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The Partnership of Birchwood and Holbrook Schools

The Partnership of
Birchwood & Holbrook
Primary Schools

Year 6

Welcome to Year 6!

Dear Families,

I hope you had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to starting a new year at Holbrook. Our RoK topic unit for the autumn term is called the ‘World at War’. We will be learning all about WW1 and WW2. We will learn about conscription, trench warfare, The Blitz and the life of evacuees.

Our class text this half term is ‘Private Peaceful’ by Michael Morpurgo. Private Peaceful is a poignant story told by young Tommo Peaceful as he relives hi

s childhood and family life in rural England while facing death in the trenches of WW1. The novel contrasts the idyllic, bittersweet memories of his youth, filled with love for his family and friends, with the brutal horrors of war and the injustice faced by soldiers executed for cowardice or desertion. The narrative builds tension towards a dramatic conclusion, examining the nature of violence and the lasting impact of war on individuals and society.  

Our class text for the second half of the autumn term is Goodnight Mister Tom.  Goodnight Mister Tom is the heart-warming story of Willie Beech, a sad, abused boy evacuated from London during WWII to the countryside, where he’s cared for by grumpy but kind widower Tom Oakley, helping Willie blossom with new friends and talents like art, until his cruel mother recalls him, leading Tom to discover a tragic truth and rescue him, showing how love transforms them both.

 

Our class text this spring term is Holes by Louis Sachar. Holes by Louis Sachar tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, wrongfully convicted and sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention centre where boys dig holes daily, leading him to uncover a hidden treasure linked to his family’s ancestral curse, an outlaw named Kissin’ Kate Barlow, and his friendship with fellow camper Zero, ultimately breaking the curse and finding justice. 

Faster Reader

We are introducing a new reading scheme this term – Faster Reader- which is a daily reading scheme that will run alongside our class text. Our Faster Reader text this term is Clockwork by Philip Pullman.

Clockwork by Philip Pullman is a dark, fairytale-like story about an apprentice clockmaker, Karl, who fails to make a figure for his town’s great clock and is offered a sinister, magical solution by the mysterious Dr. Kalmenius, leading to a dangerous, self-fulfilling prophecy involving a mechanical knight, Sir Ironsoul, that can only be stopped by a forgotten song, weaving together stories of creation, temptation, and the soul in a spooky German setting.

Our class text (and faster reader text) this summer term is the fantastic Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo. Kensuke’s Kingdom is a children’s adventure novel about Michael, a young boy washed up on a Pacific island with his dog, Stella Artois, after falling off their family yacht. He is rescued by Kensuke, a Japanese man and World War II veteran living in isolation, and the two develop a deep bond.
Reading Zone
https://www.michaelmorpurgo.com/
https://michellemagorian.com/
http://www.louissachar.com/
https://www.philip-pullman.com/

Curriculum Outlines and newsletters

 

Mr. M. Byam

Year 6 teacher, Maths & Attendance Lead

Mrs.J Coombes

Year 6 Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Mrs. S. Harvey

Year 6 Learning Support Assistant