Welcome to Year 6!

Croeso i Flwyddyn 6!

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope that you all had a lovely Summer holiday and are all set for a challenging, but fun final year in Oystermouth. I am looking forward to working together with you so that we can create a very exciting and productive final year for your child. I hope that you and your child enjoy the new challenges and approaches to learning that Year 6 has to offer! Unfortunately, there are still some restrictions in place, but hopefully school life will be as normal as possible.

For most of you, it probably seems like yesterday your child was starting in Oystermouth with Mrs. Penn or in a later class. As a parent of two children who attended Oystermouth, I appreciate that Year 6 can be a year of highs and lows, so please do not hesitate to get in touch if you feel your child is concerned about transition or anything else. However, I know that your child will be more than prepared for the next stage in their learning and will enjoy their final year where they will be encouraged to be independent and have increased responsibility for their own learning. I am sure they will look back fondly at their time in Primary school.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome Harry to Year 6. I’m sure everyone will look after him!

I’ve tried to include as much information as possible below, but please contact me if you have any queries or concerns.

Diolch yn fawr!

Mrs. Helen Morris

Communication

I will be using Class Dojo to share information this year. I will use Dojo to send out a short letter weekly about work we are covering and to inform you of any special events or visits. I will also share photos of the children in class or on visits here. You can message me on Dojo if you have any questions. You can also email me (MorrisH57@hwbcymru.net) but I am usually quicker answering Dojo messages!

Reading                    

I know it can sometimes be more difficult to monitor your child’s reading as they get older, but it is still vitally important that they read as much as possible. I have a variety of books and genres available for children to borrow at school, but I am also more than happy for them to read their own books from home. I will send a Reading Diary home and if your child could complete it and return to school whenever they change a book that would be great! Also, don’t forget your child can also login to Reading Eggs at home.

Homework Menu

At the start of each new topic, a Homework Menu will be sent out with a list of activities for the children to complete. We encourage the children to complete at least one activity a fortnight and try to choose a variety of activities from the menu. Some of the activities will be children’s ideas from our EPIC planning.

MyMaths/Maths homework

Most Maths homework will be available on MyMaths weekly. This will consist of revision activities and/or consolidation of work we are doing in class. I must stress that it is extremely important to learn the times tables and there are many MyMaths tasks relating to this topic or the children could just write them down or learn one of the many songs on YouTube! Occasionally, there will be other homework sent home, depending on children’s understanding in school.

PE

The children will need a PE kit on Wednesdays, and they can wear this to school. They will need a plain white T-shirt (or as near as possible), shorts and trainers. We will be outside as much as we can so please provide blue or black jogging trousers and sweatshirt for colder days.

Class Mascot

The Year 6 Mascot will be sent home every week with guidance included in the pack. Please encourage your child to write a short account of an activity or diary entry on the sheets provided. There are language support sheets in the pack, and I am keen for the children to use the patterns that they are familiar with. I will be keeping the Mascot in school for at least 3 days between each household.

Stationery

The children may bring in a pencil case to keep in their trays. All the equipment the children will need is available in school, but I know that many children like to bring their own things in. I will supply handwriting pens and normal pencils.

Uniform

Please ensure that the correct school uniform is worn and that all clothing has a name on it. The children will be storing their bags and coats in the Year 6 area corridor.

Water and Fruit

It is so important that the children keep themselves hydrated during the day in school. The children may bring in a bottle of water to keep in class. This can be refilled if they run out during the day. You can now buy a healthy snack again for just 30p a day, you can also pay in advance for the week.

Mobile Phones and walking home alone

If you wish for your child to walk home alone, please complete the form linked here as soon as possible. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Ug4_TzS3ZEGUCRtgHRR5k5MdCdT7YMNBrwV8iWujwUBUN0tKTUUySFYwSjNUUVBZWVUyQUFHTjBNOC4u

If you have given your child a mobile phone for this activity, it must be given to me first thing in the morning. I will keep the phone in a secure place until home time.

Film Club

Film Club will start after half term for Year 6.

We select films from Into Film Cymru and you will receive a consent form and further details nearer to the time. All the films are vetted and approved by Into Film and the majority will be a U certificate. Occasionally we will show a PG certificate film if appropriate. We don’t advertise the name of the film, but they are not usually blockbusters and often have a cultural, environmental, or literary element. If you have any questions, please pop in to see me.

Visits

We are hopeful that we will soon be going out and about in the community as much as possible but there will also be additional visits linked to our class topics. Further details will be given as soon as possible.