Y6 Welcome Booklet - 2025-26

Welcome to

Year 6 2025-2026

WELCOME TO YEAR 6 Dear Families, Welcome to Year 6! We are delighted to welcome you and your child to the final year of Primary School. This year marks an important milestone in your child's educational journey, and we are committed to making it a memorable and enriching experience for every student.

One of the highlights of Year 6 is our much-anticipated camp to Khao Lak and The Similan Islands. This adventure promises to be a wonderful opportunity for students to bond, explore new environments, and create lasting memories. The camp will include a variety of activities designed to build teamwork, resilience, and a sense of adventure. We are looking forward to snorkelling in crystal-clear waters, exploring lush landscapes, and experiencing the rich natural beauty and culture of these amazing locations.

In Year 6, students have the chance to apply for leadership roles, fostering personal growth and responsibility. We offer several positions that allow students to develop their leadership skills and make a positive impact in our school community. Some of the key roles include: Wellbeing Leaders: These students will help promote a positive and inclusive school environment, supporting the emotional and social wellbeing of their peers.

Colour Team Captains: Captains will lead their teams in various school events and activities, modelling and encouraging team spirit and participation.

We are excited about the year ahead and look forward to working together to support your child's growth and success in their final year of Primary School.

Warm regards, The Year 6 Team

MEET THE YEAR 6 TEAM

Melissa Hewison Year Leader Learning Enhancement Teacher mhewison@bisphuket.ac.th

Miss Rak

TBC

Teaching Assistant

Teaching Assistant

MEET THE YEAR 6 TEAM

Emma Cleere

Sam Lord

Year 6 Teacher ecleere@bisphuket.ac.th

Year 6 Teacher slord@bisphuket.ac.th

Tom Denman

Hannah Wheeldon

Year 6 Teacher tdenman@bisphulet.ac.th

Year 6 Teacher hwheeldon@bisphuket.ac.th

PRIMARY LIBRARY The Library is at the very heart of our school, and all classes will have a library session each week with Mrs Honey. Children will be inspired to develop a love for reading as they are exposed to an exciting range of texts.

Katie Honey Primary Teacher Librarian

INNOVATION

Ben Lucas Innovation Teacher

Children are naturally drawn to the "magic" of technology, where they can experience the thrill of instant results with just a touch of a button. The exciting and innovative use of technology led by our specialist innovation teacher, Mr Lucas gives the children an exciting opportunity to explore a wider use of technology both in their classrooms and when they visit the new Innovation Hub here at school. The children love the opportunity to use new applications, programme robotics and create their own technological projects.

Skill development, collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy are just a few of the many benefits these innovation afternoons offer the children.

THE SCHOOL DAY We invite the children to drop their belongings off in their locker from 7.30am. They may stay in the classroom if it is raining. School starts at 7.50am. We make a prompt start to learning at 7.50am so please do make sure your child arrives at school in good time.

If you arrive at school late, please take your child to sign in on arrival at the Primary Office after 8.05am. ●

Learning starts from 7.50am to 10.10am.

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Morning Break at 10.10am - 10.40am. (Snack in your year group, in class)

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Lessons resume at 10.40am until Lunch.

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Lunch Break 12.10pm to 1.05pm. All children eat a buffet style lunch in the refectory until 12.35pm then go out to play until 1.05pm.

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Lessons resume at 1.05pm until end of the school day at 2.35pm.

Absence from School Parents are asked to email primary@bisphuket.ac.th before 7.30am if your child will be absent. All absences will be listed as unauthorised until notification is received.

Daily requirements - hats, laptops, water bottles All children need to bring a hat and water bottle to school everyday. Laptops need to be fully charged at the start of every day. We ask that children also bring headphones and a charger, clearly labelled with their name.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES Each term, there are a wide range of after school activities that the children can sign up for. These range from sports, arts and crafts, computer science and many more.

Some activities run by outside providers have a fee, whereas activities run by class teachers are free.

After school activities begin from 2.45pm until 3.30pm. Teacher led activities are on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays with other paid activities running through the week.

In Year 6, children make their way to their after school activities independently unless collected by an adult. Please note: There is no supervision on the Primary Playground after 2.30pm so please ensure that your child is actively supervised if they want to play in the playground at that time.

If you are late collecting your child after school, they will be taken to the Primary Office. Please come there to collect them.

P.E. KITS There will be two lessons per week, and children can come to school dressed in their P.E. kit and trainers on these days. In addition to regular P.E. lessons, we also include a swimming unit in our curriculum. Children are expected to participate in these sessions as they are an integral part of our physical education program. Should your child be unable to participate in a lesson due to illness or any other reason, we kindly request a message from the parents informing us of the situation.

Please be reminded that Cruzeiro kit is not PE kit and should not be worn during the school day.

COMMUNICATION Effective communication between home and school is essential for your child's success. We encourage you to reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or insights you may have. Additionally, we will keep you updated on classroom activities, events, and important dates through emails and Seesaw, which is our primary platform of communication. Class teachers will share codes at the beginning of the school year.

Students will also use Google Classroom. Work will be set in Google Classroom to save paper and for ease of use. When students are absent from school they can also access lessons in Google Classroom. Parents will not have direct access to google classroom, however students are welcome to show parents the classroom activities assigned.

