Welcome to Year 3!

We’re so excited to begin Autumn 1 and start our fantastic Year 3 journey of learning, discovery and fun! This term, we’ll dive into new topics, build new skills and make wonderful memories together as we begin the next chapter of our learning adventure.

Our classroom is a place where curiosity and creativity thrive, and we can’t wait to see everyone grow in confidence, kindness and independence as we begin this exciting new year.

Autumn 1 Weekly Timetable 

 

Each day, the children will focus on the core subjects in the morning – Writing, Whole Class Reading, Maths, Spelling and Times Tables.  Foundation subjects are spread out throughout the week. 

Important sessions to note:

Monday -  Singing and homework will be sent home

Tuesday -  PE with Mrs Taylor and Class Prayer

Wednesday - Gospel Assembly, PE and Music with Mrs Allen

Thursday - Class Prayer, Homework due in, Spelling and Arithmetic Tests

Friday - Praise Assembly

Please remember to have your PE kit in school every day. Children need to be in full school uniform and will get changed at school, prior to the lesson. 

The children will also have swimming lessons this half-term. More information to follow.

Homework

Homework will be set and sent home on a Monday and should be returned by a Thursday.

Children should spend 20 minutes on each piece of weekly homework. Children do not need to complete all their homework in one go. Little and often throughout the week is key! 

English and Maths homework will be sent on a 3-week rotation, unless there is a particular 'Themed' homework that week.  We have been providing a homework club twice a week, which has been a real success. Please contact the school office if you would like your child to attend. 

English Homework – reading or writing (one piece on a three-week rotation)

Maths Homework – consolidation of the week and / or timetables (one piece on a three-week rotation)

Themed homework - if there is a significant event happening, we will use homework as a chance to explore these, instead of English or Maths.

Times Tables Rockstars and Spelling Frame - all children have personal logins. Children need to practise every day in preparation for their arithmetic and spelling tests on a Thursday. (Daily for 10 minutes)

Reading - children need to read every day and have their reading diary signed (Daily for 10 minutes).

 

What will we learn during Autumn 1 ?

Writing

In our literacy lessons, we will be exploring the following texts:

Star in the Jar by Sam Hay (Non-fiction - Retell an aspect of the narrative)

I asked the little boy who couldn't see (Poetry)

I Asked the Little Boy Who Cannot See by Unknown Author

I asked the little boy who cannot see,
“And what is colour like?”
“Why, green,” said he,
“Is like the rustle when the wind blows through
The forest; running water, that is blue;
And red is like a trumpet sound; and pink
Is like the smell of roses; and I think
That purple must be like a thunderstorm;
And yellow is like something soft and warm;
And white is a pleasant stillness when you lie
“And dream.”

 

The children will develop their writing skills through sentence-stacking lessons and build up to an independent writing task. 

Grammar, punctuation and spelling - KS2 English - BBC Bitesize

SpellingFrame 

 

Reading

During our guided reading lessons this half-term, Year 3 will be reading and analysing text excerpts of the following:

The Iron Man by Ted Hughes

George's Marvellous Medicine

The Colours of History

Our lessons will focus on reading fluency, understanding word meanings in context, summarising and answering retrieval questions. We will also focus on developing independent inference skills so children can read beyond the surface meaning and explore the ideas, themes and messages in the texts.

 

For our class novel lessons, the children will continue to explore and read the whole text of  The Iron Man by Ted Hughes.

 

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Maths

In Maths, we will explore place value followed by addition and subtraction.

We will use White Rose Maths, firstly developing the children's fluency and building on the application of mathematical knowledge to deepen their understanding, master concepts and apply what they have learnt to a range of problem-solving and reasoning. 

Here are some links to help with learning:

Place value - Year 3 Maths - BBC Bitesize

What is place value? - KS2 Maths resources for Year 3 - BBC Bitesize

Number & place value in Year 3 (age 7–8) - Oxford Owl for Home

Adding and subtracting - Year 3 Maths - BBC Bitesize

Addition & subtraction in Year 3 (age 7–8) - Oxford Owl for Home

Times Tables 

The children have dedicated time twice a week to learn and practise times tables to ensure they are increasing in accuracy and speed. This needs to be supported daily at home for at least 10 minutes. By the end of Year 3, children should aim to know the 3, 4 and 8 times tables as well as 2, 5, 10 times tables. 

