Sping Term

The Spring term has been a busy one in Y6 Birch with lots of exciting learning and hard work from the children and staff! 

The Tudors has been our topic in History this term and the children have found out all about the Tudor family tree, King Henry VIII and all of his wives and how they have influenced Britain today (the children may also know some rather gruesome and disgusting facts from life in Tudor times). 

In English, the children have loved writing a dual narrative based on the short animation 'Alma'. They were able to write from the narrator and the doll's point of view and could create tension and suspense throughout their writing. 

Children’s Mental Health Week also took place during this half term. To mark this important week, we took part in a live assembly and created artwork that demonstrated all the different places where we feel we belong. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the people, places and communities that help us feel supported.

In our PSHCE lessons, the NSPCC came into school to deliver an important workshop all about keeping ourselves safe. We learned how to recognise when a situation may not be safe and who we can talk to if we ever need help or support.

With the weather starting to brighten up, the children have been able to begin some of their PE lessons outside which has been lovely. There are some keen and skillful badminton players in Y6 Birch and Mrs Cooper has been very impressed with how the children have supported each other in their PE lessons. 

Autumn 2

The second half of the Autumn term has been a busy time for Birch class with trips to Safety-works and Northumbria University, learning about new topics across the curriculum and getting ready for the most magical time of the year! When at Safety-works, the children were taught the importance of safety in everyday environments such as the metro station, in shops or at home. The trip to Northumbria University supported the students with understanding the environment of Antarctica and how to prevent global warming and the ice melting. They also got a tour of the fantastic facilities available locally if they are to one day pursue further education. 

Developing an understanding of mountains and the local terrain has been the topic for Geography. In English, the children have written an explanation text on the heart (developed previously in science) and presented their information to each other in class. In RE, the children have learnt the importance of Christmas tradition and the birth of Jesus. The children have also enjoyed making a waistcoat for a teddy bear in DT alongside some Christmas crafts to end our term. The children I know are exceptionally excited for Christmas but also for the next term where they will learn about The Tudors in History, Electricity in Science and will develop new skills in basketball. 

Autumn 1

This half term our children have been working really hard on our Maya topic in History. We have looked at how a Mayan society was formed and some of their beliefs and traditions. We designed and made our own Mayan mask - we all had lots of fun!

In Science, we have been looking at the importance of our heart. We understand how the circulatory system works and took part in an investigation to understand how exercise affects our pulse rate. The children were very tired after this investigation!  

Forest School

Year 6 have had a great time in Forest School this term. We have learnt how to play new games, worked as part of a team, explored seasonal changes, made up new games, had fires and cooked over them, learnt how to use a ghilli kettle, whittled using a sheath knife and more! We can manage our own risks, stay safe and keep others safe, we are resilient, great problem solvers and caring towards nature.