CURRICULUM SUMMARY
YEAR 6
INTRODUCTION TO THE CURRICULUM
I hope you will find that the information in this Handbook provides you with a helpful view of what your child will be studying this year and our academic expectations for them. I have no doubt that there will be many issues that are not covered here as fully as some might like and if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us about them. The Form Teacher is probably the best person to speak to over minor matters and acts as a liaison person if there are other members of staff you would like to speak to. At the heart of our Curriculum is the belief that all pupils are entitled to a broadly balanced education in a stimulating learning environment in order to prepare them for the future. Children will be exposed to a wide variety of learning opportunities during their time at Junior King’s and they will be given individual encouragement to develop their interests and skills to the full. We believe that school days and the educational discoveries they make here should be fun and stimulating. We expect our children to always try their best, to put in good effort, and to take increasing responsibility for their own progress; help, support and encouragement are given in good measure. Above all, the children respond positively to the intellectual, physical, social and spiritual challenges presented to them. Parents are always most welcome in school and your support at home for the work we do is essential to the progress of every child.
HOME-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION It is crucial to our success that channels of communication between home and school are clear and that parents feel confident in using them. The cycle of half term assessments, written reports and staff-parent meetings/interviews establishes the framework within which a child’s progress is monitored and discussed. It is important that all parents should feel able to have access to the staff and appointments can be arranged after school through the school office. However, we encourage parents not to linger in the morning, other than to pass on necessary information for the day. Parents are, wherever possible, encouraged to make use of the many other informal opportunities for discussion that exist throughout the School.
FUTURE SCHOOLING Junior King’s sends most of its pupils to the Senior King’s School although this is not exclusively the case and parents should not regard the transfer to be automatic. We will take time to advise and assist parents in finding the school which will best suit their child and in which their child will therefore thrive. Parents should be assured that they do not need to have made a final decision over their child’s transfer to any given senior school until Years 6 or 7. As we approach the School’s entry examinations, it is wise to review, with the Head, the suitability of the chosen school. We keep clear records of declared future schooling choices and regularly review each pupil’s performance in the light of his/her ultimate target.
ASSESSMENT A pupil’s performance is carefully monitored throughout the year. Continuous assessment, through classroom work, tests, exercises and prep marks, provides important sources of information for reporting. Regular staff discussions of individual pupils enable staff to track individual progress and concerns may be discussed with the pupil, through the Form Teacher, or Senior Academic Staff (Mr Lapthorn/Mr Stonier). Parents are informed of any significant difficulty of which we are aware and invited to discuss the possible ways forward. A Work Support Card may be used when it is considered helpful to monitor a child’s performance lesson by lesson. The card also acts as a means of communication with home. Teacher assessments of a pupil’s progress are discussed with parents at parents’ meetings. School examinations complement teacher assessment by providing another measure of a pupil’s progress over an extended period of time.
PREP Prep is given to encourage pupils to work on their own, to exercise self-discipline in their approach to learning and will provide an opportunity for further development of skills and knowledge. We fully recognise and encourage the invaluable role played by parents in supporting good work at home and promoting prep as a positive activity. However, there should be a weaning process as the child grows older, and it is helpful, as part of the development of independent work habits, to let the child learn that unfinished or poorly completed prep may result in a sanction at school with staff concerned. The child needs to learn that it is their responsibility and that they will have to account for any shortcomings in school.
AEN/LEARNING SUPPORT Junior King’s is committed to meeting the needs of all pupils. General, or ‘Quality First Teaching’, describes inclusive teaching which takes into account the learning needs of all in the classroom. It is achieved through appropriate differentiation through curriculum planning, learning tasks and teaching strategies. This approach is the best way to reduce from the start the number of pupils who need extra help with their learning. However, some pupils have learning needs which need more targeted and specific provision. The AEN Department at Junior King’s, co-ordinated by Mrs Emma McCoubrie (SENCo), has specialist staff, trained and qualified to recognise, assess and implement support plans for these pupils, throughout the age and ability range. The Department also has strong links with external agencies, such as the KCC Specialist Teaching Service (STS), educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. Parental involvement is an important part of the process. If any parent is concerned about their child’s progress, they are encouraged to discuss this with their child’s Form Teacher. Mrs Mc Coubrie is also available to speak to should you have any concerns.
