Welcome to Year 3!

Change of curriculum As you may be aware we have a new curriculum this year. There are a few changes to how we teach our topic learning due to how objectives have been set. English and Maths have also changed slightly but the overall objectives are very similar.

Major topics of the year! Our first topic will lightly touch on the stone age. We will mainly focus on the arrival of the Romans in Britain and the effects this had on the local area. We will then focus on the structure of the Earth with a particular emphasis on volcanoes and different types of rock. Our next topic will compare and contrast the Romans and Greeks. We will be exploring Greek myths and legends and may even write our own myth! Our final topic will cover growth of both plants and animals.

PE Days PE is on Tuesday and Friday. All children are expected to have the correct kit in school at all times. Outdoor PE kit is long trousers, jumper, trainers (and socks!) and their PE t-shirt. Indoor PE kit is shorts and PE t-shirt. Earrings must be taken out for PE sessions. Please, please, please make sure everything is named!

ICT We are changing the way we do ICT as a school. We are now teaching the skills implicitly during other learning sessions. The ICT suite will now be changing into a resource base.

Recorders This year the children will have the opportunity to be taught to play the recorder! Lessons will take place every Wednesday morning until the end of the year. Unfortunately, the children aren’t able to take their recorders home with them.

Forest Schools Throughout the year the children will have the opportunity to take part in Forest Schools. Most of these sessions will take place on site, however, others will be at Old Down Manor.

Weekly timetable! Springboard English B Class Book Maths L 8:50-9:40 9.40-10.40 10.40- 10:55 10:55- 11:15 11:15-12:15 1:15-1:25 1:25-2:10 2:10-2:45 2:45-3:30 Monday Springboard English B Class Book Maths L KS2 assembly Topic/ Foundation Tuesday R U Topic/ Foundation PE 14- outdoor 9-indoor Wednesday Springboard (Egypt) Recorders (Egypt) E (Egypt) N Recorders (Denmark) English (Denmark)   (Denmark) Thursday A C Enrichment Friday K H (until 2:30) 14-indoor 9-outdoor 3:00 Whole school Assembly

The transition! As you may have noticed the day is longer for the children, as there is no afternoon break in KS2 and lessons go on until quarter past 12! Our word of the year is ‘Independence’. We are really trying to encourage the children as much as possible to be independent and take responsibility for their own learning.

Start and end of day At the beginning of the day the children are able to enter the classroom independently when the bell goes. At the end of the day the children now leave the classroom independently. We will be standing outside of our areas if there are any quick messages to be passed on.

Homework A letter will soon be sent out explaining how we give homework to the children and the reasons for the changes. Please could the children continue to read at least 3 times a week, practise their mental addition and subtraction and times tables (badges). The children will also receive a list of key words based on recent spelling lists.

Interventions During Springboard and assembly times we will be running focussed interventions to support the children with their learning. These are based around the children’s next steps and all children will be supported throughout the year.

Reading Individual readers- Children will be heard read by either the teacher or a parent helper. Guided reading- This takes place once a week and will be led by the teacher. Children will have the opportunity to change their reading books once a week

Reading Records As with last year, please can the children give their reading record books to their teacher when they are ready to be stamped. Targets: 1st book = 30 reads 5th book = 75 reads 2nd book= 30 reads 6th book = 75 reads 3rd book = 50 reads 7th book = 100 reads 4th book = 50 reads 8th book = 100 reads

Fruit and water On their book changing day it would be appreciated if the children bring in a piece of fruit to be shared. When children go out and come in from the playground they are allowed to have water.

Ways to help at home Telling the time. Tying shoe laces. Quick mental calculation games. Board games to help problem solving skills. Working with money. Encourage them to extend their sentences with ambitious vocabulary.

Home/School communication We are available after school on a Monday, Thursday and Friday. If your child is going home with somebody else please send them in with a note.

Parent helpers We would welcome any help that you are able to provide. Extra fruit cutters would be greatly appreciated- please see Mrs Eccott.

Any questions?