Upper Key Stage 2

At Barnes, we place a very high value on reading. We believe that regular reading helps children develop confidence, fluency, vocabulary, imagination and understanding across the whole curriculum. For this reason, reading is a non-negotiable part of school life.

In Year 6, children use their reading journals to record the reading they do at home. We expect children to read at least five times each week and to log this regularly in their journal. Reading journals are monitored weekly by staff, allowing us to celebrate children’s reading, offer guidance and ensure that strong reading habits are being maintained.

Alongside their reading log, children complete one additional journal task each week. These tasks follow a cycle:

• Vocabulary exploration task – children investigate interesting or ambitious words from their reading.
• Creative entry – children choose from a list of possible creative responses linked to their book.
• Summary task – children practise identifying and explaining the key events, ideas or information from what they have read.

The purpose of the reading journal is to encourage children to think more deeply about their books, develop independence and take pride in their reading lives. It also provides a valuable link between home and school, helping us to work together to support every child as a reader.

Images to add: examples of completed reading journal pages, the weekly task cycle, and/or a sample reading log.

We know that children make the strongest progress when school and home work closely together. In Upper Key Stage 2, and particularly in Year 6, children are developing the independence, confidence and organisation they will need as they prepare for secondary school. There are many simple but powerful ways parents can support this at home.

Encourage regular reading

Reading is one of the most important ways you can support your child. At Barnes, reading is highly valued and is a non-negotiable part of school life. Children should be reading at least five times a week and recording this in their reading journal.

Please encourage your child to read a wide range of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, newspapers, magazines and high-quality websites. Talking about reading is just as important as the reading itself. You might ask your child:

• What has happened so far?
• What do you think might happen next?
• Which words or phrases stood out to you?
• How has the author created tension, humour or atmosphere?
• Would you recommend this book? Why?

Reading journals are monitored weekly in school. Children also complete an additional weekly task linked to vocabulary, creative responses or summarising, so your encouragement at home makes a real difference.

Support spelling, grammar and vocabulary

Children are given spellings regularly and are expected to practise these at home. Short, frequent practice is often more effective than one long session. You could help by quizzing your child, asking them to use words in sentences, discussing spelling patterns or exploring the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Vocabulary development is particularly important in Year 6. When your child meets a new word in their reading, encourage them to look at the context, discuss possible meanings and use a dictionary if needed. This helps with reading comprehension, writing and confidence across the curriculum.

Help build fluency and confidence in maths

Maths in Year 6 moves quickly, with many objectives taught across the year. A secure understanding of number facts makes a huge difference. Parents can support by helping children practise:

• times tables and related division facts;
• mental addition and subtraction;
• fractions, decimals and percentages;
• telling the time and calculating with time;
• explaining how they solved a problem.

It is also helpful to ask children to explain their reasoning. Questions such as, “How do you know?” or “Can you prove it another way?” encourage deeper mathematical thinking.

If your child finds a homework task difficult, please encourage them to ask for support in school. It is helpful if parents let the class teacher know when something has been particularly challenging.

Support home learning routines

Home learning helps children consolidate key skills and develop independence. In Year 6, homework is set on a Friday and collected the following Wednesday. It usually takes around 60-90 minutes and may include reading comprehension, grammar, punctuation, spelling, mental maths, mathematical reasoning or wider curriculum tasks.

Parents can help by ensuring children have a calm space to work, encouraging them to complete tasks to a high standard and helping them manage their time across the week. Presentation and effort should reflect the expectations we have in school.

Talk about the curriculum

Each term, children study rich cross-curricular themes, including Dangerous Earth, the Ancient Maya and Ancient Egypt. Parents can support learning by looking at the Year 6 curriculum map and knowledge maps on the school website. These are useful for seeing what your child is learning and for starting conversations at home.

You might ask your child to explain key facts, create a quiz, teach you something they have learnt or make links between different subjects. These conversations help children revisit and remember important knowledge.

Encourage independence and organisation

As the oldest children in the school, Year 6 pupils are expected to take increasing responsibility for themselves. Parents can support this by encouraging children to organise their own belongings, remember key equipment and prepare for the school day.

This includes bringing reading books and journals every day, having spelling folders when needed, remembering PE kit, keeping water bottles clean and labelled, and ensuring belongings are clearly named. These routines help prepare children for the greater independence expected at secondary school.

Talk positively about assessment

Year 6 is a statutory assessment year, and children sit their end of Key Stage 2 assessments in May. While these assessments are important, they are only one part of the picture. We want children to feel prepared, calm and confident.

Parents can help by encouraging regular routines, good sleep, healthy eating and a balanced approach to revision. It is helpful to talk positively about assessments as an opportunity for children to show what they know, rather than something to worry about.

Support writing development

Children develop their writing through regular practice across a range of genres and subjects. At home, parents can support writing by encouraging children to read widely, notice vocabulary, discuss how authors write and take care with spelling, punctuation and handwriting.

Everyday writing can also be valuable. This might include writing letters, reviews, diary entries, stories, instructions, summaries or explanations linked to topics they are studying.

Prepare for secondary school together

The move to secondary school is an exciting milestone, but it can also bring questions and mixed emotions. Parents can support by talking openly with their child about how they are feeling, listening to any worries and encouraging them to see the transition as a positive next step.

In school, children take part in transition sessions where they can discuss their thoughts in a safe environment. Parents can build on this at home by helping children think about practical skills such as organising a timetable, packing a bag, travelling safely and asking for help when needed.

Use the website regularly

The phase section of the school website is designed to help parents find key information in one place. We encourage families to use it regularly to check curriculum information, reading guidance, maths support, knowledge maps, recommended book lists and other helpful resources.

By staying informed and working in partnership with school, parents can play a vital role in helping children make the most of their final years at primary school. Together, we can ensure that every child feels supported, challenged and ready for the exciting next stage of their education.

The resources below may help families support learning at home in Upper Key Stage 2. They are not intended to replace regular reading, home learning, discussion with your child or teacher guidance, but they can provide useful additional practice in key areas such as reading, maths, spelling, grammar, science and wider curriculum topics. Short, regular practice is usually more effective than long sessions, and we encourage families to use these resources in a balanced way.

At Barnes, reading remains central. Children should continue to read regularly, record their reading in their journal and talk about what they are reading at home. Digital resources can be helpful, but they work best when they sit alongside strong routines: reading often, practising key number facts, completing home learning carefully and asking for help when something feels difficult.

The resources below have been selected because they are useful for UKS2 pupils, accessible for families and support the kinds of skills children need as they move through Years 5 and 6 and prepare for secondary school.

Overview of Recommended Resources