I can't believe that it is the end of term 1 already. Looking back, we've achieved so much already. Year 6 have been busy visiting potential secondary schools and getting excited about their big change next summer. They are going to be more than ready come next September!

In Maths, we tackled some really advanced arithmetic, and we can now use formal methods to work out long multiplication and long division. Some children are even experimenting with using fractions and decimals instead of remainders. We have also mastered using the correct order of working out operations (by using the acronym BODMAS), and we can now answer questions such as (14 + 11) x 3.

In English, we have just about managed to complete a non-fiction and fiction piece of writing. Our stories based on our class text this term, Kensuke's Kingdom, were full of excitement and featured rich descriptions of waking up on a desert island, finding food and shelter, encountering wild animals, and trying to swim to freedom. Conversely, we have written some very serious newspaper articles based on the hideous crimes featured in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Three Little Pigs.

We have enjoyed our time at the pool. Some of us have swum our first unaided lengths while others have learned to dive properly for the first time. We certainly look forward to continuing with this after half-term, especially with the Gala fast approaching.

In History, our focus has been the Georgian period, especially in our local area. We have learned about important names, like the Master of Ceremonies, Beau Nash, writers who lived in Bath at the time like Jane Austen and Mary Shelley, and the legacy of local architects such as Ralph Allen and John Wood Sr.

In PSHE, we have focused on 'Being Me in My World'. We have had many class discussions on how we fit into our communities, the challenges of becoming a responsible young person. We also had a school council election which saw Kacy being voted in to represent us.

Science has been fascinating, learning about the different systems in our body, what happens to our heart and lungs when we exercise, the effects that drugs and smoking have on our bodies, and researching advice on how to avoid harmful substances.

Half-term is well-deserved Year 6! Enjoy every minute of it, ready to come back for the run-up to Christmas and the new year!

Mr Dobson

Logistics:

Homework – Please can I remind you that Doodle maths must be completed every week. Any problems, I'd be happy to help.

Forest – Monday afternoon (please come in school uniform on the 6th of November for the School photographs)

PE – Friday afternoon. Please come in normal school uniform with your swimming gear.

Welcome to Sycamore Class. We've had a really positive start to the term and battled through the heat to create some good work. In this important year, we hope that the children enjoy their last year at Longvernal as much as possible and we will make sure that they are prepared, confident and happy with the SATs exams in May and their transition into Secondary school.

In English we have started to read Michael Morpurgo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom and we have begun writing our first story of the year based on the book. In Maths, we’ve been extending our already solid knowledge of place value to be able to work with numbers up to one hundred million.

We are particularly looking forward to swimming this term with the possibility of some children competing in the Swimming Gala before Christmas. We will also be taking a deep look into its intention in famous artworks and taking a deeper look into how to read musical scores. We have also already been looking at the big ideas in history to better understand our topic this term on Georgian Britain in our local area.

All in all, it has been a fantastic first week of Term 1, and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or just to say hello.