Weekly Newsletters

This is where you will find weekly newsletters (shared at the end of each week) with photos of learning and details of upcoming dates and events.

The most recent newsletter is displayed at the top of the list:

Term 6, End of Week 7 - Friday 17th July 2026

It's a wrap! You made it! Well done for all you have achieved this year Year 6! It's been a busy year and as your SATs results show, you have worked so hard and always tried your best - you should be so proud of what you've achieved.

What a lovely way to end the Year with a fabulous Leavers Service at church this morning - thank you so much to all the parents and carers who joined us to mark the end of your primary school journey, it was wonderful to see the church so full.

Thank you also for the generous cards and gifts you have shared with us this week, they are never expected but are truly appreciated and it's always great to read your messages. 

As we come to the end of the Year we wish you all a restful and relaxing summer break and of course we will be continuing to think of you as you start your new chapter at Secondary School in September. You will be awesome!!

Take care 

The Year 6 Team

PS The Heatree video will be added to the website over the coming days

Term 6, End of Week 6 - Friday 10th July 2026

It's definitely been a "different" week this week. Whether away in Devon on residential, or completing various projects and being a lead learner in other classes at school, the children have been challenged in many different ways.

With so much going on, it's difficult to write just one newsletter to sum everything up, so instead we'll suggest that parents/carers and children have a chat about the learning and fun that happened this week as everyone's highlights are sure to vary!

Of course, you'll already be aware of the Heatree photos that have been shared this week.  We aim to upload more photos during the coming week (there were A LOT of photos taken) so please check back here to see the updates as they come.

Looking ahead to the coming week

As we rapidly head into the final week of term and the final week of Year 6, there are a few special events to look forward to.  More information will be shared with the children as needed, however here is a brief summary of things to look forward to in the coming week:

1. Monday afternoon - the Year 6 BBQ will take place (for children only)
2. Tuesday morning - learn about the Summer Reading Challenge during today's worship.
3. Tuesday afternoon - Reports go home to parents (please note, as per our previous notice, SATs results will follow later in the week as their release has been delayed by the DfE)
4. Wednesday morning - the annual Staff v Year 6 Rounders match
5. Thursday morning - Celebration Worship
6. Friday morning - Leavers' Service in Church (parents and carers are warmly welcome to attend this (don't forget your tissues!)). Please remember to register at church on this morning.

Term 6, End of Week 5 - Friday 3rd July 2026

What a performance! Thank you so, so much to everyone who came to watch one (or more) of the Year 6 productions of “School of Pop” this week! Weren’t the children amazing! They acted and sang their hearts out during the time we were rehearsing and the hard work clearly paid off as they put together a great show which they should all be truly proud of.

These closing weeks of Year 6 really are full of milestone moments. Thanks to the generosity of FoFS (Friends of Fermor School), and the organisation of Mrs Levett, it was great to see all the Year 6s presented with their leavers hoodies – perfect timing for Heatree where the recognisable red hoodies are fabulous for keeping an eye on the children during rest stops on the journey.

The end of the week was certainly quieter than the start, with most children heading to their new Secondary Schools for transition. We hope they all had a great time and now feel truly excited for the next stage of their education journey.

Looking ahead to next week

1. For most children it’s time for our trip to Heatree! Please see the separate email for final details, including a reminder to arrive at school at 6:30am on Monday so we can load the coach and get on the road by 6:45am.
2. Children not going on residential should come to school as normal (at the usual time) on Monday when they will learn about the exciting activities planned for the week.
3. You may have heard in the news that SATs results are being delayed a little. The DfE has confirmed that due to technical difficulties schools are now due to receive SATs results on 16th July.  We will therefore be sending out school reports as expected in the last week of term and will follow this up with the SATs results a little later, when they are available.
4. Please could any remaining photos of children on their first day of school be sent to the office as soon as possible if you wish them to be included in the leavers’ church service presentation.

Term 6, End of Week 4 - Friday 26th June 2026

What a week! We’ve certainly had our challenges with the weather but the children have persevered amazingly and we’ve got on very well with final rehearsals for the production – we’re very much looking forward to performing for you next week!

This week we have also had lots of shade and drink breaks and been thinking more about the tools we have to help us with transition to Secondary School, or other tricky times in life.

Looking ahead to next week and beyond:

As you are already aware, a large proportion of next week will be spent on the production, so here are a few little reminders to help with that, and other things coming up:

1. The children must bring their costumes for Monday morning as they will be needed for our dress rehearsal, before the first performance later that day.

2. As you know from our email, we have allocated all tickets that were requested for the performances and as a result have some tickets remaining for the morning and afternoon performances. If you would like to request any more tickets please let your child’s teacher know as soon as possible.

3. A reminder that Heatree medication (and accompanying forms) are due in to the office on Monday please.

4. For Tuesday’s evening performance of the production, please could all children meet us at the Year 5/6 door at 5:30pm to get ready.

5. A reminder that Beacon transition days are on Thursday and Friday next week.

Term 6, End of Week 3 (19th June 2026)

Wow, what a busy (and sporty) week that was! With House Group Challenges, Golf, Cricket, the annual Aquathlon and Sports Day, it’s clear that Sports Week 2026 was a great success! It was particularly special to be joined by so many parents and carers for Wednesday’s picnic and sports day, so thank you very much to everyone who was able to join us.

Well done also to all the children for their flexibility when our timetable is so varied. Rehearsals for the production have come on well this week, alongside attending a successful Diocesan Leavers’ Service and starting to work on considering Transition to Secondary School.

Looking ahead to next week:

1. On Thursday morning we will be joined by Mr Sawyer from Beacon School who will be leading a Q&A for the children about the transition from Primary to Secondary School.
2. Please continue to encourage children to practise their words and songs for the Production. The official soundtrack (to help with learning the songs) can be found here.
3. We have currently only received a few costumes in ready for the production. Please send them in by Tuesday so we can start to prepare with costumes and props. To reiterate, we are not expecting people to spend a lot on costumes. The following list is simply suggestions: Costume suggestions for each of the characters can be found here.
4. Thank you for your continued payments and for sending in medical forms for Heatree. Please send in any remaining forms by Monday at the absolute latest (this is the final deadline we have been given to notify Heatree of any medical or dietary needs)
5. Please start to bring in any medication that will need to come with us to Heatree. It must be handed in at the office by Monday 29th June and be accompanied by the appropriate Parent Medication Consent form.
6. We are thankful for the number of EYFS photos that have been sent in already in preparation for the Leavers Service. We are still waiting for several of these and would be grateful if they could be emailed (or handed in) to the office by the end of the day on Friday 26th June to give us time to prepare the necessary slides.
7. Bookings for the Year 6 production are coming in, with extra tickets being allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you would like to reserve tickets for the production and haven’t yet done so, please return your completed form to the office by Wednesday afternoon at the latest so allocations can be made.

Term 6, End of Week 2 (12th June 2026)

The Year 6 Production (School of Pop) – is going really well, the children are growing in confidence; their lines are getting clearer, their singing louder and their acting is becoming more assured.  Please continue to assist your children in learning and rehearsing their lines and the songs. The official soundtrack (to help with learning the songs) can be found here.

Please can you start sending your child's costume. The majority of characters wear school uniform so there is not much to source there! We will need them by Monday the 22nd of June by the very latest, to allow for practise time. Costume suggestions for each of the characters can be found here.

Looking ahead to next week and other important information:

1. Diocesan Leavers' Service. This event is at All Saints Church on Thursday. The children should look their smartest in their school uniform. If they are wearing winter uniform they must have their tie. Unfortunately, parents are not invited to attend this service.
2. Next week is Sports' Week, children are invited to wear sports' kit all week (except Thursday morning) . No football shirts. They will need to wear their PE kit (with house group shirts) on Wednesday for Sports' Day.
3. Thank you for your continued payments to clear balances prior to the Heatree residential trip.  If you have missed a payment, please ensure that these are made. 
4. The deadline for returning medical/dietary forms for Heatree has been and gone and we still have forms outstanding. Please send these in on Monday.  

