Welcome to the Year 6 Mathematics overview for this term! This period is a pivotal one as we bridge the gap between primary arithmetic and the more abstract reasoning required for secondary school.

Below is a breakdown of our core units, aligned with the National Curriculum objectives.

1. Algebra

This is often the most exciting (and slightly daunting) leap for Year 6. We move from using empty boxes in equations to using symbols and letters to represent variables.

• Linear Number Sequences: Expressing missing number problems algebraically.

• Formulae: Using simple formulae to solve mathematical problems.

• Equations: Finding pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns.

• Generalising: Enumerating possibilities of combinations of two variables.

2. Measurement: Perimeter, Area, and Volume

We shift our focus from 2D shapes to 3D spaces, learning how to quantify the world around us with more precision.

• Perimeter: Calculating the perimeter of composite rectilinear shapes.

• Area: Recognising that shapes with the same areas can have different perimeters and vice versa. We will also learn the specific formulae for the area of parallelograms and triangles

• Volume: Introducing the third dimension. Students will calculate the volume of cubes and cuboids using standard units, including cubic centimetres and cubic metres.

3. Statistics

This unit focuses on how we interpret and represent data visually to draw meaningful conclusions.

• Pie Charts: Connecting fractions and percentages to circle graphs. Students will learn to interpret and construct pie charts to represent data sets.

• Line Graphs: Using line graphs to solve comparison, sum, and difference problems.

• The Mean: Understanding the "mean" as an average. We will practice calculating the mean by dividing the total sum of a data set by the number of items in that set.

This term in English, children will write a short biography around a famous person of their choosing. Children will learn about the following features:

1. Title and Introduction

2. Written in the Third Person

3. Chronological Order

Events are organised in time order, often with paragraphs for different stages of life.

4. Paragraphs with Subheadings

Helps organise information clearly.

5. Formal Tone

More formal than story writing.

6. Past Tense

Most biographies describe events that already happened.

7. Use of Time Connectives

To show chronology.

8. Factual Information

9. Expanded Noun Phrases

To add detail.

10. Relative Clauses

Common Year 6 grammar feature.

11. Parenthesis

Extra information using:

• brackets ( )

• dashes – –

• commas

12. Concluding Paragraph

Summarises the person’s importance.

Our next writing topic is based around the picture book 'The Arrival' - children will create a short narrative based around the pictures in this story book.

Key Features of a Year 6 Short Narrative

1. Engaging Opening

The story should begin in a way that grabs the reader’s attention.

2. Clear Story Structure

Most short narratives follow a simple structure:

1. Opening / Introduction – introduce characters and setting

2. Build-up – tension or problem begins

3. Climax – the most exciting or dramatic moment

4. Resolution – the problem is solved or the story ends

3. Paragraphs

4. Descriptive Language

Use vocabulary that helps the reader imagine the scene.

5. Show, Not Tell

Instead of simply stating emotions, show them through actions or description.

6. Dialogue

Characters speak to each other to move the story forward.

7. Figurative Language

To make writing more vivid.

8. Sentence Variety

Use different sentence types:

• Short sentences for tension

• Longer sentences for description

9. Cohesive Devices

Words that link ideas and events.

10. Correct Punctuation

Expected Year 6 punctuation includes:

• Capital letters and full stops

• Commas

• Speech punctuation

• Apostrophes

• Brackets or dashes for extra information

11. Strong Ending

 

In this unit, pupils will learn about how the body keeps animals and humans alive and healthy by exploring the circulatory system and the effects of exercise. Building on their previous learning about digestion and food, pupils will discover how nutrients and oxygen are transported around the body and why keeping our bodies active and healthy is important.

Pupils will begin by learning about factors that improve or negatively impact a person’s health. They will discuss healthy lifestyle choices and suggest ways to improve someone’s wellbeing. The class will then explore the circulatory system, learning that it is made up of the heart and blood vessels which transport blood around the body. Pupils will understand that the heart acts as a pump, pushing blood through the body, and will learn about the pathway blood takes as it travels through the heart twice during one complete circuit.

