Heyes Lane Primary School

Our first theme of the year is ‘Be the Best Me for Year 6’. This sets the year off to a positive start. . You will join the Young People’s Network as a research advisor. On this placement, you will provide the very best advice to young people on how best to take care of their physical and mental health.

At Quarry Bank Mill, you will experience life as a Victorian apprentice. Working long hours and completing physically demanding jobs was certainly a struggle for many at Samuel Greg’s mill during the 1800s. As you take your place in local history, over two hundred years ago, you will see how Quarry Bank compared with those who endured life in the workhouse. We explore questions such as: What was it like for apprentices at Quarry Bank Mill? Have working conditions changed today? Where does cotton come from? And how does Fair Trade help workers across the globe?

As the special time of year comes round we look at Christmas poetry, watch some of the classic adverts and explore the true meaning of Christmas. Using these as inspiration, we perform and write our own poetry and take these home to read on Christmas Eve.

The world around us is truly incredible and we cannot wait to learn about all that awaits us on ‘The Ark’. As a newly appointed recruit at the World League of Nature, you will sign the Official Secrets Act as an expert in your field. This will allow you to delve deep into animal research, adaptations and climates of specific species. You will be guided by Indiana Stones, an explorer and palaeontologist and other interesting people who have different experiences from various corners of the globe. Our mission: create an Ark to protect animals. Our location: an island in the Pacific Ocean. But does pollution threaten our project? Will Indie make it to the sub island?

As we move into the next half-term, we help Indie to investigate fossils and study the many strange creatures that he and Dora find there. These creatures are used to create a booklet containing field observations, how to capture a dragon and we will even write our own quest story. At the end of the theme, Indie is in great peril. The children use their knowledge of electricity and their design skills to make rescue helicopters.

A little closer to home, at Quarry Bank Mill, you will experience life as a Victorian apprentice. Working long hours and completing physically demanding jobs was certainly a struggle for many at Samuel Greg’s mill during the 1800s. As you take your place in local history, over two hundred years ago, you will see how Quarry Bank compared with those who endured life in the workhouse. We explore questions such as: What was it like for apprentices at Quarry bank mill? Have working conditions changed today? Where does cotton come from? And how does Fair Trade help workers across the globe?

We will then take you back to the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. With the novel ‘Letters from the Lighthouse’ at the heart of this theme, we explore life in WW2, we consider how the ‘Spirit of the Blitz’ played a key role in keeping Britain moving and supporting the war effort. Mr Potter, our local Air-Raid Precautions Warden and dedicated Billeting Officer, Mrs Eastway, are just two of the characters you will meet along the way who demonstrate an undeniable spirit. We remember members of our own family and their role in the war. We also consider the importance of remembrance and how we can help other children in need.

 As our time at Heyes Lane draws to a close, we think about how to ‘Be The Best Me’ for Year 7 through engaging in our bespoke transition unit. We research our new schools and explord our feelings about moving on. We discuss the myths and facts about our next steps and even learn how to tie our ties. We revisit how to make healthy lifestyle choices and how they can help us in the classroom. We also discuss how to keep safe as our lives become more independent. 

AIMS
Welcome to Year 6. We believe that this is one of the most memorable years of school. Our aim is to complete the primary curriculum in an immersive and engaging way. We also aim to help develop your confidence, resilience and skills as a learner so that you are ready to take the next step to high school.

SCHOOL VALUES
A Connected Environment
We believe that Year 6 is a connected environment where every member of the Year Group Team is valued. We love to work together as a whole year group and take opportunities to hold events that encourage team-building and collaboration. Our residential trip to Robinwood brings us all together and we connect in an experience that will help to develop your ability to take risks and develop your self-confidence. We enjoy seeing the impact of this experience in the classroom and the way that it shapes you as learners.
The Year 6 curriculum is connected through our exciting and immersive themes. Throughout the year, you will have opportunities to connect with different learners and build new relationships. We stay connected at the end of the year to celebrate your time at Heyes Lane through our performance, special events and our bespoke transition unit: ‘Be the Best Me for Year 7′.

