English Curriculum
Year 6
Year 1
Year 6 Objectives: Spoken Language
Listen carefully and adapt talk to the demands of different contexts, purposes and audiences with increasing
confidence.
Ask questions to develop ideas and make contributions that take account of others’ views.
Use evidence to support ideas and opinions.
Explain ideas and opinions, elaborating to make meaning explicit.
Take an active part in discussions, taking different roles.
Use hypothetical and speculative language to express possibilities.
Use standard English fluently in formal situations.
Debate an issue, maintaining a focused point of view.
Use formal language of persuasion to structure a logical argument.
Perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation and volume and expression so that literal and
implied meaning is made clear.
Perform poems or plays from memory, making deliberate choices about how they convey ideas about
characters, contexts and atmosphere
Talk engages the interest of the listener through the variety and liveliness of both vocabulary and expression.
Pay close attention to and consider the views and opinions of others in discussions.
Make contributions to discussions, evaluating others’ ideas and responding to them.
Understand and select the appropriate register according to the context.
Year 6 Objectives: Reading
WORD READING
Apply phonic knowledge and skills to read unfamiliar words.
Apply knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes to read aloud and to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Read further exception words, noting the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound, and where these
occur in the word.
Attempt pronunciation of unfamiliar words drawing on prior knowledge of similar looking words.
Year 6 Objectives: Reading
COMPREHENSION
Understand books read independently
Maintain positive attitudes to reading and
understanding of what they read
Check that the book is meaningful and discuss what has
been understood.
Read and discuss an increasingly wide range of fiction,
poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks.
Read books that are structured in different ways.
Read for a range of purposes.
Use meaning-making strategies to explore the meaning of
unfamiliar words and figurative and idiomatic language in
context.
Ask questions to extend understanding.
Become familiar with a wide range of books, including
modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and books
from other cultures and traditions.
Draw inferences such as inferring characters' feelings,
thoughts and motives from their actions and develop
explanations.
Recommend books that they have read to their peers, giving
reasons for their choices.
Predict what might happen from details stated and implied
from across a text.
Identify and discuss themes in a range of writing and across
longer texts.
Summarise the main ideas drawn from more than one
paragraph, identifying key details that support the main
ideas.
Identify and discuss the conventions of different text types.
Make comparisons within and across books.
Learn a range of poetry by heart. For example, narrative
verse, sonnet.
Prepare poems and plays to read aloud and to perform,
showing understanding through intonation, tone, volume
and action.
Identify and explain the effect of the context on a text. For
example, historical, geographical.
Identify and explain how language, structure and
presentation contribute to the meaning of a text.
Year 6 Objectives: Reading
Discuss and evaluate how authors use language,
including figurative language, considering the
impact on the reader.
Identify and comment on writer’s choice of language.
Identify and explain how writers use grammatical features for
effect . For example, the use of short sentences to build
tension.
Show awareness of the writers’ craft by commenting on use of
language, grammatical features and structure of texts.
Participate in discussions about books that are
read to them and those they can read for
themselves, building on their own and others’
ideas and challenging views courteously.
Express a personal point of view about a text, giving reasons
linked to evidence from texts..
Raise queries about texts.
Make connections between other similar texts, prior
knowledge and experience and explain the links.
Compare different versions of texts and explain the
differences and similarities.
Explain and discuss their understanding of
what they have read, including through
formal presentations and debates,
maintaining a focus on the topic and using
notes where necessary.
Explain the main purpose of a text and summarise it.
Present and explain the author’s viewpoint in a text.
Present a personal point of view based on what has been
read.
Present a counter-argument in response to others’ points
of view.
Provide reasoned justifications for their views.
Explain a personal point of view, giving reasons and
evidence from text.
Distinguish between statements of fact and
opinion.
Retrieve, record and present information from
non-fiction. collate
Listen to others’ ideas and opinions about a text.
Find relevant information and evidence from a range of
texts.
