Welcome to Year 6!

Our reflection area focuses on our school value of HOPE. It reminds us that there is always hope, no matter what is going on in our lives or in the world. Remembering good things gives us hope - an expectation that things will go well in the future - as well as focusing on the opportunities we have, the care of friends, the wonder of nature and the knowledge that there is a time for everything. Life is full of ups and downs, but there is always room for hope.

As part of our topic - Bostin Black Country - we are learning about the Victorian era, specifically the impact  Industrial Revolution had on our region, both good and bad. We are reading 'Street Child' by Berlie Doherty as it gives us an insight into social conditions for many people during this historical era. In this book, we follow the story of Jim, told in his own words, as he faces extreme poverty, losing his family, life in the workhouse, and more.

What have we been learning in Y6?

RE Autumn Term

We are beginning the year with a very big question:

'Creation and Science - Conflicting or Complementary?'

We are exploring different beliefs and opinions about the beginning of the world, and investigating the reasons why people hold these views. It gives us a good opportunity to explore how people can disagree well, showing respect for each other's beliefs. It also presents an opportunity to consider what our responsibilities are in caring for our world.

RE Autumn 2

Our second topic explores the question of Incarnation - Was Jesus the Messiah? We look at Christian beliefs and why Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah by investigating the Biblical prophecies and the accounts of Jesus' birth. We also explore how Christians share the message of Jesus the Messiah at Christmas.

RE Spring Term

This term, we are exploring the theme of Pilgrimage. What is the significance of Pilgrimage? We will explore faith journeys to Mecca and Lourdes, amongst other places, as well as considering the motivation and reactions on a  journey in faith. Is the journey or the destination more important? 

RE Spring 2

Our second topic this term is Salvation - What does the resurrection mean to Christians? In this unit, we explore how Easter is marked and the importance of the events of Easter Sunday for Christians. As part of our work, the children will take on the role of investigative journalists and participate in a press conference, interviewing key witnesses to Jesus' death and resurrection - a Roman soldier, the Jewish High Priest, and two of Jesus' followers.

DT - making cookies

As part of our topic, 'Do the Right Thing', we have explored how to stay healthy, looking at ways to well-being, staying safe, and healthy eating. In DT, we took the opportunity to make our own recipe adaptations to make healthier-choice cookies. This involved choosing less refined ingredients like oats and oat flour, as well as avoiding ingredients that make cause allergic reactions for some members of our class. We chose special ingredients to add from a list that included dark chocolate, mango, cranberries, seeds, and mashed banana.

We chose a specific consumer group - e.g. the elderly, people requiring a GF or egg-free diet, and children - and considered packaging that would appeal and would display the qualities of our cookies.

On our topic day, our classroom turned into a bakery as we gathered ingredients and worked as a team to make and bake our cookies. We used a range of skills from grating, cutting, weighing and mixing, as well as paying attention to hygiene rules. Good organisation was really important! The teachers who tested our cookies gave very positive feedback about the flavour and texture of the results. Take a look at the results!

Mental Health and Well-being Support

Below are some documents relating to an online  support service called Kooth. 

Kooth provides a safe and secure means of accessing mental health and well-being support designed specifically for young people aged between 11 and 18 years old.  Mrs Vann, Mr Garratt and Mrs Kean have just completed some training with Kooth and thought it might be helpful for some of our young people.  Take a look at the information.

Looking back at last year:

Our pilgrimage walk

As part of our learning, we went on a pilgrimage walk, which gave us an opportunity for stillness, reflection, questioning and sharing. We travelled from school to the church, round the local area to Aldersley and the canal, and then back to school. As we went, we collected mementos of each stage of our journey in matchboxes.

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest for your souls.”

Jeremiah 6:16

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Reflections from the children

‘I appreciated everything I laid my eyes on in the wildlife! It was lovely and made me calm.’

‘The river made me think about my journey from when I was a baby to now. I appreciated stopping because sometimes life is a bit busy. Stopping gave me a chance to reflect on the journey.’

‘I appreciated the canal: it made me think of my past, looking at the reflections on the river.’

‘I felt refreshed by that journey as the wind flew in my face and the water had this amazing ripple at the canal.’

‘I liked when we stopped and listened at the canalside. It made me think about the different resources that God created. It gave me a chance to thank God for food and water.’

‘I appreciated the matchbox and that we kept adding thins as we went on.’

I appreciated the journey as a whole but I loved the hill because of the big breeze you would feel.’

‘I appreciated the nature and it made me think of God because it gave me a chance to reflect on everything he made.’

‘I appreciated the little matchbox to help me remember everything.’

I loved it because it made me think about loving and peace.’

‘I appreciate the start, when we were at church: it made me think about what’s happening in the world.’

‘I appreciated all of it because I felt free.’

‘I appreciated looking down at the river from the bridge. I made me think how peace can be found in the world.’

Design Technology - designing and making a 'healthier choice' cookie

Take a look at our packaging and cookies, designed to have less refined flour and sugar, replaced with whole grains and natural sweeteners including fruits. We wanted our cookies to be suitable for more people, so we also considered gluten-free recipes, vegetarian recipes and egg alternatives.

Science Week!

We had great fun exploring reactions as we mixed substances to see how and why they changed. We had to listen carefully and follow the steps for each experiment. Some of the reactions surprised us!

The final step was exploring the effect of dropping mentos into lemonade to prompt a very bubbly reaction.... nearly soaking Mrs Rogers! It was a good job she had an umbrella to hand.