Year 6: what to teach and where to find it.
What the national curriculum asks of this year, which parts of the free course cover it, and a term-by-term path through Level 3, Bridge English.
Where to start
Level 3: Bridge English
Weeks 19 to 36 of Level 3 (see Year 5 for the reasoning).
If it feels too easy or too hard
Use the placement check, then move up or down a year on this map. Children learning English as an additional language often sit at a different level for speaking, listening, reading and writing: that is normal.
What the national curriculum asks
- By the end of Year 6, reading and writing should be fluent and effortless enough to manage the demands of Year 7 across all subjects. Pupils should consciously control sentence structure and understand why sentences are constructed as they are (S1).
- Grammar terminology for pupils (Year 6 content): subject, object, active, passive, synonym, antonym, ellipsis, hyphen, colon, semi-colon, bullet points (S1, Appendix 2).
- Handwriting and presentation: write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed, choosing the letter shapes, joins and writing implement best suited to the task (S1).
- Pupils' confidence and mastery of language is extended through public speaking, performance and debate (S1).
Summarised in our own words from the official documents listed under Sources. For exact wording, always use the official text.
How the free course covers it
| Grammar | GPS-style mini-papers: original questions in the style of the national test. |
|---|---|
| Spelling | The rest of the Years 5 and 6 words and proof-reading. |
| Writing | Newspaper report, biography, poetry with figurative language. |
| Typing | Speed and accuracy for secondary school. |
| Transition | Study vocabulary, note-taking and reading preferences. |
Some strand pages are still being added to the site and will open as they are published. See the full plan for every strand.
Your year, term by term
A suggested path through Level 3. Each week links to the full week on the level page, with lesson outlines and free resources.
School term 1
Level 3, weeks 19 to 24
- Wk 19 The art of the interviewindirect questions: Could you tell me...? Do you know...?
- Wk 20 How things are madepresent simple passive; first, then, after that, finally
- Wk 21 Passing it onreported speech: said, told, asked
- Wk 22 Agreeing and disagreeingso do I / neither do I; however, on the other hand
- Wk 23 Numbers and chartscomparatives with numbers; fractions and percentages
- Wk 24 Review and assessmentTerm 2 grammar
School term 2
Level 3, weeks 25 to 30
- Wk 25 Stories that grippast perfect for narrative
- Wk 26 Then and nowused to; didn't use to
- Wk 27 Imagine if...second conditional; If I were you
- Wk 28 Travel and adventurepresent perfect or past simple
- Wk 29 Media and advertisingmodals of deduction: must, might, can't
- Wk 30 Digital footprint and sourcesquestion tags; formal and informal register
School term 3
Level 3, weeks 31 to 36
- Wk 31 Study skillsphrasal verbs for study (look up, go over, catch up)
- Wk 32 Making a caselinking: firstly, in addition, however, in conclusion
- Wk 33 Presenting with confidencesignposting language; review of reported speech
- Wk 34 Mock exam weekmixed B1 review
- Wk 35 Presentationsall Level 3 grammar
- Wk 36 Final assessment and celebrationTerm 3 grammar
Checks and tests this year
- National tests at the end of key stage 2 include a grammar, punctuation and spelling test. The 2025 materials have a questions paper worth 50 marks and a spelling paper worth 20 marks (S11).
- The key stage 2 tests also include an English reading test. There is no writing test: writing is reported as a teacher assessment judgement (GOV.UK, key stage 2 tests: information for parents).
At home
- Practise spellings in short bursts rather than long sessions.
- Talk about how they feel about starting secondary school.
- Keep reading for pleasure going, even when revision is in the air.