Chestnut Class teachers are Mrs Simpson (Monday)
and Mrs Chandler (Tuesday–Friday).
Mrs O’Mara and Miss Holland are our full-time Assistant Teachers.
Welcome back to your first term in Year 6! We hope you had a wonderful and restful summer break and are feeling refreshed and ready for an exciting year ahead. We are really looking forward to everything we’ll achieve together this year. Year 6 is such a special and memorable year, with lots of exciting opportunities, challenges and celebrations along the way. We have so much to look forward to - we can’t wait to get started! Here’s to a fantastic year in Chestnut Class!
In English, we will be exploring a range of engaging texts, with our main text being Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll. The children will develop their narrative writing through ‘Danger at the Lighthouse’, explore characterising speech through ‘Surviving the Air Raid’ and write a diary recount from the perspective of an evacuee. They will also explore non-fiction writing by creating an explanation text about how the circulatory system works, as well as experimenting with blackout poetry using an extract from Letters from the Lighthouse. Throughout the term, the children will continue to develop their independent writing skills, using a wide range of punctuation and editing and proofreading their work to correct spelling and punctuation errors and ensure their writing is cohesive and accurate.
In History, we will be learning about the Second World War, exploring when and why it began and discovering the key individuals and countries involved. The children will investigate what life was like on the Home Front, including food rationing and the important contributions women made to the war effort. They will also explore some of the key turning points that shaped the outcome of the war.
In Maths, the children will develop their understanding of place value, working with numbers up to 10,000,000, negative numbers and rounding. They will solve multi-step problems involving the four operations, using formal written methods, mental calculations and estimation. They will also explore fractions, including equivalence, ordering and calculations with fractions.
In Science, we will explore electricity and light. The children will investigate how circuits work and how changing their components affects the brightness of bulbs and loudness of buzzers. They will also explore how light travels, including reflection, shadows and how we see objects.
In Geography, we will explore how the world around us is changing, from coastal erosion to changes in countries and borders. The children will learn about the structure of the United Kingdom and discover how its landscape and geography have changed over thousands of years. They will also investigate how places change over time by studying photographs and maps.
- Computing: Online Safety
- French: Time and Daily Routine
- Art: Henry Moore
- RE: Peace
- RSHE: E-Safety
- DT: Make do and Mend!
- Music: Charanga with Mrs Harder
- PE: Football and Hockey with Mr Green; Fitness and Yoga with the class teacher.
PE days for Chestnut Class will usually be on Wednesdays (with Mr Green) and Thursdays.
These days are subject to change. We recommend children keep their PE kits in school at all times.
Autumn 1 - Football (with Mr Green) and Fitness.
Autumn 2 - Hockey (with Mr Green) and Yoga.
- Jacket/waterproof coat
- Fleece/sweatshirt
- Waterproof trousers/trousers that can get muddy - please remember, shorts are NOT suitable
- Spare socks
- Wellies or boots (named - these go home at the end of every Woodland day)
- Woolly hat/sunhat (weather dependent)
- Gloves (weather dependent)
- Spare plastic bag for muddy kit
For the Autumn term, Year 6 will have Woodlands Learning on the following dates:
Autumn Term 1
Wednesday 16th September 2026
Wednesday 30th September 2026
Wednesday 14th October 2026
Autumn Term 2
Wednesday 4th November 2026
Wednesday 18th November 2026
Wednesday 2nd December 2026
Wednesday 16th December 2026
If you have a query or concern, please talk to us at school drop off or pick up. You can also get in touch through the school office by emailing messages@loxwoodschool.com. We are always happy to answer any questions and support your child.
Mrs Chandler and Mrs Simpson
Topic Homework
Each term, the children will be given a new ‘Independent Homework Grid’. This term it is themed around our topic: 'Into the Light'. In Year 6, there will be set ‘hand-in’ days at the bottom which is the minimum requirement. Each task should be taken from a different row and column. The amount of time a child chooses to spend on a project is up to them. Please focus on the presentation!
Please see the hand-in dates below. The homework grid is linked below.
- Monday 28th September
- Monday 19th October
- Monday 16th November
- Monday 7th December
Remember, Year 6, this is just one piece of homework every three to four weeks - it doesn’t need to be finished in one evening! A little bit every few nights will make it more manageable and will leave you with plenty of free time at home.
Times Tables
Children should continue to practice their times tables at home to help them improve their weekly scores. Knowing the times tables (and their associated division facts) supports mathematical learning and understanding. We encourage children to use TT Rockstars. Each child has their own login details.
Learning by Questions (Maths)
This is new to the children when they start in Year 6. We will guide them through the website and give them time to become familiar with it before encouraging them to practise at home. Children should also visit the Learning by Questions website (www.lbq.org/task) and complete the assigned maths units. Please see more information about LbQ below.
CGP SATs Books (Maths & English)
A letter about the CGP SATs revision books will be sent out before Christmas. From then on, the children will be expected to complete work from their books each week as part of their preparation for the SATs exams in May 2027.
Accelerated Reader (for those who need it)
Children are already familiar with the Accelerated Reader (Renaissance) website. In Year 6, those who are not yet a free reader are expected to complete a quiz on the website after finishing each book they read. They should then record the book title, quiz score, and the date in their reading records, in the designated areas. This supports their reading development and helps us monitor their understanding and progress.
Please encourage regular reading at home. Reading a minimum of 3 times per week is recommended for junior children. Talking about the book with your child is also important: ask questions about the characters, key events and what they predict might happen next to help develop their comprehension skills.
This not only supports them in preparation for their SATs, but also promotes reading for pleasure and builds their confidence and understanding, which is essential for tackling the more complex texts they’ll encounter at secondary school.
All links to the websites mentioned are at the bottom of this page.
Each week, the children will complete a diagnostic activity in class. This will automatically generate tailored question sets to target specific areas where they need support or development. The platform adapts to their responses, offering immediate feedback to guide their learning.
While the homework is optional, it is an excellent opportunity for your child to consolidate what they’ve learned in class. The questions are aligned with the curriculum and provide meaningful practice to reinforce understanding, address misconceptions, and build confidence. We do encourage children to have a go at the weekly work that is set for them.
Children will log in to their independent study accounts using their existing login details. If a reminder is needed, please contact a member of the Year 6 team and we will be happy to provide a copy.
To learn more about how LbQ works, visit www.primary.lbq.org.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the Year 6 team or email messages@loxwoodschool.com.
Below are the statutory spellings from Year 2 up until Year 6. If your child wants to practise their spelling at home, feel free to choose some appropriate words from the lists below.
From the National Curriculum (2014):
'Most people read words more accurately than they spell them. The younger pupils are, the truer this is. The word-lists for years 3 and 4 and years 5 and 6 are statutory. The lists are a mixture of words pupils frequently use in their writing and those which they often misspell.'
If you have any questions about spellings, please email messages@loxwoodschool.com