Term 6, End of Week 1 (5th June 2026)

Our final term in Year 6 has definitely got off to a busy start! 

It’s been really encouraging to hold initial rehearsals for the Year 6 Production (School of Pop) – already we can see that the children are growing in confidence; their lines are getting clearer, their singing louder and their acting is becoming more assured.  We’re excited to see how rehearsals continue to build over the next few weeks as the children get to know their lines even more fluently and the songs become second nature – alongside also learning some choreography!

All children have copies of the song sheets and their scripts (for those with speaking parts) so we would really encourage them to spend time learning these in preparation for the production.  The official soundtrack (to help with learning the songs) can be found here.

Our props team are starting to work on the props to make the show even more effective, and it would be great if children could start to think about sorting their own costumes.  Costume suggestions for each of the characters can be found here.

Away from practise for the production we’ve also spent this week preparing for today’s Church Service, writing about our favourite hobbies (or things we did over half term), recapping colours in Latin, grid references in Geography and doing some reflective colouring in Art.

Looking ahead to next week and other important information:

1. Our PE days this term are still Monday and Wednesday, please could all children ensure they have PE kits in school on these days.
2. On Thursday afternoon at 2:30pm we will be visited by our local PCSO who will be talking with the children about staying safe online.  Parents/carers are welcome to join us for this session (and you can take your children home at the end of talk at 3pm) as advised by email earlier this week.
3. Thank you for your continued payments to clear balances prior to the Heatree residential trip.  If you would like confirmation of any balance you have outstanding please contact the office.
4. As you know, the deadline for returning medical/dietary forms for Heatree is today (Friday 5th June).  This information is vital for us (and the team at Heatree) to prepare effectively for the trip so please ensure any outstanding forms are returned by Tuesday 9th June at the latest.

Term 5, End of Week 6 (22nd May 2026)

What a busy week that one was! Well done to everyone who has completed the Bikeability course, especially as we’ve also been busy writing narratives with dialogue in English, starting work on the End of Year Production and completing double-page spreads about Sir Henry Fermor ahead of the Founders Day Church Service which is fast approaching.

It was good to see many parents, carers and children at the Heatree Information Evening this week.  The slides from the evening are available to be viewed here and letters have been sent home today for any families who were unable to make the meeting.

The children now have their scripts for the production, so although we obviously hope you have a restful half term break, it would be great if the children could start to learn their lines (and maybe a few songs) and think about their costumes (or props) for the production.  For some help with costumes, you may like to check out the ideas on the following document and official videos of the soundtrack can be found here.

If you are looking for something to do during the holidays and fancy an evening out, you might like to consider booking to see “School of Rock” at New Bury Theatre, Hurstpierpoint College.  Our Year 6 production is loosely based on this story so we thought we’d pass on details of a local production in-case anyone is interested in booking tickets (please note – we have no affiliation to this production and are just passing on details).  Details (and links to book tickets) can be found here.

We hope you have a wonderful half term and look forward to seeing you back in school on Monday 1st June for all the fun (and emotion) of the final term of Year 6!

Looking ahead to next term:

1. On Friday of week 1 we will start our day at Church for the Founders Day service.
2. Please note that final payments for Heatree are due today unless you are on a Payment Plan. If you have any queries about the amount you still have to pay please contact the office or Miss Fuller as soon as possible.
3. Please could medical/dietary forms for Heatree be returned as soon as possible to enable us to prepare effectively for the trip.
4. Children are being sent home today (Friday) with forms to complete if they wish to help at the Summer Fair which will take place on Saturday 4th July.  We would be grateful if completed forms could be returned by Thursday 18th June please.

Term 5, End of Week 5 (15th May 2026)

Well done Year 6 - what a week! You've completed your SATs and should be so proud of yourselves!  This week we have been so impressed to see the perseverance and determination of the children, they really have focused, tried their best and ultimately used this opportunity to shine.

We also had a great time at the park this afternoon, and must extend a huge thank you to the parent helpers who joined us.

We hope you all have a relaxing weekend planned (with perhaps a little audition practice) so you can reset after such a busy week! 

Looking ahead to next week:

1. On Monday morning we will be holding auditions for the children looking for a "starring role" in our end of year production called "School of Pop" - the children are aware of the challenge to prepare something appropriate for their audition.

2. Several children will be taking part in the Bikeability course next week - please see the emails sent separately for details of what to wear, groups and session times etc. 

3. On Wednesday, EYFS will be leading our monthly church service so we'll be registering in church rather than at school as usual (apart from those in Bikeability group 1 who should come to school to meet Mrs Price at the Year 5/6 door).

4. Our Heatree Information evening will take place at 6pm on Wednesday in the KS1 Hall. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the centre, our programme of activities and to receive your information packs to help prepare for the residential.

Term 5, End of Week 4 (8th May 2026)

We can’t quite believe it, the time is almost here, next week is Year 6’s chance to show off their amazing learning by completing the SATs – it’s a real milestone and the children have all done so well to get this far.

Of course, we all know Year 6 isn’t just about SATs and so it’s important to share a snippet of all the learning that’s been going on in class.

Alongside our Maths and English learning we’ve been busily doing the following this week:

1. Finalising double page spreads about Sir Henry Fermor (History)
2. Learning about why tourists visit Jamaica (Geography)
3. Playing Tennis (PE)
4. Finding out about the hypotheses and discoveries of Charles Darwin relating to Natural Selection (Science) – the children particularly enjoyed our “experiment” to find out which “beak” was most efficient so would be likely to thrive in bird populations where Survival of the Fittest occurs.    
5. Learning about the kind of King that Jesus is (RE)
6. Getting to grips with the songs for our summer production (Music)

As you can see, it really has been a busy and varied term so far and thank you to all the grandparents who also popped in this afternoon.

As we look ahead to next week, we won’t be setting any homework as we hope the children have a relaxing weekend so they are refreshed and ready for Monday.  We will look forward to seeing most children at 8am in the KS1 Hall for SATs breakfast on Monday (don’t forget children can come and join us even if they won’t be eating breakfast).  We’re also looking forward to supporting all the children through this important week of their school journey.

Looking ahead – some things to remember

1. For details of the different tests that will be taken during SATs week you may like to look again at our SATs presentation.  The slides can be found here.
2. On Friday (15th May) we will be heading to the park at Goldsmiths for our post- SATs treat.  Further details have been emailed separately.
3. If your child has not yet returned their hoodie form, please could this be done in the next few days to ensure that the order can be placed in good time.
4. If you wish for your child to take part in “Bikeability” which takes place during the week beginning 18th May, please make your booking via the link that has been emailed separately.
5. A quick reminder that if you are planning to pay for Heatree as a one-off payment, this is due by the end of this term please.  All other payment plans involving monthly instalments are ongoing as detailed in our earlier letter.
6. Our Heatree information evening will take place on Wednesday 20th May at 6pm in the KS1 Hall.
7. When SATs are finished, we will turn some of our attention to the Year 6 Production “School of Pop” – we will shortly be explaining the audition process to the children!! It will definitely represent another chance for the children to shine!

Thank you again for all your support during this busy time for Year 6!

Term 5, End of Week 3 (Friday 1st May)

What a busy week, it certainly feels like we're all ready for the Bank Holiday weekend!

