Welcome To Year 6

We hope you enjoy seeing our fantastic learning in Year 6!

Class Teacher: Ms Steel

Teaching Assistant: Mrs Dhanjal

Academic Year 2023 - 2024

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19.4.24

Welcome back Year 6, for our final term together before you head off to pastures new! We're now only a few weeks away from SATS, but everyone has made a really positive start to the term and has worked hard looking at sample questions and working on them collaboratively with a partner. 

28.3.24

Thank you for all your hard work this term Year 6! I hope you have a restful Easter break and we'll see you all next term. Take care, Ms. Steel and Mrs. Dhanjal. 

16.2.24 Thanks for all your hard work this half term Year 6, I hope you have a happy and restful half term break. 

19.12.23 

Thank you Year 6, for working so hard during this first term! You've all made fantastic progress and we hope you enjoy a well earned rest over the Christmas break. 

See you in 2024!

From Ms. Steel and Mrs. Dhanjal

30.11.23 : Today we launched our indoor 'Wellbeing Space', a project thought up by the Wellbeing Council. Any children who need some time out from the playground can come into Year 6 to colour, draw and relax. It was lovely to see so many year groups mixing together. 

17.11.23 Year 6 have had a brilliant time exploring different practical Maths activities this week as part of Four Swannes' first ever 'Maths Week'. 

"We spread out toilet rolls and counted how many sheets in each brand to find out which one was the est value for money and it was really fun!"

"I enjoyed working with others this week to work out the answer"

"The Maths hats were very fun to make"

4.11.23 In English this week, we've been looking at 'Wisp : A Story of Hope', which is a picture book about a boy living in a refugee camp. The class were tasked with writing setting descriptions based on the characters' memories. Here's an example of their work : 

The ocean swayed and splashed around like a baby trying to swim. The moonlight shimmered as it reflected on the water. Swiftly, groups of fish gathered, growling with hunger. As the waves jostled the boat, water snuck in like when you tiptoe out of your parents' house at night...

6.10.23 This week, the children wrote some excellent recounts about 'The Blitz'. We are studying World War 2 in History and this linked in quite nicely. Next week, we will be editing these pieces and creating our final write, which will be put on display in the classroom. 

8.9.23

Year 6 have made a fantastic start to the new school year! They've worked hard and come back to school with a really positive attitude towards their learning. I'm delighted to be teaching them and look forwards to the year ahead!

Thanks Year 6, I hope you all have a lovely, restful weekend

Ms. Steel 

Academic Year 2022 - 23

Week beginning 12th June 2023

Year 6 have been learning about financial maths and enterprise. They have been learning about the different types of cards, where you can save money and the meanings of profit, gain, loss, debit and credit. They were split into groups where they had to come up with a business idea, do a market survey, create a business plan with costings and the next stage will be to pitch their business plans to the head and business manager. If their pitch goes well, they will be given money to run their business. 

Thursday 8th of June was Empathy Day but at Four Swannes, celebrated it onFriday 9th of June.

Year 6 designed Empathy Superpower Glasses and then took part in an empathy exchange activity. In the exchange activity, they had to get to know someone in their class better by asking questions designed to spark rich, empathy-filled conversations.

We have had a fantastic time so far at Blenheim Woods!

After we arrived we played some camp games and then carried out some bushcraft where we learnt how to make a fire. Once we made our fires, we had to cook our lunch (yummy burgers)

We then got settled into our tents and have just started a camouflage/concealment workshop and we will then be building dens.

Friday 4th May 2023

We had lots of fun activities to celebrate the coronation.

Week beginning 24th April 2023

This week, year 6 have been doing lots of revison in prepartion for their upcoming SATs.

Week beginning 27th March 2023

Week beginning 20th March 2023

This week, has been assessment week and year six have been doing past SATs papers. They have worked really hard and are showing improvements in the tests. 

Year 5/6 Indoor Athletics

Year 5 and 6 had a great time at the Indoor Athletics competition. We were competing against 7 other schools across two heats in a range of track and field events. All of the pupil's gave 100% and did a brilliant job in representing the school. Overall we came 3rd in the competition - well done Four Swannes!

Week beginning: 27/02/23.

