Exciting News!

We have recently signed up to an amazing new online learning programme to help support year 6 children and to prepare them for their SATs. 

By the end of this week each year 6 child will be given their own individual log in to access this site.  Once on the site they can access a whole host of resources and practice questions to help to grow their confidence. 

Please encourage your children to visit the website and try out some of the activities.

The link to access the website is below.

Log in

If you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mrs Payne 

Week Ending 17th October 2025

In boosters this week we concentrated on- Homophones and contraction of words. We also focused on long multiplication. 

In Class this week, we carried out a science experiment, exploring fiction and the result of racing a toy car on different surfaces. We discovered that the smoother the surface the less friction created and thus, the faster the car travelled.  

In English, we continued to read our set text “Floodlands”. We analysed how characters were thinking and feeling at different points in the story. The children worked in groups to create a freezeframe based around the battle on Eels Island. 

In Geography we explored facts around Mount Etna. We identified that Mount Etna is located in Sicily, Italy and it is the tallest volcano in Europe. The children researched facts and then produced some beautiful double page fact sheets in their books. 

In Maths, we are looking at multiplication – Some children worked on confidence in their times tables while others worked on multiplying a 3-digit number by a 2-digit number using the formal long multiplication method. 

On Friday, we had our school trip to Crucial Crew in Cheshunt - a life-skills program for Year 6 students to learn about personal safety, online safety, first aid, and the risks of things like vaping and unhealthy relationship. 

Friday 10th October

Dates to Remember

Monday 13th - IEP Meetings 

Friday 17th - Crucial Crew Trip 

WOW what a week. In booster sessions this week, we looked at adjectives and how we can Identify adjectives in a sentence and maths booster was focused on division. We reminded the children that all aspects of maths will become easier if they can secure their multiplication facts and have set a new battle on TT Rockstars. Please encourage your children to take part. 

In English this week we have continued to read our set text Floodlands and the children are totally engrossed with the book and have really understood the deeper thoughts and feelings of the main characters.  This week they used their knowledge of Zoe and her life experiences to write free verse poetry.  I was blown away with the amazing pieces of work that they created. 

Maths was a mixture of divisibility facts, factors and prime factors. Ask your children to explain to you what makes a number a prime number. 

In Geography we continued to look at volcanos, investigating positive and negative impacts of volcanic eruptions, and we were amazed when one of our class stood up and shared his knowledge on this topic with us. Science gave us the opportunity to look at friction, and we began to plan an experiment to investigate this further. In Art we analysed “The Dance” by Paula Rego and we looked deeper into the painting to try to develop a narrative behind the painting. 

 We enjoyed our usual Wednesday swim, and we finished the week off with biscuits to celebrate a great week of learning.  

Friday 3rd October

Year 6 Boosters – In English Booster this week we focused on Standard English. We looked at the correct use of was and were and see, saw and seen. We looked at questions such as  

The last place I saw Jack and Gwen (was/were) in the playground  

At the museum, there (was/were) many interesting exhibits and  

I (see/saw/seen) my friends at the park yesterday. 

In Maths booster it was all about percentages – how can we find percentages of numbers. The children are working hard, and these sessions are producing results already. 

In our lessons this week Factors and Common Factors was the focus in Maths – building arrays to show us how we can make different numbers - for example we know that we can make 16 in several ways  

1 x 16, 2 x 8 and 4 x 4. The children explored this thoroughly using concrete resources and then transferring their knowledge into their books. 

Persuasive language was the focus in English. The children were tasked to write a speech as if they were the main character of our book “Floodlands” they had to convince the other islanders to vote for them to be the Eels Island leader. I have to say how impressed I was with the compelling arguments that they came up with. 

PSHE this week focused on Maslow’s hierocracy of needs and what the difference is between needs and wants. 

In Geography we investigated volcanoes and how they are formed and what happens when they erupt, and the children drew some beautifully detailed diagrams in their books.  

Air resistance was the focus in Science, and we carried out an experiment to prove that the bigger the parachute the slower it would fall to the ground. Ask your children to explain to you the reasoning behind this. A great week all round in year 6.  

Welcome to Determination Class!

Science. 29th September 2025

Today in Science we explored water resistance and air resistance.