As we head into the final few days before SATs the children have been working particularly hard on their Maths and English. It's important that we balance this with focus on the foundation subjects as well, so we've been continuing to learn about evolution and natural selection in Science, the life of Sir Henry Fermor in History and the impact of hurricanes in Geography. 

The children are also progressing well in getting to know the songs for our Year 6 production, so it will be even more fun when we soon start to think about casting different roles and getting to know the script.  (The children will be told about auditions for different parts soon)

We hope you all have a relaxing weekend and look forward to seeing you back in school on Tuesday 5th May.

Looking ahead to next week (and beyond):

1. Our Early Bird and after-school learning clubs will continue to run up until SATs.
2. Looking ahead to the assessment week we will be talking to all children during the coming week so that they know which rooms and groups they will be in for the assessments. This is to ensure that they are prepared ahead of time and to avoid any concern during the SATs themselves.
3. Thank you to everyone who has returned their form to order a Leavers' Hoodie - if you have not already done so, please could we ask that order forms are returned as soon as possible.
4. Thank you to those parents/carers who have volunteered to help us with our SATs treat trip on Friday 15th May.  Further details about timings etc will be sent out by email next week.  Should anyone else wish to volunteer to assist please do let your child's teacher know.
5. As you will know from a separate email - bookings are now being taken for Bikeability.  This course will take place at school during the week beginning Monday 18th May.  Should you wish to book a place for your child to take part, please follow the instructions in the email.
6. Our Heatree information evening is scheduled to take place at 6pm on Wednesday 20th May in the KS1 Hall - this provides a great opportunity for parents, carers and children to find out more about the centre, the activities and to ask any questions you might have about the residential.  We hope to see you there but if you have any questions before then, please let us know.  As you already know, we have various payment options set up on Parent Pay but if you need any clarification of any outstanding balance please contact us. If you have chosen to pay using Option 3 (payment in full) please note that this is due by the end of this term.
7. Our PE days remain as Monday and Wednesday this term and children are expected to change into PE kits for their lessons.

Term 5, End of Week 2 (Friday 24th April)

It's been so great to see the sun out a bit more this week, it always helps to raise energy and the children have certainly enjoyed a few extra minutes outside here and there.  In the classroom we've been working hard as usual and are pleased to share a little of the variety of work we've been doing this week:

1. In English we have made interesting innovations to our model discussion text.  Next week, the children will be tasked with independently writing their own discussion (balanced argument).  We will have some pre-prepared topics available but have told the children that they are welcome to come with their own statements to discuss if they have topics they are particularly passionate about.  
2. Our Maths this week has involved finishing off our shape topic and doing some general revision.  Next week we will consolidate previous learning on position and direction.
3. In RE we have been considering what kind of King Jesus is for Christians.
4. Our History work has centred on beginning to create our own double-page spreads about the life and work of Sir Henry Fermor
5. In Science we have started to look at inheritance.

As you can see, there's been a lot going on in these (and other) subjects.

Looking ahead to next week (and beyond):

1. Our Early Bird and after-school learning clubs have restarted and will continue to run up until SATs.  The timetable for these has been sent out by separate email and the sessions are open to all. 
2. Letters have gone home with all children about our SATs breakfast club.  If you would like to book breakfasts for your child during the assessment week, please return the form and payment to us by Thursday 30th April to enable the caterers to prepare.
3. Letters have also gone home about Leavers' Hoodies - please could the order forms be returned as soon as possible.
4. Our PE days remain as Monday and Wednesday this term.
5. On Friday (1st May) Group photos are being taken. 
6. A date for your diary - Our Heatree information evening will take place on Wednesday 20th May in the KS1 Hall at 6pm.

Term 5, End of Week 1 (Friday 17th April)

It's been lovely to welcome the children back to school this week after the Easter break.  They've been settling back into our varied learning topics which have included (amongst other things) the following:

• Learning about discussions and the features of balanced arguments in English.
• Learning and using the various rules for angles in Maths.
• Finding out about Fossils in Science as we start a new topic about Inheritance and Evolution.
• Studying the Lord's Prayer in RE and attempting to phrase it in an easier to understand way for a younger audience.

We were also excited to share the title of our end of Year Production!  "School of Pop" is already proving to be a hit as the children start to look at the songs in their music lessons this term.  We will be delving into the main script and story later in the term.

Looking ahead to next week (and beyond):

1. Our Early Bird and after-school learning clubs have restarted and will run up until SATs.  The timetable for these has been sent out by separate email and the sessions are open to all. (If you have not previously given permission for your child to stay to an after-school learning club and would like them to now, please advise your child's teacher through their contact book giving confirmation of whether they will be collected or are allowed to walk home independently when the session ends at 3:30pm)
2. As mentioned in the SATs meeting recently, we will be offering a breakfast club during SATs week - more details about this will be sent soon.
3. Year 1 will be leading our monthly Church service on Wednesday morning so please note that there will be no early bird on Wednesday next week and children should register at church at the normal time.
4. Our PE days remain at Monday and Wednesday this term.
5. A date for your diary - Our Heatree information evening will take place on Wednesday 20th May in the KS1 Hall at 6pm.

Term 4, End of Week 5 (27th March 2026)

Well done everyone, you’ve reached the end of another term and didn’t that one fly by!!

The term ended as busily as it began, with the children completing an independent writing task (to showcase all they have learnt about writing amazing descriptions in narratives) and finishing their statistics unit in maths.  6P also enjoyed their turn for a visit to Peacehaven.

It’s been lovely to speak to many parents and carers this week during parents evenings, where we’ve been able to discuss the progress the children have been making.  If you were unable to make it to Parents Evening and would like to discuss your child’s progress with their teacher, please pop a note in their contact book and we would be happy to arrange something in the new term.

We hope you all have a wonderful Easter break and are able to find some time to relax. We are not setting any specific homework over Easter (as we know the next term will be busy with revision etc), but if the children could continue to enjoy reading for pleasure over the break that would be fantastic.

We look forward to welcoming the children back to school on Monday 13th April, all ready for the fun of Term 5!

Looking ahead to next term

1. PE days will continue to be Monday and Wednesday
2. SATs week begins on 11th May (week 5 of Term 5) – the slides from the parents presentation can be found online here.
3. Weds 20th May – At 6pm we will be holding a talk/information session about the Heatree trip

Term 4, end of week 4 (20th March 2026)

Well done to Year 6 for completing another week of Mock SAT assessments, it’s been good to see how you’ve concentrated and focused on applying all your learning and have taken care to read the questions carefully.

Of course this week hasn’t just been about assessments. We’ve also carried on work in all our foundation subjects and 6F enjoyed their visit to Peacehaven Wastewater Treatment Centre (it’s your turn next week 6P).  It’s been lovely to see the weather perk up this week too, so we’ve made sure we’ve got some fresh air in the midst of our learning as well.

Thank you also to all parents and carers who were able to attend our SATs information sessions.  The powerpoint slides will be added to the website so you can refer back to them as needed.

Looking ahead to next week:

1. On Monday it’s the annual FoFS “Make the Rules Day” – please see information you will have received separately about this.
2. Parents Evenings take place on Tuesday(6F and 6P) and Thursday (6F only) and slots can be booked via the email you will have received from the office.  If you have been unable to book a slot and would like to discuss your child’s progress at another time, please let us know. 
3. The Let’s Dance Festival takes place in Eastbourne on Wednesday – good luck to the group from Year 6 who will be attending, we know you’ll be amazing!
4. On Thursday, 6P have their trip to Peacehaven. Please refer to the previous email for details of this.
5. Our last day of term (Friday) will start with the Easter Church Service led by Year 5.  Please could children register at church as usual for this.

Term 4, end of week 3 (13th March 2026)

It seems quite fitting that we spent a lot of our day yesterday running around (seeing how our heart rate is impacted by exercise in Science) as this term is definitely running away from us too!