Times Tables Rock Stars (ttrockstars.com) 

 

RE - Creation and Covenant

                    

In this branch, the children will learn that the Bible was written by people of faith, called Priests, and that other religions have their own creation stories. They explore the Genesis creation story as an act of love and goodness, learning about the Sabbath as a day of rest and why Sunday is holy for Christians. They discover that God made us in His image and learn what psalms are and how they help people praise, thank or ask God for help. Children are also introduced to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’, which teaches us to care for our world through stewardship. Keywords such as Israelites, Yahweh and covenant help them understand how people in the Old Testament lived their faith and trusted in God’s promises.

 

Science - Rocks

         

In this unit, the children explore the fascinating world of rocks, learning that naturally occurring rocks can be igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary, while materials like bricks and concrete are human‑made. They investigate how caves form when water permeates and erodes rock, and discover that soil — the top layer of the Earth — is a mixture of minerals, air, water and organic matter. The children learn how fossils are created over thousands of years and that palaeontologists study these important clues from the past. Key scientific ideas such as erosion, permeability, sediment and transformation help them understand how landscapes change over time, while new vocabulary like coprolite, buoyancy and anthropic deepens their understanding of the natural world.

Useful Websites

Rocks - Year 3 Science - BBC Bitesize

ROCKS - Formation, Classification and Uses - Science for Kids

 

 History - Ancient Egypt

       

In this topic, the children explore the world of Ancient Egypt, learning the difference between ancient and modern Egypt and how the River Nile shaped people’s lives. They investigate artefacts to understand the past and find out who Tutankhamun was and why he is so famous. The children discover what daily life was like, including Egyptian tombs, burial sites and the process of mummification, learning how important the afterlife was to the Egyptians. They also learn about the pyramids — what they were, how they were built — and practise writing simple hieroglyphics. Along the way, they explore some of the amazing inventions the Ancient Egyptians created that we still use today, such as paper, pens, locks, keys and even toothpaste.

Useful Websites

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zg87xnb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqY-_wAH4Wg

https://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/Egypt.html

 

DT - Structures

    

 

 

 

 

In DT, the children will learn how different structures are made strong and stable, exploring the features that help a photo frame stand securely without falling. They design their own freestanding frame using labelled sketches and choose suitable materials and shapes to match their ideas. The children develop practical skills such as measuring accurately, cutting and joining materials safely, and using simple finishing techniques to improve appearance. They learn to work neatly and take pride in presentation, before testing how stable and attractive their finished product is. Finally, they evaluate their work and suggest realistic improvements, building confidence as young designers.

 

Physical Education

In Year 3, children will take part in Foot Golf and cricket lessons where they will learn how to kick a football accurately towards a target, understand the difference between using the inside of the foot and their laces, and begin applying power and tactical thinking in modified games and team formats. They will also explore batting and fielding in cricket, learning how to throw overarm for distance, underarm for accuracy, catch safely, and strike the ball with intent to score runs. As their skills grow, they will learn how to outwit opponents in both sports and bring their learning together in small‑sided games and simple intra‑school competitions.

Computing 

Computing systems and networks – Connecting computers

In Year 3, children learn how computers connect and communicate, beginning with understanding how digital devices use inputs and outputs and how networks help us share information and work more efficiently. They explore the physical parts of our own school network before moving on to creating media through stop‑frame animation. The children discover that animations are made from sequences of images, plan their own short animation, and learn the importance of working carefully and consistently. They review and improve their work, then experiment with adding other media to enhance their final animation, developing both creativity and digital confidence.

PSHE/RSE

In Year 3, children follow myHappymind and Ten Ten Life to the Full programmes to learn about respecting their bodies and understanding how their brains work. They explore how our bodies are gifts from God and how we can look after them with care and gratitude. Through the Meet Your Brain lessons, children learn how the brain and mind work together, discovering amazing facts about neuroplasticity and the different parts of the brain, including the Amygdala. They find out how to train and look after their brains, learning that “Happy Breathing” helps us stay calm and focused. These lessons help children build confidence, self‑awareness and respect for themselves and others.