Build on others’ ideas and opinions about a text in discussion.
Record, collate and organise information or evidence
appropriately.
Year 6 Objectives: Writing
TRANSCRIPTION
Know how to:
Convert verbs into nouns by adding suffixes. For example,
tion, ure.
Distinguish between homophones and other words which
are often confused.
Spell identified commonly misspelt words from Year 5 and 6
word list.
Understand that the spelling of some words needs to be
learnt specifically.
Use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of
words
Use the first three or four letters of a word to check spelling,
meaning or both of these in a dictionary
Use a thesaurus.
Use a range of spelling strategies.
Handwriting
Write legibly fluently and with increasing
speed
Choose which shape of a letter to use when given choices
and deciding, as part of their personal style, whether or
not to join specific letters.
Choose the writing implement that is best suited for
a task (e.g. quick notes, letters).
Year 6 Objectives: Writing
COMPOSITION
Evaluate and edit
Plan writing.
Assess the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing.
Identify the audience for and purpose of the writing.
Select the appropriate form and register for the audience
and purpose of the writing.
Note and develop initial ideas.
Use knowledge of the writer’s craft from their reading.
Suggest changes to vocabulary, grammar and
punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning.
Ensure the consistent and correct use of tense throughout
a piece of writing.
Use knowledge from research.
Ensure correct subject and verb agreement when using
singular and plural.
Draft and write
Distinguish between the language of speech and writing.
Use the appropriate grammar and vocabulary for the
audience and purpose.
Understand how grammar and vocabulary choices can
change and enhance meaning to impact on the reader.
In narratives, integrate description of settings, characters
and atmosphere and dialogue to convey character and
advance the action.
Précis longer passages, conveying key information.
Use a wide range of devices to build cohesion within and
across paragraphs.
Use organisational and presentational devices to
structure text and to guide the reader. For example headings, bullet points, underlining
Distinguish between the correct subject and verb
agreement when using singular and plural.
Distinguish between the language of speech and writing
and choose the appropriate register.
Proof-read for spelling and punctuation errors.
Perform their own compositions, using
appropriate intonation, volume, and
movement so that meaning is clear.
Year 6 Objectives: Writing
VOCABULARY, PUNCTUATION AND GRAMMAR
Develop understanding of grammatical features
Recognise the difference between vocabulary and
structures that are appropriate for formal and informal
speech and writing, including subjunctive
Use the subjunctive where appropriate in formal writing and
speech. For example - If I were to insist, It is essential that he
be available.
Use passive verbs to affect the presentation of information in
a sentence.
Use expanded noun phrases to convey complicated
information concisely.
Indicate grammatical features with punctuation
Use hyphens to avoid ambiguity.
Use semi-colons, colons or dashes to mark boundaries
between main clauses.
Use a colon to introduce a list.
Punctuate bullet points consistently.
Use the terminology:
Active and passive, subject and object, hyphen,
antonym, synonym, colon, semi-colon, bullet points
ellipsis
Understand the terminology.
Use the terminology to talk about own writing.
Year 6 Objectives Grammar
Year 6
Word Structure
Sentence Structure
Text Structure
Punctuation
Terminology
The difference between
vocabulary typical of
informal speech and
vocabulary appropriate
for formal speech and
writing (e.g. said versus
reported, alleged, or
claimed in formal
speech or writing)
Use of the passive voice
to affect the
presentation of
information in a
sentence
(e.g. I broke the window
in the greenhouse versus
The window in the
greenhouse was broken
(by me))
Linking ideas across
paragraphs using a
wider range of cohesive
devices: repetition of a
word or phrase,
grammatical
connections (e.g. the
use of adverbials such
as, on the other hand, in
contrast, or as a
consequence), and
ellipsis.