It's been another learning-packed week, with highlights including:

1. Hot Seating and Poetry Writing in English 
2. Revising fractions and finishing our unit on perimeter, area and volume in maths
3. Starting to learn about Jamaica in Geography 
4. Finding out about Sir Henry Fermor in History 
5. Analysing what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in RE

Next week is a bit "out of the ordinary", here are the details:

1. As we draw closer to the SATs we find it helpful to give the children opportunities to practice their test techniques, therefore we will be holding another set of SATs mocks next week. As we always say, we don't want the children to worry about these papers but to see them as another practice and opportunity to show off their knowledge. We use our analysis of these papers to inform our planning for future lessons.
2. On Tuesday 6P are swimming. 
3. On Thursday 6F have their trip to Peacehaven. Please refer to the separate email for details of this.
4. On Wednesday at 6pm we will be hosting a SATs information evening in the KS1 hall. Please come along to hear about arrangements for the tests and our tips for navigating this time with your child. We will hold a short "recap" session for those unable to make the evening meeting at 9:05 on Friday morning, please come to the Year 5/6 entrance door for this session.
5. Parents evenings take place in the last week of term - information about booking time slots will be sent out from the office soon.

Term 4, End of Week 2 (6th March 2026)

It's been lovely to see the sun shining a bit this week, it's really had an impact on our learning too. 

The children have enjoyed being able to do PE lessons outside, and spending some time outside reading during World Book Day was a bonus.

Back in the classroom we've had a great time too. In English we learnt our new model text (an excerpt from Aladdin) orally and discovered how wonderful the children are at remembering stories!! We have worked on Perimeter and Area (as well as various revision topics) in Maths and look forward to moving on to learn about Volume and Capacity next week.  This week's Science involved considering (and creating a model to represent) the four different types of cells in blood; whilst we continued learning about Water and its importance in Geography and studying our local History. 

Looking Ahead to Next Week

1. It's 6Fs turn for a swimming lesson this week. Please could children bring their full swimming kit (including towel and swimming hat) on Tuesday. 
2. Our new English model text can be found online here if you would like to support your child in continuing to familiarise themselves with it. 
3. Bookings continue to be taken for our trips to Peacehaven Wastewater Treatment Centre via Parent Pay. If any more parents/carers would like to join us to assist with supervision as well, we'd love to hear from you.
4. Early Bird Groups and Short Burst Learning groups after school have restarted as advised in our earlier letter, we would love to welcome many children to these extra learning opportunities. 
5. Science Day takes place on Thursday 12th March. We are likely to do a PE related investigation on this day so please can children have their PE kits in school on Thursday.

Term 4, End of Week 1 (27th February 2026)

It’s been a short but busy first week of term and the children have really shown determination to succeed in their learning.

The start of term is always the start of new topics (Villains and descriptions in English; Water and Jamaica in Geography; the Gospel in RE and Circulation in Science, to name just a few) and we've been really encouraged by the enthusiasm shown for these new topics. 

Of course, it's always a good sign when a week involves a special activity or two and this term is great for this. Just this week the children have enjoyed flipping pancakes for FOFs and over the term we have lots of other special events including: World Book Day, Science Day, our trip to Peacehaven water treatment centre and 2 church services. More information will follow about different events a little nearer the time.

Notices for the coming week (and looking ahead):

1. Early Bird and After-School learning sessions will start again next week.  Please see the email sent out today with details of the sessions as there have been some changes from last term.
2. On Tuesday it’s 6Ps turn for their first swimming session of the term.  Please ensure that children bring their full swimming kit including hat and towel.
3. We will register at church on Wednesday (and there will be no Early-Bird session as a result).  Year 2 will be leading our service.
4. It’s World Book Day on Thursday – please see the main school newsletter for details. As usual, children are welcome to come appropriately dressed as a character from a favourite book, although this is not compulsory.  As last year, we will also be running a book swap on Thursday so children can bring up to 3 appropriate books to swap (if these could be brought in by the end of the day on Wednesday please).
5. Thinking ahead to our trips to the Peacehaven Wastewater Treatment Centre (6F on Thurs 19th March and 6P on Thurs 26th March) we would love a few parent/carer volunteers to help us on the day.  If you are interested in joining us, please could you let your child’s teacher know.  Bookings are still also being taken for the trip on Parent Pay.
6. On Wednesday 18th March at 6pm we will be holding a short meeting in the KS1 Hall for parents and carers regarding the SATs.  We would encourage you to attend this if possible and we will also be running a summary version on the morning of Friday 20th March for any unable to attend the evening.  This meeting is a good opportunity to find out about SATs arrangements, support and to ask any questions you might have about these forthcoming assessments.

Term 3, End of Week 6 (February 13th)

Well done, you've made it to the end of another term and what a term it's been!

Particular congratulations to the children for their hard work in completing SATs mocks this week, we've been very impressed by the focus and determination we have seen!

It's definitely time for a rest now and we hope you all have a wonderful half term break and come back to school refreshed and ready for Term 4 on Tuesday 24th February.

A few notices for the start of next term:

1. Term 4 is Year 6's turn for swimming - our lessons will be on Tuesday afternoons (starting on the first day of term for 6F).  Please could the children bring their full swimming kit (including goggles, swimming hat and a towel) for their swimming sessions.  Classes will alternate each week with 6F swimming in Week 1 and 6P in week 2 etc.
2. Later in the term we have our visit to Peacehaven Wastewater Treatment Centre - please sign up via Parent Pay
3. Bookings for Heatree (residential) are now closed - if you have any questions about your child's booking please let their teacher know.
4. There will be no before or after school learning clubs in week 1 of term whilst we review the clubs we are able to offer - an email will be sent out to all parents/carers of Year 6 during week 1 to confirm the offering for the rest of the term.

Term 3, End of Week 5 (6th February)

The weather this week hasn't been great but the learning certainly has.

The children are really embracing our current topic of persuasive writing in English and have excelled in their use of modal verbs and rhetorical questions to "sell" an amazing "Multi-Function Mobile Phone" to spies.

We've continued to secure our learning of decimals too, before the fun of making and writing messages with cipher (code) wheels for Number Day (photos to follow next week).

Next week will see a bit of a pause from our usual learning as the children will be sitting a round of SATs mocks. This practice run for the SATs provides a great opportunity for the children to become familiar with the format of the tests and to practice completing them under test conditions to make this less daunting in the summer. It is also a chance for the children to show off their knowledge of Maths and English and for teachers to be able to quickly identify any particular gaps we need to address.  Attendance for this week is extremely important as it provides such a valuable learning opportunity.

Important Notices and Looking ahead to next week

1. On Wednesday 18th March at 6pm we will be holding a brief meeting for parents and carers about SATs.
2. A reminder that the last day of this term is next Friday (13th February) and that Term 4 will begin on Tuesday 24th February.
3. We are seeing more and more fiddle toys being brought in to school again. Please could we ask that children do not bring their own toys in to school as they easily become a distraction from learning and can be broken or lost.  Teachers are able to provide appropriate fidgets in class to those children who need them. 
4. We are now in the final week for bookings to be taken for the Heatree residential.  If you wish for your child to attend and you have not yet paid your deposit of £50, the closing date for bookings is Friday 13th February.

Term 3, End of Week 4 (January 30th)

Well done for another great week Year 6!

We've particularly enjoyed seeing the children use their knowledge to write their own "finding stories" this week. They really have thought about the vocabulary and punctuation they use and have tried to include all the features of mystery writing.

We have now moved on to our next unit (persuasive writing) so we look forward to seeing how their skills of persuasion grow over the next few weeks.  The photos below show animated discussions as the children tried to persuade one another in different (funny) scenarios this week.