The class have continued with their wonderful book. This week the children have looked at and written all about Tree Folk, Giant Sea Serpent and the Fresh Water Nixies.

World Book Day was celebrated on Thursday and enjoyed by everyone. Y6 made a huge effort during the day and dressed up for the occasion. 

We read poetry, planned and wrote food related poems. 

Maths has been a refresher on shapes and calculating area and their perimeter. We have also drawn bar graphs and got our heads down and practiced SATS papers. 

Science and our topic continues with Microrganisms. The class discussed and wrote up their results of an experiment they had completed.

PSHE, the importance of Water saving and what we can do at home to prevent water wastage.

PE and athletics trials have continued. Well done and great effort and energy from the class who have been pushing themselves.

Week20/02/23.

The class have had a great week back. Tuesday afternoon the children enjoyed some fresh pancakes for Shrove Tuesday. Delicious...

This week we have continued to look at characters from our book the Spiderwick field guide to the fantastical world around you.

Maths has been challenging this week. We have been looking at long division.

Well done to the class. Our first time this year winning the attendance cup. Keep it up Y6, we can win it again!

Week beginning: 06/02/23.

Busy week for the class, SATS practice papers in Maths and English. 

In PE the class have been practicing for a few weeks, a choreographed piece to music. Y6 got to perform and shine to the whole school in assembly and it was clear to see that  everyone enjoyed it. Well done Y6.

Half term week ahead now and the children can research the topics that are coming up on their return.

Science, living things and thier habitats. We will be delving into the world of Microorganisms.

Spanish, language to help describe weekend activities.

Geography, continue with South America. Human and physical geography. Compare and contrast countries in SA.

D&T, looking at strength and functionality of card and other materials. Design a marble run bridge.

(btw: thank you for all the kitchen and toilet rolls the children have been bringing in).

Read for at least 15 mins a day, earn your stickers for awards.

Keep practicing spellings and times tables.

Happy half term all.

Week commencing 30/01/23

This week the class have been doing Pilates and practicing on their balance and core strength.

In English this week the year have been looking at the wonderful book Arthur Spiderwick's field guide to the fantastical world around you. They have been writing descriptive poems about River Trolls and using their creative ideas to describe life as a 'Boggart'. Some brilliant and imaginative suggestions shared in class.

Maths has introduced the class this week to Algebra. 

Science topic is Living things and their Habitats.

RE this week saw the class research Christianity, Humanism and Buddism. Thank you to Pastor Stuart for spending time with the class to talk about being a religious leader. Also thank you for taking time to answer the abundance of questions the year had for him.

Week beginning 23rd January 2023

Week beginning 21/11/2022.

We have enjoyed another week of learning.

Maths, we looked at how to measure the area of a compound. Lots of calculating and measuring.

We have been to the cinema to watch a film related to our History topic of World War Two. 'The Railway Children' was brilliant and got the children talking about what they learnt in our Evacuation lesson a few weeks earlier.

Science was our topic of light and the Spectacular Spectrum. We learnt about Isaac Newton and his discovery. We made a spectrum wheel and experimented what happens when the colours all spin and merge together. Great picture y6.

Week beginning: 14th November 2022.

 In Maths we have been looking at how to multiply multi digit numbers up to 4 digits by a 2-digit whole number using the formal written method of long multiplication.

English, we have looked at different fiction genres. 

Science continued topic of Light. Refraction, how light bends when it passes from one medium to another, the children enjoyed testing this and understanding how it works.

Children in Need on Friday had the class enjoy a few super competitve Dodgeball games. So much fun and high energy.

School assembly also had our first set of awards for various progressions and the certificates for home reading. These were handed out by Mr Moore and followed by a wonderful applause from other classes. A huge well done and congratulations to the children who received this. Long may it continue.

Week beginning 7th November 2022

In English the children have been looking at different genres of writing.

Maths topic this week has been making connections between fractions, decimals and percentages.

Science, light and reflection. How does light reflect. The class tested this with mirrors and torches. They also made periscopes to test how light reflects.

Art this week was continuation of our topic still life. The class enjoyed painting fruits and vegetables.

Rememberance day on the 11th saw the school family come together to pay our respects. The choir had their first performance which some of our class, are members of.

