Thank you to those who were able to attend the Mersea meeting, for those who couldn't please find the presentation here. Mersea Presentation .
The children can collect a letter from their class teacher or at the office. As previously stated, there are 60 spaces available and it will be on a first come, first served basis.
Please contact us if you have any further questions, thank you.
Today we read a persuasive letter linked to our class novel Holes.We explored the key features of persuasive language, focusing on:
Short, impactful sentences
Rhetorical questions
Repetition for emphasis (not always exact, but reinforcing the same idea)
We also practised reading aloud with expression, considering:
Tone and emotion – showing Stanley’s fear, frustration, and hope
Pacing – using pauses after questions and short sentences for dramatic effect
Volume – raising our voices for emphasis, softening them in moments of fear or loneliness
The children then practised and performed their persuasive readings to their classmates, using all of these techniques. They were amazing!
Almond
Oak
Headteacher: Mrs L Nicholls
Year 6 PSHE lessons - Ben Kinsella & Knife Crime
Monday 29th September 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
As you know, Year 6 will soon be visiting the Ben Kinsella Trust, a leading charity dedicated to educating young people about the dangers of knife crime and supporting them to make positive choices. In preparation for this visit, and as part of our Year 6 PSHE curriculum, pupils will also be taking part in a series of lessons in school.
These lessons, together with the Trust’s workshop, are carefully designed to be age-appropriate for primary pupils. They will focus on:
Understanding how choices and consequences are closely linked.
The workshop delivered by the Ben Kinsella Trust complements our lessons by using immersive experiences to show the journey of both the victim and the offender. This approach reinforces the connection between choices and consequences, while also helping pupils develop the confidence and knowledge to make safe decisions and positively influence their peers.
Importantly, the lessons and workshop do not include graphic content. The focus is on safety, awareness, and empowerment rather than sensationalised stories, linking to our PSHE relationships and physical health and mental wellbeing curriculum.
You can find more information about the work of the Ben Kinsella Trust on their website: https://benkinsella.org.uk We will also share some short videos with the pupils to support their learning, one of which you can watch at home here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heasKaWAT98
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the workshop further, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
This term, our school has begun a new programme of Life Skills lessons across KS1 and KS2. These lessons cover a broad range of practical abilities that are important for independent living, self-sufficiency, and confident participation in everyday life, both at home and at school.
In Year 6, pupils have been learning some especially valuable skills: sewing on a button, tying a tie, and discussing sensible and safe phone use. The children have thrown themselves into these lessons with great enthusiasm and have thoroughly enjoyed gaining these new skills that will serve them well in the future.
Tying a Tie
Sewing on a Button
Safe Phone Use
Oak