This week we've also been revisiting and building on prior learning about decimals in maths, alongside practising our reading comprehension skills and learning about our wide range of foundation topics. 

We have one more week of learning to go before the children try some SATs mock papers. These will help us to identify any gaps we need to address ahead of the "real thing" whilst also building the children's familiarity and confidence in facing the tests. We know that the children will do a great job as they try their best in these mocks.

Important Notices and Looking ahead to next week

1. To support the children in their new unit of learning, our new model text and story map for English can be found here.

2. Our before and after school learning provisions are going well and are generally well attended. Thank you very much to all those who are supporting these short-burst learning opportunities. Please could we encourage all parents/carers to look in your children’s bags to ensure that you have filled in and returned the provision invitation letter.

3. Registration will take place in church on Wednesday morning next week. The service is being led by Year 3.

4. As we continue to prepare the children for their SATs and to look ahead to transition to Secondary School please can we remember that homework in Year 6 is considered essential as it provides a great way to consolidate classroom learning and to encourage greater independence in learning. 

5. We are now in the last 2 weeks for bookings to be taken for the Heatree residential.  If your child wishes to attend and you have not yet paid your deposit of £50, the closing date for bookings is Friday 13th February.

6. This Friday (6th Feb) is Number Day in aid of the NSPCC.  It is not a home clothes day but if children would like to wear a number related accessory for the day they are very welcome to. Any donations for the NSPCC can be made online here. 

Term 3, End of Week 3 (Friday 23rd January)

Just like that, we're half way through another term! It's flying by!  Lots of work has happened in Year 6 again this week:

• Starting to innovate (change and improve) an element of our model text in English 
• Finishing our study of expressions and equations with algebra in Maths
• Learning about the impact of canals in Birmingham in Geography 
• Finding out about the manufacturing of cloth in Manchester in History
• Classifying animals in Science

As we move into the second half of Term 3 we will no doubt continue to be similarly busy. We'll be moving on to a new topic in maths next week (decimals) and will write our own finding stories (mysteries) in English. 

Looking ahead to next week and other important notices 

• With the changeable weather we've been having lately please could we remind children to bring a warm, waterproof coat to school. We do have wet-play when rain is particularly heavy, but where possible it is always our aim for the children to go outside for break and lunch to get some well-deserved fresh air.
• Please could we remind everyone that children should only be bringing a healthy snack like fruit or salad/veg items for break time.
• As you will have seen from the email sent earlier this week, our final closing date for Heatree bookings is the end of this term. Please let your child's teacher know ASAP if you would like to make a booking if you've not already done so.
• At the end of this term the children will be sitting a round of mock SATs. This is a chance for the children to practice their test techniques and to become more familiar with the way the tests are administered. As previously mentioned, these are nothing to worry about, we just ask that the children try their best and remember that these papers are a chance for them to "show off" their learning.

Term 3, End of Week 2 (Friday 16th January)

What a positive week we've had in Year 6!

The children have donned their (metaphorical) detective hats and enjoyed diving into our new mystery unit in English. They did particularly well at dramatically recreating scenes from our model text, this has helped them to get to know it well.  The children are really finding their enjoyment in writing and we've had a great time starting to generate ideas for a big write as well.

In Maths we have started a new topic, Algebra. Beginning our studies by considering "Function Machines" was helpful as the children were able to see how the process of Algebra works. 

We've been busy in other subjects too:

1. Learning about the importance of considering what we share online in RHE.

2. Continuing to create dances in PE.

3. Finding out about elements of the Hindu faith in RE.

4. Discovering why cities like Birmingham have grown over time in Geography. 

Looking to the week ahead

1. Before and after school learning groups will continue. Thank you very much to everyone who has already joined us for these "quick fire" learning opportunities.

2. On Tuesday a number of children from the school choir will be going to the O2 in London for "Young Voices".  We look forward to hearing all about how they get on.  We hope everyone who is signed up to go has a wonderful time.

Term 3, Week 1 (Friday 9th January 2026)

We’ve enjoyed welcoming everyone back to school after the Christmas break, refreshed and ready for another term of learning!

We’ve started the term as mean to go on, busily learning and having fun with our lessons.  This week has even included:

• Clapping and stamping our way around the room as we started a new dance unit in PE.
• Considering how we could draw huge buildings like the Eiffel Tower accurately by learning about Scale Factors and Similar shapes in Maths.
• Imagining ourselves to be the “Ghost of Christmas Past” as we’ve creatively retold part of “A Christmas Carol” from their perspective in English.
• Beginning new units of work on varied topics including: spreadsheets, Birmingham, classification of living things and much more.

For further detail of the learning we have planned between now and Easter, please click here to visit our curriculum page.

Looking ahead to next week and other important notices

• We will start a new writing unit on the topic of “mysteries” next week.  To help inspire their writing we would like to invite the children to bring in their own small prop to wear (or put on their desk) to help them imagine themselves as a sleuth when writing for this unit. (Please note: there is no expectation that every child must bring in a prop and any props must be small enough that they will not distract from learning.  We are simply suggesting a “hook” to help the children get in character to write mysteries).  You can view the model text we will be using for this unit here.
• Our new programme of learning provisions for Term 3 and 4 will start next week.  Letters about these sessions have been sent home with children today (Friday).  As you will see, we are running shorter sessions and we hope that these will be helpful as we enter the last few months of SATs preparation.
• During Term 4 we will be going on a trip to the Peacehaven Wastewater Treatment Centre (trust us, it’s a great trip) – further information about this will follow soon.
• The Year 6 residential to Heatree is also fast approaching – whilst the trip may not be until July, our various payment options are now open on ParentPay to help with budgeting.  Should you wish to discuss payments, or other elements of the trip, please let your child’s teacher know.

Term 2, Week 7 (Friday 19th December)

Wow, what a busy week to end an equally busy term!

It was lovely to finish the term with such festive events as the KS2 Carol Service (the children did fabulously at processing and singing whilst holding candles), Secret Shopping Room and a Christmas Church Service to end the week.

Thank you so much to everyone who has been involved in these events (parents, carers and children alike), school has really been a wonderfully festive place this week.

In addition to the Christmas fun, thanks must go to the House Captains and Play Leaders who helped to lead and support younger children in our House Group Competition this week. It’s always lovely to see children from the different age groups working together and encouraging one another.

As we come to the end of a busy term, all that remains is for us to thank you for your support (and unexpected but much appreciated Christmas cards and gifts) throughout this year and to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We look forward to welcoming the children back to school on Monday 5th January 2026, for our next busy term to begin!

Looking ahead to the New Year

• During Week 2 of the new term we would love it if children could possibly bring in a small prop that might be used by someone wanting to solve a mystery! (Maybe a hat, a pair of glasses or even a magnifying glass for example).  Our new writing topic is going to be mysteries and for the children to have a prop with them as they write this may encourage them to really get in character!

• If you still wish to book a place for your child to attend the Heatree residential this summer we would be grateful if you would do so soon.  Deposits can be paid on ParentPay or by cash or cheque via the office.  Thank you very much to everyone who has started to follow one of our payment plans in order to pay for the residential – if you have any queries about the payment process, please speak to Miss Fuller or Miss Decker when we return to school in the new year.

Term 2, Week 6 (12th December)

The countdown to Christmas has been in full flow this week. Year 6 have enjoyed opening advent calendars, watching the KS1 Nativity, wearing Christmas jumpers, eating Christmas lunch and even meeting Father Christmas, all while completing a full week of learning activities too!

In English we've been reading the classic story of “A Christmas Carol” and using it to help us explore the task of writing a narrative from a character's perspective. 

Our Maths focus has been on converting metric units, alongside continuing to practise solving arithmetic questions and reasoning problems regularly.

