English
Summer 2
🐷 The Three Little Pigs – (Twisted Tale)
In this alternative version of The Three Little Pigs, the story takes a surprising turn. The three pigs are no longer simply victims of the Big Bad Wolf—instead, they are arrested and questioned by the police. 🚓 Through a series of flashbacks, we begin to see different sides of the story and realise that things may not be as straightforward as they first seem.
As the events unfold, the audience is encouraged to think carefully about who is telling the truth. 🤔 Is the wolf really as bad as everyone believes, or have the pigs left out important details? This version challenges our understanding of the traditional tale and reminds us that every story can have more than one perspective.
✨ This clip is a great way to explore:
- truth
- bias
- point of view
It also encourages children to question and justify their ideas using evidence.
✍️ Writing Outcome:
At the end of the unit, the children will apply their understanding by writing their own formal witness statement from the perspective of another key character, such as Tinkerbell from Peter Pan.
The Barnabus Project
The Barnabus Project is a powerful picture book about being different and accepting who you are. Deep underground, beneath a shop selling “perfect” pets, lives Barnabus and his friends—creatures who are not considered perfect and are hidden away as ‘failed projects’. Barnabus dreams of the world beyond the lab, but when he discovers that he and the others are going to be changed to become more perfect, he decides to act. With courage and teamwork, Barnabus leads the group on an escape to find freedom and a place where they can be accepted for who they are. The story celebrates individuality, belonging and the importance of being proud of who you are.
✍️ Writing Outcome:
By the end of this short unit, children will design their own unique “pet” and write a fact file about it. The will cover the following:
- Organisation: Use of clear headings and subheadings with logically organised information.
- Cohesion: Linking ideas across paragraphs using cohesive devices such as conjunctions and adverbials.
- Sentence Structure: A range of sentence types, including the use of relative clauses and expanded noun phrases.
- Vocabulary: Precise and subject-specific vocabulary to describe their character.
- Punctuation: Mostly accurate use of punctuation including commas, apostrophes and brackets/dashes.
- Purpose & Audience: Writing in a clear, formal style suitable for a non-fiction fact file.
Our class read:
The Final Year – By Matt Goodfellow
The Final Year is a powerful story written in poems. It follows Nate, a Year 6 pupil, as he experiences his final year of primary school. During the year, Nate faces challenges with friendships, family life and growing up. When his best friend changes and his younger brother becomes very ill, Nate begins to feel overwhelmed. With the support of his teacher, Mr Joshua, Nate learns to express his feelings through writing and starts to understand himself better. The story explores important experiences such as SATs, change and the transition to secondary school, making it very relatable for children. It is ultimately a story about resilience, hope and finding your place in the world.
Key Themes
- ❤️ Family
Love and support, challenges at home, caring for others.
- 🤝 Friendship
Changing friendships, loyalty and making new connections.
- 💭 Emotions
Managing feelings, expressing thoughts through writing.
- 🏫 Growing Up
Year 6 pressures, SATs and moving to secondary school.
- 🌍 Identity
Understanding who you are and where you belong.
- 💪 Resilience
Overcoming challenges and staying hopeful.