ENGLISH Year 6 will follow an integrated programme of speaking and listening, reading and writing broadly following the National Curriculum. Setting is introduced for the first time – based initially on performance in the Year 5 exams and on the recommendations of Year 5 teachers. During Key Stage 2, pupils learn to change the way they speak and write to suit different purposes and audiences. They read a range of texts and respond to different layers of meaning in them, taking into account the cultural context within which the text was created. They explore the use of language in literary and non-literary texts and learn how language works. Work in speaking and listening, reading and writing is integrated. Pupils in this year broadly follow the National Curriculum. The range of genres covered includes: • classic fiction • poetry and drama by long established authors • longer established stories and novels set within a specific historical context, e.g. World War I • a range of poetic forms • performance poetry • Texts by authors and poets from other cultural backgrounds • autobiography and biography • diaries • letters • anecdotes • journalistic writing • non-chronological reports • discussion texts • formal writing • Shakespeare
A PARENTS’ GUIDE TO READING Children should: • read silently for sustained periods • read a wider and more challenging range of books for their own interest from a variety of different times and cultures, for pleasure and for information • begin to identify their preferences and give reasons for their likes and dislikes • take part in discussions about their individual reading and about books they have shared • identify key features, themes and characters from the texts they read, increasingly using inference and deduction (reading between the lines) • adopt a regular reading pattern
Teachers will: • read regularly with pupils, with groups and with the whole class • encourage discussion of books read • encourage pupils to extend the range of their individual reading, to include texts that are both classic and contemporary and cover writers from different cultures • make quality time available for silent reading within the class schedule • ensure that pupils are taught to evaluate the texts they have read • create opportunities for pupils to read for different purposes and teach appropriate strategies – ie skimming to gain an overall impression, scanning to locate information and detailed reading to obtain specific information • continue to monitor individual progress
Parents can: • demonstrate an enthusiastic, personal response to books and reading • help their child to create regular, quality reading ‘space’ in an increasingly busy schedule • share in their child’s reading through discussion…what did you like best?...what do you think will happen next?... etc • encourage visits to the local library
MATHEMATICS Teaching continues to take place in sets. Pupils cover common areas of work but are, where appropriate, moved on from Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum. The carefully differentiated teaching of Number, Algebra, Shape and Space, Using and Applying Mathematics and Handling Data remains, as in previous years, at the core of the Year 6 work. Mainly number, arithmetic and algebra are covered in the first part of the academic year, with geometry, co-ordinate geometry, data handling and simple probability theory accounting for the remainder of the time available Listed below is a summary of the entire Common Entrance syllabus at its basic level and this is taught as a minimum to all pupils. However, the mathematics curriculum at JKS is not restricted to this and teaching beyond the syllabus, essential for the scholars, is undertaken where appropriate thus fostering the development of the full potential of all pupils.
Number and Algebra Pupils • will multiply and divide whole numbers by 10 or 100 • use mental methods of computation with the four operations for solving problems • recall multiplication facts up to 12 x 12 and quick derivation of corresponding division facts • use written methods of addition and subtraction and of short multiplication (two digit by two digit numbers) and division by a single digit whole number • add and subtract decimals to two places and order decimals to three places • reflect on whether they have written a sensible answer when solving problems with or without a calculator • recognise parts of a whole and use simple fractions and percentages to describe these • recognise and describe number patterns, and relationships including multiple, factor and square • begin to use simple formulae expressed in words Using and Applying Mathematics Pupils • present information and results in a clear and organised way • are developing their own strategies for solving problems and are using these strategies both in working within mathematics and in applying mathematics to practical contexts • search for a solution by trying out ideas of their own Shape, Space and Measures Pupils • reflect simple shapes in a mirror line • make 3-D mathematical models by linking given faces or edges, draw common 2-D shapes in different orientations on grids • choose and use appropriate units and instruments, interpreting, with appropriate accuracy, numbers on a range of measuring instruments • find perimeters of simple shapes and find areas by counting squares
Handling Data Pupils • collect discrete data and record it using a frequency table • understand and use the mode and range to describe sets of data • group data, where appropriate, in equal class intervals, represent collected data in frequency diagrams and interpret such diagrams • construct and interpret simple line graphs • use and interpret coordinates in the first quadrant
SCIENCE Science in Year 6 consolidates the investigative and analytical skills which the pupils encountered last year, and extends their planning and data handling abilities. Investigations are included wherever appropriate, and students also learn from demonstrations or personal research. Pupils will study the following topics this year: • adapting and surviving • microbes • dissolving • changing circuits • forces around us • evolution and inheritance • how we see things Pupils will learn to: • adopt safe practice in a laboratory environment • recognise and make appropriate use of data and scientific vocabulary • use measuring instruments to obtain accurate and appropriate data • understand the adaptation of living things to specific habitats • classify living organisms and use keys • describe feeding relationships and basic food chains • describe forces, structures and machines, as well as fuels, energy sources and the generation of electricity • recap on the work covered in previous years • build simple electrical circuits and develop their understanding of electricity
FRENCH French continues to be taught by a specialist language teacher. Although the emphasis is upon developing speaking and listening skills, a fair amount of supported reading and writing activities are also undertaken individually in Dynamo 1. Topic areas covered at this level include: • places and directions • time • clothes • School subjects and routines • Objects in the class • School facilities • food and drink • leisure activities
SPANISH Pupils continue to be taught by specialist teachers of Spanish. There is an emphasis upon introducing and exploiting language orally, whilst the continued development of listening skills is supported by the use of audio and video material, and reading and writing skills are extended with relevant materials. Pupils will continue using Viva 1. Topic areas introduced or extended at this level include: • personal information • numbers to 100 • dates and the time • school (material, subjects and timetable) • leisure activities • likes and dislikes • School descriptions • Daily routine • places in town • describing your town/city • Directions
FRENCH & SPANISH BILINGUAL PUPILS We offer a French and Spanish bilingual programme that enables pupils to have lessons with French and Spanish speaking teachers. The pupils work in either small groups and/or sometimes in a 1:1 environment with the relevant assistant to maintain their fluency in speaking and writing. They will also work on their grammar at a native level using a range of high level and authentic reading materials. Listening exercises are also part of the 1:1 sessions. The lessons take place at the same time as the French/Spanish timetabled lessons for that set.
