typically eat and characteristics of their physical appearance. 

Remember that you have a login for Linguascope. You can use this at home. Ask your teacher for the login.

Spanish Beginner - you can then pick your topic and game to practise. 

Christmas Cards (from xmas4schools) need to be returned on Monday.

Home Learning

You must ensure that you are completing your Doodle Learning and stay in the green. This will be checked on Monday. You must be reading at least five times over the week and writing this in your reading record. These are checked on Fridays. 

Spellings: initial, financial, confidential, official, artificial, especially, special, residential

Next week: 

On Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons we are having workshops on Conflict Resolution and Anger Management. 

In Maths, we will be learning to add and subtract fractions, including mixed number fractions. 

In English, we will be concluding our portal narratives, using dialogue to show character. 

Have a great weekend, 

Miss Paxton
 

Friday, 11th October 2024

Yesterday, we carried out our fieldwork study that we have been planning and preparing for in Geography. We planned our route into Rickmansworth High Street and positioned ourselves in 5 different locations. In our groups, we completed tallies, questionnaires and likert scales. It was very interesting talking to members of the public about their opinion of the high street and how it has changed recently. We demonstrated excellent manners and courage when approaching people, and were pleased to gather so many responses! When we got back to school, we begun collating our research and presenting our data on bar charts. Next week, we will present the rest of our research and attempt to answer our enquiry question. 

In DT this week, we began to construct our playgrounds, starting with the base. Thank you very much for all of the resources that have been brought into school! If you have any old fabric or felt that you no longer need, we may make use of it to add colour and vibrance to our playgrounds. 

Home Learning 

You must be completing your Doodle Learning (Maths, English and Spelling) and staying in the green. Please let us know if you are having any issues with this. 

Reading - Please ensure you are reading at least 5 times during the week and recording each read in your reading record. There is not long to go until we will be earning bronze badges! 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which all contain root words that end in -fer. If the -fer sound is stressed, the 'r' is doubled when a suffix is added. 

offering, transferred, referring, referee, reference, preferred

Next Week: 

In English, we will continue to write our narratives in which a character travels through a portal. We will write dialogue which shows character, using description of settings to show emotions. 

In Maths, we will be learning to identify equivalent fractions by simplifying using factors. We will also be learning how to place fractions on number lines of differing quantities. 

We will be completing a set of practise SATs papers next week. When they are marked, we will go through them with the children before sending them home. 

Below is a link to a website on which you can find examples of previous SATs papers in English and Maths as well as the mark schemes. 

https://www.satspapers.org.uk/Page.aspx?TId=5 

Wishing you a fantastic weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 4th October 2024
This week, we enjoyed celebrating Harvest in Church and sharing our readings with you all. The children spoke clearly and confidently, reminding us all why we gather at this time of year. 

In Science, we have been extending of classification skills to plants. We identified trees from which certain leaves come, and described them in order to compare and create our own classification key. We were very intrigued by some leaves - like those from a monkey puzzle! 

In DT, we have designed our own playground and developed our own criteria, e.g. it has to have something to hide in, it has to be colourful, it should have a fence (or similar) around the perimeter. Next week, we will begin to make our playgrounds. If you have any items at home that we could use, such as cereal boxes, shoe boxes, bottle lids, yoghurt pots etc., please bring them into school. The more we have the better! 

Spanish

So far this term, we have explored how to express emotions and describe how we feel in Spanish. We also learned how to identify masculine and feminine  nouns and explored the way noun phrases change when they become plural .Additionally, we expanded our vocabulary with a range of classroom items and months of the year.

PE

In this PE this half term, we have focused on health-related exercise, particularly improving cardiovascular fitness and flexibility. We worked through a series of cardio circuits and flexibility circuits.

Computing

So far this half term, we have learnt how to use a search engine to conduct web searches effectively. We explored how search engines work, focusing on how they select and rank results based on relevance, keywords, and algorithms. Additionally, we discussed the limitations of search engines, such as not being able to access all information on the web and how results can be influenced by advertisements and other factors. 

Home Learning

Please continue with your Doodle Learning. This is checked by Mrs Maxwell on Monday mornings so make sure that you get into (and stay in) the green! 

Reading - It is essential that you are reading regularly. Please make sure that you are getting your reading record signed to show this. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words. When a vowel suffix is added to the root word, the consonant is doubled, e.g. drop + ing = dropping. 

travelling, cancelled, dropping, preferred, regretted, forgotten, beginning, scarred

Next Week: 

On Monday, we have a workshop from Herts Police about making positive choices. 

In Maths, we will be learning to solve problems using the order of operations (BODMAS) and reasoning about problems using known facts (e.g. 3 x 4 = 12, therefore I know that 12,000 divided by 300 = 40). 

In English, we will be using the tools that we have learnt about narratives which describe characters to write our own narratives based on Private Peaceful. 

