Prep 6 Curriculum Brief

Spellings will continue to be based on the children’s own targets and focus on Year 5/6 spelling rules. Spelling tests will still be held each week on Thursdays.

Grammar – within our grammar work this term, we are going to continue looking at using devices to build cohesion within a paragraph and think about how we link ideas across paragraphs (using adverbials of time or place, tense choices, repetition of a word or phrase and grammatical connections).  In our non-fiction topic, we will revise how to use a variety of descriptive devices but again focus on layout (e.g. headings, subheadings, columns, bullets, or tables to structure text). In our poetry topic, we will recap poetic devices (rhyming, personification, onomatopoeia, similes/metaphors etc) whilst continuing to develop our vocabulary and try to use words that have a powerful impact on the reader.

We will also refresh our understanding of key grammatical terms (adjectives, verbs, adverbs, adverbial phrases etc) and learn to identify and use new terms – hyperbole and idiom.

Punctuation – we will revise key punctuation learnt in lower KS2 whilst continuing to master the use of semi-colons, colons and brackets, dashes, or commas to indicate parenthesis.

Reading/ Comprehension – in our reading this term we will continue to read our own target books but also read a variety of genres and gain a deeper understanding of different writing styles and widen our vocabulary. We will continue to answer comprehension questions that get us to support answers with evidence from the text and be able to identify key literary devices in our model texts. This term, we will also develop our ability to infer information from fiction texts. This skill becomes harder as our texts become harder – so we will practise this skill using abridged versions of older texts (Treasure Island, Oliver Twist etc).

Creative Writing – During this term, we will start by linking our writing to our history topic and read ‘My Secret War Diary by Flossie Albright’ by Marcia Williams. From this text, we will write a sequence of diary entries related to a specific time in history. If we have time, we will finish our year by studying the poem ‘I am a Cat’ by Jackie Morris. From this, we will create our own, complex acrostic poem.

During the summer term, prep 6 will continue to have weekly times tables tests and a mental maths sessions to improve the children’s fluency of calculation. Main areas of topic work will include the following:

Place Value: rounding, decimals, negative numbers.

Calculation: column addition and subtraction, multi-step problems in context, short and long multiplication, short and long division, four operation puzzles.

Measurement/data handling: missing angles, bar & pie charts, line graphs, linear number sequences, estimations of measurement, means and graphs with results, tessellate 2D shapes, translations rotations and reflections.

Fractions, percentages, ratio, and scaling: multiply and divide decimals, solve ratio problems, find fractions and percentages of money, four operations with fractions.

Our special investigation topics at the end of prep 6 will include:

-Measuring ourselves and what’s around us.

-Problem solving using a calculator.

-Logic puzzles and investigations.

-Large number games and puzzles.

-History of maths.

-Maths in art and nature.

In the first half term Prep 6 will be continuing their learning about evolution and inheritance. This will include finding out about parents, offspring and variation, adaptations in animals and plants, living things and their habitats and the fossil record.

They will then be learning about animals including humans. They will identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood. They will be recognising the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function and describing the ways in which nutrients and water are transported within animals, including humans.

We will continue our work on Trade and Economics, looking at the history of global trade – identifying similarities and differences between trading today and different periods in history. We will discuss the importance of fair trade in detail (in relation to the distribution of energy, food, minerals and water) and discuss the term globalisation (describing an example of a global supply chain).

Prep 6 will then be continuing to learn about World War 1, including what elements led to the start of World War 1, what life was like on the front line, the involvement of animals and what life was like for the people of Britain during World War 1.

They will then be learning about World War II. They will be exploring why the war started, learning about significant key events, explaining how and why the changing role of women was significant to the war effort and finding out key facts about rationing, evacuation and the Holocaust.

We will return to the key verbs être and avoir and start using them more extensively in our written work. We will also be revising possessive adjectives and pronouns. Our vocab will be extended through the continued use of French comprehensions on a variety of subjects from fairy tales to global history.

