Welcome to Year 3!
Hello, I am Mrs Grierson and I am the Year 3. I look forward to supporting your children as they transition into Key Stage 2.
There are 11 children in our class and we are lucky to have Mrs Winder supporting us in class this year.
We have a fun, hard-working and determined attitude to learning and work in a classroom where expectations are high.
Our School Week
In the mornings, we have our daily Maths and English lessons, as well as Science and Computing, which is taught some mornings too. In the afternoons, we have our Geography, History, French, RE, PE, Art and Design and PSHE lessons. Mr Clarke, a music specialist, comes into school on a Friday morning and teaches music to each class.
English
We break down our teaching of English into different areas, which have discrete lessons. During the week, we have a reading skills lessons- including vocabulary extension and reading comprehension; punctuation and grammar; spelling; and three writing lessons which enable the children to write at length. Our writing time allows time for discussion and planning of ideas before we write and then also time for peer marking, proof-reading and improvement. We aim to keep our writing lively and interesting, as well as grammatically correct, with correct spelling!
Spellings are very important in year 3, so it is paramount that the children are taking time within their week to practise the spellings that are sent home with their homework each week. I have also attached the year 3 and 4 common exception words below, which the children must be able to read and spell by the end of LKS2.
Reading is a vital skill to all areas of learning. Learning to read is crucial for children’s development as it provides them with the tools to succeed in school and beyond. Reading helps children to expand their vocabulary, provides opportunities for discussion, develops empathy and understanding of others and the world around them.
I have attached a document which provides a list of question prompts that you could use when listening to your child read, because understanding the story, characters and plot, is just as important as reading the words on the page.
Maths
In maths, there is a strong emphasis on basic calculation skills, the learning of times tables and the knowledge of number.
I strongly recommend that the children be regularly practising their times tables at home, so they have quick recall of their times tables. Year 3 must know their 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 8s and 10 times tables by the end of the year.
I have attached links to some great learning tools, where the children can practise their times tables:
Hit the Button – https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Times tables games – https://www.timestables.co.uk/
Top marks – https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/7-11-years/times-tables
For all information regarding reading books, PE sessions and homework books, please read this term’s curriculum letter.
For more detail on what we will be looking at over the coming term, please read this term’s curriculum overviews. Both of these documents are attached below.