Class 3 Autumn Newsletter
Year 3 – Autumn Newsletter 2022
Dear parents/carers,
Welcome to Year 3. It is lovely to be working with you and your children for another year! The children have already settled into Year 3 well, they are enjoying the new ‘grown up’ routines and they have shown me some fantastic work!
English
To begin with, we will be sharing texts from the author Roald Dahl and using his stories to help develop our sentence structure including punctuation, determiners, and conjunctions. Our writing will support improving our word choices such as exciting adjectives and effective adverbs. Through other aspects of the curriculum (science, geography, history etc.) we will be developing our non-narrative skills with explanation and instructions writing.
Ensuring your child reads for at least 15 minutes a day will help their reading skills to develop along with discussions around the text read. It is just as important to read to your child regularly along with listening to audio books.
Maths
To begin the term, we will be looking at number systems with a focus on place value, addition and subtraction with explorations around money. We will be using a variety of equipment to help children build their practical mathematical skills to support problem solving and calculations. The children will also be developing their mathematical vocabulary to develop reasoning tasks. To assist with children’s mathematical development encourage them to handle real money and understand the value of coins and notes along with reading analogue and digital time in a 12hr and 24hr format. Continue to practise the times tables and use Times Table Rock Stars – login’s are in your child’s Learning Log.
History and Geography
We begin the year with a history topic – Ancient Egypt. We will be focusing on the achievements of the earliest civilisation and using our skills of research. In geography we will be exploring climate zones and learning lots of geographical vocabulary and applying this to our class work.
Science
Throughout the Autumn term we will be looking at the area of Science ‘Light & Shadow’ followed by ‘Forces’. For light and shadow, we will be exploring reflection, the need for light to be able to see and much more. In forces we will look at how things move on different surfaces and the effects of magnets on different material.
Computing
This year in computing we will be starting off learning how to programme using the application ‘Scratch’. Children will learn about algorithms, sequencing, and storyboarding. Running alongside this we will continue to focus on staying safe online.
Art and DT
In art we will be developing our sketching skills and getting creative with a range of material through our Egyptian topic. Through DT we will be looking at, designing and making Shadufs to support our Egyptian learning.
RE
In RE we be looking at the local parish church, ideas and beliefs about God, our own ideas, Christian beliefs, Mother Theresa and Advent.
PSHE
Our PSHE learning will lead us to think about mental health, Families and Friendships – what makes a family and features of family life. Safe Relationships – personal boundaries, safely responding to others and the impact of hurtful behaviour. Respecting Ourselves and Others – recognising respectful behaviour, the importance of self-respect and courtesy & being polite.
Music
In Music we will be developing the skills of listening and appraising, musical activities and perform and review. In addition, children will be taking part in Wider Ops to learn brass instruments.
Physical Education
The children will have PE on a Monday and Thursday this term. Monday’s PE will be swimming (please see your separate letter sent previously) and Thursday’s PE with Mr Snelling will be Fundamentals. Please ensure your child always has their PE kit in school, we are fortunate enough to sometimes get extra PE sessions and we do not want children missing out on these. Please also ensure that girls wearing tights have spare socks for PE.
French
This year, children will begin to learn French at Clavering. We will be starting with the topic ‘Bonjour, ca va?’
Homework
Learning task- Each week your child will have a learning task. This will either be linked to school English, Maths, Topic or Science. This task should take 20/30 minutes. This is set on a Friday and should be returned the following Thursday (to allow marking time!)
Spellings- These are now being sent home on a half termly basis. Your child still must learn weekly words for a weekly test. On the word sheet each week is dated based on when the spellings are set, they will be tested the following Friday. I am also posting all spelling lists on Teams for anyone who loses their sheet/ would rather an electronic copy!
Children have been grouped based on a diagnostic test and my assessment from their application in their work. If you feel your child can learn the words with ease, for the test, please test them on their application in a sentence. Children will be retested on a half termly basis. If children need stretching, I sent home the Year 3 Common Exception Words, these can be added to their spelling list. If anyone needs another copy at any time let me know!
Tests are on a Friday morning in a spelling book kept at school- the children will be shown their score. Children can practise their spellings using look, write, cover check at the back of their learning log.
Times Tables- It is so important all children are practicing their times tables. This should be done a minimum of 3 times a week. They should be valued in the same way as all homework activities. I will be awarding stickers/ certificates for those playing Times Table Rock Stars.
Reading- Children now have a reading journal. Some children are on levels and others are free readers. No matter which your child is the system still works in the same way. The children choose their own book (this can be a home or school book), they write the title, author and start date in their journal. They can read the book to themselves or an adult (I suggest each child is heard read by an adult a minimum of 4 times a week). They do not need to note down every time they read. Once a book is finished your child needs to complete a reading challenge. These are stuck in the front of their book. If, initially, any child is finding the reading challenges too tricky they could write a book review (I can provide a template please ask!) Once your child has completed a challenge, we need a signature from a parent/ guardian and myself to acknowledge this, once done so they change the book. We will be still reading in class as often as possible and keeping a close eye on how often the children are changing their books. Reading is still crucial even once on a free reader! Books and reading journals MUST be in school every day as they use these whenever there is time for quiet reading.
Show and tell- during the first week I allowed show and tell to allow the children to share their summer memory books, these were lovely to see! However, please reiterate the message to your child that from the second week onwards we no longer have show and tell in Year 3. If your child has achieved something outside of school e.g. a swimming badge then of course they can share this in class.
If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please email me via the office and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Kind Regards,
Miss Hagger