Welcome to Year 6!

15th November 2024

On the Rhode(s)

We have begun this half-term with our new topic on colonialism, focusing on the British Empire and particularly on infamous local figure, Cecil Rhodes. We kicked things off by beginning to understand how inequalities begin and can be magnified by playing the Dictator Game. In this game, groups were asked to create various coloured shapes to sell to a mysterious boss. However, our groups soon learnt that some started with more useful resources than others, and when the rules changed, it changed the fortunes of many! We then related this to the real world by studying the East India Company and its role in the origins of the British Empire. Using our class book, The Rabbits, by John Marsden, we started to explore the significant impacts of Empire on indigenous communities.

To bring our learning to life, we received a visit from the South Mill Arts Centre, who taught us more about Rhodes' rise to power in South Africa, and explained how he went from opportunistic entrepreneur to cheating and tricking his way to controlling huge swathes of land in Africa. The children impressed us all with their understanding of complex topics and their ability to connect the dots between the colonisation of Africa, India, and Australia. Staff and volunteers from South Mill praised the children's curiosity, enthusiasm, and exemplary behaviour.

Thank you for all your support in making this visit possible—this experience was invaluable for the children’s learning journey!

Last week, we also celebrated French Day in true bleu, blanc, et rouge style! Students dressed up in the French colours of red, white, and blue, bringing a splash of Parisian spirit to Summercroft! Our day was filled with French-inspired activities, and a highlight was creating Seurat-inspired pointillism paintings of the famous lavender fields of Provence. The children put great effort into mastering the technique of dot painting, as well as drawing on our perspective drawing from Arts Week, creating some beautiful artwork that captured the essence of France's iconic countryside.

25th October 2024

Green Light to Get Off the Island!

Last week, in a thrilling end to our island survival adventure, the children showcased all they’ve learned in this term’s topic. They impressed everyone by independently presenting their knowledge through hands-on, engaging activities to parents. We are proud to announce that thanks to their efforts, we have been "rescued" from our desert island and are safely back at school—just in time for half-term!

During Arts Week, we immersed ourselves in the theme of green. The children explored its various associations—calmness, nature, and even envy! Through our focus poem, The Jealous Ones, we delved into our darker sides, which led to a menacing and powerful performance at the Poetry Slam. On the artistic side, the children mixed paints to create tints, tones, and shades of green, which they used to paint stunning Hockney-inspired landscapes.

11th October 2024

Stepping Up in Year 6 

The children have taken the responsibilities of Year 6 in their stride recently, with a range of opportunities to employ their independence and teamwork, which they have done with gusto. 

Last week, we had an amazing two days with Duncan from Let’s Get Out, learning invaluable survival skills! The children filtered water using items they might find on a deserted island, started fires, and built stable shelters. They even learned how to navigate using the sun to find East and West without a compass—skills that would make any explorer proud!

The children were also fantastic hosts at our Macmillan Coffee morning last week. Thank you for being so supportive; together we raised an impressive £509.62 for this important cause. Your generosity truly made the event a success!

Alongside all this, the children have undergone the interviews for responsibility and have been busy preparing for our end-of-topic presentation next week. On top of that, rehearsals for the Harvest Festival are in full swing. 

The children have shown great maturity throughout our recent learning, and we know that with this hard work, and their new responsibilities, they’ll make themselves—and us—proud.

20 September 2024

Stranded Savages 

The children had an interesting start to Year 6, as they kicked off the term stranded on a deserted island for our Survivors topic! 

After creating an initial survival plan based on the rule of three, we have started to hone essential survival skills to live on the island and, hopefully, escape! Our First Aid workshop taught us techniques for keeping ourselves and others safe, while our food preservation experiment ensured we know how to keep our supplies safe and healthy.  We've got a lot left to learn if we are going to escape the island successfully. Watch this space!

In English, we’ve started our new book, The Savage. The children have been delving into its complex emotions and ideas with impressive maturity. Their thoughtful discussions and insightful observations have proven that they are more than ready for the challenges of Year 6.

We are also thrilled to see so many students stepping up and applying for positions of responsibility. Their enthusiasm for taking on new roles and contributing to our school community is fantastic to see and an excellent sign of what is to come over the year. 

It has been a fantastic start to the year, marked by maturity, responsibility, and a spirit of adventure. We are excited about what’s to come! Thank you for your support already. Here’s to a successful year ahead!