Use of the semi-colon,
colon and dash to mark
the boundary between
independent clauses
(For example: It’s
raining; I’m fed up)
active and passive,
subject and object,
hyphen,
antonym, synonym,
colon, semi-colon, bullet
points
ellipsis
How words are related
by meaning such as
synonyms and
The difference between
antonyms (For example, structures typical of
big, little, large)
informal speech and
structures appropriate
for formal speech and
writing (such as the use
of question tags, e.g.
He’s your friend, isn’t
he?, or the use of the
subjunctive in some very
formal writing and
speech
Use of the colon to
introduce a list and use
of semi-colons within lists
Punctuation of bullet
points to list information
Layout devices, such as
headings, sub-headings, How hyphens can be
columns, bullets, or
used to avoid ambiguity
tables, to structure text
(e.g. man eating shark
versus man-eating shark,
or recover versus recover)
Year 6 Objectives Grammar – Additional Challenge
Year 6 Consolidate Year 5 and…
Words/Vocabulary
Sentence Structure
Text Structure
Punctuation
Convert words into nouns
(nominalisation) to convey
precise, concise information:
was cancelled – cancellation
is important – the importance
Use a range of sentence types
for impact and effect.
Use different narrative structures
and techniques according to
the text type:
horror, adventure etc.
Colon and semi-colon to control
meaning and effect of
sentences.
Use specific features to create
impact on the reader:
figurative language
metaphor
personification etc.
Expand noun phrases with
precision to convey information
concisely:
The cancellation of the Egyptian
exhibition and the closure of the
West Wing…
The burning of the forest…
Use the passive voice to change
perspective or point of view:
Active – The Viking invaders
destroyed the castle.
Passive – The castle was
destroyed by the Viking
invaders.
The castle was destroyed.
Use the subjunctive in the most
formal writing:
If I were to win the lottery, I
would travel the world.
Use rhetorical questions as a
persuasive device.
Use paragraphs effectively to
link ideas within and across
paragraphs.
Non-narrative:
Understand the range of nonnarrative text types , how they
are organised and the degree
of formality required.
Use a range of appropriate
cohesive devices to link ideas
across texts.
Use appropriate techniques to
engage the reader:
Opening hook
Rhetorical questions
Personal comments
Varied conclusions
St Leonard ’s Sentence Progression
Year 6
Use of the passive to affect the presentation of information in a sentence.
Examples:
I broke the window versus the window was broken. (by me)
Passive used in formal writing.
In active voice, the subject is doing the action.
Marie threw the ball.
In the passive voice the object is more important (it becomes the subject)
The ball was thrown by Marie.
The different between structure typical of informal speech and structure appropriate for formal speech and writing.
Examples:
The use of question tags – He’s your friend, isn’t he?
Subjunctive forms – If I were or were they to come.
Alan Peat Sentences
Verb, person
Example:
Flying, John had always been terrified.
Walking quickly, John made his way to school.
Year 6 Objectives Spelling
Revision of work from previous years.
Statutory Requirements
Example Words
Adding suffixes beginning with vowel letters to words
ending in –fer
referring, referred, referral, preferring, preferred,
transferring, transferred, reference, referee,
preference, transference
Words ending in –ant, –ance/–ancy, –ent, –ence/–
ency
observant, observance, (observation),
expectant (expectation),
hesitant, hesitancy (hesitation),
tolerant, tolerance (toleration)
substance (substantial)
innocent, innocence,
decent, decency
frequent, frequency
confident, confidence (confidential)
assistant, assistance,
obedient, obedience,
independent, independence
Endings which sound like /ʃəs/ spelt –cious or –tious
vicious, precious, conscious, delicious, malicious,
suspicious
ambitious, cautious, fictitious, infectious, nutritious
Endings which sound like /ʃəl/
official, special, artificial, partial, confidential,
essential
Homophones and other words that are often
confused
advice/advise, device/devise, licence/license
practice/practise, prophecy/prophesy
farther/further/father
principal: adjective – most important (e.g. principal
ballerina) noun – important person (e.g. principal of a
college)/principle: basic truth or belief
profit: money that is made in selling things/prophet:
someone who foretells the future
stationary: not moving/stationery: paper, envelopes
wary: cautious/weary: tired
.
