After a fantastic first term in Primary 6, the children have returned from the October Week full of enthusiasm and ready to embrace the exciting opportunities and challenges that Term 2 has in store. Their commitment to learning continues to shine across all areas of the curriculum. Throughout Term 1, the children displayed a positive attitude and embraced a growth mindset. It’s been wonderful to see their independence and sense of responsibility flourish as the children begin to take greater ownership of their learning.
Our Learning So Far
Literacy
The children have been engaging with the Active Literacy spelling programme. They have been exploring root words alongside prefixes and suffixes, focusing on both their meanings and spellings. The children are also applying a range of spelling strategies to tackle common and tricky words, while learning to identify and differentiate between homophones and other commonly confused words. In addition, some children have been investigating phoneme families and discovering the different ways the same sound can be represented. In reading, the class have been applying the comprehension strategies to a wide range of non-fiction texts linked to their IDL topic, Sustainability. They have recorded notes in different formats by listening to and watching audio-visual texts. Working in pairs and groups, the children have extracted key ideas from written texts by using tools such as the contents page, glossary and index to locate important information. They showed great enthusiasm when using the Digital Den to carry out independent research with reliable websites and enjoyed applying their design skills to present their findings in creative and engaging ways. In writing, the children have been developing their character and setting descriptions by applying their grammar knowledge to include powerful adjectives and adverbs. These rich vocabulary choices are helping to bring their stories to life and make their writing more vivid and engaging. As a proud Reading School, we’re committed to nurturing a lifelong love of books and celebrating reading as a central part of our learning journey. Our children have thoroughly enjoyed choosing and reading books for pleasure in the school library, where their enthusiasm for stories continues to grow with every visit.
Maths and Numeracy
In Maths and Numeracy, the children have deepened their understanding of place value by exploring the value of digits up to 100,000. They’ve practised reading, partitioning, and writing these large numbers in different ways, and have confidently compared and ordered numbers within this range. This week, they’ve enjoyed diving into their new topic, Multiplication and Division, through a variety of fun and interactive activities designed to build fluency and accuracy with times tables, helping them tackle related problems with confidence. During Number Talks, learners have grown more assured in using a range of addition strategies and applying them to differentiated chilli challenges. Many have shown great skill in explaining their thinking and sharing strategies with their peers. The focus this week has shifted to subtraction, where the children have been introduced to the ‘Adding Up’ strategy and are beginning to use a range of mental methods with increasing confidence.
Learning across the curriculum
As part of their IDL topic Sustainability, Primary 6 have been developing a deeper understanding of the environmental challenges facing our world today. They began by investigating the role of fossil fuels, learning about how they are formed, their widespread use and the negative impact they have on the planet. Building on this, the children explored renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and hydro power, discussing why these alternatives are vital for a more sustainable future. Climate change was another key focus, with pupils researching its causes and effects through a variety of sources including audio-visual materials, written texts and reliable websites. Working in pairs and small groups, the children recorded detailed notes in different formats and used these to create extended pieces of writing, such as information reports and explanation texts. They also applied their digital skills to design PowerPoint presentations, showcasing their findings in creative and informative ways. This cross-curricular learning has helped them build research, collaboration and communication skills while developing a strong awareness of their role in protecting the environment.
In Health and Wellbeing, Primary 6 have been learning about emotions through the Emotion Works programme. They’ve developed a strong understanding of how emotions connect to body sensations, behaviours, and triggers, and have expanded their vocabulary when discussing how they feel. The class also explored the concept of Growth Mindset, identifying their own strengths and areas for development. Many pupils were able to reflect on how different mindsets influence their learning and progress. As part of their learning, the children discussed what makes an effective teacher and created thoughtful descriptions of their ‘perfect teacher’. They also enjoyed investigating the Iceberg Illusion, identifying the hidden qualities such as effort, perseverance, and resilience that contribute to success.
In P.E, the children been working hard to improve their fitness and stamina through a variety of athletics and football activities. They took part in the bleep test, challenging themselves to pace their movement and build endurance. The high jump was a particular favourite, as they challenged themselves to improve their technique, coordination and confidence with each attempt. Relay races brought out their competitive spirit, and it was lovely to see them encouraging one another and showing great teamwork. In football, the children have been developing their dribbling, passing and shooting skills with growing control and accuracy. They’ve shown strong team spirit during small-sided games, working cooperatively and using effective communication to support one another on the pitch.
In RE, Primary 6 began by learning about the liturgical colours used throughout the Church year, exploring their meanings and the key dates and seasons they represent. They have since been learning about the concept of Covenant and its importance in the relationship between God and His people. Through key stories from the Old Testament such as Noah, Abraham, and Moses, the children have explored how these covenants were formed and what they reveal about faith, trust and commitment. They have reflected on the promises made by God and the responsibilities taken on by His people, making thoughtful connections to their own values and choices. This learning has helped deepen their understanding of God’s love and guidance throughout scripture.
The children recently enjoyed their second Skills Academy, which focused on developing the meta skill of integrity. Through engaging activities in Design and Manufacture, Creativity, Community, Life Skills and Food Technology, the children explored what it means to act in a way that is honest, fair and true to their values. They practised communicating in different ways, listened to others’ stories and viewpoints and reflected on how their actions can affect those around them. The sessions encouraged kindness, curiosity and self-awareness, helping the children recognise and celebrate both their own uniqueness and that of others.
