At Norton, we place great importance on encouraging every child to flourish, supporting them to become the very best they can be and preparing them for life in modern Britain.
Year 6 is a special year at Norton. It is an opportunity for our children to bring together the knowledge, skills and understanding they have developed throughout their time at primary school, while continuing to challenge themselves, develop their independence and discover new interests.
We have high expectations of our Year 6 pupils. As the oldest children in school, they are important role models and play an active part in school life. We encourage them to demonstrate our Norton STAR values, take responsibility and make a positive contribution to our school and wider community.
Pupil Voice and Leadership
We want our Year 6 pupils to know that their ideas and opinions matter.
Children have opportunities to contribute to pupil-led committees focusing on Personal Development, Curriculum and Learning, and Community and Sustainability. These groups gather pupils’ views, work alongside school leaders and feed back to our governors, giving children a genuine opportunity to help shape life at Norton.
Our Curriculum
Year 6 provides a broad, ambitious and engaging curriculum which builds upon children’s learning throughout their time at Norton.
Alongside English and Maths, children study Science, Geography, History, Computing, Art, French, RE, PE, PSHE and Music.
Wherever possible, we look for meaningful opportunities to take our curriculum beyond the classroom, using our school grounds and wider environment to bring learning to life.
Reading
We expect children to read regularly at home. The academic and social benefits of reading are enormous, and regular reading makes a significant difference to children’s confidence, vocabulary, comprehension and writing.
Children should bring their Reading Record to school every day. We ask for at least four home-reading entries each week, with records checked weekly.
Children are welcome to borrow books from our class and school libraries. Below you will also find a link to 100 Recommended Books for Year 6, which can provide inspiration when choosing something new to read.
Homework
Year 6 homework is designed to reinforce key learning without becoming overwhelming.
Each week, children are expected to complete:
Reading: at least four entries in their Reading Record
Spelling: a weekly spelling activity
Maths: an activity from their White Rose Maths workbook
Homework is usually checked on Wednesday.
PE
Our PE lesson this term takes place every Tuesday afternoon.
Children should come to school wearing their appropriate Norton PE kit on Tuesdays.
SATs
During Year 6, children complete the statutory Key Stage 2 assessments (SATs) in Reading, Mathematics and Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling.
Throughout the year, we prepare children carefully and gradually so that they feel confident and familiar with what is expected of them. SATs are important, but they are only one part of Year 6 and one measure of everything our children achieve.
We will share further information with parents as we approach SATs week.
Trips and Experiences
Learning in Year 6 extends well beyond the classroom.
During the Autumn term, we have the opportunity to visit the Cheltenham Literature Festival, where children can hear directly from authors and learn more about the writing process.
Year 6 children also have the opportunity to take part in our residential visit to PGL Liddington. The residential gives children the chance to challenge themselves, develop their independence, work collaboratively and experience a range of exciting outdoor activities.
Throughout the year, we look for further opportunities to enrich our curriculum through visitors, trips, special events and practical experiences.
Celebrating Our Time at Norton
The final year at Norton is about much more than SATs.
At the end of Year 6, we celebrate the children’s primary school journey through our end-of-year production, Leavers’ Assembly and Leavers’ Service at Gloucester Cathedral.
These are opportunities to celebrate friendships, achievements and memories made throughout their time at Norton before the children take their next exciting step into secondary school.
Wherever their journey takes them next, our aim is for every child to leave Norton as a confident, curious and compassionate young person who is ready to flourish.