Year 5/6 Word List-Words across the Curriculum
English
Maths
Science
Geography
Music
History
correspond
dictionary
language
persuade
sincerely
signature
average
forty
symbol
twelfth
conscious
environment
equipment
muscle
physical
shoulder
stomach
system
temperature
environment
existence
foreign
lightning
neighbour
rhyme
rhythm
ancient
foreign
government
parliament
privilege
sacrifice
soldier
system
Roles
Unstressed
vowels
cemetery
desperate
definite
individual
restaurant
temperature
vegetable
Spoken
Language
communicate
criticise
exaggerate
explanation
interrupt
pronunciation
relevant
suggest
Learning Related Rare GPCs
amateur
committee
profession
secretary
soldier
achieve
excellent
thorough
individual
bruise
guarantee
immediately
queue
vehicle
yacht
Year 5/6 Word List-No Curriculum Links
accommodate
competition
harass
recognise
accompany
conscience
hindrance
recommend
according
controversy
interfere
sufficient
aggressive
convenience
leisure
variety
apparent
curiosity
marvellous
appreciate
definite
mischievous
attached
determined
necessary
available
develop
nuisance
awkward
disastrous
occupy
bargain
embarrass
occur
bruise
especially
opportunity
category
familiar
prejudice
community
frequently
programme
Planning with Quality
Texts
Year 6 Menus
Focus on English
Assessment
Year 6
Assessment: Meeting Year 6 Expectations
Transcription
• Convert verbs into nouns by adding suffixes. For
example, tion, ure.
• Distinguish between homophones and other words which
are often confused
• Spell identified commonly misspelt words from Year 5
and 6 word list
• Understand that the spelling of some words needs to be
learnt specifically
• Use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of
words
• Use the first three or four letters of a word to check
spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary
• Use a thesaurus
• Use a range of spelling strategies
• Choose which shape of a letter to use when given
choices and deciding, as part of their personal style,
whether or not to join specific letters
• Choose the writing implement that is best suited for
a task (e.g. quick notes, letters)
© Focus Education UK Ltd. 2014
19
Assessing Spoken Language
Meeting Year 6 Expectations
Year 6 Expectations: Spoken Language
• Talk confidently and fluently in a range of situations, using formal and Standard
English as appropriate
• Ask questions to develop ideas and make contributions that take account of others’
views
• Explain ideas and opinions giving reasons and evidence
• Take an active part in discussions, taking different roles
• Listen to and consider the views and opinions of others in discussions
• Make contributions to discussions, evaluating others’ ideas and responding to them
• Sustain and argue a point of view in a debate, using formal language of persuasion
• Express possibilities using hypothetical and speculative language in science and
when discussing reading
• Engage listeners through choice of vocabulary and register according to the
context
• Perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation and volume and
expression so that literal and implied meaning is made clear
• Perform poems or plays from memory, making deliberate choices about how they
convey ideas about characters, contexts and atmosphere
Assessing Reading:
Meeting Year 6 Expectations
Year 6 Expectations: Word Reading
Year 6 Expectations: Comprehension
• Apply knowledge of root words to read aloud and to
understand the meaning of unfamiliar words
• Read and become familiar with a wide range of books,
including modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and
books from other cultures and traditions
• Apply knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to read
aloud and to understand the meaning of unfamiliar
words
• Use combined knowledge of phonemes and word
derivations to pronounce words correctly. For
example: arachnophobia, audience
• Attempt pronunciation of unfamiliar words drawing on
prior knowledge of similar looking words
• Read fluently, using punctuation to inform meaning
• Read books that are structured in different ways
• Recognise texts that contain features from more than one text
type
• Consider and evaluate how effectively texts are structured and
laid out
• Read non-fiction texts to support other curriculum areas
• Read closely to ensure understanding
• Recommend books that they have read to their peers, giving
reasons for their choices
• Identify and discuss themes in a range of writing and across
longer texts
• Identify and discuss the conventions of different text types
• Identify key points in an appropriate text
• Learn a range of poetry by heart. For example, narrative
verse, sonnet
• Prepare poems and plays to read aloud and to perform,
showing understanding through intonation, tone, volume and
action
© Focus Education UK Ltd. 2014
21
Assessing Reading:
Meeting Year 6 Expectations
Year 6 Expectations: Comprehension
• Identify and comment on writer’s choice of vocabulary,
giving examples and explanation.
