Overall Aims: The students are beginning to create more complex writing examples in all genres. Students in Year 6 also have an understanding that writing is purpose driven and as a result of this understanding are able to create specific pieces of writing for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Specific Learning Outcomes – the child will;

·            Become confident ‘risk takers’ continually extending their vocabulary and the range of language tools they incorporate into their writing. This is reflected in stories that capture the imagination and show evidence of drafting, proof reading, editing, revision and final drafting.

·            Be developing their vocabulary and the language tools they incorporate in their speaking and writing. [e.g. Idioms, Metaphors etc]

·         Compose and write more complex stories incorporating a more descriptive language, scene setting, and creating a beginning, middle and end in order to engage the reader more fully.

·         Strive to create greater meaning and persuasion through the selection of the most appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure, [e.g. Debates, Elections, Presentations and Assemblies.]

Typical Activities

·            Weekly listening comprehension activity.

·            Weekly project work.

·            Monthly book reports.

·            Directed Reading / Independent Reading, [DR / IR].

·Structured & unstructured dialogue.

·News telling on a weekly basis.

·Class assemblies.

·Daily Silent Reading, DSR.

Formative assessment: Devising and grading daily homework, regular fluency tests, maintaining anecdotal records that comment on classroom participation and the compilation of regular writing tasks and conversation activities that promote an English Speaking Environment, [ESE].

Summative assessment: Weekly quizzes, mid-term test and an ‘End of Term’ examination.

MATHEMATICS

Overall Aims: The Mathematics curriculum is divided into four major aspects, these are, Numbers, Problem Solving, Organising and Using Data and Shape, Space and Measurement. The intention in Year 6 is to expand upon the basic numeracy skills developed in the preceding five years with special focus on developing an appreciation of mathematics and using mathematic tools to solve real life problems. In these upper primary years, students are also looking at more abstract concepts such as chance and data prediction.

Specific Learning Outcomes – the child will;

·            Show an understanding of the relationship between the four base operations and to be able to justify their selection of most appropriate for any given problem.

·            Be developing their own mental maths strategies and have a bank of known mathematical facts at their disposal.

·            Be developing a repertoire of skills and knowledge facts in order to be able to work mathematically to solve more complex mathematical problems.

·            Be able to record data from an event in a variety of forms including pictorially, symbolically and numerically and apply this to create Chance & Data predictions.

·             Able to deal with standard and non-standard units of measurement in a variety of contexts.

Typical Activities

·            Developing scientific calculator skills.

·            Creating and solving mathematical puzzles.

·            Hands-on activities requiring mathematical intervention.

·            Tackling mathematical stories such as treasure maps with standard and non-standard units of measure.

·            Using math skills to create visual representation of 3 dimensional objects incorporating a side view, plan view and rear view, [Mechanical Drawing].

·            Complex problem solving activities requiring multi equation operations using all 4 operations.

Formative assessment: Devising and grading daily homework, regular fluency tests, maintaining anecdotal records that comment on classroom participation and the completion of a mathematics project showing the inter-relationship of mathematical operations.

Summative assessment: Weekly quizzes, mid-term test and an ‘End of Term’ examination.

SCIENCE

Overall Aims: Further consolidation of Scientific Inquiry, Biology, Chemistry and rudimentary Physics. In Year 6 the students are introduced to a more complex scientific vocabulary and the seminal works of scientists including Prof. Julius Sumner- Miller, Einstein, Socrates and Galileo. Extension work will cover science fiction and the works of Jules Verne.

Specific Learning Outcomes – the child will;

·            Understand that scientific discovery is an ongoing phenomenon and new animals and plants are being discovered on a daily basis. Coupled with this, an appreciation of the fact that animals, plants and insect becoming extinct on a regular basis.

·            An appreciation of scientists and their discoveries.

Typical Activities

·            Experiments.

·            Activity based worksheets.

·            Vocabulary & scientific word building.

·            Identification and classification activities.

·            Completion of a more complex scientific project covering the hypothesis, investigation, procedure and result.

Formative assessment: Devising and grading daily homework, maintaining anecdotal records that comment on classroom participation and the completion of a science project examining Evolution, Environment and Survival.

Summative assessment: Weekly quizzes, mid-term test and an ‘End of Term’ examination.

ARTS

Overall Aim: To develop the children’s interpretive skills in the formulation of a variety of art works that incorporate mixed media, three-dimensional work, collage and sculpture.

Specific Learning Outcomes – The child will;

·         Develop own artistic style in a variety of forms and media.

·         Develop gross and fine motor skills.

·         To appreciate how colour, shape and form can be used to create different genres and styles of art.

·         To develop a work ethos valuing the attributes of planning, designing, process and persistence in the creation of art pieces over a period of time.

·         An appreciation of the art skills required in developing an individual style of expression.

·         Complement the class teacher’s goals in improving spoken English.

·         At times working as an individual, or in a group to

·         Build on communication and team skills.

Typical Activities

·         Creating sculptures using wire and other found material

·         Drawing and planning

·         Colouring, shading and tinting pictures

·         Display of completed projects

·         Creating functional art

·         Working with recycled products.

·         Presentation of completed projects

Formative Assessment: The children’s work is monitored on an ongoing basis with anecdotal records kept that reflect the child’s application, work habits, creativity, interpretation and use of materials.

Summative Assessment: ‘End of Term’ examination

HEALTH & PE

Overall Aim: Children are beginning to understand the need for team work, cooperation and communication if they are to succeed as members of a team and are beginning to display the appropriate behaviours and attitudes in order to achieve this.

Specific Learning Outcomes – The child will;

·         Participate in a variety of sporting activities and games.

·         Understand healthy living concepts such as hygiene, food pyramid and appropriate social and emotional health issues.

·         Work to develop team skills and individual sport specific skills to complement a team’s efforts.

Typical Activities

·         Playing a variety of games such as soccer, basketball, hockey, cricket, table tennis and other games as may be introduced from time to time.

·         Look at similarities and differences in various ball games from around the world such as Petanque, Bocce, Golf, Gaelic Football etc.

Formative Assessment: The children’s work is monitored on an ongoing basis with anecdotal records kept that reflect the child’s application, work habits, creativity, interpretation and use of materials.

Summative Assessment: ‘End of Term’ examination

HUMANITIES

Overall Aim: Children are beginning to appreciate migration trends, language roots, primary and secondary industries and the main world religions.

Specific Learning Outcomes – The child will;

·         Be able to identify major countries and comment about general features.

·         Understand that different flora and fauna are present in different environments and countries according to needs and climate.

Typical Activities

·         Examine different map formats, for example, Mercator, Collignon and Sinusoidal projections.

·         Use Legend, scale and colour to create a map of a known area highlighting physical features and resources.

Formative Assessment: The children’s work is monitored on an ongoing basis with anecdotal records kept that reflect the child’s application, work habits, creativity, interpretation and use of materials.

Summative Assessment: ‘End of Term’ examination

COMPUTER STUDIES

Overall Aim: Children at this level are using computers for a variety of purposes and are adept at using the key functions of the Microsoft Office suite.

Specific Learning Outcomes – The child will;

·         Use several pieces of software to create pictures, print, stories and multi-media works.

Typical Activities

·         Work in the computer lab using the mouse, keyboard and audio visual attributes to create individual and pair pieces off work.