We learn Latin using Minimus, a Latin course for children, based on the lives of a real Roman family living at Vindolanda. We will be expanding our Latin Vocabulary linked to life at the public baths and trip to the doctor. Grammatically, will focus on Latin adverbs and also be reading the myth of Odysseus and the Cyclops.

During this Summer Term, we will focus on ‘Pentecost’ and how the arrival of the Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles and the early Church.  We shall look at the fellow workers of Paul and how we can continue their work in our own lives. After our half-term break, we will prepare for our leaving assembly and use some time to carefully reflect on our time at St Christopher’s.

This term the class will be creating a graphics project, developing a Logo and designing products for an invented business of their own choice.

End of year performances – both year groups will be focusing on preparing their end of year performance. We will focus on engaging the audience, stage craft and enjoying the role of ‘performer’.
Once the songs are fully learnt, Prep 5 will begin to use their theory knowledge to compose melodies and to write them down using traditional notation. Prep 6 will use their ukulele skills, combined with their poetry writing skills, to compose their own songs.

Due to the exploratory and ‘spontaneous’ approach in this subject, we will often go off in different directions depending on the ideas and interest of the children. And so the formal lesson plans are often deviated from to preserve a flexibility and originality of approach.  New projects often ‘evolve’ from the children’s ideas in the sessions and it is an important part of the approach and style in this subject  to maintain this flexibility and spontaneity.  This generates a feeling with the children that they are going on a ‘journey’ in this subject each term. The formal lesson plans are only intended to be used as a basis and guide to the type of work and projects that are covered and are not intended to be rigidly adhered to.

Weeks 1 – 3 musical instrument designs, design and construction of instruments that can either be plucked, blown or hit. Investigation and experimentation with pitch, tone and sound resonance. Decoration, finishing and testing.

Weeks  4,5 and 6  – Clock Face designs incorporating electronic clock movement. Pupils will consider a theme or style for their clock face, either using a numbers template or their own design for numbers, which will then be cut out of laser plywood and fitted with the clock movement.

Weeks 7, 8 and 9 – mobile sculpture designs using a range of materials, including dowelling, acrylic and plywood.

As part of Enrichment Week the children will be involved with designing and making a ‘wind buggy’ which will be tested by blowing air behind the vehicle and measuring distance travelled. Style and appearance will also be taken into account in assessing the vehicles.

Prep 6 will continue to explore the workings of the UK Parliament. They will decide on motions, and research and prepare presentations to give to the class.

This term the pupils will be completing work on documents and slides in relation to other curriculum subjects. They will be designing a programme in preparation for the school play. They will also look at animated programmes and create a short piece of their own creation.

They will rehearse the school play in the summer term.  They will be learning acting and performance techniques and working with musical theatre.  They will also be learning how to create characters on stage. They will also gain an understanding of how to put a play together including lighting, props and backstage instructions.

Games: Simple cricket/rounders activities, based around limited game situations. The skills involved in catching, throwing, bowling and hitting will be developed. Athletics – to include sprints, hurdles and relays. In field events simple javelin/long jump/high jump (where possible).

P.E: A collection of activities linked to the cricket/rounders sessions. Racket skills linked to tennis and table tennis.

Swimming: Water time will be spent on the development of correct technique and other related activities. All work based on the ASA ‘National Plan for Teaching Swimming’.

Physical health and Mental wellbeing – We will start this term by looking at how we can maintain a balanced lifestyle and how this can help our mental health. We are going to study what affects mental health and ways to take care of it, how to manage change, loss and bereavement.

Keeping safe – We will then refresh our understanding of how to keep personal information safe and look at regulations and choices with specific reference drug use and the law.

Growing and changing – To finish the term we will recap physical and emotional changes in puberty, human reproduction and birth (recap from science), increasing independence, managing transitions and give support with any concerns for moving into secondary school.