Class 3 (Y3 and Y4)

Class 3 – Welcome to the autumn term 2025!

 

I hope you all had a fabulous summer holiday, I can’t wait to hear all about them. Miss Farrow and I are so happy to be working with you all this year. What a treat to teach the year 4’s again and get to know the year 3’s more. The autumn term will include a visit from storyteller Clive Pig, Harvest festival and of course……Christmas!!!

Below is an outline of all the exciting learning we will be doing over the next few months, together with some class routines and organisation.

 

Across the Carey Federation, we pride ourselves in the way we: ‘Aim High, Be Resilient and Take Care Of Each Other’ and strive to consider the Carey qualities ‘Be Respectful, Be Resilient, Be Resourceful, Be Reflect and Build Relationships’ in all that we do.

 

Curriculum

We plan the curriculum carefully to capture the interest of the children and build upon prior knowledge. Forging cross curricular links, where possible, helps to provide context and meaning to children’s learning.

‘Living things and their habits’ will be our first Science topic, linking to prior work on plants in year 2 or 3. There will be a field work study linked to Geography skills alongside this topic. After half term, the topic is ‘Light’ where pupils will explore reflections, mirrors and shadows. There are opportunities to work scientifically within the content taught of all Science topics.

 

We are travelling back about 5000 years in History to learn about the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. Our learning will have a focus on interpretation, evidence and significance as we focus on buildings (pyramids), society, religion and beliefs. There will also be opportunity to develop our Place and Locational knowledge in Geography through this topic as we locate Egypt and the U.K.

 

‘Sculpture’ is our Art topic and we will investigate famous artists such as Barbara Hepworth including developing the use of sketchbooks throughout the topic.

 

Later in the term, DT will allow us to learn about textiles and practise our sewing skills. Within Art and DT evaluating our own and other products is an important skill which is taught and practised within each unit. We use ‘FLUMPS’ (function, looks, user, materials, pros/cons and sustainability).

 

For Computing we will start by applying our knowledge of computer systems and networks to appreciate the internet as a network of networks which need to be kept secure. We will move onto creating media using stop frame animation. There are always lessons dedicated to online safety being woven into lessons.

 

In Music, each unit adapts an integrated approach where games, elements of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc.), singing and playing instruments are all linked. This term we will be using glockenspiels. Weekly singing assemblies enhance our Music curriculum.

 

In our World Religious Views, we continue to follow units within the Devon Agreed Syllabus using the site NATRE. The units ‘What is it like for someone to follow God?’ and ‘What is the ‘Trinity’? and why is it important for Christians?’ will be taught.

 

Within RSE (relationships and sex education) we follow Scarf materials. We will be discussing ‘Me and My Relationships’, before moving onto ‘Valuing Differences’.

 

Class 3 will have WildTribe sessions on Tuesday afternoons for the first half of the autumn term. Pupils’ arms and legs must be covered to be able to take part. We also suggest wellington boots and wet weather clothes if rain is forecast.

PE will be netball/hockey for the first half term and gymnastics and tri-golf during the second half. For the second half of half term, tri-golf will be taught by Mr Hayler on a Tuesday afternoon. However, children have need to have their PE Kit in school for the whole week.

 

Across the term, in Maths, children will look at Place Value and Addition and Subtraction. There is some variation in coverage depending on the Year group. Times tables are a priority. Quick recall of number facts is a crucial skill that supports learning in all areas. Please support your children by regularly practising their times tables, pairs to 10, 20, 100 and basic doubles and halves. Of course, this will vary according to year group. Numbots is an excellent resource to support children with this and Times Tables Rock Stars has lots of games which will help prepare pupils for the Year 4 Multiplication Check next Summer.

 

In English, we will begin with a video titled ‘Tadeo Jones’ to stimulate writing on setting descriptions moving onto the texts ‘Scarab’s Secret’ and ‘Cinderella of the Nile’ where children will write their own narratives. As the term progresses, pupils will explore non-fiction genres including writing instructions on how to mummify a body and information texts about environmental issues, linking to Geography lessons. We link our writing to topics as much as possible to provide inspiration, ideas and a ‘hook’ into their own work. Pupils are encouraged to apply the various grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting content taught which are taught both discretely and within the high quality texts used.

 

Reading is a high priority. Pupils will have daily opportunities to read and develop the skills within the reading curriculum through reading comprehension tasks and Whole Class Reading. We use VIPERS (Vocabulary, Inference, Predict, Explain, Retrieve, Summarise) to cover all reading domains. Please support your children’s learning by hearing them read, reading to them or discussing what they have read five times a week and initialling in their reading record. Please can records and books be bought into school every day. Our Whole Class text this term will be ‘The Ancient Egyptian Sleepover’.

 

 

 

Class Routines

Homework will be posted on Dojo on Tuesday. This will be:

o Maths challenges through Mathletics usually linked to work covered that week in class. Once the children have completed the tasks set they can then explore all the other exciting games on these very valuable online learning platforms. I will also continue to encourage times tables practise. We are also really lucky to have access to Times Tables Rock Stars and Numbots. We encourage children to use these resources for 5-10 mins x 3 a week to practise recall of basic number facts and times tables.

o Learning spellings. These will be written into spelling journals each week based on the common exception words, (spelling rules will be taught and practised in school through Spelling Shed) The words will be specific to your child according to assessment. The spelling journals are for use at home to practise spellings but it is vital they are bought into school each day for new spellings to be written in. There will be no formal ‘test’ of spellings each week, we look for evidence within class written work. However, I will carry out spelling checks to see how children are progressing with their year group list. A copy of this assessment will be sent home. The highlighted words are the words the children spelled correctly in the check.

o Reading five times a week with an initial from a parent in reading records. Reading regularly to develop fluency, comprehension and stamina is essential to enable pupils to make progress across the curriculum, not just within reading. The five reads will be counted each week. So that we can support those pupils not reading regularly, they will have additional opportunities to read to an adult. This is not seen as a ‘punishment’ – it allows us to ensure all pupils make progress.

 

Children receive stars in their work as a reward point, for reading five times and for many other reasons. Rewards may link to our Carey Qualities, it may be for listening well, being independent, showing kindness or home learning, it may be for a lovely smile….the possibilities are endless! Pupils receive a sticker but it is not just an individual reward. They also receive a point for their team (Bells or Owls) which get counted up as a whole school each week, and a counter in our ‘working together’ jar. When the jar is full the whole class receives a treat.

 

In Key Stage 2 we no longer have ‘show and tell’ or a special bear….but we do have ‘Fluffy Friday’!! Where children can bring in one soft toy to join them in class for the day.

 

The children’s well-being is of the utmost importance and we aim to create a happy, kind and healthy environment for all. If you have any worries or questions, please do not hesitate in coming to see us. You can message via Dojo but this is not checked regularly, so if it is something urgent, please email the school office to ensure we receive it straight away.

 

Many thanks,

Mrs A Rothery (Class Teacher) and Miss T Farrow (Teaching Assistant)