Thematic

This week in Thematic, our learning has taken us even deeper into the fascinating world of fossils! We've been exploring how fossils are formed and the different types, such as moulds, casts, and trace fossils. The children have loved imagining what creatures might have left behind these ancient clues and how scientists use them to piece together stories from millions of years ago. We have also been learning about soil, discovering that soil isn’t just ‘dirt’ and how soil is in fact full of nutrients and even tiny creatures that help plants grow and fossils stay preserved. We investigated the layers of soil and how they help to protect and hold fossils over time. A highlight of the week was learning about the inspirational Mary Anning, the pioneering fossil hunter who made incredible discoveries along the cliffs of Lyme Regis. Her story sparked great discussion about perseverance, curiosity, and how one person can change what we know about the world.

Looking ahead to next week, we’ll be switching gears as we move into our History focus. We’re leaving the Stone Age behind and stepping into the Bronze Age and Iron Age! We’ll explore how life changed with the discovery of metal, how people lived, what they wore, and the amazing tools and weapons they created. It promises to be a hands-on, adventurous week full of discovery and discussion.

English

This week in English, our year 3 writers have been stepping into the shoes of persuasive speakers from the past! We’ve been learning how to use persuasive language to convince Palaeolithic humans to leave their dark, damp caves behind and move into a well-resourced, exciting Mesolithic village. The children explored powerful techniques like rhetorical questions, emotive language, and exaggeration to make their arguments as convincing as possible. We were so impressed by how confidently they used their new language skills to create exciting and imaginative arguments.

Next week, we’ll be taking a different approach to writing as we move on to recount writing. The children will be retelling a significant event from our class text: Stone Age Boy. They’ll be thinking carefully about the character’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences as they bring the Stone Age to life through their writing once again.

Maths

This week in Maths, the children have been busy becoming super problem solvers, using a variety of strategies to tackle addition and subtraction challenges with confidence and creativity!

We explored and applied different methods such as rounding and adjusting, 'making ten' and partitioning. The children practised choosing the most efficient strategy for each problem and explained their thinking clearly. It was fantastic to see them discussing their ideas with partners, trying out different approaches, and building their mathematical reasoning. Year 3 have shown brilliant resilience and growing confidence in selecting strategies that work best for them. We’re really proud of how they’ve been thinking like mathematicians this week!

Next week, we’ll be diving into our new topic: Place Value. We’ll be exploring the value of each digit in numbers, understanding how numbers are built, and using this knowledge to compare, order, and represent numbers in different ways.

National Poetry Day

On Thursday, we joined schools across the country in celebrating National Poetry Day – and what a fantastic morning it was! To mark the occasion, the children explored the wonderful work of poet Annie Fisher, focusing on her thoughtful and imaginative poem, "I Was Thinking". They began by reading the poem together, discussing its meaning, rhythm, and the feelings it evoked. Inspired by Annie Fisher’s writing, the children then put pen to paper and created their very own poems in a similar style. Their ideas were original, thoughtful, and definitely funny!

It was a brilliant morning filled with creativity, imagination, and a real love of language. We’re so proud of the children for embracing poetry and celebrating it in such a meaningful way.

Home Learning 

Attached below is the overarching Thematic Curriculum homework ideas. Please refer to the homework menu, which gives a variety of creative tasks for the children to choose from. Children only need to complete one task as a minimum, but can choose to complete more if they wish. Children have been given a Home Learning book to complete their home learning tasks in.

Home Learning is due in on Friday 17^th October 2025 

Spellings 

Children will have a spelling sheet attached in their home learning book. Each week, they will need to practise the core spellings listed using the ‘Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check’ strategy. Within your child’s home learning book, there are prompts and tips to support children in learning their spellings, along with a spelling list and an example of a table, which children can draw themselves, each time they learn a new set of spellings. Children should choose five spellings to practise at home each week. Please do speak to your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

Times Tables Rock Stars 

• Tasks to be completed online, with new tasks set every week. 

• Children’s logins have been stuck into their Reading journal.

Mathletics 

• Once a week 

• Tasks will always follow the learning that week. 

• Children’s logins have been stuck into their Reading journal.

Reminders: 

• Year 3 have PE on Wednesdays and should come to school dressed in the correct school PE kit. 

• 3B and 3G will swim on Thursdays this term- children will need to come dressed in their PE kit to school on this day, and bring with them their swimming costumes to change into.  

• Swimming kit reminder: full swimming costume/swim shorts. All children must wear a swimming hat and will be expected to remove jewellery (including stud earrings). 

• Please remember to check when your child has their Forest School sessions- the letter that was sent out is attached below.

Key messages: 

• On Tuesday 14^th October, we will be inviting Year 3 parents into classrooms to look at the children’s Thematic books and talk to the children about their learning this term. Please arrive at the classroom doors for 2:40pm. Children will be dismissed at their usual time.

• Please can children ensure they bring a Healthy snack in for breaktimes. 

• Children are provided with a school pencil case and so do not need to bring in pencil cases from home or any other toys/resources. 

• Children will also need to make sure they have a pair of Wellies in school, so that they are able to use the environmental area at lunchtimes. 

• Friday 10^th October: Hello Yellow day. Children to wear yellow clothing to school.

Have a lovely weekend!

The Year 3 Team