Maple Class has had another exciting and engaging term, filled with a variety of fun activities and learning experiences. The most memorable of these probably being our wonderful performance of ‘Woody in Wonderland’ which they dedicated so much hard work and effort to. The children explored a wide range of topics in all areas of the curriculum. Here are some of the highlights of our term!
In English, we’ve had a fantastic time reading ‘Varjak Paw’ in our Guided Reading sessions. The children have really enjoyed following the adventures of Varjak and his journey into the "Outside." We’ve focused on understanding the story’s themes and the motivations of the characters, and the children have been keen to predict what might happen next. We’ve also spent time working on book reviews, including writing about ‘The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods’ by Mikey Please, where the children shared their opinions and reflections on the plot and characters. They loved discovering the power of ellipses (…) and rhetorical questions to create effect.
Within our Maths lessons, we’ve been busy exploring fractions. The children have worked hard to understand the concepts of parts and wholes, simplifying fractions, and finding equivalent fractions. They have also enjoyed solving fraction problems in various contexts, helping to build their confidence and problem-solving skills.
In PSHE, we’ve been learning about the importance of having a balanced diet and looking after our bodies. The children have gained a deeper understanding of healthy eating, exercise, and how to take care of both their physical and mental well-being. They’ve had lots of engaging discussions on how to stay fit and healthy in all aspects of life.
Maple Class has been exploring Europe in Geography, where we have learned about its countries, landmarks, and cultures. One of the highlights of this term has been learning about the Russian Taiga biome, with the children discovering its unique features and the types of plants and animals that thrive there. The children have been fascinated by the diverse climates and ecosystems found across Europe and beyond.
In PE, we’ve been focusing on hockey. The children have developed their skills in dribbling, passing, and shooting while learning the importance of teamwork and strategy on the field. It has been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they work together during matches and activities.
We’ve started to delve into the world of fossils and soils in Science. The children have enjoyed investigating different types of soils, how they form, and what makes each one unique. They’ve also explored the fascinating world of fossils and how they provide us with clues about life millions of years ago.
Finally, our school trip to Wookey Hole was a great success. The children adored exploring the depths of the caves as well as all the other additional fun at the attraction.
It’s been a wonderful term, and I’m so proud of how much the children have achieved. I’m looking forward to seeing all the exciting things we’ll continue to explore in the next term!
Have a lovely Easter!
Miss Cleaves
What a fantastic term it's been for Maple Class! The children have worked incredibly hard and have had so much fun exploring new topics and activities. Here’s some of the highlights of our first term of 2025!
In English, we’ve had the pleasure of reading ‘The Secret of the Black Rock’, a captivating story that has sparked the children’s imaginations. Within this focus, we have really been tailoring our focus towards developing our descriptive writing and creating imagery using varying literary techniques. In particular, the children have been loving mastering their authorial voice and impressing Miss Cleaves by not only writing one adjective, but using a thesaurus to up-level and write a list of them to create a power of three. They are really starting to develop a good bank of techniques to use in their independent writing.
In Guided Reading, we’ve worked on developing our reading comprehension and vocabulary, focusing on themes like mystery and adventure. The children have loved reading Varjak Paw and learning what he gets up to in the ‘Outside’. The children particularly enjoyed discussing the motivations of the characters and predicting what might happen next.
In History, Maple Class has been immersed in the fascinating world of Ancient Egypt! The children have loved discovering all about this ancient civilization, from the pyramids and mummies to the fascinating gods and goddesses. We've explored the importance of the Nile River, looked at the daily life of Egyptians, and learned about some of the most famous pharaohs.
In Maths, we’ve focused on Multiplication and Division, building on the children’s understanding of times tables and using them to solve problems. The children have become much more confident in their ability to multiply and divide numbers. We’ve worked on developing strategies to solve word problems and improve our mental math skills, and it has been amazing to see the progress they’ve made! They have proved to myself and Mrs Isom that they are professionals at the ‘bus stop’ method.
In PE, the children have been developing their football skills. They’ve worked on dribbling, passing, and shooting, as well as learning the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. It’s been great to see the children’s confidence grow on the field as they’ve participated in friendly matches and activities, and they’ve really enjoyed putting their skills to the test during our weekly sessions.
Our Art lessons have been full of creativity, with the children learning about Prehistoric Paintings. They have been fascinated by the cave paintings of early humans and have enjoyed experimenting with different techniques to create their own versions of these ancient artworks. Using natural materials and their imagination, the children have created some fantastic pieces inspired by their studies of prehistoric life.
In PSHE, we have been focusing on Dreams and Goals. The children have worked on setting personal goals for their learning and their growth, while also learning about the importance of perseverance and how to overcome challenges. They have had some really thoughtful discussions about their aspirations and how they can work towards them, both in school and outside of it.
It has been a busy and productive term, and I am so proud of everything Maple Class has achieved. The children have shown great enthusiasm, creativity, and hard work, and I can’t wait to see what the next term brings!