Week beginning 31st October 2022.

Good to be back and ready to learn after the half term break.

English, we looked at how to use a wider range of synonyms precisely and effectively. We have been using expressive and figurative language to create a vivid image.

Maths, converting fractions into decimals has been the focus this week.

New topic for Science, Light. This week we looked at how light sources work.

History, World War two. The role of women. 

PSHE was a discussion on feeling pressure and how to deal with it.

Music, the children created atmospheric sound effects to a narrated walk in the woods.

PE, the children performed their own versions of the Haka. They also had a lesson in Lacrosse and practiced some new skills.

Week beginning 17th October 2022.

Well, what a week we have had. Black history week and lots of food,food,food. We have been looking at our magnificent book Africa, Amazing Africa. Researching John Blanke, one of the first Black musicians on record. We have also looked at Nigeria in more detail and created beautiful informative brochures.

Finally, a few thank yous. The first goes out to Nkosinathi's parents for providing the delicious feast our class enjoyed. The children all went in for seconds and thirds too.

Thank you to Eliza's mum for sharing all about Bangladesh and kindly bringing us tasty food in to try. 

The children have also loved the Jollof rice so much (thanks Mrs O:) they have the recipe and method so you too can appreciate it.

week beginning 10th October 2022

Week beginning 3rd October 2022

This week in maths, we have been looking at prime numbers, square numbers, multiples and factors. They have also been looking at how certain emotions can produce different outcomes in PSHE. 

Week beginning 26th September 2022

In science, we have been learning about the impact of exercise on the body. The children have learnt what a pulse rate is and how to take a pulse rate before and after exercise.

Week beginning: 19/09/22

 Well done for sharing what you have been learning about in class so far. Lovely to see so many parents join us. Year 6 have certainly set a high standard for the celebration assembly.

Week beginning 12.09.22

Year 6 doing hockey during PE.

Week Beginning 5th September 2022

Year 6 have settled well into the new term!

This week, they have been designing their book covers (for when they become authors) and writing the blurb.

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Archive Year 6 2021

Year 6 Environmental Project

Year 6 have been working with Alex, from the charity Global Action Plan, as part of their Transform our World school's programme. This is an opportunity for the class to come up with an action plan and to implement a project to tackle an area of environmental concern. After many fantastic ideas, they all decided that they would like to work on the school garden to transform it into an inviting space for both wildlife and the school community. So far, we have started to clear weeds from the flower beds and cut back the overgrown bushes. Everyone has got stuck in and are enjoying the process!

Photos will be posted and updated to show how they are getting on. 

Sports Day

World Music Day

For World Music Day, year 6 had a challenge to learn the cup song in an hour and share what they had learnt with the rest of the school. They had lots of fun and did very well given the limited time.  

Golf Lesson

Year 6 thoroughly enjoyed their Golf lesson today with Charlie, a professional golfer. Everyone tried really hard and made amazing progress in such a short time. Well Done!!

Dance Workshop

Year 6 had the opportunity to have a dance session with Gemma, a professional dancer, who has worked with the likes of Aston Merrygold and Kimberly Wyatt (to name a few). Everyone had fun and learnt moves from different styles of dance.

18.05.22

RE Day

Year 6 were organised into groups to discuss their ideas and views on some of the big questions. They worked really hard in their groups to create a poster showing their different beliefs.

29.04.2022

International Dance Day

We learnt about different dance styles from around the world and were lucky enough to be taught some Irish Dancing by Mrs Cunningham. 

28.04.2022

The Daily Mile 10 Year Anniversary

22.04.2022

Earth Day

The theme of this year's Earth Day was 'Invest in our Planet'. As a class, Year 6 discussed their ideas and opinions on how we can help the planet. Children were asked if they would rather get rid of all air pollution or all water polution. Some responses were "I would rather get rid of all air pollution because we need air to breathe since it's really important. We need air to survive so we can see our futures".

"I would rather get rid of all water pollution because all the fish and sea creatures are dying due to people littering and it would also make the water cleaner".

After the discussion, children created their own persuasive posters with ideas on how we can help the planet.

RE Day 24.03.22

For RE day this term, year 6 learnt about the Easter Story from the Bible. In the afternoon, we compared similarities and differences between Christianity, Buddhism and Humanism, then created a poster.

