Science - Physics: Electricity (September - October 2026)

Year 6 have been busy investigating electricity and circuits! We began by building series circuits and learning how to draw them accurately using recognised circuit symbols. We explored what makes a circuit complete or incomplete and used our understanding of current to explain why bulbs and buzzers sometimes work and sometimes do not.

We then investigated what happens when we change the number of components in a circuit, noticing that adding more bulbs can make them dimmer and adding more buzzers can make them quieter. To finish the topic, we planned and carried out a fair test to investigate how increasing the voltage affects the loudness of a buzzer. The children identified variables, recorded results, repeated their tests and evaluated how accurate and reliable their investigation had been.

A fantastic topic full of practical science, careful observation and scientific thinking - well done to all!

A particular joy for Miss Leonard was accompanying a group of our Year 6 Mini Vinnies to Leeds Cathedral for a special commissioning service with the Diocese of Leeds. She was incredibly proud to see our children representing St Anthony’s and making their commitment to serving others. Our Mini Vinnies are wonderful examples of this week’s Gospel message, putting their faith into action through love, compassion and kindness. Our Mini-Vinnies are members of our community who have volunteered to serve our school and community.

"Charity is the cement which binds communities to God and persons to one another" St Vincent De Paul 

Our Mini-Vinnies now hope to work together in faith and love, reaching out to those who need our care and support. In doing so, our children are reminded that, as we grow together on our journey with Jesus, we are called not only to speak of our faith, but to live it through our actions.

On Monday 21st September, Years 5 and 6 had a fantastic afternoon visiting Mount St. Mary’s Catholic High School for a special taster afternoon.

We began our visit by exploring the school’s rich history, which stretches back more than 170 years. Pupils used the Mount St. Mary’s History Hub to search through archives and discover some of the people, events and traditions that have made the school such a special place for so many years.

Next, we moved on to Design and Technology, where pupils had the chance to learn more about food technology. Their challenge was to consider the very best way to plate beans on toast! Everyone thought carefully about presentation, colour and arrangement, creating some truly jaw-dropping plates of food.

Our final session of the afternoon was PE, where the children took part in an exciting rowing challenge. Working in teams, pupils used the rowing machines to see how far they could row in just two minutes. There was fantastic effort and encouragement throughout, with some children performing exceptionally well and even achieving the bronze standard expected of Year 7 pupils. What an achievement!

We were also very lucky to be shown around Mount St. Mary’s by some of our very own St. Anthony’s alumni. It was wonderful to see former pupils confidently sharing their experiences and helping to make our Year 6 children feel so welcome.

A huge thank you to all of the staff and students at Mount St. Mary’s Catholic High School for giving us such an exceptional afternoon. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and are very grateful for the warm welcome, exciting activities and wonderful memories.

RE - Altar service training with Father Hilton (September 2026)

I was very proud of a group of our Year 6 pupils who have volunteered to serve as Altar Servers at school masses. Father Hilton kindly shared a training session for us on Tuesday 15th September 2026, and some of our pupils served for the first time for school in our whole school mass on Wednesday 16th September 2026. We hope they continue to serve with faith, kindness and reverence.

Celebration of the Word - A visit from the Mark 10 Mission (September 2026)

On Monday 14th September, we were delighted to welcome Greg Finn from the Mark 10 Mission to St. Anthony’s to speak to the children about Religious Education and worship.

We began the morning with a whole-school assembly, where Greg led us in a Celebration of the Word. Together, we explored the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, thinking carefully about the deeper meaning behind the story and what Jesus teaches us about forgiveness, compassion and the way we treat others.

Later, Greg joined us in our Year 6 classroom, where we continued to explore how we can celebrate the Word meaningfully. We thought about how Scripture can contain messages that are not always obvious at first and how, through reflection, discussion and prayer, we can uncover deeper meanings and use them to inspire our own worship.

It was a thoughtful and inspiring visit, giving Year 6 lots of ideas about how we can engage more deeply with Scripture and make our own times of worship even more meaningful.

PSHE - Bikeability Training (September 2026)

From Monday 7^th September to Wednesday 9^th September, Year 6 took part in Bikeability cycling and road safety training.

Groups 1 and 2 began by practising their cycling skills on the school playground before progressing to riding safely on the roads. They learned how to make careful observations, position themselves correctly and develop the confidence needed to cycle responsibly in the local area.

Group 3 focused on developing their cycling skills on the playground, learning how to ride safely and practising a range of important manoeuvres.

A huge well done to all of our Year 6 pupils for giving their best throughout the training. They showed great determination, listened carefully to the instructors and demonstrated excellent resilience as they developed their confidence and cycling skills.

Our Focus Text - The Boy at the Back of the Class (Autumn 1)

This half term, Year 6 will be reading The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf.

The story follows a group of children who become curious about a new boy who joins their class and sits at the back. As they learn more about his circumstances and the journey that brought him to their school, the children decide they want to help him and discover that friendship can make a real difference.

Through this moving and thought-provoking story, Year 6 will explore themes of friendship, kindness, empathy, courage and hope, while developing their understanding of the experiences of refugees and the importance of welcoming others.

We will be thinking about how we treat people who may be different from us, how small acts of kindness can have a big impact, and the importance of standing up for what is right. We hope this wonderful story will encourage our pupils to look beyond appearances, listen to others’ experiences and appreciate the power of compassion and friendship.

Welcome to Year 6! 🍎

A very warm welcome to all our Year 6 pupils and families! We hope you have had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to the exciting year ahead.

Year 6 is a very special year at St. Anthony’s. It is the final chapter of your primary school journey and a chance to look back with pride at everything you have achieved, while looking ahead to all the possibilities that await you.

We are incredibly excited to share this year with you and cannot wait to see our pupils grow in confidence, independence and resilience as they take on their final year with us.

The Year 6 Team 🧑‍🏫👩‍🏫

Our Year 6 team is here to support, challenge and encourage every pupil throughout the year. This year, Year 6 will be taught by Mr. Cook and Mrs. Caley. Together, we will work closely with pupils and families to make Year 6 a happy, successful and memorable year.

News and Announcements 📰

There is a lot happening throughout Year 6, so please keep an eye on our school communications to make sure you don't miss any important information or exciting opportunities:

• Half-termly Year 6 Newsletter – Look out for our newsletter each half term, with information about what we will be learning, important dates, key reminders and ways you can support your child at home.
• Weekly Headteacher's Newsletter – Our weekly newsletter is a great way to keep up to date with everything happening across St Anthony's, including celebrations, events, notices and important school information.
• Year 6 Class Page – Keep checking this page for updates, photographs and some of our most exceptional work.

We know that good communication between school and home makes a real difference, so please make time to read these updates regularly.

Make Year 6 Your Year! ✏️

This is your final year at St Anthony's, so we want you to make it a year to remember.

There will be challenges along the way, but there will also be so many opportunities to learn, achieve, have fun and make memories with your friends. We encourage every pupil to get involved, try something new, take on responsibility and make the most of every opportunity that comes their way.

Be proud of how far you have come. Be brave enough to try things that might be difficult. Be kind to others. Support one another. Celebrate your successes and learn from your mistakes.

Most importantly, enjoy being Year 6!

Let's make this final year at St Anthony's your best one yet. We are looking forward to an amazing year together and to celebrating everything you accomplish along the way!