The unit will also focus on the important functions of blood, including transporting oxygen, water and nutrients to different parts of the body. Pupils will learn what heart rate means and investigate how it changes during different types of exercise. They will observe what happens to heart rate during and after exercise and compare sets of heart rate data to identify links between heart rate and fitness.

Pupils will also explore patterns in the animal kingdom by researching the masses of different animals and comparing these with their heart rates. They will identify patterns between an animal’s size and its heart rate and use evidence to support their conclusions.

Throughout the unit, pupils will develop their working scientifically skills. They will evaluate the reliability of health advice from different sources, assess scientific models such as a model of blood by identifying strengths and weaknesses, and suggest improvements. Pupils will compare class data, recognise when values do not match expected patterns, and use identified patterns to predict new values.

They will also plan and carry out their own investigations by writing clear methods, selecting appropriate equipment and variables, and measuring results accurately. Pupils will present their findings using line graphs, choosing suitable titles, axis labels and units, and plotting data points clearly.

By the end of the unit, pupils will have a deeper understanding of how the circulatory system works, how exercise affects the body, and how scientists collect, analyse and evaluate data to answer questions about health and living things.

In this Design and Technology unit, pupils will explore electrical systems by designing and making their own steady hand game. Throughout the unit, pupils will learn how products are designed for a purpose and how electrical components can be used to create a simple working game.

Pupils will begin by learning about the concepts of form and function. They will explore how the shape and appearance of a product (form) relate to how it works (function). By looking at existing children’s toys, pupils will discuss what they like and dislike about different designs and explain their reasons. They will also learn about the skills children develop through play and use this understanding to carry out a short survey of one or more toys.

Next, pupils will investigate how a steady hand game works. They will identify and explore the key components needed to make the game, including the electrical circuit that allows the buzzer or light to activate when the wire loop touches the course.

Using their research and understanding, pupils will develop their own design for a steady hand game. They will create design criteria and communicate their ideas through a range of drawings, including four different perspectives to show how their product will look and work.

During the making stage, pupils will construct a secure base for their game, ensuring their work is accurate and neatly finished. They will then build and test a simple electrical circuit and carefully assemble it within their game case so that the product functions as intended.

By the end of the unit, pupils will have experienced the full design process: investigating, designing, making and evaluating. They will have developed practical making skills, gained an understanding of simple electrical systems, and created their own functioning steady hand game.

 

In this Geography unit, pupils will explore where energy comes from, why it is important, and how it is transported and used in the United Kingdom and around the world. Pupils will develop their understanding of the role energy plays in everyday life and consider how energy production and transport affect people and places.

Pupils will begin by learning about the significance of energy and why it is essential for homes, transport, industry and technology. They will identify and describe a range of energy sources and explore how energy resources are traded and transported along global routes.

The unit will introduce the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Pupils will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of different types of energy, considering factors such as sustainability, environmental impact and reliability. They will also think carefully about where energy sources are located and justify why certain locations are suitable for energy production.

As part of developing their geographical skills, pupils will learn about the importance of the Prime Meridian and how it helps us locate places around the world. They will practise identifying human features using digital maps and develop their map-reading skills by locating major UK cities.

Pupils will also explore how transport links have changed over time and how these changes have affected the movement of energy resources and people. They will build their fieldwork and mapping skills by using six-figure grid references to identify features on an Ordnance Survey map and by plotting points on a sketch map.

To deepen their understanding of how energy is used locally, pupils will design and use interview questions to gather information from others. They will then present and interpret the information they collect.

By the end of the unit, pupils will have a stronger understanding of where energy comes from, how it is transported, and the challenges and choices involved in meeting the world’s energy needs. They will also develop important geographical skills including map reading, data collection and interpreting information.

In this Computing unit, pupils will be introduced to the programming language Python and develop their understanding of how computer programs are created, tested and improved. Pupils will learn how to write simple code, explore how instructions control what a computer does, and understand how programmers develop and refine their ideas.