• Identify and explain how writers use grammatical
features for effect. For example, the use of short
sentences to build tension
• Show awareness of the writers’ craft by commenting on
use of language, grammatical features and structure of
texts
• Express a personal point of view about a text, giving
reasons linked to evidence from texts
• Raise queries about texts
• Make connections between other similar texts, prior
knowledge and experience and explain the links
• Explain and comment on explicit and implicit points of
view
• Summarise key information from different parts of a text
• Recognise the writer’s point of view and discuss it
• Present a personal point of view based on what has been
read
• Present a counter-argument in response to others’ points
of view
• Provide reasoned justifications for their views
• Refer to the text to support opinion
• Distinguish between statements of fact and opinion
• Find information using skimming to establish main idea
• Compare different versions of texts and explain the
differences and similarities
• Use scanning to find specific information
• Listen to others’ ideas and opinions about a text
• Text mark to make research efficient and fast
• Build on others’ ideas and opinions about a text in
discussion
• Organise information or evidence appropriately
© Focus Education UK Ltd. 2014
22
Assessing Writing:
Meeting Year 6 Expectations
Year 6 Expectations: Transcription
• Convert verbs into nouns by adding suffixes. For
example, tion, ure
• Distinguish between homophones and other words
which are often confused
• Spell identified commonly misspelt words from Year 5
and 6 word list
• Understand that the spelling of some words needs to be
learnt specifically
Year 6 Expectations: Composition
• Identify the audience for and purpose of the writing
• Choose the appropriate form and register for the audience
and purpose of the writing
• Use grammatical structures/features and choose vocabulary
appropriate to the audience, purpose and degree of
formality to make meaning clear and create effect
• Use a range of sentence starters to create specific effects.
For example – adverbials, conjunctions, ing, ed
• Use developed noun phrases to add detail to sentences
• Use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of
words
• Use the passive voice to present information with a different
emphasis
• Use the first three or four letters of a word to check
spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary
• Use commas to mark phrases and clauses
• Use a thesaurus
• Use a range of spelling strategies
• Choose which shape of a letter to use when given
choices and deciding, as part of their personal style,
whether or not to join specific letters
• Choose the writing implement that is best suited for
a task (e.g. quick notes, letters)
• Sustain and develop main ideas logically in narrative and
non-narrative writing
• Use character, dialogue and action to advance events in
narrative writing
• Summarise text, conveying key information
• Write paragraphs with a topic sentence which clearly signal
a change in, for example - subject, time, place, event
• Use organisational and presentational devices to structure
text and to guide the reader. For example headings, bullet points, underlining
© Focus Education UK Ltd. 2014
23
Assessing Writing:
Meeting Year 6 Expectations
Year 6 Expectations: Composition
• Assess the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing
• Suggest changes to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects
and clarify meaning
• Ensure the consistent and correct use of tense throughout a piece of writing
• Ensure correct subject and verb agreement when using singular and plural
• Distinguish between the language of speech and writing
• Distinguish between the correct subject and verb agreement when using singular
and plural
• Distinguish between the language of speech and writing and choose the
appropriate register
• Proof-read for spelling and punctuation errors
• Perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation, volume, and
movement so that meaning is clear
© Focus Education UK Ltd. 2014
24
Assessing Spoken Language
Exceeding Year 6 Expectations
Year 6 Exceeding Expectations: Spoken Language
• Adapt spoken language confidently according to the demands of the context
• Understand that there are different registers and levels of formality within Standard English and
that this is dependent on the context
