Welcome back to Term 3! 

We hope families have all had a wonderful Christmas break and have spent quality time, doing the things you enjoy. Despite only being back a week, the children in Year 3 have fully immersed themselves into their learning, and have been hard at work, undertaking an array of exciting and engaging activities.  

Personal Development 

This week, we have been exploring Personal Development, and as such, learning has focused on PSHE and well-being. The week began with the children discussing the key question: Does money make the world go round? 

Children have also learnt: 

• Where money comes from 

• Ways to pay for things 

• Why people might borrow money 

• About the importance of saving money 

• How to stay safe online using ‘SMART’ 

Maths 

In Maths this week, children have been busy exploring measurement, with a particular focus on calculating perimeter. Through a range of practical activities, children have developed their understanding of what perimeter is and how it can be measured and calculated accurately.

The children began by measuring the lengths of sides using rulers, metre sticks, and other practical resources. They then used these measurements to calculate the perimeter of a variety of shapes, reinforcing the idea that perimeter is the total distance around the outside of a shape.  As the week progressed, children were challenged to apply their skills to problem-solving activities, including finding missing side lengths and comparing perimeters of different shapes. This allowed children to develop reasoning skills and think more deeply about how perimeter works in real-life contexts.

Next week, we will be moving onto a new topic in Maths, where we will be learning about multiplication and division.

English 

This week in English, the children have begun an exciting new text, The Secret Lake by Karen Inglis. The children thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to the story and delving into Chapter 1, where we focused closely on understanding the main character. Through discussion and shared reading, the children explored the character’s thoughts and feelings, considering how events in the chapter might make them feel and why. Children were encouraged to infer emotions from the text and support their ideas with evidence, developing both their comprehension and empathy skills.

Building on this, the children then stepped into the role of the main character, Tom, and wrote a diary entry, capturing thoughts, emotions, and reactions to the events of the chapter. This activity allowed them to write creatively while practising first-person perspective and using descriptive language to express feelings effectively.

To find out more about the author of our text, please visit:

The Secret Lake – Karen Inglis ~ Children's Books

Next week, we will continue our journey with The Secret Lake by focusing on descriptive writing. The children will be creating a detailed setting description of the Secret Lake, using rich vocabulary and imaginative language to bring this mysterious place to life. We are looking forward to seeing their creativity shine!

 Reading 

A new year brings about a flurry of resolutions, which hopefully, will result in us becoming better people, or simply healthier or fitter. For us as a school, the focus this term will be to continue our endeavour to inspire children’s love of reading. We want children to become imaginative and articulate individuals, with an expansive understanding of the world, developed through a passion for reading. Therefore, our expectation of children, is to read as much and as often as possible.  

This week, children have taken their Star Reader Assessment and from Monday, will be issued with their adjusted ZPD code, which will be stuck into their reading records. With this in mind, please could we ask that all children bring their reading records into school on Monday. Children are reminded to bring their reading records in, when they have read- we expect children to read at least, three times a week. 

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- children will be bringing their Home Learning books home on Monday.   

Home Learning is due in on Friday 13^th February.

Times Tables Rock Stars   

• Tasks to be completed online.  

• Children’s logins are stuck in their Reading Journal.    

Mathletics   

• Mathletics tasks will be set from Friday to Friday.   

• Tasks will always follow the learning that week.   

• Children’s logins are 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 and swimming hat.   

• Children to bring in healthy snacks for breaktimes.   

• All children to have a pair of Wellington boots to keep in school. Having wellies at school means children can enjoy the outdoors, without worrying about getting their shoes muddy or wet.

• Children need to be wearing coats every day.