Pupils will begin by learning how to create and run simple Python programs. They will explore how programmers often iterate their ideas, testing and improving their code throughout the process. As they develop their programs, pupils will practise explaining what their code does and how different commands affect the outcome.

During the unit, pupils will learn how to use loops in Python to repeat instructions efficiently. They will explore the different parts of a loop and explain how loops help make programs shorter and more effective. Pupils will also investigate nested loops, understanding why two repeat structures may be needed to create more complex designs.

As part of their learning, pupils will write code to draw and modify a house design using Python commands. They will adapt and improve their code, adding comments to explain what different parts of the program do and demonstrate their understanding.

Pupils will also learn that computers can generate random numbers, and they will explore how this can be used within a program. They will practise decomposing a program into a clear algorithm, helping them understand how complex programs are built from smaller steps. Using this knowledge, pupils will modify and personalise programs to create their own versions.

By the end of the unit, pupils will have developed confidence in writing and adapting Python code. They will understand how programmers test, debug and improve their work, and they will have gained important computational thinking skills such as decomposition, iteration and algorithmic thinking.

 

In this RSHE unit, pupils will explore how their bodies change as they grow, how to stay safe and healthy, and how to respond in emergency situations. The unit also encourages pupils to think critically about information they see online and how their behaviour can affect others.

Pupils will begin by learning about decision-making and health, including why some adults choose to drink alcohol while others decide not to. They will discuss how different choices can affect health and wellbeing and consider the importance of making informed decisions.

The unit also focuses on online safety and media awareness. Pupils will learn how to check whether a news story is real and understand that not everything online is reliable. They will discuss how to behave responsibly online and consider the impact that negative behaviour, comments or messages can have on others.

As part of learning about growing up, pupils will explore the changes that take place during puberty and understand that these changes are a normal part of development. They will learn about the menstrual cycle and understand that both a male and a female are needed to conceive a baby. Pupils will also learn about how a baby develops in the womb and some of the care and needs a baby has during the first months of life.

The unit also develops important first aid and safety skills. Pupils will learn how to recognise when someone is choking and understand how to respond, including how to give appropriate first aid and when to seek medical help. They will also learn how to carry out a primary survey to assess a casualty, how to place someone who is unresponsive but breathing normally into the recovery position, and when it may be necessary for CPR to be given.

By the end of the unit, pupils will have developed a better understanding of how their bodies change, how to stay safe both online and offline, and how to respond calmly and responsibly in emergency situations.

In this Religious Education unit, pupils will learn about Sikhism, one of the world’s major religions. They will explore Sikh beliefs, important leaders, sacred texts and places of worship, as well as the values that guide Sikh communities.

Pupils will begin by learning that Sikhism is a religion and that its followers are called Sikhs. They will explore the core Sikh belief in one God, who is the creator of all things and cares for all of humanity. Pupils will learn that Sikh teachings emphasise that a person’s actions are more important than religious labels, encouraging kindness, honesty and service to others.

The unit will introduce Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and explore how his teachings shaped the Sikh faith. Pupils will also learn that there have been ten Gurus who guided the Sikh community. The final human Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, declared that there would be no more human Gurus after him and that the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture, should be followed as the spiritual guide for Sikhs.

Pupils will learn about the Guru Granth Sahib and understand why it is treated with great respect both in the Gurdwara (the Sikh place of worship) and in Sikh homes. They will also explore how Guru Gobind Singh gave Sikhs a distinctive identity through the Five Ks, special symbols that show commitment to the Sikh faith.

The unit will also explore the importance of the Gurdwara as a place of worship and a community centre. Pupils will learn about Sikh beliefs in equality, including the equal roles of men and women in worship and community life. They will also discover the tradition of Langar, the shared meal served in the Gurdwara where free food is provided to anyone who is hungry, regardless of background, race or religion.

By the end of the unit, pupils will have developed an understanding of Sikh beliefs, practices and values, particularly the importance of equality, community and helping others.