This term, Year 6 will explore how people have used power to create change, focusing on the Industrial Revolution, the Luddite movement, and modern-day empowerment. From the invention of machines to rebellion against progress, children will investigate how power can be used to shape the world—for better or worse.

The Industrial Revolution – The Power to Modernise

The Industrial Revolution transformed the world, bringing huge advances in technology and industry. But not everyone saw progress as a good thing. Children will explore:
🏭 How new machines changed industries and people’s lives
🚂 The impact of inventions like steam engines and factories
📈 Who benefited from industrialisation—and who suffered?

By understanding both sides of the revolution, children will see how progress isn’t always welcomed by everyone.

The Luddites – The Power to Rebel

Not everyone wanted change. The Luddites, a group of skilled workers, fought back against the rise of machines. Children will investigate:
🛠️ Who were the Luddites, and why did they destroy machines?
⚖️ How did the government react to their rebellion?
📢 How do we see protests and resistance today?

This will help them explore how people can use their power to resist change, and how governments respond to movements that challenge authority.

The Power of Influence – How Do People Shape Each Other? 

Power isn’t just about machines—it’s about people. Children will reflect on:
✔️ How certain people influence the choices of others
✔️ Recognising stereotypes and prejudice in history and today
✔️ How people with disabilities have the power to lead inspiring lives

By looking at stories of resilience and empowerment, children will learn how power isn’t just about strength—it’s about determination and influence.

The Science of Power – How Does Power Shape the World?

Power isn’t just political—it’s scientific too! Children will explore:
🔌 How electrical circuits work, and how power sources affect brightness
👀 How light travels and how the human eye works
⚡ How power is controlled in circuits, linking to real-world engineering

This hands-on learning will connect scientific power to historical and social power, deepening their understanding of cause and effect.

Bringing History to Life: Our Authentic Outcome

To showcase their learning, children will create:
🧦 Hand-sewn socks using pre-industrial techniques, linking to the shift from handmade to machine-made goods.
📰 Newspaper articles and blogs about the Industrial Revolution and the Luddites, published internationally as part of an e-safety project.
🚑 Emergency services leaflets for younger children, teaching them how to react in emergency situations.

This will bring history to life, connecting past and present in meaningful ways.

Leaving a Legacy: Making a Difference in Our World

How can we use what we’ve learned about power to change the future? Children will:
🌍 Publish newspapers and blogs internationally, tracking how far their words travel.

Through this, they will take ownership of their learning and see how their voices can make a difference.

English

A high-quality text drives each of our enquiries and the texts are used to give knowledge and purpose to the enquiry. High quality texts can only be accessed through knowledge of vocabulary in different tiers. Explicit teaching of new vocabulary and using the classroom environment to showcase key vocabulary helps us to infuse rich and sophisticated vocabulary from EYFS to Year 6. The texts are used as a stimulus for both English and cross curricular writing, ensuring high expectations of our children. Reading is interwoven into all aspects of the enquiry to encourage reading and language development and promote reading for pleasure.

Maths

In maths we follow the Power Maths programme to support children’s learning and to build a deep understanding of maths concepts. Power Maths is a curriculum mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and nurture confidence in maths. It is built around a child‑centred lesson design that models and embeds a growth mindset approach to maths.

This term we are covering the following:

• Decimals

  • Multiplying and dividing decimals by whole numbers.
  • Multiplying and dividing decimals by 10, 100, and 1,000.
  • Solving problems involving the calculation and conversion of decimals in context.
  • Converting fractions to decimals and vice versa.

• Percentages

  • Finding percentages of whole numbers and quantities.
  • Solving problems involving percentages, such as percentage increase and decrease.
  • Converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages to solve multi-step problems.

• Algebra

  • Introducing simple algebraic expressions and using symbols and letters to represent variables.
  • Forming and solving one-step and two-step equations.
  • Generating and describing simple linear number sequences.
  • Using algebraic expressions to solve real-life problems and puzzles.

• Ratio and Proportion

  • Understanding and using ratio notation.
  • Solving problems involving the relative sizes of two quantities, including recipes and scale drawings.
  • Calculating and comparing proportions, including percentages and fractions in real-world contexts.
  • Using ratio and proportion knowledge to solve multi-step problems.

• Measurement - Converting Units

  • Converting between different metric units (e.g., kilometers to meters, kilograms to grams, liters to milliliters).
  • Understanding and using approximate equivalences between metric and imperial units (e.g., miles and kilometers, pounds and kilograms).
  • Solving problems involving time and interpreting timetables.

• Area, Perimeter, and Volume

  • Calculating the area of parallelograms and triangles.
  • Exploring the relationship between area and perimeter.
  • Estimating and calculating the volume of cubes and cuboids using standard units (cm³, m³).
  • Solving problems involving the area, perimeter, and volume of various shapes.