Science Week 2022

Science week is a celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. The theme this year is 'Growth'. We started off with a whole school 'Create a Plant' challenge, which gave the children an opportunity to develop their paper engineering skills. 

They could use just 4 sheets of A4 paper and scissors for the challenge. Here are some of their creations:

Well done to Nafisa who was chosen as the winner for UKS2!

Science Week 2022 Whole School Enquiry

Gummy Bear Experiment

In year 6, we were investigating the growth of gummy bears in different solutions. We observed what happened after 24 hours and discovered that the gummy bear in the coca cola solution grew the most. The children were surprised to discover that gummy bear in the salt water solution didn't grow at all.

Skateboarding At Four Swannes

The children had the opportunity of being taught how to skateboard today and they all loved it!

Black History Month at Four Swannes has been very special this year. We have had the privilege of meeting lots of famous black people who are doing amazing things in their professions.

We were visited by Asher Phillip (Team GB Olympic Medalist),  Sasha and Kadeen Corbin (Netballers), Scarlet Douglas (Actress/TV Presenter) and Femi Koleoso (Drummer for the Gorillaz). They also had the opportunity to be taught how to play the Steel Pan, make carnival masks and play basketball.

The week of the 21st of June was sports week and year six had a lot of fun doing different sporting activities.

Friday 19th March was Red Nose Day and everyone at Four Swannes enjoyed doing a wide selection of activities to raise money.

Year six dressed up and enjoyed doing a variety of activities to celebrate the day.

Below are some pictures from the day including when the children were making a fridge cake.

Year 6 have enjoyed learning about Black History Month in the UK and have researched famous black people who have made an impact in the UK. 

They have designed some anti racism posters.

Sporting Challenge

Weekly Sports Challange

 We would like to set you & your families a weekly activity whilst we are in this challenging situation. This weeks activity - How many squats can you do in 30 seconds? Send your videos to cparcell@fourswannes.herts.sch.uk and we will announce the winners next week on the school websites lastest news. 

Welcome To Year 6

We hope you enjoy seeing our fantastic learning in year 6!

Class Teacher: Mr A Moore

Teaching Assistant: Mrs T Walker

W/C 30.03.20

Year 6 Home Learning Tasks

English

Complete one activity from each of the SATs question books that were given to the Year 6 children. One from the grammar question book, one from the reading comprehension question book and one ten-minute SATs buster. Please use the revision book to support the understanding of questions that are incorrect. This is where the learning takes place.

Writing – One day, you find that a door appears at the corner of your room. It is a small, oak door with cast iron fittings. It is obviously old due to the cracks and stressing of the wood. Where does it lead to? Write a story about the door and where it takes you. Be as adventurous as you can. Use your skills of description through the use of complex sentences. Remember that, in all of your writing, your job is to engage the reader.

Spelling – select 10 spellings from the year six spelling list and practise them. Get another person in your household to test you at the end of the week.

Maths

Complete one activity from each of your maths SATs questions books each day. As with the English, any answer that are incorrect are the question that you to revise/learn. Your maths revision books will support this or use the wealth of opportunities on the internet to support. Use your Mathletics logins and access the E-Books to support. You Tube now have a vast number of teaching videos to support.

Mathletics – Please remember that you have 36 set tasks in Mathletics. All tasks are areas that we have worked on so they will strengthen your knowledge and understanding. To date, no one has completed a single task. Please make sure that you access these.

Foundation Subjects

Spanish – Lesson 2 of classroom objects. There are set tasks with worksheets and sorting activities. Attached are the answers to support your understanding. Please use your logins to access the games area on Language Angels to develop you language skills. Remember, it is a STATUTORY REQUIREMENT to study a foreign language for your GCSE’s (and Spanish is best!).

IT – Your task is to use your developing skills of excel and plan a party with an actual budget sheet. You have all of the necessary supporting documents and power point to guide you through this.

W/C 23.03.20

Year 6 Home Learning Tasks

English

Complete one activity from each of the SATs question books that were given to the Year 6 children. One from the grammar question book, one from the reading comprehension question book and one ten-minute SATs buster. Please use the revision book to support the understanding of questions that are incorrect. This is where the learning takes place.