• Make considered choices about the register and vocabulary to engage their audience,
according to the context
• Ask pertinent questions to develop and extend ideas
• Articulate ideas and opinions, using evidence and explanation to support
• Participate in discussions, listen attentively and respond to others’ points of view, drawing on
evidence and explaining
• Adopt group roles and responsibilities independently, drawing ideas together and promoting
effective discussion
• Debate an issue, structuring a logical argument using formal discursive language and
responding to the opposite point of view
• Explore complex ideas and feelings in a range of ways, both succinct and extended
• Maintain generally controlled and effective organisation of talk to guide the listener
• Perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation and volume and expression to
engage their audience
• Perform poems or plays from memory, making deliberate choices about how they convey
ideas about characters, contexts and atmosphere to engage a specific audience
Assessing Reading:
Exceeding Year 6 Expectations
Year 6 Exceeding Expectations:
Comprehension
• Explain the structural devices used to organise a text
• Comment on the structural devices used to organise the
text
• Evaluate the impact of the grammatical
features/techniques used to create mood, atmosphere,
key messages, attitudes
• Identify how writers manipulate grammatical features for
effect
• Analyse why writers make specific vocabulary choices
• Read several texts on the same topic to find and
compare information
• Give a personal response to a range of literature and
non-fiction texts, stating preferences and justifying them
• Explain the main purpose of a text and summarise it
succinctly
• Explain how and why a text has impact on a reader
• Draw inferences from subtle clues across a complete text
• Identify how characters change during the events of a
longer novel
• Recognise the impact of the social, historical, cultural on
the themes in a text
• Explain the key features, themes and characters across
a text
• Comment on the development of themes in longer
novels
• Compare and contrast characters, themes and structure
in texts by the same and different writers
• Compare and contrast the styles of different writers with
evidence and explanation
• Explain the author’s viewpoint in a text and present an
alternative point of view
• Evaluate the styles of different writers with evidence and
explanation
• Explain an opinion, referring to the text to justify it; Point,
Evidence and Explanation (PEE)
• Prepare poems and plays to read aloud and to perform,
using body language, tone, pitch and volume to engage
the audience
• Present a counter-argument in response to others’ points
of view using evidence form the text and explanation –
PEE
• Compare and contrast the language used in two different
texts
• Use a combination of skimming, scanning and text
marking to find and collate information
• Re-present collated information
• Identify the grammatical features/techniques used to
create mood, atmosphere, key messages, attitudes
© Focus Education UK Ltd. 2014
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Assessing Writing:
Exceeding Year 6 Expectations
Year 6 Exceeding Expectations: Composition
• Choose the appropriate style and form for the purpose and audience of the writing
• Use techniques to engage the reader. For example – personal comments, opening hook, flashback
• Write paragraphs with a clear focus
• Write paragraphs with different structures and lengths
• Link ideas within and between paragraphs with a range of cohesive devices. For example – connecting
adverbs/adverbials, use of pronouns
• Use different sentence structures and length to suit the purpose and audience of the writing
• Use a range of sentence types for impact and specific effect on the reader
• Control complex sentences, manipulating the clauses to achieve specific effects
• Use punctuation to convey and clarify meaning, including colon and semi-colon
• Make precise and specific word choices according to the text type and audience
• Summarise longer texts precisely, identifying the key information
• Use the passive voice confidently. For example to create suspense or in a science investigation or
historical or geographical report
• Use the subjunctive in the most formal writing to express a wish or a suggestion for the future
• Make thoughtful changes when editing to create intended impact on the reader
© Focus Education UK Ltd. 2014
27