Sycamore (Year 6)
Welcome to Sycamore Class!
Hello everyone,
What a wonderful task I have of introducing myself to you as Sycamore's class teacher. For those of you who do not know, I am Miss Oliarnyk, and I am incredibly excited to be teaching Sycamore class this year! I look forward to supporting these pupils in their important and final learning journey here at Grace Mary. This class page aims to share with you examples of children’s work, photos of the children immersed in their learning, guidance and documents that will support your understanding of what and how your child is learning in Year 6. As well as this, you will also find lots of exciting class news, so please ensure you visit this class page regularly in order to keep up to date with the goings-on in Year 6.
Year 6 is a very exciting and important year for every child. Our main focus is to equip all pupils with the necessary tools they will need for the next step in their journey. Children are required to become more independent and resilient in their final year of school to be able to tackle the many challenges that Year 6 brings. SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) are assessments that Year 6 pupils take to assess their progress at the end of KS2. Although SATS may sound stressful for you and your child, I would like to reassure you that while they are very important, the Grace Mary approach to these 'quizzes,' is calm, confident and prepared. All we ask is that children try their best and, whatever the outcome, we will be proud.
Thank you for taking the time to read and for your continued support,
Miss Oliarnyk and the Year 6 team 
Home Learning:
A copy of the KS2 homework policy can be found on the school website. So that pupils are prepared for Secondary School, we encourage children to:
- Complete daily reading, times tables practice and spelling practice (new rule each week).
- Self-quiz using the knowledge organiser for our science, history and geography topic.
- Complete weekly Maths.co.uk work.
- Complete SPAG.com work (set every fortnight)
Below are some important websites you will need to complete your home learning:
It is important to note that closer to SATs pupils may receive paper-based home learning.
Physical Education:
This term, our PE lessons will take place on a Tuesday. Please ensure your child attends school on this day in their correct PE kit and remember to remove any jewellery and/or earrings.
Reading and Book Change:
At Grace Mary we value the importance of reading as a key ingredient for success in children’s lives and encourage you to read with your child regularly after school.
Our book change day is Tuesday – please ensure that your child has their Home Readers Book and their Library Book with them ready for this to be changed.
Termly Newsletters
Science Knowledge Organisers
Humanities Knowledge Organisers
Autumn Term:
More information & pictures coming soon...
Science:
In science this term, we are exploring the circulatory system and discovering how our bodies keep blood flowing to every cell. Students have already looked at the heart’s role as a powerful pump, the journey of oxygen through arteries and veins, and how all the parts work together to keep us healthy. It’s been fascinating to see how this vital system supports everything we do!
PE:
We have had a fantastic start to PE this term! Our first lesson focused on Boxercise, where the children were introduced to the six key boxing movements. They practised each movement carefully before putting them together into short sequences. The highlight of the lesson was getting the opportunity to use the pads and gloves, helping pupils develop their coordination, balance, agility and fitness while having lots of fun! We have also begun our Tag Rugby unit. This week, the children were introduced to the Magic Diamond Formation, which helps players understand how to move effectively as a team when attacking. Through a range of games and activities, pupils explored positioning, communication and teamwork whilst developing their passing and movement skills. We are looking forward to seeing the children's confidence, teamwork and sporting skills continue to grow throughout the term!
Reading:
As part of our World War One Humanities topic, we have already enjoyed reading War Game by Michael Foreman. The story has provided a wonderful link to our learning about WW1 and has helped us to develop our understanding of the experiences of soldiers during the war. We have also begun our class novel, Cogheart by Peter Bunzl, and are already a few chapters into this exciting adventure story. The children have been captivated by the mystery, intriguing characters and imaginative world of clockwork inventions. There has been some wonderful reading aloud taking place in class, with pupils showing great expression, enthusiasm and engagement with both texts. We are looking forward to continuing our reading journey and discovering what happens next in Cogheart!
Maths:
In Maths, we have been exploring perimeter and area, developing our understanding of how to calculate the distance around shapes and the space within them. The children have worked hard to apply their knowledge to a range of reasoning and problem-solving activities and have even tackled some SATs-style questions to challenge their thinking. We have been impressed with the resilience and determination the children have shown when solving increasingly complex problems. Next, we will be moving on to volume. Keep up the fantastic work, Year 6!
Humanities:
We have begun our exciting World War One topic in Humanities. So far, we have explored the causes of WW1 and investigated how Britain expanded its army during the war. The children enjoyed asking thoughtful questions and developing their understanding of this significant period in history.