Just before half term, I spent a lovely morning in school visiting the Year 6 classes which I am attached to as a governor.

I was particularly interested to observe the pupils enjoying reading for a sustained length of time (45 mins). Private Reading occurs daily and all class teachers have noticed a tremendous difference in the pupils' ability to discuss the characters, plot and text with confidence. They have a wide range of books to choose from in the Year 6 learning area and many pupils enjoy being challenged to broaden their reading experience. In all 3 classrooms visited, there was an obvious sense of reading for enjoyment and also creating a positive calm atmosphere at the start of the school day!

I then observed a writing session and was very impressed with the pupils' desire to redraft and produce their best possible piece of extended writing. They were able to give feedback on each other's work in a supportive way which was great to observe with this age group.

Later on, I managed to visit some Maths lessons - it was great to see the pupils' obvious enjoyment of the subject although the work was challenging, and many lightbulb moments were occurring as individuals understood how to arrive at the right answer.

Thanks Year 6 staff and pupils for a fun morning!