Wishing everyone a relaxing break,
Best wishes,
Maple Class have thoroughly enjoyed Term 2, especially in the countdown to Christmas! The children have enjoyed so much of our learning and have learnt lots of knowledge and skills, foundational to their further progression throughout KS2. Particular highlights have been writing our own poem based on the poem ‘Autumn is here’. The children loved getting into the festive spirit and giving their publishing a seasonal twist with poems entitled ‘Winter is here’. Our Guided Reading sessions have focused on a much-adored novella ‘Toys go Out’, where Maple Class have been developing and demonstrating their reasoning skills based on inference. In Maths, we have been learning how to use arrays in order to aid our arithmetic skill in multiplication and division. Our daily times tables practice has really boosted the children’s comprehension of this- Miss Cleaves is very proud of them all!
The children have also loved learning about our Science topic this term; Rocks. Significant highlights have been getting to know the attributes of the rocks first hand, as well as experimenting on them to decipher their density and strength. We also enjoyed going on a walk around the school to discover what rocks we’ve studied have been hiding among us all along! DT has also been a firm favourite this term. We embodied the qualities of an elf in ‘Santa’s Workshop’ and created our own toys based on our pneumatic studies. Maple Class did well to construct their creations using recycled materials, as well as demonstrating how the air powers them. We loved making toys that Miss Cleaves knows Santa is impressed with.
In RE, we have been studying Christianity and the children have been perspective- taking on the true meaning of Christmas. By further understanding where the celebration of Christmas stems from, as well as comprehending that this can be celebrated in different ways or not at all depending on the individual, Maple have really got to grips with acknowledging and respecting differences. Maple Class have also thoroughly enjoyed Computing this term. Pupils have created their own stop- frame animations in Computing. They really enjoyed mastering the intricate process of creating the digital narratives. PE has been another highlight - the class have enjoyed developing their knowledge of Gymnastics and creating sequences of movement with the techniques learnt. Weekly French lessons are always looked forward to and the children are loving learning new vocabulary with Veronique.
Wishing you all the happiest of Christmases and I look forward to seeing Maple Class for another fantastic term in the New Year!
Maple Class have had a brilliant first term in Year 3! The children have enjoyed so much of our learning and have learnt lots of knowledge and skills already. Particular highlights have been writing our own romantic narrative based on the Pixar Short, The Blue Umbrella. Our Guided Reading sessions have continued to explore the novel ‘The Butterfly Lion’ and have picked up lots of up-levelled vocabulary along the way. In Maths, we started with place value before moving onto using mental strategies for addition and subtraction. Miss Cleaves is super impressed with everyone’s development in their timetables already- keep up the hard work Maple!
The children have also loved learning about our Science topic this term; Animals (Including Humans). Significant highlights have been using the outline of our bodies on paper to label different bones in our skeletons, looking behind the fluffy exterior of our favourite mammals to discover if their skeleton is similar or different to ours and creating a nutritious meal that facilitates a balanced diet. Test their knowledge and see if they know their bones and their functions! Art has also been a firm favourite this term. We used our observations of plants to create botanical inspired drawings in Art. Our last lesson involved zooming in on our perspectives of flowers and realising the intricate details that make these plants appear so picturesque.
In RE, we are studying Sikhism and the children have been learning to understand the reasons why a Sikh may choose to join the Khalsa. Our lessons involved learning about the 5 K’s and explaining what each one symbolises. Maple Class have also thoroughly enjoyed Computing this term. Pupils have developed their understanding of digital devices, in particular, using a Chromebook with a painting application to create their own digital painting. PE has been another highlight - the class have enjoyed developing their confidence and football skills while being taught by a professional coach. Weekly French lessons have become something to look forward to, and the children look forward to their Forest sessions each week.
I look forward to another brilliant term with Maple Class! I hope you all have a relaxing half term break.
Maple Class have had a lovely start to the term getting to know all things Year 3! Creating a class charter using oracy on our first week, together we communicated and compromised on what we would like our classroom to be like. The children have got straight back into their learning and have already impressed Miss Cleaves with their dedication and determination. Maple class are already showing strong growth mindsets and are eager to progress towards their learning goals. Now being in Key Stage 2 (WOW!), they are loving sharing the experience of this new journey with their friends.
We have started our place value topic in Maths, along with beginning to practice and rehearse our times tables, a big focus in both Year 3 and 4. In English we have begun writing a narrative based on the Pixar short film, ‘The Blue Umbrella’. The children are eager to uplevel their vocabulary already and cannot wait to see where the narrative heads next. In Science, we are exploring skeletons, nutrition and diet and are keen to know more about the function of our bones inside us. This is just a glimpse of everything we’re doing this term so keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for further Maple class updates.
Important Information:
Tuesday – Forest
Forest school will take place regardless of the weather (unless extreme) so please can you ensure your child is wearing appropriate clothing (long sleeve tops and trousers) as well as bringing their wellies and waterproofs in a separate labelled bag to change in and out of, if necessary.
Friday – PE
Please could children come into school wearing the correct PE kit (Longvernal P.E. t-shirt, black shorts or sports trousers and trainers). PE will be outside for the first term, so black Longvernal fleeces or green Longvernal jumpers can also be worn.
Homework
Weekly spellings – found in your child’s Reading Record and tested every Friday.
Read a minimum of 3 times a week (recorded in their reading log)
Complete a scrapbook style journal entry
Complete 10 minutes of Doodle Maths/Tables
Practise their times tables as often as possible.
I cannot wait to see the children continue to grow and progress in Yr3!