Safer Internet Day
LO: I can critically consider sources of online information
During this lesson, we learnt some new vocabulary associated with staying safe online:
- Disinformation – false information shared on purpose
- Misinformation – false information shared by accident
- Hoax – false information made to deliberately deceive
(to help us remember, we linked disinformation with being dishonest and misinformation with mistake).
We read four news articles and shared a WhatsApp message with information about one of more of the stories. The articles were false. I knew the information was false (disinformation) whereas the children were unaware that the articles were hoaxes (misinformation). We highlighted how easy it was to be deceived and share something that was ‘fake news’.
We enjoyed watching the following clip which was released as an April Fools in 2009:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dfWzp7rYR4
LO: I know why it’s important to check with a trusted adult before sharing personal information online
During this lesson, we spoke about personal data being information about us or our activities (name, location, age/date of birth, phone contacts, photographs, likes/dislikes and/or habits)
The apps and websites we use collect our personal data. This article is worth reading regarding personal information:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zwbq7ty
We also watched this short video about why apps and website want your personal data:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/articles/zpvctcw
Help at home – revisit the links with your child. Can they talk to you about how to stay safe online? Why is it important to speak to a trusted adult? Who are their trusted adults?
Science – thermal insulators
In science, we’ve been testing materials based on their ability to insulate heat. We did this because we received a letter from King Charles asking for a hot cup of tea. We tested three materials: tin foil, fabric and polyester wadding.
During the testing, we worked safely and sensibly, ensuring we recorded results accurately. Once we had completed the testing phase, we presented our results in the form of a line graph.
There were many scientific elements of this lesson that were important to consider: independent, dependent, controlled variables, working safely and ensuring we tested fairly.
Help at home – speak to your child about the experiment they carried out. Can they tell you which variable was the independent/dependent/controlled variable? What did they find? Can you replicate the experiment at home?
Reading records
It has been great to see that children are reading at home with an adult and having their reading records signed. Some of the work completed in reading records is fantastic! Children have been really creative and have been completing pieces based on the work we have been doing in class; demonstrating their enjoyment of the texts covered in school.
Here are some examples of work completed in reading records over the last two weeks:
Help at home – please aim to hear your child read at home on a weekly basis.
Living and Learning
I know the importance of the emergency services.
Our children were incredible at naming all the emergency services (police, ambulance, fire service, coastguard, mountain rescue and lowland rescue) during our Living and Learning lesson this week. We know that we can call either 999 or 112 in an emergency.
We watched an array of videos that helped us to understand what to do should someone we know get injured and require medical help. Afterwards, we then watched a short video about what happens when we make an emergency call and what questions to expect. It was at this point, we spoke about the importance of knowing our full home address. The children found this useful; we made it clear that this isn’t something that happens regularly but it’s good to be ready (which is one of our school rules).
Help at home – does your child know their full home address?
Maths
In maths, this week, we’ve been delving a bit deeper with our division. After much practice and head scratching, I feel our Year 6 have (dare I say) ‘mastered’ long division by two-digits. I am very proud of their understanding and their perseverance with this.
We have also been learning about how to divide with a remainder and a decimal quotient.
The children have then applied their new learning and began to answer reasoning questions like this one:
Help at home – Can your child explain how we interpret remainders? Can they talk you through how we would answer the questions above? When is it important to give a quotient as a decimal not with a remainder?
RE
Our RE topic this half term is How do Buddhists live a meaningful life?
In our first lesson, children described happiness and reflected on the happiness and contentment in their own lives. Firstly, we learned about the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) promise.
We then listened to two songs: Don’t Worry be Happy by Bobby McFerrin and Happy by Pharrell Williams.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxln1IiyKls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZSe6N_BXs
We thought about how the beat made us feel and the songwriter’s message to the listener.
Finally, we wrote down things that make us feel happy and contented. We wrote these down on leaves to create our own Year 6 happiness tree.
In our second lesson, we described different types of suffering and how it may be overcome. We learned that in Buddhist belief and practice, suffering is not just tragic events caused by natural, accidental or deliberate events; suffering is also about little things that mean life is not quite perfect.
We discussed different examples of suffering and possible causes. We then considered what could be done to potentially overcome the suffering.
Next week, we will explore how Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) searched for the answer to suffering.
Living and Learning
I know why Individual Liberty and Respect and Tolerance are important
In our Living and Learning lessons, we have been focusing on the British values: rule of law, democracy, respect and tolerance and individual liberty. Find out more here: https://50ba64cf42aa5ce33ed5ffd3ca44503c-11586.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/stjames/find-out/british-values/
This week, our focus was on respect and tolerance and individual liberty.
To help us understand individual liberty, we watched ‘We are all born free’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9_IvXFEyJo
We then answered these questions:
- We are all free to do what we want but this must be within the law. What would happen if everyone just did their own thing?
- What do we have the right to?
- We have the responsibility to…
Whilst we have individual liberty as one of our British values, we need to ensure we are showing respect and tolerance of others.
Why is this important?
What would our country be like if people didn’t show this?
Help at home: Can your child tell you the British values and what they stand for? Discuss the questions together.
Happy New Year
I hope you’ve all had a wonderful and restful break.
Here are some important information for the Spring term:
Things to remember each week:
PE – Wednesday and Friday
Reading records – Friday
Spelling test – Friday
Arithmetic check – Friday
Important dates this half-term
Watch us while we work – Wednesday 14th January 9.00 – 9.30am. The focus of this session will be Feelings First and Reading.
Staying Safe Online (parents’ Zoom meeting) – Monday 19th January 6.00 – 6.30 pm.
Parent-Teacher Meetings – Tuesday 10th February and Thursday 12th February.
Our learning this half term
- Reading – Our class novel this term is Viking Boy by Tony Bradman
- Writing – Persuasive writing and Discussion.
- Spelling – See the weekly homework sheet for details of the words we will be focussing on.
- Maths – We are focussing on multiplication and division. Leading into fractions later in the term.
- History – We’ll be exploring the key historical concepts of trade, invasion and innovation through our study of the Vikings and the Early Islamic Civilisation.
- PE – Dodgeball.
- RE – Our topic is How do Buddhists live a meaningful life?
Happy Christmas
What an amazing term we have had in Year 6. The children are making lots of progress and enjoying what they are learning. They are making me proud, each day, with the hard work they are putting in.
Thank you for all your support since September and I wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas and 2026.
Best wishes
Mr Kilner
PE
During this busy time of year, we often have to get creative with our lessons. Today, the KS1 children were using the hall to rehearse for the Nativity next week. We had a blast playing a combination of tennis and padel in the classroom. The children were able to demonstrate control and a delicate touch. In addition, we made sensible decisions with our choice of shot.
We had such fun.
We ended with a quiet meditation to finish the week with a positive mindset.
