Year 6 Curriculum

Autumn 1 & Autumn 2

Clay

• Understanding form.
• Introduction to working as a sculptor.
• Joins in clay.
• Firing and glazing ceramics.
• Creating a creature model.

Spring 1, Spring 2, Summer 1 & Summer 2

Texture

• Observational drawing
• Creating texture through rubbings and material overlays.
• Experimenting with ‘found’ materials to create imagery.
• Creating large scale mobiles based on drawings.

Autumn 1

Interactive Stories

• Scratch: Animated Stories

e-Safety: Talking Safety Online

Autumn 2

Spreadsheets

• Construction and manipulation of spreadsheets.

e-Safety: Super Digital Citizen

Spring 1

Kodu

• Using Kodu to understand visual programming and how to use the Kodu programming language.

e-Safety: Privacy Rules

Spring 2 & Summer 1

Creating Your Own Game

• Game designing and problem solving skills.

e-Safety: What’s Cyberbullying / Selling Stereotypes

Summer 2

Using and Applying Skills

• A combined project utilising a range of different software linking with the Explore topic.

e-Safety: Selling Stereotypes (continued)

• Preparing and cooking savoury dishes, using a range of cooking techniques.
• A healthy and varied diet.
• How ingredients are grown, caught, reared and processed.
• Food hygiene and safety in the kitchen.
• The Eatwell Plate.
• Simple sensory analysis.
• Basic knife and cooking skills.
• Cooking a variety of complex dishes.
• The importance of fibre in our diet.
• How ingredients are sourced and produced.
• Seasonality and sensory analysis of selected produce.

Visual overview of the texts studied across Years 5-8 (click image for larger view) 

Autumn 1 & Autumn 2

Modern Fiction

The Kingdom by the Sea by Robert Westall

• Persuasive writing – evacuation leaflet
• Recount – diary entry
• Narrative – writing in role
• Propaganda poster, persuasive speech

Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG): Revision of Year 5 objectives, verb tenses, types of noun, pronouns, apostrophes, subjunctive mood.

Spring 1 & Spring 2

Classic Literature

Extracts from: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, The Jungle Book, Frankenstein

• Reading comprehension including questions testing literal understanding, inference and deduction, recognition of authorial intent.

SPaG: Determiners, types of pronoun, active and passive voice.

Summer 1 & Summer 2

Modern Fiction

Wonder by RJ Palacio

• Narrative – descriptive writing, creation of an informative leaflet, writing from alternative perspectives, creation and performance of playscripts in role.

SATs revision of all KS2 SPAG coverage (Years 3-6)

Autumn Term

A Child’s War (History)

• The Blitz
• Evacuation

How has life changed since 1948? (History/Geography)

• Rebuilding Britain

Spring Term

Exploring Scandinavia

Vikings vs. Saxons

• Conflict and resolution (History)

Summer Term

Water World

• Kielder
• Cross-curricular links with ‘Blue Planet’

Investigating Rivers

• Field study (Cockshaw Burn)
• Links to the Tannery in Hexham (History and Geography) 

Autumn Term

• Family and descriptions
• House and home

Spring Term

• Body parts
• Monsters
• Fairy tales

Summer Term

• Introduction to sport
• Le Monde Francophone (French-speaking world)

Mathematics at Hexham Middle School

• Hexham Partnership Maths Calculation Policy: Reception to Year 6 (PDF)

At Hexham Middle, it is our goal to ensure that pupils are confident, resilient and fluent mathematicians. Our curriculum is built upon the core principles of developing fluent pupils who can articulate their thought processes and reason mathematically and approach problem solving with a systematic attitude. In all year groups, pupils progress through blocks of learning which are linked throughout the year to ensure that memory and retention of key concepts and skills is developed. Pupils spend longer learning one block now and this is to ensure they have time to make links to their prior learning, develop depth of understanding and remember their learning.

In every year group, pupils’ progress is assessed daily by teachers through varied means of formative assessment such as a quizzes and questioning. It is this assessment that powerfully informs planning so that all pupils progress through the curriculum content. Pupils complete topic assessments to identify gaps in learning and are supported to bridge any areas which require more focus. Regular arithmetic and fluency sessions ensure that pupils (across the school) are confident and fluent in mathematical recall and methods. They are also encouraged to reason (verbally and written) to demonstrate their thought-processes when explaining their understanding and problem solving. Pupils complete termly summative assessments and some external assessments to track their progress.

Autumn Term

• Place Value to 10,000,000 (including ordering, rounding and negative numbers)
• Four Operations
• Fractions
• Position and Direction
• Decimals

Spring Term

• Percentages
• Measurement: Converting Units
• Measurement: Perimeter, area and volume
• Properties of Shape
• Ratio and Proportion
• Algebra

Summer Term

• Statistics
• Preparation for End of KS2 Assessments
• Functional Skills
• Statistics
• Problem Solving and Investigations
• Geometry and Constructions

Autumn 1

Keyboard Skills

• Keyboard skills course to advance keyboard skills to include rhythmic accompaniment and chords.
• Composition and performance
• Listening, theory and skills tests.

Autumn 2 & Spring 1

Sequences

• Compose using sequences (musical patterns).
• Using pitch, tempo, dynamics, texture, timbre.
• Extended compositional ideas
• Final performance

Spring 2

Modern

• Compose a modern piece using sequences.

Summer 1

Time Keeping

• Exploring musical timings e.g. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8.
• Composition of individual melodies.

Conducting

• How to conduct music in a variety of timings.
• Musical composition in 3/4 time.

Summer 2

Music Notation

• Written melodies using music notation.

Autumn 1

• Invasion Games 1:
  • Football
  • Rugby

Autumn 2

• Run4Fun
• Dance
• Gymnastics

Spring 1

• Invasion Games 2:
  • Rugby
  • Hockey

Spring 2

• Cultural Games:
  • Lacrosse
  • Aussie Rules Football
  • Gaelic Football
  • Handball

Summer 1

• Orienteering
• Athletics

Summer 2

• Striking and Fielding:
  • Cricket
  • Rounders
  • Golf

Autumn 1

Being in my World

This covers understanding rights and responsibilities as a British citizen.

Autumn 2

Celebrating Difference

This covers racism, cultural difference and bullying.

Spring 1

Dreams and Goals

This covers jobs and careers.

Spring 2

Healthy Me

This covers the topics of smoking, alcohol, first aid and body image as well as a healthy lifestyle.

Summer 1

Relationships

This covers getting on and falling out, relationships and technology.

Summer 2

Changing Me

This covers self-image and puberty.

Autumn Term

What is a church?

• Design a new church/place of worship
• Visit to Hexham Abbey
• Research: explore Islamic key religious buildings
• Cross-curricular links with Geography/History/Design Technology.

Spring Term

What happens when people die?

Easter story

• The Stations of the Cross explored in the classroom and in research.
• Stations put up in Fellside Hall

Summer Term

Stories of Christianity

• Research: explore the meaning and significance of one Islamic story and present findings.

Autumn 1

Animals Including Humans

• The main body parts and internal organs (skeletal, muscular and digestive system.)
• How the circulatory system works.
• How to keep our bodies healthy.

Autumn 2

Light

• Exploring the way in which light behaves, including light sources, reflection and shadows.

Spring 1

Electricity

• Constructing simple series circuits.
• Represent a simple circuit in a diagram using recognised symbols.

Spring 2

Light/Electricity

• Combining skills and knowledge of light and electricity.

Summer 1

Classification

• Classification of animals into commonly found invertebrates and vertebrates.
• The Linnaean classification system.

Summer 2

Evolution

• Evolution
• Selective and cross breeding.
• Adaptations