We've also completed our work around the topics of Electricity in Science and Belief (or not) in God in RE.  We look forward to introducing new units of work at the beginning of Term 3.

Looking ahead to the final week of term

Please be advised of the following:

1. Homework has been set today (12th December) to be completed at the end of next week as usual. We will not be setting homework over the holidays as we feel it is important for the children (and parents/carers) to have a real break.  However please keep encouraging them to read for pleasure during this time.
2. Thank you to everyone who has attended our Early Bird Groups, after school learning clubs and short burst times tables and spelling groups over the last two terms. These groups have now finished for the term so will not be taking place next week.  We will contact parents and carers at the start of the new term regarding a new timetable of additional learning opportunities.
3. The popular "Secret Present Room" for children to buy Christmas Gifts will be open for business on Tuesday 16th December - gifts range in price from 50p to £3.
4. The KS2 Carol Service at All Saints church takes place on Tuesday 16th December at 6pm. Whilst it is an evening service we are very hopeful that most children will be able to attend as it is a very enjoyable service each year and Year 6 really enjoy leading it. Parents and carers are of course more than welcome to attend too. 
5. On Friday morning we will register at church as it is the day of the Christmas Service.

Term 2, Week 5 (5th December 2025)

Another busy week draws to a close and the children have impressed us with their concentration and focus on learning, as they have applied themselves well to the challenge of assessment week.

The assessments were carried out in the familiar environment of our classrooms and administered by the adults who work with the children regularly, as we try to alleviate any anxieties the children may have about tests.  We administered these tests in the same order as SATs papers so the children are becoming more familiar with what they will experience later in year 6. The children worked hard and tried their best, showing off the learning that has been embedded so far this year.

Completing regular assessments like this not only helps us to reduce the likelihood of exam worries for the children, it also helps us identify knowledge gaps or areas where additional teaching or support would benefit children.  Following completion of these papers we will now analyse the scores and use this information to adjust the range of before and after school learning opportunities we offer next term. We will be in touch with parents/carers early in the New Year to share details of additional learning opportunities and to signpost the ones that we would like to invite children to.

This week has also had its lighter moments.  On Monday, the children enjoyed a series of fun team games with Year 5 in PE. Whilst Thursday afternoon provided the privilege of watching the children from Early Years complete the dress rehearsal for their Nativity. Year 6 really value the opportunity to support and encourage their younger buddies.

Important Notices and Looking Ahead to Next Week

• As the children get inevitably more tired towards the end of term (and excitement for Christmas builds up) we tend to find more friendship difficulties arise.  We regularly speak with children about the importance of being kind and respectful with their words and actions and we thank parents and carers for their support with instilling this message too.
• Thank you very much to those parents/carers who have started making payments for the Heatree residential via one of our payment plans.  If you require a further copy of the letter so you are aware of payment dates etc, please let your child’s teacher know.
• The following Christmas events take place for the children in the next 2 weeks:
• Thursday 11th December – Wear Christmas Jumpers and Christmas Lunch (with EYFS buddies)
• Friday 12th December – Wear Christmas Jumpers and the date of Father Christmas’ visit to SHF!
• Tuesday 16th December is the Key Stage 2 Carol Service at Church.  This special event at 6pm always provides a festive atmosphere and some wonderful carol singing opportunities.  Children from Year 6 are expected to attend please and of course, parents and carers are always very welcome to join this service too.
• Friday 19th December - Christmas Service for the whole school at Church (morning registration will be at church)

Term 2, Week 4 (Friday 28th November)

Well done to everyone for reaching the end of another busy week! We hope you have kept some energy in reserve as we're sure that many of you will be attending the Christmas Fair tomorrow (many thanks in advance to everyone who is helping with a stall).

This week has been busy with the following learning taking place:

• In Maths we finished our unit on Fractions by learning about finding the whole and finding fractions of amounts.  The children have persevered very well with their work on fractions and we will keep revisiting it in future to help the learning stick.
• In English we have completed our study of the Gunpowder Plot and the children have planned their own reports which they will be writing on Monday as a showpiece of their learning.
• In Science we enjoyed creating our steady hand toys this week - the classrooms were "abuzz" literally, with buzzers and bulbs as the children tested their games.
• Lots has been achieved in other subjects too (including some very mature discussions about beliefs in RE). Well done for your hard work this week.

Important notices and looking ahead to next week

• On Monday to Thursday next week we will be holding our "assessment week".  This provides an opportunity for the children to show off all they have learnt over these first months of Year 6.  The assessments will be taking place in our usual classrooms and other learning spaces to ensure that the children are in places they feel comfortable and familiar with.  We will be following the SATs timetable and trying to make the environment as stress-free as possible.  Some children will be working in smaller groups as we feel this will be beneficial to them.  The children have been prepared for the events of next week so there are no surprises and they know that the expectations are for them to do their best.
• The children are aware that in Year 6 it is an expectation that homework is completed each week as this supports the learning we are doing in class and begins to prepare the children for expectations of Secondary school.  Up until now, children have received a "bonus" of extra play for completing their homework, however as we move further into the year we are unable to continue to provide this as it means valuable learning time is lost.  When children have not completed their homework or brought it in for marking on Friday's they will therefore be asked to stay in for 10 minutes to work on it at lunchtime.  (The 10 minutes will start when the children are settled and start their learning).  We apologise for any confusion over this new practice which started today.  Of course, children are welcome to complete their homework in our after school homework club each Monday, or can ask their teacher for support if needed.  Thank you very much for your support of this important aspect of learning.

Term 2, Week 3 (Friday 21st November)

Another busy week and it's been great to see the children having opportunity to be creative!

In English we have started a unit writing non-chronological reports and have been learning all about the Gunpowder Plot as it's seasonally relevant.  The children really enjoyed working in groups to act out the story, it was fun whilst also helping them to get to know their "model text" better.

Creativity has also been the order of the day in Science and DT, where we have been designing "Steady Hand Toys" to put our knowledge of electrical circuits to good use.  Next week we will be building the circuits to finish off our toys in time for the Christmas Fair.

In other areas of learning, we have been multiplying and dividing fractions (maths), finding out about different lifestyles and households in Ethiopia (Geography) and discussing thoughtful questions about why people might choose to believe in God (RE).

Thank you very much to those children (and parents) who are diligently completing homework each week.  It really does make a huge difference in supporting the learning we are doing in class, whilst also preparing the children for their transition to Secondary School. We are very grateful for your continued support with this important area of learning.

Important Notices and Looking Ahead to Next Week

• On Wednesday morning registration will be at Church as it is our monthly service which will be led by Year 5 this month.  There will be no early bird group on Wednesday morning as a result.
• Thank you very much to the children who have returned forms to help with the Christmas Fair - we will look forward to seeing many of you there on Saturday 29th November
• If you still wish to book a place for your child to attend the Heatree residential in July we would be grateful if you would do so soon.  Deposits can be paid on ParentPay or by cash via the office. Thank you very much to those parents/carers who have started to follow one of our payment plans.  If you have any difficulties with the payment plan you wish to follow please let us know so that we can assist you.
• PE days for this term remain as Monday and Wednesday so please could we ensure that PE kits are in school on those days.

Term 2, Week 2 (Friday 14th November 2025)

What a poignant start to the week with Year 6 representing Sir Henry Fermor School at the town remembrance service on Tuesday morning.  All the children contributed to our project of making a wreath which our Head Boy and Head Girl professionally placed at the war memorial during this ceremony.  The children were extremely respectful and grateful for the opportunity to attend this annual event.

Several children from Year 6 represented SHF in the next round of the Cross-Country competition and a team from Year 6 took part in football at another school this week, so it’s definitely been a busy few days!

