Welcome to Owls class!

Welcome to Owls Class; we are Year 3 & Year 4. Throughout the year, we will be working very hard on a range of different topics. You can see more here…  

In English, we will look at an array of carefully selected books that complement our topic studies - carrying out a wide range of reading and writing activities based around them. We will, of course, be developing our reading, writing, spelling and grammar skills. Spellings are issued in class on Mondays and exercised and reviewed throughout the week. We use Spelling Shed and therefore, these are accessible online at home via the website logins. Reading is a major focus; we will be improving our reading comprehension and stamina. Furthermore, this forms your child's weekly homework: Reading at home, so please do update the BoomReader App with all their home reading.

In Maths, we will be using Maths Shed, focusing on a range of key skills as well as ensuring our mental and written methods are trustworthy and becoming more efficient. Whenever possible we link Maths to real life situations. In addition to our maths lessons, we will be solving five numeric problems every morning in our early work: this is the Maths 5-a-Day. We will also be practising our times tables frequently to gain confidence and fluency, benefiting us in all areas of Maths. Times Tables Rockstars is really helpful for this and, again, can be accessed at home via the website.

The links below are just a flavour of what is available freely on the internet. Collection of times tables songs children, arithmetic games, number puzzles etc. are hugely beneficial ‘screen time’ options.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers/times-table-collection/z4vv6v4

Topmarks.co.uk

https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check   - REALLY USEFUL FOR THE YEAR 4 TIMES TABLES TEST IN TERM 5.

As well as these, Purple Mash, Times Table Rockstars and Numbots are excellent resources invested in by our school for your child to utilise.

PSHE is based around the Jigsaw Scheme, which we work on each week as well as enjoying teamwork games and relaxation time in a dedicated session each week. The scheme of work caters for all the student needs and includes Being Me in My World; Celebrating Difference; Dreams and Goals; Healthy Me; Relationships; and Changing Me.

PE is either on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, though it is expected that children will have their PE kits in school from Monday – Friday in case we have any special sessions or the timetable is altered due to inclement weather.

Physical Education (P.E.) is generally timetabled for Tuesdays; however, we expect children to have their kits in school every day as we have visiting P.E. workshops and events organised throughout the year which will fall on different days.

How can parents help?

*Ensuring your child arrives punctually and is present at school unless absolutely unavoidable (e.g. illness).

*Monitoring "screen time" and ensuring your child has sufficient rest so they are ready for the school day.

*Reading at home - essential and a weekly homework task. Please remember to log all home reading on BoomReader so that they can be awarded stamps towards our school reading rewards prizes. Please note, it is fine to sign BoomReader whenever your child reads something, not just their school books. Enjoying reading is just as important as building up a range of skills! Also, making predictions about and discussing any TV or Radio programmes that you may watch together. This really helps build an understanding of the world, as well as helping with comprehension and creative writing skills.

*Spelling - the Year 3 & 4 spelling lists will be published on Tapestry each week. These will be reviewed in class but they are a homework task for discussing together and reviewing.

*Everyday maths such as shopping, cooking, weights and measures.

*Time. Telling the time using both analogue and digital clocks and watches.

*Times Tables especially 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 8x and 10x for Year 3 but 2x through to 12x for Year 4.

*Number Bonds to 10, 20 and 50 (e.g. 4 + ? =10; 7 + ? =10; ? + 12 = 20 etc.)

Thank you for your support.

Mr Southgate