Wishing you a lovely weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 27th September

In English this week, We focused on the correct punctuation for speech, demonstrating an awareness of character through what they say and the actions they perform. In Science today, we explored classification by classifying sweets, organising them into different categories based on their observable characteristics. It was a very tempting lesson! This week, we began our DT learning journey which is about Structures. We have researched and designed playground apparatus. As we progress through the half term, we will also be making our own designs. 

Home Learning

Make sure that you are completing your Doodle Learning this week. It is checked on a Monday morning. 

Reading: Ensure that you are reading at least five times during the week and getting your reading record signed to show this. 

Spellings: Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which contain the suffixes -ed, -ation, -ing.

explanation, determined, accompanied, accommodation, communicating, sacrificed, attached, criticising

Next Week: 

On Wednesday, we have our Harvest Festival at St. Mary's church at 9am. Make sure that you are at church by 8.50am. 

In Maths, we will be learning to use formal methods for division, inlcuding long division. 

In English, we will learning to use colons to separate independent clauses. We will also be writing character reactions through action and dialogue. 

Have a fantastic weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 20th September

It was lovely to meet so many of you this morning at our Meet the Teacher meeting. The information shared is above to give you an overview of what is to come for the children in Year 6. 

We had a wonderful time at the Hockey event at Merchant Taylor's school yesterday. It was a great opportunity to play against other schools and learn some of the key skills of the game. 

On Monday, our classroom door transformed into a portal! In English, we are learning about narratives in which a character is transported to another world, and explored the different types of portals in stories that we know (such as Harry Potter and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). We are excited to plan and write our own narratives!

Home Learning 

Please ensure that you are completing your Doodle Learning to get in the green zone. This will be checked on Monday. 

Reading - Reading records are checked every Friday. Please ensure that you bring yours in to school and have it signed to show that you've read (at least) five times over the week. 

Spellings - Please learn the meaning and spelling of the following words which contain suffixes beginning with consonants. These are also set as an assignment on Doodle Learning. 

doubtful, sincerely, colourful, finally, embarrassment, business, environment, cautiously

Next week: 

In Maths, we will be learning rules of divisibility and apply this to identify prime numbers. We will also be exploring the properties of square and cube numbers. 

In English, we will be learning to use a single dash to add extra information. We will also be learning how to show emotion through a character's actions and dialogue. 

Have a great weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 13th September 

We've had a busy week in Year 6 as we have begun to explore our new topics for the half term. In Science, we have been learning about Carl Linnaeus and his classification system and have begun to group living things according to their characteristics. In PSHE, we have been learning how to collaborate; we were tasked with building a bridge that spanned 30cm and could hold the weight of three cars. When we reflected on our successes and challenges, we created actions to improve our teamwork. 

Home Learning 

Mrs Maxwell has sent out a letter detailing the homework arrangements for Year 6, most of which is to be completed on Doodle Learning. 

Children should be reading at least five times during the week and getting their reading record signed to show this. All children have a school reading book and reading record. 

Spellings - Please learn the meaning and spelling of the following homophones (words which sound the same but have different spellings and meanings). We will learn these in our spelling lessons during the week. 

guessed, guest, practice, practise, advice, advise, dessert, desert

Next Week: 

PE days are Wednesday and Thursday. 

On Thursday afternoon, Year 6 are taking part in a Hockey event at Merchant Taylor's school. 

On Friday, the Year 6 Meet the Teacher meeting will be held at 9am. The presentation will be shared on the website for any parents who are unable to make the meeting. 

In Maths, we will be learning different strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems. We will be learning how to solve problems by working backwards and using common factors and multiples. 

In English, we will be exploring narratives which focus on characterisation. We will learn how emotions are shown through actions and use model to write our own descriptions in a similar style. 

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 6th September 2024

Welcome to Year 6  We hope that you all had a brilliant summer break! 

It's been a pleasure to welcome the children back to school and watch them settle into their new roles as Year 6. We've spent some time this week creating our class rules, talking about the extra responsibilities that this final year brings, and talking about some of the topics we will learn about. 

Our 'Meet the Teacher' session is scheduled for Friday 20th September at 9am in the classroom. At this session, I will share more details about the curriculum, routines and trips coming up this year. 

Home Learning 

There is no home learning set for this first week. All children have been given a Reading Record, their Reading Passports and Reading Trackers. All children will be given a school reading book next week. 

Homework will be moving online from next week - we will share more details about this next week. In the meantime, Mrs Maxwell has challenged Year 6 to earn some stars by completing some learning on Doodle Learning.

Next Week

Our PE days will be Wednesday and Thursday. Please send your child into school in their PE kit on these days. 

In Maths, we will continue to learn about place value. We will compare and order numbers with decimal places, calculate with negative numbers and convert units of measure. 

In English, we will be reading studying the poem 'Life doesn't frighten me' by Maya Angelou, learning about her inspiration for her poetry and writing our own poems. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton