Welcome back to the Autumn 2 term! We are excited to continue our learning journey with our rich and engaging curriculum. In English, children will be exploring fables, persuasive letters and poetry, helping them develop both creative and critical writing skills. In Year 3 Music, pupils will be composing their own pieces, building on their understanding of rhythm and melody. Our History lessons will continue to focus on children's lives in the past, while in Geography we will be diving deeper into the fascinating world of volcanoes. In Art, children will be experimenting with collage and printing techniques to express their creativity. We look forward to a term full of curiosity, creativity and growth!

Week 7

This week in DT, the children have been working hard to create their own shell structures. They explored and applied a range of strengthening techniques to make their designs more robust. Once their products were complete, the children carried out evaluations, reflecting on the challenges they faced during the process and identifying improvements they would make in the future.

This week, we have been getting creative and eco-friendly by making our Christmas cards using recycled newspaper! We hope you like them!

Week 6

Our class had a fantastic time on our school trip to Turton Tower for a Victorian Christmas theme morning! The children enjoyed making traditional Victorian cornucopias and playing festive games from the era. A highlight of the day was meeting Father Christmas, who showed us what children would have found in their stockings during Victorian times—such as fruit, coal, salt and maybe a small toy. It was a wonderful way to step back in time and experience the magic of a Victorian Christmas!

In PRSHE, we have been exploring how our behaviour affects others and discussing acceptable behaviour. We took part in a silent debate where we agreed or disagreed with the statement: "We should always do what our friends tell us to do." This helped us think about friendship, independence, and making good choices. We also got creative by writing our own friendship poems and adding tunes using glockenspiels to bring them to life!

Week 5

In RE this week, we have reflected on the parable of The Good Samaritan. We explored the thoughts and feelings of the characters in the story and considered what this teaches us about kindness and compassion. We also reflected on how we can be good Samaritans in our own lives by helping others and showing care to those in need.

Beech class has begun creating beautiful calendars using the exciting technique of drawing with scissors. Next, we will be adding extra detail and texture through monoprinting.

Week 4

This week in Maths, we have been focusing on multiplication using arrays – helping children visualise multiplication as repeated addition and understand the concept more deeply and multiplying numbers by 10 and 100 – exploring how place value changes when we multiply by these numbers.

You can support your child at home by encouraging them to explain how arrays work or by practising quick multiplication facts involving 10 and 100 (Year 4).

In Music, Year 3 children have been exploring how they can tell a story through percussion instruments! The children used glockenspiels to retell an animation, creating sound effects and melodies to match the characters and events. They worked brilliantly as a team and showed lots of creativity in bringing the story to life through music.

In PE, we have been having a fantastic time continuing our gymnastics journey! The children have been exploring creative ways to travel along a bench, showing off their agility and balance. We have also been practising our jumping skills and challenging ourselves with 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-point balances. It has been amazing to see everyone’s confidence and coordination grow each week.

Week 3

In English, the children have started writing their own fables, inspired by the classic tale of The Hare and the Tortoise. Using their imagination, they have invented unique characters and are crafting stories that include a moral or lesson, just like traditional fables.

In Year 4, the children have been learning how to turn verbs into nouns by adding the suffix ‘-ation’. For example, ‘inform’ becomes ‘information’ and ‘create’ becomes ‘creation’. This helps them understand how words change and expand their vocabulary.

In PE, we have been developing our gymnastics skills by exploring different ways of moving, including hopping and jumping. The children have also been practising cartwheels and working on creating sequences to improve coordination and flow.

Week 2

In PE, the children have been enjoying gymnastics sessions at Roefield Leisure Centre. They have practised a range of skills including log rolls, forward rolls, and side walking using apparatus. Building on these techniques, the children worked in pairs to create their own sequences, combining movements to show creativity and control. It has been fantastic to see their confidence grow and how much they have enjoyed working together!

In Art, we have been exploring the technique of monoprinting using carbon paper. The children were inspired by the beautiful patterns and designs of William Morris and created their own unique prints in his style. They really enjoyed experimenting with texture, detail, and the process of transferring their designs onto paper.

In Music, our Year 3 children have been exploring creativity through sound! They worked in groups to create an exciting soundscape using a variety of percussion instruments. The children designed patterns to represent different scenes:

Climbing up a mountain – sounds gradually rising

Falling down, down, down – sounds descending

A snowy avalanche – sounds building louder and louder

Week 1

This week, the children in Beech Class have been thoughtfully exploring the significance of Remembrance Day. We have been learning about how the lives of children were affected during World War II, particularly through evacuation. The children showed great empathy and curiosity as they considered what it might have felt like to leave home and family behind. As part of our reflections, the children have created beautiful digital poppies using Sketchbook.

In Maths, we have been developing our understanding of addition and subtraction using formal written methods. To support our learning, we have been using base ten apparatus and place value counters. These practical tools help us to visualise number values and understand the processes involved in exchanging and regrouping.