Aims
The aims of the Year 6 curriculum are to:
- help boys enjoy learning and be motivated to achieve the best they can now and in the future.
- instill the essential learning skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology.
- carefully manage a successful transition from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3.
- help boys develop the skills necessary for success at Key Stage 3.
The subjects are:
- English for Year 6
- Information & Communication Technology for Year 6
- Geography for Year 6
- Modern Foreign Languages for Y6 French
- Mathematics for Year 6
- Music for Year 6
- PE and Games for Year 6
- PSHE for Year 6
- Religious Education for Year 6
- Science for Year 6
- Technology for Year 6
- Thinking Skills for Year 6
- Art and Design for Year 6
These curriculum aims are supported by the School Aims:
- to be a happy school where learning is both challenging and enjoyable.
- to pursue academic success and to enable boys to grow in knowledge, skills and understanding within a dynamic learning environment.
- to create an ethos – intellectual, pastoral, creative, physical, spiritual and moral – in which each boy is purposefully involved and is encouraged in accordance with his needs and abilities to develop his special talents to the full.
- to develop young men of integrity, social conscience, warmth and courage who are aware of the need for service to others.
- to be a supportive, orderly, respectful and civilised community. We seek to achieve this through self-discipline and pride in the school.
- to work in partnership with parents to promote the welfare of all the boys and establish sound relationships based on a mutual trust.
Curriculum Content
In Year 6 boys study the following subjects (the number of 40 min. lessons per week is also indicated):
Art – 2
English – 7
French – 3
Games – 3
Geography – 2
History – 2
ICT – 2
Maths – 7
Music – 1
PE – 2
PSHE – 1
RS – 1
Science – 4
Technology – 2
Thinking Skills – 1
Homework
- The setting, completion and marking of homework follows the criteria published in the school homework policy.
- Homework tasks should take about 20 minutes.
- Boys should not have more than 3 subjects set each day.
- English, Mathematics and Science set homework twice each week and all other subjects set 1 homework per week.
Assessment
At Newcastle School for Boys it is understood that good assessment:
- helps develop successful learners
- recognises strengths and areas for development and clearly identifies ways for boys to progress
- is based around boys’ needs and leads to improved attainment and progress
- encourages boys to take a central role in their own assessment.
Assessment is embedded in the teaching and learning in Year 6.
- Boys’ learning is continually assessed from lesson to lesson in order to make personalized decisions on progression.
- Each subject sets a formative assessment in November and June of each academic year.
Parents are informed of their son’s progress in a number of ways;
- grade sheets
- written reports
- short examination reports
- scheduled parent/teacher consultation meetings
- informal parent/teacher meetings
The schedule of official reporting for the academic year 2010 / 11 follows:
| Term | Year 7 |
| Autumn | 3 x grade sheetsparents’ eveningshort exam report |
| Spring | 3 x grade sheetswritten report |
| Summer | 2 x grade sheetsshort exam report |
Enrichment
All subjects in Year 6 give boys the opportunity to take part in educational visits and experiences that broaden their understanding of that subject and its place in the modern world.
Stretch and Challenge
It is an aim of the school to stretch and challenge all boys in Year 6. This is done through differentiated teaching in the classroom and by talking with boys about specific targets for improving their overall attainment.
Boys that demonstrate an ability in a subject or activity that would place them in the top 2% of a National sample are placed on a Gifted and Talented register. These boys are then given further opportunities for stretch and challenge beyond normal classroom differentiation.
Support for Learning
We have an active Support for Learning department that provides appropriate support for individual boys at different levels. This may involve in-class support or specialized individual lessons that aim to help boys make progress in specific areas.