Writing – If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Explain why you have chosen that power, what would you do with it and how would it change your life.

Spelling – select 10 spellings from the year six spelling list and practise them. Get another person in your household to test you at the end of the week.

Maths

Complete one activity from each of your maths SATs questions books each day. As with the English, any answer that are incorrect are the question that you to revise/learn. Your maths revision books will support this or use the wealth of opportunities on the internet to support. Use your Mathletics logins and access the E-Books to support. You Tube now have a vast number of teaching videos to support.

Volume – You will find the plan for the volume lessons attached to this message. Follow this and complete the check points where required. There are links to a number of maths sites to support your understanding which are listed on the Latest News area of the school website.

Foundation Subjects

Spanish - Complete the work on classroom objects. Attached is the lesson plan and supporting worksheets and vocab lists to help you.

IT – If you are able to access Excel, attached is the next lesson in the sequence that we have been working on in class.

Science – Carry out the activity on living organisms. Research each of the organisms and classify them. You will need a printer to complete organisms pyramid.

Today has been a very special day in Year 6 as we have been learning about the tragic story of Anne Frank. Thanks to Mrs Emsley and Mrs Walker, the children have been able to learn about the conditions in which Anne Frank had to hide from the Germans, the food which they had to eat during the time (cabbage stew was actually cooked in class!), how the diary entries were written (with examples written by the Year 6 children) and many other pratical elements that really gave the children a good understanding of how it must have been for Anne Frank. A great example of really valuable learning opportunities that make a positve difference to our children's understanding of historical factors. A great day and well done to all invloved!

For more detail about Anne Frank, please read on:

About Anne

Born Annelies Marie Frank on 12 June 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany, Anne Frank was one of over a million Jewish children who died in the Holocaust.

Before the Secret Annex

Anne grew up in Frankfurt with her sister Margot and parents Otto and Edith. When Hitler seized power in Germany in 1933, the family emigrated to Amsterdam to escape the growing persecution of Jews. Then Germany invaded Holland in May 1940.

During the Secret Annex

Anne was given a diary on her 13th birthday which became her best friend and confidante. When Margot received a notice to go to a forced-labour camp on 5 July 1942, it was decided the family would go in to hiding in the specially prepared Secret Annex - a week earlier than planned.

Anne recorded all her thoughts and feelings in her diary - from arguments with her mother, to falling in love with Peter van Daan and the turmoil this caused. However much Anne hated being hidden away from the outside world, she always had the hope that they would one day be free.

21.11.19

For topic we’ve been learning about WW2. We had some special visitors who shared their WW2 experiences. It was really interesting and we learnt a lot. 

Cricket

As the summer term rolls on, cricket has become a focus for Four Swannes. A great time for us to become involved as it links directly with the Cricket World Cup which the UK are currently hosting. Year 6 joined Year 5 in their first session where they practised lots of cricket related skills. We may even have the next Joe Root taking their first steps towards stardom!!!

Visual Literacy

In one of our lastest units of work in English, Year 6 have been learning how to develop their understanding of visual literacy. Their task is to look from the perspective of the artist or a character from within the artwork. Here, you can see the class taking advantage of our 'Take One Book Week' focus and roleplaying how Hermin would feel in a ceratin situation from 'Hermin - The Detective Mouse'.

KS2 SATs Details for Parents

In the summer term of 2016, children in Year 2 and Year 6 were the first to take the new SATs papers. The new-style SATs for English and maths reflect the new national curriculum, and are more rigorous than previous years' tests. There is also a completely new SATs marking scheme and grading system which has replaced national curriculum levels.

At the end of Year 6, children sit tests in:

• Reading
• Maths
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar

These tests are both set and marked externally, and the results are used to measure the school’s performance (for example, through reporting to Ofsted and published league tables). Your child’s marks will be used in conjunction with teacher assessment to give a broader picture of their attainment.

