• Homework
• Maths Help

Mrs Maguire, Miss Jones and Mr Clewlow.

Welcome to Year 3 during the Autumn Term!

Class Saint: St Bernadette

Dear Year 3 Parents and Carers,

May I extend a warm welcome back to school and in particular to Year 3! I hope that you have all had an enjoyable summer break and feel refreshed for the start of another exciting year.

I look forward to the coming year and I hope returning to school will feel a happy, safe, and sociable place for your child to learn and thrive.

I am aware that as well as the excitement of seeing their friends and starting a new school year, some children may feel a little anxious or nervous about moving to a new area of the school, getting used to a new teacher and becoming part of KS2. I soon hope to allay any fears, as I help your child to settle in over the next few weeks. Moving from KS1 to KS2 is a big step for many children, but I will make this transition as smooth as possible, and hope the following information helps you to support your child in the best possible way. I have included details of what to expect regarding your child’s homework and topics, as well as some general information about school-life in KS2.

Who are the adults in my child’s class?

Mrs Maguire- Class teacher

Miss Jones- Teaching Assistant

Mr Clewlow- Teaching Assistant

What will my child be learning in Year 3?

Religion

Our Religious Education topics will be ‘Creation and Covenant’ and ‘Prophecy and Promise’.

In ‘Creation and Covenant’ ,the children will deepen their understanding of the creation of the world and how to care for it.

In our ‘Prophecy and Promise’ topic, the children will learn about mass and they will deepen their learning about Advent as a time of preparation for the birth of Jesus.

Mathematics

In Maths, we will be working through the Power Maths Scheme. The units we will be focusing on in the Autumn Term are: Place Value within  1000, Addition and Subtraction and Multiplication and Division. Children will be expected to start learning their times tables and we will begin to introduce weekly times table tests.

English

In English, we will mainly work on a text-based approach, and enjoy reading a range of quality picture books, non-fiction texts and extracts from longer novels. Now that many of the children are becoming confident decoders, the reading focus begins to shift in Year 3, and concentrates more on developing comprehension skills.  Our shared texts will also inspire writing in a range of genres including, narrative, poetry, and instructional text types. This term our English lessons will be focussing on the books: ‘How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth’, ‘Stone Age Boy’ and ‘Winter’s Child’.

In addition, discrete grammar, spelling, and handwriting lessons will also be taught. Weekly spelling tests will be introduced this week and spelling lists available on the school website, via the Year 3 class page.

Science

In Science, we will be learning about ‘Rocks’ and ‘Forces and Magnets.’ Through these topics, the children will develop their scientific enquiry skills, making observations, predictions and conclusions.

In our ‘Rocks’ topic, the children will discover the different types of rocks and learn how they are formed. They will also understand how soil and fossils are formed and will also investigate the permeability of different types of soil.

In our ‘Forces and Magnets’ topic, the children will learn to identify different actions as pushes or pulls. They will also investigate friction and identify magnetic materials. In addition, the children will have chance to explore the way magnetic poles can attract and repel.

History

This term we will be studying Pre-historic Britain: The Stone Age to the Iron Age. This is a really exciting historical topic that really captures the children’s interest and enthusiasm.  Many other areas of the curriculum such as English, Art and D&T will also be integrated into this topic. 

There is a workshop on the 9^th September, which the children will be taking part in, linked to this term’s history units.

Geography

This term we will be studying Our European Neighbours. The children will go on a virtual trip across the English Channel to discover the continent of Europe! Not only will they discover some fascinating facts about Europe, but they will also find out the names, locations and features of European countries and capitals.

Computing

This term the children will be learning about coding, online safety, and spreadsheets. Children will use iPads and computers to access this part of the curriculum.

Music and MFL 

The children's music lessons will cover the themes of ‘Stone Age’ and ‘Christmas Songs’. They will also have French lessons with a French specialist.  

P.E.

P.E. will take place on Tuesday, plus another day which is yet to be confirmed. Please ensure your child has their kit in school on these days and that all kit is clearly named. To begin with, it may well be warm enough for your child to wear their school PE shorts and top with a navy or black jumper/hoodie, but as the weather gets colder, they will need to wear navy or black joggers or leggings.

What homework will my child have to complete in Year 3?

All homework tasks are intended to benefit your child’s learning, by consolidating work done in school, and encouraging them to work more independently. Each Friday, I will update the Year 3 page on the school website to provide details of the homework set each week.

In Year 3, your child’s homework will include:

• Daily reading;
• Spellings (tested on Wednesday);
• Times tables (tested on Friday) practise on Times Tables Rockstars;
• One Maths or English task per week, which will set in CPG homework books (which will be sent home on Friday and due in the following Thursday so they can be marked).
• Occasional Science, Topic or Religion based

Parents often ask if there is something they can do at home to support their child’s learning. Ensuring they complete their homework tasks to the best of their ability, and supporting them where necessary, will really help them to make good progress. Daily spelling practice, using the ‘look, say, cover, write, check’ approach, is invaluable in helping them to learn their weekly spellings and daily practise of times tables will also be essential.

I simply cannot emphasise enough the importance of continuing to hear your child read at home on a daily basis and in particular, to begin to support the development of comprehension skills, through discussion and questioning.

The following websites provide excellent online resources to support with homework too:

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/

https://www.timestables.co.uk/

https://ttrockstars.com/

When will my child be heard to read?

Your child will not necessarily be assigned a specific reading day in Key Stage 2. Therefore, please could you ensure your child has their reading book and yellow reading record in school every day.

This allows for greater flexibility with our timetable and more opportunity for your child to change their book more regularly. Once they have finished their book,    your child is welcome to change their book on any day of the week, provided their record has been signed.

What does my child need to bring to school each day?

Please ensure that your child has the following items in school on a daily basis:

• Their reading book and reading record carried in a blue school book bag;
• A named water bottle;
• A coat (even if the weather is a little inclement, we try to get outside at playtime as much as possible);
• A piece of fruit or a vegetable snack for break time (please be reminded that Year 3 children are no longer provided with a piece of fruit, as they have been used to in For those of you who are not familiar with our school policy, only fruit or vegetable snacks are permitted, including dried fruit);
• Break time snacks and drinks ranging from 20p – £1 will also be available to buy.
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End of The Day Arrangements

We will be exiting through the hall fire doors, near the main school office, so please collect from there at 3:10pm.

Any children attending Whizz Kids or The Den are handed over at their designated meeting points. 

Many thanks in advance for your support this year. I look forward to meeting you soon and to working with you on the next stage of your child’s learning journey.

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly, with a query or concern, by emailing smaguire@stgabriels.cheshire.sch.uk .

Please note teachers are no longer being contacted via messenger on Class Dojo. However, Class Dojo will be used for updates on the Class Story page.

I will endeavour to respond at the earliest opportunity, but since this email address cannot be monitored whilst I am teaching, if your concern is of an urgent nature, you may need to telephone the school office or email admin@stgabriels.cheshire.sch.uk

Yours sincerely,

Mrs S. Maguire (Class teacher)