Aside from special events, our learning has also progressed in earnest:

• In English we have completed a “back to basics” unit focusing on the key pillars of writing – grammar, sentence structure, handwriting, punctuation, spelling and comprehension.  It has been helpful for the children to spend time writing a series of short independent pieces specifically focused on these key areas and using interesting pictures to stimulate their writing.
• In Maths we have continued our work on adding and subtracting fractions and will now progress to multiplying and dividing them.
• Our study of Science this week involved creating simple series circuits and presenting them using diagrams.
• We have also started new units of study in Geography (learning about Ethiopia), History (building on prior learning about the Vikings) and RE (considering why some people believe in God and others don’t).

Important Notices and Looking Ahead to Next Week

• If you still wish to book a place for your child to attend the Heatree residential in July we would be grateful if you would do so soon.  Deposits can be paid on ParentPay or by cash via the office.
• If you wish to purchase any of the gift items that can be printed with your child’s Christmas card design please be advised that the deadline for placing orders is 17th November.  Orders are taken online only.

Term 2, Week 1 (Friday 7th November)

Welcome back after the half term break, we hope you all feel refreshed and what a great (and busy) first week we’ve had!

Thank you so much to so many parents and carers for joining us at our Year 6 church service and tie ceremony, we’re sure you will agree that the children spoke with great clarity and sang with real spirit, it was a privilege to be able to hand them their ties at this special event.

This week we’ve gone “back to basics” in our writing – the children have enjoyed the opportunity to write different sentence types (simple, compound and complex) and the challenge to vary the start of their sentences.  Looking at writing in detail like this encourages the children to be more aware of their audience and to ensure that their writing is engaging to the reader.

Our maths focus has switched to fractions this week, whilst also continuing to include regular arithmetic practice to help the children continually secure their learning.

A group of eager Year 6 volunteers have also been diligently creating paper poppies during lunchtimes this week as we have put together our unique wreath which will be laid at the remembrance service on the green on Tuesday.

Looking ahead to next week and important points to remember:

1. Due to a slight change in timetabling our PE days have now switched to Monday and Wednesday and our PE subject for this term is gymnastics.
2. Year 6 traditionally design and make “Steady Hand Toys” for use at the Christmas Fair, this is a practical way of applying what has been learnt in our Science topic of “Electricity”.  We would be grateful if children could bring in a small (shoebox sized) box by the end of next week to use in the production of these toys if possible.
3. Please could we encourage children to bring their completed homework in to school each week on Friday.  This is important so that we can see learning has been completed and can identify any areas that the children have found tricky and may benefit from further support with.
4. Children will have brought home their "wish list" for the Scholastic Book Sale today.  If you wish to see or purchase any of these books (or others) please come along to the book sale which will be taking place after school next week.  You will have been advised about this in an email from the office.
5. Just a quick reminder that it is still possible for children to sign up for the Heatree residential if they have not yet done so.  Letters have now been sent out to those who have confirmed their places with details of the payment plans available.  Please let your child's teacher know if you have any queries about this.

Term 1, Week 8 (Thursday 23rd October)

Well done Year 6, you made it! It was a long term but you've made it through and have settled in well to the year. Thank you so much to all parents and carers who attended parents evenings this week, it was lovely to meet so many of you.

Of course, we finished the term with a busy week including: completing our unit on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in Maths; writing independent setting descriptions on a choice of 3 pictures for English; completing our Geography unit on Climate Change  and our Science unit on Light, as well as practising for our Tie Ceremony church service which takes place in Week 1 of next term.  Our week also included school photos and Parents Evenings so you definitely all deserve a rest now!

 We hope you have a wonderful week (whatever you have planned) and will look forward to seeing the children back in school on Monday 3rd November.

Important Information and Dates for your diary

• The closing date for applications for Secondary School places is fast approaching - please make sure you have made your application by the end of this month.  For further details please visit the East Sussex website here.
• Winter Uniform from Term 2 please
• The Year 6 church service (and tie ceremony) takes place on Wednesday 5th November, please join us if possible.
• Our PE days will be Monday and Wednesday from Term 2
• Homework has been set but is not due in until the Friday of Week 1.
• We have now set up 3 payment options on ParentPay to provide flexibility for making payments for the Heatree residential. A letter went home at the end of term about these. Please speak to Miss Fuller or Miss Decker if you have any queries about this.  If you have not yet booked a place for your child on the residential and would like them to attend, you are welcome to book in still, we would love them to join us!
• Towards the end of term we have seen an increase in the number of friendship difficulties resulting from unkind things being shared on phone messages and social media accounts.  We regularly talk with the children about the importance of kindness, respect and internet safety and we do not allow use of phones in school.  We would like to urge parents and carers to also monitor messaging and app usage etc at home.  Many thanks for your support with helping the children to navigate online in a safe and healthy manner.

Term 1, Week 7 (Friday 17th October)

Another week has flown by, culminating in a wonderful performance of "The Secret Garden" which the children found thoroughly engaging and enjoyable this morning.

We have started to practise for our upcoming church service in the midst of busy lessons which have included:

• English - Work on expanded noun phrases and the "bare bones" of setting descriptions in preparation for the "invention" phase of writing next week.  The children will independently work on a "show piece" to demonstrate their understanding at the end of this unit of work.
• Maths - We finished work on BODMAS and have spent much of this week securing our skills in Short Division (using the bus stop method). We have been impressed by the growing confidence around arithmetic and particularly by some children wishing to move quickly to learn about Long Division!
• History - We have started to learn about the kingdom of Benin and have been drawing parallels between it and Ethiopia.  The children have been particularly interested to learn about the way history has previously been passed down orally.
• Science - This week we investigated the phenomenon of refraction.  It was wonderful to see the children being curious and asking questions about why a pencil appears to bend or break when placed in a glass of water.

Looking ahead and important dates for next week

1) If you still want to purchase a set of CGP books for homework, we will be placing a final order at the end of next week (on Friday 24th October) please let your child's teacher know.  Payment can again by made via ParentPay or by cash or cheque in the office.

2) Parents Evenings take place on Tuesday and Thursday next week and we are looking forward to seeing many of you there.  If you have not managed to secure a slot and would like to arrange a meeting please pop a note in your child's contact book and we will be happy to arrange this.

3) Homework club will take place on Monday as usual but other after school clubs for maths, writing, spelling and times tables will not be taking place next week due to Parents Evenings.  All learning clubs will continue in Term 2.

4) On Wednesday (22nd October) the school photographer will be in to take individual photos.

5) We have added some additional spelling resources to our class page which may be helpful.  They can be found here. Our homework pages also continue to list the pages of the CGP books that the children have been asked to work on each week.

Term 1, Week 6 (Friday 10th October)

This term is flying by, it doesn't seem possible that we're over a week into October already.

The children have applied themselves well in their learning this week and have accomplished a lot:

• In English we've been rewriting and innovating a model text, building skills of descriptive writing.  This is preparing the children to write their own effective setting descriptions in the coming days.
• In Maths we have secured our understanding of multiplication further (please keep practising) and have started to look at the process of BODMAS (the order of operations).  We will continue this at the beginning of next week before moving on to consider short and long division.
• In Geography we have considered the effects of climate change and in History we have continued learning about how kingdoms change over time.
• We have also started designing Christmas cards (yes it's that time of year again) and are beginning to prepare for the Year 6 Tie Ceremony which will be held in church during the first week of Term 2 - children will be coming home with their words to learn next week.

As you can see, it's been a busy week and next week looks set to be busy too, so we hope that you all get a good rest this weekend. 

Looking ahead and important dates for next week

1) CGP (homework) books have now been given to those who had ordered them. If you still want to purchase a set please let us know as we may be able to arrange this. 

