Year 6 English articles

Dyspraxia, or Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), causes problems with language, perception and thought – most specifically issues with co-ordination. Around one in seven children has this learning difficulty and if your child is affected it can be hard to know how to help for the best. Here we answer some of the most common questions parents ask.

Whether your child is a voracious reader or is horrified at the suggestion of picking up a book, audiobooks could have some surprising benefits. Lucy Dimbylow explains how they could boost literacy skills, and shares our pick of the best to get you started.

Learning to print letters was hard enough, and now your child is being encouraged to join them up. Lucy Dimbylow explains everything you need to know about cursive writing, and how you can support your child at home.

Year 6 children are all tested on their spelling, punctuation and grammar as part of the KS2 SATs. So what will your child need to know, and how can you help them brush up their skills? By Lucy Dimbylow.

Find out how our fantastic primary school learning programme – The Learning Journey – could benefit you and your child as well as full details of how to use the reward charts and certificates!

Give your child a really unique introduction to the world of fiction with a personalised book – after all, who wouldn’t want to be the hero or heroine of a fantastic adventure? Seeing their name – and face – in print, alongside favourite characters, will be a thrill whether they’re just starting to read for themselves or ready to embark on classic literature. We pick the best personalised books where your child has the starring role.

If you’re worried about your child’s handwriting and want to help them improve, you’re not alone – handwriting is an essential skill, but we all have to learn it, and it’s a very complex task. Legible, neat handwriting takes lots of practice – here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re working with your child at home.

Struggling to get your child to pick up a book? A comic might have more appeal – and some surprising literacy-boosting benefits, especially for boys. Lucy Dimbylow explains why you don’t need to be snobbish about your child’s choice of reading material.

Once your child can read they’ll be working on understanding what they read and really engaging with words in their literacy lessons. Reading comprehension is also a big part of SATs. Teacher Alice Hart explains how you can help boost your child’s skills at home.

Celebrate World Book Day with these fun ideas for children of all ages – get a free book, join a reading group, raise money for charity and more!

Help your child develop the motor skills needed for handwriting with these no-skills-needed ideas and recipes for playdough and similar slimy substances – ideal for sensory play and scientific investigations!

Does making your child prepare for the weekly spelling test make your heart sink? Forget mindless drilling – primary teacher and preparing-for-spelling-tests veteran Phoebe Doyle has found ways to take some of the stress out of learning tricky words.

Year 6 means the next round of SATs exams! Start revising by knowing what the learning targets are for the new year, reviewing what was taught in Years 3, 4 and 5, and giving your child SATs practice papers and past exams.

Wondering what those noises that your child has been chanting to you are? They're probably practising their phonics sounds – we explain what the sounds of phonics are, and how you can help your child learn them in Reception and beyond.

It’s the handwriting activity your child will be clamouring to start: writing to Father Christmas! Gather your child’s paper and pencils and settle down to compile the list, then organise a response from the big man himself, as well as a personalised Christmas message.

Help your children improve their spelling skills with games and activities that build word-savviness in fun and interesting ways.

Use our quick guide to adverbs to help your child understand this descriptive part of speech.

Helping your child master spelling starts in Reception and continues throughout the primary years. Lucy Dimbylow asked real parents for their top tips on making learning spellings fun.

Good grammar isn't just for English lessons – it's a vital skill that will take your child through their educational journey and their life. It's not hard once you know the rules, says Jackie Cosh.