Welcome to Our Year 6 Class at St. James’

Welcome to Year 6, my name is Mrs Hayden and I am the Class Teacher. Our Teaching Assistants in Year 6 are Mrs Judd, Mrs Camm and Mrs Hudson, who support at various times throughout the week. In Year 6, the children will focus on SATs preparation during their Maths and English lessons. However, we make sure we have a lot of fun in all other subjects along the way. Our one class rule is “try your best”; this is all I ever ask of the children in Year 6. We have lots of rewards for 100% effort in class, one of which is meeting up with our special friends in Reception Class during “Golden Time”.

Year 6 Noticeboard

  • Homework is given out each Friday and should be returned for the following Tuesday.
  • Spellings are handed out on a Friday and will be tested on a Friday. In Year 6 if children misplace their spellings spares are readily available.
  • Accelerated reader – The children will read their reading books for 15 minutes every Wednesday and Friday. The children can take their book home for extra reading at the weekend, but this must come back on Monday ready to read in class.
  • Children have access to SATs Bootcamp which is a fantastic additional resource. If your child needs reminding of their login then please don’t hesitate to ask.
  • PE in Year 6 is on Thursdays. Make sure you have your full St James PE kit.
  • Please bring fresh water daily.
  • We pray every day in school. Please help your child to become familiar with our prayers here Little Book of Prayers KS2

Autumn Term in Year 6

The children have already made fantastic progress in their first few weeks in Year 6 and are demonstrating the maturity and determination we expect of our oldest pupils. Over the next few weeks the children will be engaging in some fun PSHE lessons which will include their first field trip to South Shields fire station.

Year 6 have also had the opportunity to engage in many extra curricular activities throughout this half-term, with many of the class participating in our fantastic Arts Award scheme and Faith in Action. The children have really impressed us all with their commitment and enthusiasm and we look forward to seeing their achievements by the end of the term.

Beyond Maths and English, the children haven been looking at ‘Evolution and Inheritance’ in science, ‘Conflict through History’ within History and propaganda posters during their art lesson. We are starting to see some wonderful pieces of artwork collating in their books and I expect to see some eye-catching final pieces on one of our display boards in a few weeks to come.

The children will move on to their first geography unit which will be North America with a particular focus on map work and physical geography. We will also continue to focus on biology in science by beginning our unit on the human body, with a focus on how drugs and exercise have an impact on our bodies. Our first Design and Technology unit also falls within this term which will look at cooking and nutrition.

Tips on how to help your child’s learning during the Autumn Term:

  • Encourage your child to spend 10 minutes a day in Sats Boot Camp- it is an easy way to build up their learning and understanding of the English and Maths curriculum
  • If you can take a trip to the Great North Museum where they have a fantastic exhibition on evolution and fossils
  • When taking local walks with your child, look around and discuss the potential hazards in your area. Are there any busy roads they should take extra care when crossing? Is there a pylon nearby or a train track? Discuss with your child how they can keep themselves as safe as they possibly can, particularly when playing out with friends.

Spring Term in Year 6

Watch this space! This page will be populated in the Spring Term!

Summer Term in Year 6

Watch this space! This page will be populated in the Summer Term!

Year 6 are visiting Lockerbie Manor!

This year, we are delighted to announce that our Year 6 children will have the opportunity to visit Lockerbie Manor in Southwest Scotland from Monday 15th to Wednesday 17th June. This marks the first time we have been able to secure a booking with this fantastic venue, and we are thrilled to offer our pupils such a memorable experience. The wide range of exciting activities will challenge them, strengthen teamwork, and spark creativity - all while providing the perfect setting to build confidence with friends that will last a lifetime. We’re certain this trip will be an unforgettable highlight of their final year at St James.

There will be a meeting in school on Thursday 20th November to share information about our visit to Lockerbie Manor. A representative from Lockerbie Manor has kindly offered to attend this meeting in person and will begin the meeting at 3:30pm to talk about Lockerbie Manor and answer any questions you may have. If you are unable to attend, the slides will be shared on this page after the meeting has taken place.

  • SATs week will take place from Monday 11th - Thursday 14th May 2026
  • There will be a meeting in school on Thursday 20th November at 3:30pm to share information about the SATs

Our Year 6 pupils have been working incredibly hard during their first few weeks back at school and the children have already been introduced to some past SATs-style questions. This is to give them an early insight as to how the assessments are presented and to show them that SATs are not so scary after all! I am very proud of the resilience that the children have shown and everyone has tried their hardest, which is all we can ever ask for.

Alongside your child’s weekly homework, they will also have online access to an incredible revision tool called ‘SATs Boot Camp.’ This can be accessed on any electronic device and the website link is: www.yearsix.co.uk

Your child has been shown how to log in to their account at school and their login details are written at the top of this letter. I ask that you make note of their details as it is a resource which your child will be using regularly throughout the year.

SATs Boot Camp records your child’s progress and highlights which areas of Maths and Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar that they may be finding tricky. Children’s progress will also be closely monitored in school and children will be rewarded for how regularly they engage with SATs Boot Camp and how much progress they make.

The children have got off to a wonderful start during their final year at St James and I know their hard work and determination to succeed will continue.

If you have any queries then please do not hesitate to get in touch.