🌟 That's a Wrap! Celebrating a Spectacular Autumn Term! 🎄

What an incredible journey the last few months have been!

We can officially say goodbye to the Autumn Term, and what a fantastic term it was. From the moment we stepped into Year 6, everyone has embraced every challenge with enthusiasm, resilience, and curiosity. We've covered so much ground and it's brilliant to look back at everything we've achieved together. It's time to celebrate all the hard work, amazing progress and fantastic memories made before we enjoy a well-deserved break!

📚 Literacy

This half term, our imaginations have been truly 'fired up' by the incredible book, The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Rauf. Using this powerful story as our foundation, we embarked on a sensitive yet crucial unit exploring the realities faced by refugees. We have worked hard to distinguish between facts and opinions surrounding refugee issues, and we developed a clear, empathetic understanding of terms like migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker, while also tackling the difficult concepts of prejudice and discrimination. Inspired by the main character, Ahmet, we channeled our thoughts and feelings into creating powerful poetry that reflects the journey and emotions of a new child starting school. To put our learning into action, we designed practical and thoughtful information leaflets for our school, providing concrete tips and advice for both children and teachers on how to ensure every new child feels safe, welcomed, and truly included.

⚡ Science & Technology: Codebreakers and Circuits! 🔍

Our Science and Technology investigation, "Can We Send a Coded Message?" was a thrilling mission that required us to become electrical engineers and secret codebreakers!

We began by diving into the history of Morse Code, learning how this system of dots and dashes revolutionised communication. We practised writing our own names and secret messages using the code.

The project then moved from theory to practical application. We became young engineers, first by investigating and testing various materials to predict which ones conduct electricity , and then by building a basic electrical circuit incorporating a buzzer and a switch. We experimented to determine which type of switch—a flick or a push—was most effective for tapping out a Morse Code message quickly and accurately, and we recorded our findings.

The ultimate challenge was to design and build our own functional switch using simple materials. After successfully integrating our custom-made switch into the circuit, we practised sending and receiving coded messages to our friends, improving our speed and accuracy with every attempt!

For an extra challenge, we explored the incredible Enigma Machine and the vital role of its inventor, using its principles to encrypt our messages even further. This project beautifully connected the logical thinking of Alan Turing's era to the electrical and programming concepts we use today!

🏰 Humanities: Bringing WWII History to Life 🎉

Our journey through World War II continued this half term with a series of fascinating missions and deep historical dives. Individual children have pursued their interests, focusing on diverse topics from learning Morse Code to creating wartime songs and exploring the realities of rationing through role play. A particularly moving focus was learning about the life and legacy of Anne Frank, fostering deep reflection on the personal impact of the war.

The learning became incredibly practical as we explored rationing. Children utilised their Maths skills to calculate a weekly food allowance for a family of four, helping them truly understand the scarcity and challenges of the time.

The term culminated in the exciting mission: "Have You Heard the News? Planning an End-of-War Celebration!" This challenge required high levels of empathy and organisation. We listened to Winston Churchill’s historic end-of-war speech and imagined the wave of emotions felt by the public. Taking on the roles of community organisers, the children planned a memorable party, factoring in the continued reality of rationing. They decided on music and songs, designed bunting and flags , and even composed a simple welcoming song for returning war heroes. The project concluded with a special celebration and a reflective diary entry, allowing every child to recount their personal experience of this significant moment in history.

💡 RVE: Exploring Sikh Values and Generosity

This half term, our learning in RVE has focused on the Sikh faith, inspired partly by the characters in the book Mohinder's War. We explored The Golden Rules of Sikhism and what is important when you are Sikh.

Our key discussion centred around the question: "Is 10% a lot to give away?" This topic stemmed from learning how Guru Arjan asked Sikhs to donate 10% of their earnings (Daswandh) to build the Golden Temple in Amritsar and help those in need—a tradition many Sikhs uphold today.

To tackle this question, we became ethical and mathematical thinkers! We first researched the importance of the Golden Temple, then used our Maths skills to calculate 10% of various values, providing a tangible sense of the donation. The children then held insightful discussions, explaining why Guru Arjan encouraged this generosity, and forming their own well-reasoned answers on whether or not 10% is a significant amount to give, explaining their rationale clearly. For our extension challenge, we researched how other faiths give their time and money, highlighting the universal value of charity and supporting the wider community.

🥳 A Term of Triumph and Teamwork!

As the curtains close on the Autumn Term, we couldn't be prouder of everything Year 6 has accomplished. This term has been a true display of resilience, curiosity, and collaboration. From exploring empathy and prejudice through the powerful story of The Boy at the Back of the Class to mastering the art of codebreaking and circuit design in Science, and from planning an immersive WWII victory party to calculating the generosity of Daswandh in RVE, our learning has been diverse, challenging, and deeply meaningful. Every child has contributed brilliantly, developing crucial skills not just in core subjects, but in critical thinking, empathy, and effective teamwork. We wish everyone a wonderful, restful break, and we look forward to seeing what amazing things we achieve together in the New Year!