CLASSICS LATIN The course in Year 6 aims to teach Latin as a language and also aims to develop an understanding and appreciation of the Roman world. We will be using Cambridge Latin Course Book 1 as well as supplementing with grammar from Latin Practice Exercises Book 1. Pupils are encouraged to develop an awareness of the impact of Latin on English and other modern European languages. Classics is the study of the languages and culture of the Greeks and Romans. This includes aspects of their literature, everyday life, art and architecture, philosophy, history, mythology and religion. At Junior King’s the emphasis is on the study of the language but we also work with all these aspects of the ancient world.
CLASSICAL CIVILISATION This course is provided for those children who do not study Latin as a language. Over the course of the year pupils will learn about different aspects of the ancient world in English. In year 6 the focus will be on daily life in Ancient Greece and Rome, while exploring religion and myth. This course is also designed to help the children that need additional support with English.
HUMANITIES HISTORY Together we will study medieval, renaissance and Tudor history. We will use a wide variety of historical sources to study a range of themes over the course of the year, and will seek to develop their questioning, enquiry, judgement and analysis. Topics of study include: • The Normans in England • The Black Death and the Peasants’ Revolt • Tudors Pupils will learn to: • Develop their historical writing skills • Use evidence to describe the key features of events, people and eras • Develop their understanding of causation, change over time and consequences • Learn and apply source analysis skills
GEOGRAPHY This year’s work concentrates upon the enjoyment of geography and the development of knowledge, understanding, and skills. Topics to be covered: • Weather and Climate • Local and UK wide geography studies • Ordnance Survey map work • Global Location • Farming Pupils will learn to: • develop advanced mapping skills • interpret photographs • analyse primary and secondary sources of information • think independently
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Term 1: Judaism - principal beliefs, practices and customs. • • • • •
The main beliefs Shabbat Kosher food and rules Bar / Bar-Mitzvah A Jewish Morning including a visiting Rabbi, Jewish food and games
There will also be a trip to see Fordwich Church and Town Hall. Terms 2 and 3: The life stories of some major Old Testament characters and what they can teach us today. Topics include: Jacob and Esau, Joseph, Gideon, Ruth, Daniel, Jonah Key skills: Knowing and understanding ancient texts, applying lessons to our lives today, learning from other cultures.
ART In Year 6 pupils will continue to expand their knowledge and understanding of different media. A more structured approach to Art History will also be introduced. Topics this year will include: • Colour Theory • Repeat pattern design • African patterns and printing • Aboriginal collaborative paintings
MUSIC There is one hour long lesson per week of class music. In addition, individual instrumental lessons are offered from a team of 30 visiting music teachers. Pupils are encouraged to practise at home and may be entered for Associated Board and Trinity College exams which are held each term at the school. Many musicians will be involved in the concerts and workshops that take place during the course of the year, as well as joining ensembles that meet each week such as Middle Strings, Brass Group and Wind Band. For more experienced musicians there is also the possibility of joining the Milner Court Orchestra. All members of Year 6 will also sing in the annual Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral as well as the Middle School Concert. They are also able to audition for the Chapel Choir. Curriculum Pupils will learn a wide variety of songs and will collaborate together to create their own pieces of music. They will also be encouraged to think about the wider meaning of music (ie composer, lyricist, place the piece is set, meaning of the music, reason the piece was written) and to learn about different sounds from all over the world. Class Projects will include: Market Cries We listen to pieces about markets from the 16th century to the present day, as well as discussing the importance of ‘jingles’ in advertising. Pupils then create their own market cry. Pictures at an Exhibition We study this piece by Modeste Mussorgsky, listen to and analyse several different versions of it, and then pupils create their own versions of one of the pictures. The finished pieces are performed to the class and recorded. World Tour We take an extended look at instruments from around the world, including the ‘morin-khuur’ from Mongolia and the ‘Kora’ from West Africa. We will also learn songs from different cultures.
