Year 6 articles

SEND funding for schools is in a precarious state, leaving the future of education for SEND children uncertain. Primary headteacher Matt Revill shares his perspective on the alarming state of SEND education and offers actionable advice for parents looking to drive change.

In this week's School Savvy blog, headteacher Matt Revill reveals the most memorable and bizarre presents he and his colleagues have received on Thank a Teacher Day, with some tips on how to show your appreciation this year.

Father's Day can end up feeling a bit repetitive, and your loved one (whoever you'd like to honour on this day) may not be into football, beer and sleeping – like the media often suggests! Perhaps they'd prefer a good read and a sweet moment with their child, sharing some wonderful stories. Here's our top picks for Father's Day 2024.

Teaching assistants play a crucial role in primary schools, providing essential support to both students and teachers. However, recent cuts in TA numbers threaten the quality of education. Matt Revill, primary school teacher, explains in this week's blog why TAs are indispensable and what we can do to ensure they remain a vital part of our classrooms.

School picture day – it used to be about crisp uniforms, forced grins and quick comb-throughs. But a recent news story has highlighted a rarely addressed issue: the importance of inclusion for children with complex needs. Primary school head teacher, Matt Revill, delves into this timely topic in our School Savvy blog.

In 2023, the news was rife with stories about the alarming difficulty of the KS2 SATs reading paper. Matt Revill, seasoned headteacher and educator, dissects the controversy and provides helpful advice for this year's Year 6 children and parents.

As secondary school offers arrive, many families find themselves contemplating their next move, including the possibility of appealing. Drawing from his wealth of experience as a primary-school head, Matt Revill provides invaluable guidance on navigating the often-daunting appeals process in this week's School Savvy blog.

New guidance for banning or limiting mobile phones in schools has caused a stir in the education world. But this idea isn't new, as suggestions for bans have popped up before. Matt Revill, a seasoned headteacher and educator in primary schools, offers his thoughts on the latest mobile phone guidance.

Developing social-emotional skills is key to your child’s long-term mental health and social capabilities, but it’s sometimes treated as a less important area of education. We asked young persons’ counsellor and children’s book author, Hannah Peckham, to share her advice on how to support this key area of development at home.

Halloween is an exciting holiday for many children, but for parents and carers it can be a smidge stressful. Try keeping it simple this year with our editor's pick of Halloween costumes that are timeless (which means they could also be reused). Sometimes, going back to the basics can save you time, money and stress!

As children progress through Years 5 and 6 of primary school, they will have to tackle more and more questions that are about percentages. You can guarantee that there will be at least a few questions on the Y6 SATS around percentages. It is important that children understand how to solve these with confidence. Here, we tackle the tricky question of how to find one number as a percentage of another.

Summer camps are becoming bigger and better, with a huge selection of offerings in the UK. But many primary-school parents are unaware or unsure of what summer camps are, how they’re run, and what the benefits are for their children.

That’s why we asked Christopher Green MBE from Summer Camps Trust to answer some of the burning questions parents have about summer camps in the UK.

It's well established that outdoor play is important for young learners and provides opportunities to develop physical, social, fine and gross motor skills. Our editor, Kate Morgan, has put together her top picks of outdoor toys. So get the kids outside, having fun and learning this summer. Let the games begin!

Ordinary numbers, also known as counting numbers or natural numbers, are the foundation of mathematics. They're the numbers we use every day to count objects, tell the time, measure distances and much more.

Function machines are versatile tools in the teaching of mathematics, helping children understand and explore a wide range of mathematical concepts in a fun and engaging way. From basic operations in Key Stage 1 to more complex functions in Upper Key Stage 2, function machines can help play a crucial role in developing children's mathematical understanding and skills.

Time travel is a topic that will never cease to captivate kids' imaginations. Ancient Rome, Victorian Britain, where would you time travel to? We've collected some of our favourite time travelling and time slip novels for children that will keep their noses buried in their books and excited for the next chapter. Enjoy!

Biographies and autobiographies bring the lives of influential people to life for young children, highlighting the role exceptional individuals have played in our shared history. Introduce your child to the world's greatest artists, activists, scientists, inventors and humanitarians with books aimed at every age group. Each biography and autobiography is bursting with anecdotes, imagery and information, sure to inspire young people to follow their own dreams and aspirations.

Classic literature is reimagined, updated, revisited and reinterpreted in each of these brilliant retellings, which expand on traditional tales or use comic-strip illustrations or modern settings to make brilliant stories accessible to a new generation of readers.

Learn to read clouds and enjoy some splashy water games in the great outdoors with an extract from Forest School Wild Play by Jane Worroll and Peter Houghton.