2) Bookings (and non refundable deposits ) are still being taken for Heatree via Parentpay. The closing date for making bookings is this coming Friday (17th October). We will be in touch soon after this date with further details of ongoing payment plans etc to help you spread the cost as needed. 

3) 6P are swimming on Monday

4) The Year 6 church service (and tie ceremony) is coming up on Wednesday 5th November.  Parents and carers will be very welcome to attend this. Children will be bringing their lines home to learn over the next few days.

5) Thank you very much for your support of the additional learning sessions that we have been offering this term. If you have any queries about these sessions or would like your child to attend a session they are not currently on the list for, please let your child's teacher know. 

6) Please could we remind all children that trading of any toys/stationery etc at school is not allowed and that toys (however small) shouldn't be brought into the classroom where they can distract from learning. 

Term 1, Week 5 (Friday 3rd October)

Well done for another busy week. We can't quite believe how quickly the term is flying by, the children continue to show they have settled into Year 6 really well and are enjoying the different opportunities of this year. This week, the children have particularly enjoyed seeing their EYFS buddies at church and walking them back to school after a lovely Harvest service.

Other highlights of the week have included: Listening to teachers sharing favourite poems on poetry day (and making up some new vocabulary); completing our unit on Performance Poetry by writing original poems; learning (and growing confidence with) the process of long multiplication and building skills in Tag Rugby.

We have also enjoyed seeing some of the children for morning and afternoon additional learning opportunities which started this week.

Looking ahead and important dates for next week

1) CGP (homework) books are now on order and will be given to the children as soon as we receive them - thank you very much for placing your orders for these

2) Bookings (and non refundable deposits ) are still being taken for Heatree via Parentpay.

3) It's the time of the year where many local Secondary Schools hold open events for potential new students.  Please also remember that applications for secondary school places are still open.

4) 6F are swimming on Monday

5) The Year 6 church service (and tie ceremony) is coming up on Wednesday 5th November.  Parents and carers will be very welcome to attend this.

Term 1, Week 4 (Friday 26th September)

Another great week at Sir Henry Fermor, it seems that there's always something exciting for the children to experience and this week has been no exception.

On Wednesday, the children enjoyed a special workshop in scooter skills - they loved the opportunity to go over ramps and jumps, it certainly made for a different PE lesson!

We also ended the week by celebrating European Day of Languages - it was fascinating to hear of the many different countries represented in our classes and to have the opportunity to learn a little Spanish.

Of course we also focused well on learning our core subjects (including investigating factors and divisibility in Maths; and shadows in Science) and we look forward to writing our own performance poetry to "show off" our learning from our latest English unit next week.

Looking ahead to next week - (and things to remember):

• Homework club will run after school on Monday in Mrs Miller's classroom (until 16:15pm - please return your completed permission slip if you would like your child to attend)
• Our before and after school intervention groups will start from next Tuesday - children will bring letters home about this on Monday (apologies we could not send them home today due to a printer fault)
• 6P will be swimming on Monday afternoon
• If you would like to order a set of CGP (Homework) books for your child and have not yet done so, please could you place your order via Parent Pay by the end of the day on Monday so that the order can be placed on Wednesday. Many thanks to those of you who have already ordered these.
• Heatree Deposits are still being taken on ParentPay.
• Children have now been given their badges in recognition of their "Year 6 jobs".  We would encourage them to look after these as at a cost of almost £3 each we are unable to replace them if lost.
• It is possible to apply for your child's secondary school place.  As we mentioned at the Meet the Teacher event we would encourage you to do this as soon as possible before the deadline of 31st October 2025

Term 1, Week 3 (Friday 19th September)

A week that was filled with exciting times for Year 6.  Of course we were busy with lessons in core and foundation subjects, but we also threw in some other great learning opportunities.

• The week (and our new poetry unit) started with a visit from Brian Moses (poet) who inspired the children with his funny poems and tips on choosing topics to write about.  
• In Science we used torches to create shadows and investigate how and why their shapes changed.
• Confidence grew in Maths where we started our new topic by consolidating what we already know about the column methods of addition and subtraction.
• Friday was perhaps the most exciting day for the children as they not only met their EYFS buddies for the first time (and enjoyed reading a story to them) but they also learnt which Year 6 job they have been given.  It was lovely to see how excited the children were for each other as they heard who had been selected for roles including Ambassadors, Office Helpers, Play Leaders, Worship Leaders and many more.  We look forward to seeing how the children take to their roles and the new responsibilities they bring.

Looking ahead to next week - things to remember:

• Homework club starts after school on Monday (running until 16:15pm - please return your completed permission slip if you would like your child to attend)
• 6F will be swimming on Monday afternoon
• If you would like to order a set of CGP (Homework) books for your child and have not yet done so, please could you place your order via Parent Pay by the end of the day on Tuesday (23rd September) so that we can place the order as soon as possible.
• Instead of our usual PE lesson on Friday, we are excited that thanks to FoFS our children will be taking part in a Scooter Workshop on Wednesday this week.  The scooters are provided for this.
• Heatree Deposits are still being taken on ParentPay
• It is possible to apply for your child's secondary school place.  As we mentioned at the Meet the Teacher event we would encourage you to do this as soon as possible before the deadline of 31st October 2025

Term 1, Week 2 (Friday 12th September)

It doesn't seem possible that we've already finished the first 2 weeks of Year 6.  The children have worked so hard this week, particularly as we have completed a range of baseline assessments which are a great way for us to see where knowledge is already very secure or might need a few little reminders to help it stick.

Of course our learning hasn't just involved assessments, we've also been busy in lots of other areas.  In maths we've continued our work on place value (particularly looking at decimal places and rounding), in English we've focused on improving persuasive letters and beginning to plan our own.  As the pictures below show, we've also been working in groups to investigate how light travels in Science, whilst in PE we've been practicing our throwing and catching in tag rugby.

Thank you very much to all those who attended our "Meet the Teacher" morning on Monday.  For anyone who was unable to join, the slides are now available on the presentations page.

Important notices for next week:

1. We have Brian Moses (poet) joining us to lead a workshop about Performance Poetry on Monday afternoon.  Brian will also be in the foyer area (outside the KS1 Hall) immediately after school to sell and sign his poetry books for those who would like to make a purchase.  You can see the books that will be available by clicking this link and payment can be made by cash, cheque or phone.  
2. Due to our Poet's visit, 6P will have their swimming session on Friday rather than Monday.
3. If you would like us to order a set of CGP (Homework) books at the reduced rate for your child, please could you arrange payment via ParentPay
4. Heatree Deposits are now being taken on ParentPay
5. It is now possible to apply for your child's secondary school place.  As we mentioned at the Meet the Teacher event we would encourage you to do this as soon as possible before the deadline of 31st October 2025.

Term 1, Week 1 (Friday 5th September)

Well done everyone, what a great start to the year!

We have been very impressed with how well the children have settled in to the routines of year 6 and how excited they are to start applying to take on additional responsibilities such as play leaders, ambassadors and house captains.

Over the next week or so, our English work will focus on writing persuasive letters (to apply for Year 6 jobs), whilst we will continue our revision of place value in Maths.  We will also be carrying out a series of baseline assessments next week to establish how much the children have retained over the summer - this is not meant to be a stressful time for the children at all, it will highlight any specific areas we need to place our early focus and any areas that the children are already particularly confident with.

Next Week 

We look forward to meeting those who can make it to the "Meet the Teacher" session on Monday morning at 9am (meet at the Year 5/6 exit door) although we will of course be happy to share the information afterwards for anyone who is unable to join us.

Year 6 will be swimming on Monday afternoons this term - it will be 6F's turn first so please make sure they bring their swimming kit (including swimming hat and goggles) on Monday.