Key Stage 2 Reading

The reading test is a single paper with questions based on three passages of text. Your child will have one hour, including reading time, to complete the test.
There will be a selection of question types, including:

• Ranking/ordering, e.g. ‘Number the events below to show the order in which they happen in the story’
• Labelling, e.g. ‘Label the text to show the title of the story’
• Find and copy, e.g. ‘Find and copy one word that suggests what the weather is like in the story’
• Short constructed response, e.g. ‘What does the bear eat?’
• Open-ended response, e.g. ‘Look at the sentence that begins Once upon a time. How does the writer increase the tension throughout this paragraph? Explain fully, referring to the text in your answer.’

In 2018 the Department for Education announced that the reading content of the KS2 SATs will be more closely linked to the curriculum in future to ensure children are drawing on their knowledge when answering reading comprehension questions.

Key Stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test

The grammar, punctuation and spelling test consists of two parts: a grammar and punctuation paper requiring short answers, lasting 45 minutes, and an aural spelling test of 20 words, lasting around 15 minutes.

The grammar and punctuation test will include two sub-types of questions:

• Selected response, e.g. ‘Identify the adjectives in the sentence below’
• Constructed response, e.g. ‘Correct/complete/rewrite the sentence below,’ or, ‘The sentence below has an apostrophe missing. Explain why it needs an apostrophe.’
•  

Key Stage 2 maths

Children sit three papers in maths:

• Paper 1: arithmetic, 30 minutes
• Papers 2 and 3: reasoning, 40 minutes per paper

Paper 1 will consist of fixed response questions, where children have to give the correct answer to calculations, including long multiplication and division. Papers 2 and 3 will involve a number of question types, including:

• Multiple choice
• True or false
• Constrained questions, e.g. giving the answer to a calculation, drawing a shape or completing a table or chart
• Less constrained questions, where children will have to explain their approach for solving a problem
•  

Key Stage 2 science

Not all children in Year 6 will take science SATs. In selected years (including 2018) a number of schools (approximately 1900) are required to take part in science sampling: a test administered to a selected sample of children thought to be representative of the population as a whole. Science sampling testing will not take place in 2019.

For those who are selected, there will be three papers:

• Biology: 25 minutes, 22 marks
• Chemistry: 25 minutes, 22 marks
• Physics: 25 minutes, 22 marks

Each paper will take a maximum of 25 minutes to complete.

It sounds very intimidating, but these are ‘questions in a physics/chemistry/biology context’, for example:

Biology: ‘Describe the differences in the life cycle of an amphibian and a mammal’

Chemistry: ‘Group a list of materials according to whether they are solid, liquid or gas’

Physics: ‘Predict whether two magnets will attract or repel each other, based on where the poles are facing’

When will KS2 SATs take place in 2019?

The Year 6 KS2 SATs will be administered in the week commencing 13 May 2019. The timetable is likely to follow previous years' timetables:

Monday 13 May 2019
English grammar, punctuation and spelling Paper 1: questions
English grammar, punctuation and spelling Paper 2: spelling

Tuesday 14 May 2019
English reading

Wednesday 15 May 2019
Mathematics Paper 1: arithmetic
Mathematics Paper 2: reasoning

Thursday 16 May 2019
Mathematics Paper 3: reasoning

How will Key Stage 2 SATs be marked?

The previous national curriculum levels have been scrapped, and instead children are given scaled scores (read our parents' guide to primary school grading and SATs codes for more details).

You will be given your child’s scaled score and whether they have reached the expected standard set by the Department for Education (‘NS’ means that the expected standard was not achieved and ‘AS’ means the expected standard was achieved). 

The range of scaled scores available for each KS2 test is:

• 80 (the lowest scaled score that can be awarded)
• 120 (the highest scaled score)

The expected standard for each test is a scaled score of 100 or more. If a child is awarded a scaled score of 99 or less they won't have achieved the expected standard in the test.

The Department for Education expects at least 65 per cent of children to reach the expected standard (the figure was initially 85 per cent but has been revised).

Are there any practice papers for the new curriculum KS2 SATs?

Yes, the 2016, 2017 and 2018 KS2 SATs papers are now available and can be downloaded for free from TheSchoolRun:

• KS2 English SATs 2016 past papers
• KS2 Maths SATs 2016 past papers
• KS2 English SATs 2017 past papers
• KS2 Maths SATs 2017 past papers
• KS2 English SATs 2018 past papers
• KS2 Maths SATs 2018 past papers