TECHNOLOGY DEVICES Students will need to bring a charged laptop to school each day. This will allow them to participate in daily learning activities. Your child should be responsible for ensuring their laptop is fully charged for the start of the day. Students will be expected to follow a code of conduct about the safe use of technology throughout the year.

No children should be bringing phones or smart watches into school. If these are seen, they will be confiscated and parents will be asked to come in to collect them.

HOMEWORK Homework will be sent on Seesaw on Monday and can be completed throughout the week. In Year 6, students are expected to dedicate a minimum of 30 minutes to reading, each day. For Maths, the children will have a homework book in order to practice what they have been learning in class. There is no homework set on weekends.

READ THEORY Read Theory is a powerful educational tool that offers online reading activities for all ages and ability levels. This custom web application adapts to students’ individual ability levels and presents them with thousands of skill building exercises that suit their needs. This will be used as starter activities in class and students will have a weekly goal of 5 readings to be completed. This will also feature in homework

T.T. ROCKSTARS TTrockstars is a fun app to help your child master times tables through engaging games and challenges. It personalises practice activities, tracks progress, and makes learning multiplication enjoyable. TTrockstars boosts your child's maths skills and confidence.

The children look forward to the yearly whole school competition to see if they are on top of the leaderboard for the week.

EDSHED Year 6 spelling words will be assigned in Edshed each week. Students are expected to practise these words as part of their homework. They will then complete a spelling test every Friday. Maths assignments will also be sporadically assigned to students when suited to support learning. This will be indicated on the homework grid.

STATIONERY We provide all the stationery your children will need for school, but they are also welcome to bring their own labelled pencil cases. Students must look after these independently.

I.T. SUPPORT and COUNSELLOR These services are available for the children. The IT Department and Counsellor Office on the ground floor of the Main Teaching Building (MTB).

For further curriculum information, please contact your child’s teacher or visit the Primary section of the school website: https://www.bisphuket.ac.th/inspire-learning/primary/

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Throughout their time in Year 6, the children are regularly provided with the opportunity to take their learning outdoors, whether this be to explore, to learn or to take part in the many sporting activities that are available to all students. Experiential learning opportunities support the children in developing a positive sense of themselves and others as they grow in confidence to explore and experience the world around them.

EDUCATIONAL TRIPS This year, the children will take part in a number of educational trips including one to

Old Phuket Farm when they will be accompanied by their Thai

teachers. These experiences are part of our rich curriculum and help bring the children’s learning to life in a real world context.

RESIDENTIAL CAMP During Year 6, the children travel to the Khao Lak for three nights, with a trip to the Similan Islands, during for Term 2. This residential camp forms a pivotal part of your child's personal development, focusing on the continued development of their independence and social team-building skills. It is expected that each child attends this residential trip as they form an important part of our taught curriculum. Closer to the date of the trip, we will hold a meeting to share all the information with you about the activities and logistics involved.

BIRTHDAYS In class we have a display of when each student has a birthday. Please give the class teacher at least a few days’ notice and ask for a suitable time slot to bring in a treat for the children. Please ensure all food is nut free. If you are bringing cake, please provide plates, forks/spoons, a cutting knife and candles. For ease, we recommend cupcakes or doughnuts. Please, no individual gift bags.

LAMDA SPEAKING EXAMS We aim to inspire and empower our children to be confident communicators, so all Year 6 students are given the opportunity to take part in LAMDA exams.

LAMDA stands for London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. A LAMDA exam is the speech and drama equivalent of a music grade. Speaking in public prepares our learners for a task that often daunts many people. The children write their own speeches, researching the topics, creating visual aids and presenting them from memory (although they can use notecards, if they prefer), and work to develop the ability to speak clearly and project their voice for an audience.

SECONDARY TRANSITION DAYS In Term 3 we arrange for all Year 6 children to spend 2 days in the Secondary School.

They get to experience the school day, meet different tutors and subject teachers and familiarise themselves with the Secondary School environment and expectations. The children all look forward to this experience which helps them get ready for their move into Year 7.

YEAR 6 GRADUATION Year 6 is the last year your child will experience in the Primary School, and it is only right that we celebrate their achievements as they come to the end of the academic year. In June, we will have a Celebration Ceremony where the children receive their graduation certificates. All parents will be invited to join this celebration and to wish the children well as they transition to their Secondary Education.

CALENDAR

KEY TERM DATES ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Term 1: Mid Term Break: INSET Day (School Closed) Term 2: Mid Term Break: INSET Day (School Closed) Term 3:

18th August - 12th December 2025 14th - 18th October 2025 20th October 2025 5th January - 4th April 2026 16th - 20th February 2026 23rd February 2026 20th April - 19th June 2026

USEFUL LINKS Parent Handbook

Linked HERE

This handbook contains all the information you need about your child’s school experience.

Year 5 & 6 Curriculum Booklet

Linked HERE

The Curriculum Booklet contains an overview of the BISP Year 5 and 6 curriculum.

Code of Conduct for Parents

Linked HERE

We ask all community members to behave with Respect, Compassion and Integrity. Full details can be found in this code of conduct.

Parent Portal Login Page

Linked HERE

The parent portal can be accessed through the school website. It contains information only available to parents. You will need your account and password details to login.

Schools Buddy

Linked HERE

SchoolsBuddy is where you need to book your child’s after school activities each term. You will need to use your child’s account to select activities. User account and passwords are required.