Year 6 is made up of four classes:

South Africa, Madagascar Kenya and Ghana 

Welcome to the Year 6 home page! 

South Africa- Miss Parry

Madagascar -Miss Marie

Kenya - Mrs Mitchell 

Ghana-Miss Carter

Welcome to the Spring term of Year 6

Dear Parents,

We hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and the Year 6 team would like to wish you a very Happy New Year. We have already had a very exciting start to the Spring term, where the children have started to learn a little about World War 2. They all looked fantastic on our immersion day and represented Vigo School brilliantly at Milestones last Friday. We have lots of exciting learning planned for the term and we cannot wait to get started – please take a look at the curriculum overview that has been sent out with this letter for more information on what we are covering and our key concepts for the term.

The start and the end of the day

Our school day starts at 8.35am and ends at 3.15pm. Please bear with us as we are seeing children out as we need to release them one at a time as we see parents and carers. Please make sure that all names are on the collection list, if you wish to add a person please speak to a member of the office staff. Additionally, if you would like to give your child permission to walk home, please visit the office to collect the permission form. Once this is signed, your child is free to walk home.

What to bring to school

All children should have a named water bottle in school every day – they will be in charge of filling and refreshing these during the day and will need to bring them home to be washed. Please ensure they are named, as we have had several incidents this year already, with children losing or taking home the wrong water bottles. There are many duplicates of water bottles across the year group, so it is best that they are named in order for us to be able to identify whose is who’s. These should be in addition to the drink they bring for lunch. They do not need to bring a pencil case, any toys or notebooks from home. Any items that have been brought into school, will be confiscated until the end of the day.

PE days

Year 6’s PE days will be Monday and Tuesday every week, please ensure that on PE days your child wears trainers, black shorts or jogging bottoms and a white t-shirt. This needs to be a polo top and not a school shirt with a collar. If you need support with providing PE kit, please get in touch with Mrs Parry (k.parry@vigo.hants.sch.uk). In cold weather your child may also wear a plain black hoodie or school jumper. Year 6 do not need to wear their ties on these days.

Forest School

In Year 6 the classes will rotate accessing Forest School sessions on a Tuesday afternoon. We ask that for Forest School sessions children wear long sleeves and trousers and appropriate footwear, such as boots or wellies. When it is your child’s day for Forest School please send them to school in their Forest School clothes, with a spare change of clothes (does not have to be their uniform) in their bag in case they get wet or dirty.

South Africa – Autumn 1 and Spring 2

Kenya – Autumn 2 and Summer 1

Madagascar – Spring 1 and Summer 2

Children in Ghana are split into the other three classes on Tuesday afternoons. Please ask your child which class they attend on Tuesday afternoons to know which terms they will have forest school. If you have any queries, please contact your class teacher at the end of the school day or email the office, who will put you in contact with the class teacher.

Healthy snack and lunchboxes

Children need to bring in a healthy snack, for example: fruit, crackers and nut-free cereal bars for breaktime. Please can those bringing a packed lunch from home ensure there is a healthy balance of food and a separate drink.

We find children are more able to concentrate on their learning when they have a healthy diet and are hydrated throughout the day. Please also do not send your child to school with sweets or fizzy drinks in their lunch boxes.  Some ideas can be found here https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/recipes/healthier-lunchboxes

Homework and reading expectations

The expectation for reading is that children read every day with an adult at home, we recommend about 10 to 15 minutes with a short chat at the end about what they have read, and for this to be recorded in their reading log.

Children are expected to read a large volume of words during their SATs tests and reading at home often will reduce any anxiety about the reading test for the children.

How you can help your child in Year 6

Encourage your child to be responsible for their own belongings, eg. bringing in their reading record daily, ensuring homework is brought in on the correct day

Read regularly with your child. 

Take your child to the town library and choose different types of books to read.

Practise multiplication tables together.

Play games such as Monopoly, Chess, Blokus, Dobble and Scrabble with your child to support their learning in Maths and English. 

Spend time cooking with your child to practise reading and following instructions and understanding weights and measures.

A separate letter has recently been sent about a Year 6 SATs information evening for parents. This is taking place on Tuesday 16^th January. We encourage as many of you to attend as possible.

What to do if you have any worries or concerns

If you have any immediate or urgent concerns about your child or any queries about school administration (e.g. replying to letters, reporting a child ill or finance and payment enquiries) please contact the school office on 01264 365166.

If you have any non-urgent learning or personal and social concerns about your child that you would like to discuss with a class teacher please contact the office, or catch them at the end of the school day at pick up. Mornings are a very busy time for teachers as they prepare for your child’s learning for the day, so please avoid trying to speak with them at that time.

We look forward to working with you and another happy and successful term.

The Year 6 Team