COMPUTING Pupils will be given the opportunity to: • Use a wide variety of applications and scenarios to develop their interest and skills in Computing and Computational Thinking • Develop their touch typing skills During the year the children will be able to develop the following: • Word Processing • Creating multimedia presentations • Handling data with Spreadsheets • Programming in Scratch • Controlling Hardware using the Crumble Controller The Code Club evening activity gives interested pupils the opportunity to go deeper with their coding and computational thinking. ‘Lego League Club’ enables pupils to further develop their robotics and programming skills. This takes place during Games and Activities on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY The Junior King’s Design and Technology department prepares pupils to be creative problem solvers, to work as individuals and as members of a team, to participate in tomorrow’s rapidly changing technologies and to enjoy expressing their ideas using a wide range of media. Students are engaged in using computer aided design and manufacture, and use wood, metal, plastic and electronics to communicate their unique ideas. Year 6 combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetics, social and environmental issues and industrial practices. As they do so, they reflect on and evaluate present and past design and technology, its uses and effects. Working in stimulating contexts they engage in a continuous course of personal development, learning to use today’s technologies so they can participate in developing tomorrow’s. Year 6 focused practical tasks and open projects this year will include designing and making: • • • •
Roman themed Jewellery a packaged maze Design History Interior Design
DRAMA The aim of the Year 6 curriculum is to spend time working across a number of different topics, some of which tie closely to the wider curriculum in order to develop skills, specifically those needed in communicating without speaking. They will further skills in storytelling, and script-based character work, as well as developing new skills in more abstract movement, which follows on from their movement work in Year 5. As Year 6 does not lead to any public performances, the aim will be to focus on creating smaller moments to share with each other, and also in understanding how the wider concepts and ideas can be applied to each SOW. These skills will be necessary when encountering the greater demands of Upper School drama classes.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION All pupils are taught by one of three specialist teachers of physical education. The programme is divided into the following units, which aim to promote physical development in a variety of areas. • health and fitness: to develop overall fitness and endurance levels through a variety of running activities • gymnastics: to include varieties of movement and travelling, floor work, vaulting and balance • net and wall: to develop hand-eye coordination levels through hitting and striking skills practised in games of tennis and mini tennis • invasion games/general games skills: to develop tactical awareness and general skills inherent to the major team games • athletics: to develop and improve technique alongside performance in running (speed, endurance and stamina), jumping (height and distance) and throwing (distance and power), tested and recorded throughout the summer term • swimming: to improve technique and develop performance in the four major swimming strokes • plus striking and fielding: to develop batting, throwing, catching and fielding skills in the summer term games programme Health related exercise/fitness The six curriculum units combined enhance the health related exercise/fitness programme; particular attention in exercise and fitness classes is given to speed, stamina, endurance and strength. Autumn
Autumn
Lent
Lent
Summer
Summer
Health and fitness Speed and agility work
gymnastics
swimming
basketball
athletics
tennis
GAMES PROGRAMME Pupils in Year 6 receive two, one hour training sessions per week, during which they participate in major team games, refining the key skills and further developing their knowledge and understanding of tactics and rules. The sports covered are: Girls – Hockey, Netball and Rounders/Cricket Boys – Football, Rugby, Hockey, Cricket Competitive opportunities are gained through house matches, which take place during their weekly games time, whole school, house events, including swimming galas, cross country and sports day, and through a full programme of inter school fixtures and tournaments which take place on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
PSHE Our PSHE curriculum aims to promote the spiritual, physical and social development of pupils and to prepare them for some of the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. This preparation for life involves self-knowledge; an understanding of the needs and motives of human beings; knowledge about their own health and bodies, and the importance of choice. Our PSHE curriculum is based on three ‘core themes’ within which there will be broad overlap and flexibility:
Autumn Term Health & Wellbeing
Lent Term Relationships
Summer Term Living in the Wider World
Healthy Lifestyles Keeping safe Growing and changing
Healthy Relationships Feelings & emotions Valuing difference
Rights & responsibilities Taking care of the environment Money matters
The PSHE curriculum will be taught in a variety of ways that will involve discussion, reflection, roleplay, collaboration and team-work, multi-media and outside speakers.