We carried out an experiment to prove that the bigger the parachute, the slower the item would fall to the ground. Ask your children to explain to you why this is the case. Encourage them to use scientific terms such as “drag” “air resistance” and “gravity”

26th September 2025

Dates to remember next week 

Tuesday  - Year 6 Parents Meeting

Friday - Harvest Festival Celebration 

I would like to thank you again for your continued support with getting your children to Booster lessons – We have had such an incredible turnout, and the results of these extra lessons are already showing in the children’s work. 

In Reading this week we have continued to read our set text Hacker. We have looked at new vocabulary and worked on answering comprehension questions, ensuring that we are answering in full sentences.  

“Floodlands” is the focus in English, with the children using their knowledge of the text and their inference skills to make informed predictions about what they think will happen in the next chapter. We then compared our predictions with the reality of the text. 

Place Value has been our focus again this week in Maths and we carried out an end of unit assessment to ensure that the children had retained the information that they had been taught during the last 2 weeks. These assessments help me to identify any gaps in your children's knowledge and then allows me to individualise lessons ensuring that these gaps are filled. 

On Thursday in Geography the children loved exploring information about earthquakes, tectonic plates and the Richter Scale. They then looked at atlases to explore countries that are at greater risk of earthquakes. 

A great week all round.  

19th September 2025

This week the children in year 6 have worked extremely hard completing some online assessments to ensure that their homework is personally targeted to their individual needs. I am extremely proud of each and every one of them for their dedication to their development and learning.

I would also like to say how proud I am that we had nearly 100% attendance in our sats booster lessons this week.  These extra lessons are very beneficial to children and will help them to gain subject knowledge and help to guide them on how to decipher and answer SATs questions. 

In English this week we have started to look at our new book - Floodlands. We made some informed predictions about what we thought the text would be about and we investigated what we know about Norwich, (where the book is set).

In Reading we continued to read our set text Hackers we have looked at new vocabulary and the relationship between the characters Vicky and Gib.

Power of 10 was the focus in Maths, looking at the pattens we notice when numbers are multiplied by 10, 100 and 1, 000. Geography saw us looking at the cross section of the Earth and the children produced some beautifully drawn diagrams to show their understanding. In PE we attended our weekly swimming lesson and on Friday Mr Douglas taught the children gymnastics. A jam-packed week, full of fun and learning

Friday 12th September.

Dates to remember next week.

Monday 15th September - School Photos - No PE kit

Tuesday 16th and Thursday 18th September 8am - Sats Booster Lesson (Small snack and drink included for the children that attend) 

WOW! - What a great first week back we have had.  The children have been extremely focused and dedicated to their learning. I am so proud of each and every one of them.

In English we focused on a whole school text "In Our Hands" written by Lucy Farfort. We started the week by looking closely at the illustrations on the front cover and the children made informed predictions about what they believe the text will be about. On Wednesday the children had the chance to show off their artistic skills by painting the main character. On Thursday the children showed off their creative writing skills by writing an alternative introduction to the book, focusing on what the world would be like with no sound, and today they edited and published their work ready to go on display.

"Hackers" and "The Wild Robot" were the focus in our Reading lessons - exploring new vocabulary and word classes.

Place value knowledge was the focus in Maths. Refreshing our knowledge and securing the core skills. We have had an excellent start to year 6 and I am extremely proud of each and every member of Determination class.

Week beginning 8th September 2025

Important information for this week

Tuesday 9th September 2.45pm Meet the Teacher in the school hall

Wednesday 10th September - Swimming starts

WELCOME TO YEAR 6!

I am so happy to be teaching in year 6 again and we have a very exciting first week planned.

In English we will be focusing on a whole school text "In Our Hands" written by Lucy Farfort. We will start the week by looking closely at the illustrations on the front cover and the children will make some informed predictions about what they believe the text will be about. Later on in the week the children will have a chance to show off their creative skills by writing an alternative introduction to the book.

"Hackers" and "The Wild Robot" will be the focus in Reading - exploring new vocabulary and word classes.

Place value knowledge will be the focus in Maths, while in Science we will be exploring forces. During our Geography lesson we will be investigating and describing the layers of the Earth and drawing diagrams to show our understanding.

The class is ready and waiting and I look forward to seeing all of the children on Monday. 

Mrs Payne