A Creative Outlook
We take a creative approach to the Year 6 curriculum which we believe brings your learning to life. Throughout the year, you will meet characters like YPN, the director of the Young People’s Network, Mrs Eastway, the billeting officer and Indiana Stones, an explorer and palaeontologist. They will set you tasks, challenges and provide inspiration for a range of creative writing opportunities.
We also love to take a creative approach to problem solving. This is another skill that is developed at Robinwood in their Dungeon of Doom and Piranha Pool. Back at school, we apply these skills to maths learning, orienteering and to activities like learning relays and escape rooms.

A Positive Mindset
Our first theme of the year is ‘Be the Best Me for Year 6’. This sets the year off to a positive start. We learn how to work with each other, how to stay safe, and the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle. We also set goals for the rest of the year. At the end of the year, we ensure that you feel positive about moving on and reflect on what we achieved in Year 6. Throughout Year 6, we will encourage you to overcome challenges and face your fears. We take inspiration from the lives of people in World War II and reflect on their bravery, courage and positivity.

A Caring Nature
Year 6 is one team and we all care for each other. There’s always a cheery hello in the morning and we love the way that you wish us ‘a good lunch’ and ‘a nice weekend.’ We always show gratitude to each other and value everyone’s efforts.

We show a caring nature across school by looking after younger members of the school community and becoming role models. You will have the opportunity to work with a reception buddy and help and support them through their first year at school.

In our annual Children in Need event, you will also care for the wider community. As part of our World War II theme, we learn about refugees and consider how to care for others and why people may need our help. After finding out about the good causes that Children in Need supports, you will plan your own fundraising stall. For us, a highlight of the year is seeing you helping children across school to play on your stalls and see you working so hard to raise money for others.

An Active Approach
In Year 6, we are active learners who think outside the box and enjoy the challenge of problem solving. We take an active approach to learning through drama; experiences such as our evacuee day; playing maths games; reading relays; and active learning in our school grounds.
We also love being active in our lifestyles and understand the importance of physical exercise. We take regular opportunities to use the school track and enjoy the opportunity to take part in sports events. Our aim is to provide the opportunities for as many of you as possible to represent Heyes Lane and over the years we have been successful in winning a variety of Trafford Sports events.

We love PE! Across the school year, you will have the opportunity to learn a wide variety of
sports. In the autumn term, you take part in Gymnastics, Tag Rugby and Dodgeball. In spring, you Tennise, Tri Golf and Cricket. In the summer term, you will take part in Athletics and Dance. These lessons will give you the opportunity to develop fundamental
skills and learn new ones you can transfer into different disciplines. 

As year six pupils, you have a range of opportunities to represent school in different sports
including football, basketball, orienteering and tag-rugby. We are proud that you can
represent your school and enjoy taking part in a sport you enjoy.

We have a wide range of books available in each class. We love reading and are always happy to recommend books. We also love to hear your recommendations. In addition to class libraries, we have our Year 6 book swap. There are different book swaps across the year that link to our themes. This will enable you to read widely and will empower your writing. Your teacher may also ask you to read pages of your class text and summarise the following day. We would like you to read for around 15 minutes each day.

We believe in the power of practice and know that core skills take time to learn. We set weekly spellings on spelling shed. The words are always linked to our writing and the lists contain words from the Year 5 and 6 word list; spelling rules or patterns; and key vocabulary for our themes. Spellings are also taught in school and the children will be encouraged to apply the words to their writing. Spellings are tested each week and it is important that they are practised regularly at home. We encourage the daily use of TT rockstars to practise times tables. It is important to build speed and be confident with division as well as multiplication. Fluency with times tables will help in many areas of the Year 6 maths curriculum including factors and multiples; prime numbers; and fractions.

We may ask you to complete a pre-learning task before a lesson. This could be to revise an area of learning using BBC Bitesize; to read some information; to look at a video guide; or it could be to answer a selection of questions and self-assess where your learning is up to. It is important that you complete these tasks in preparation for the next lesson.

Throughout the year, we may ask you to research and present information on a person, an animal or an event linked to our theme. We usually give longer for these tasks to be completed and handed in.

Spelling Shed

Learning By Questions

TT Rockstars

My Maths

BBC Bitesize

GHammond (this is a pdf file)