Welcome to Year 3

Can you tell me more about my teachers?

Here are some facts about Mrs Woodward!

Name: Mrs Woodward
Birthday: December 17th
Children: A 1 year old daughter called Evelyn
Pets: A Fox Red Cavapoo called Rory
Favourite food: A roast dinner or chocolate brownies!
Favourite drink: Coca Cola
Favourite colour: Dusty pink
Favourite animal: Lions and tigers (any big cats really)
Favourite hobbies: Running, drawing and taking photos
Favourite holiday: Chicago

Here are some facts about Mrs Bateman!

Name: Mrs Bateman
Birthday: 28th December
Children: 5 year old Jacob and 1 year old Finley
Pets: A Bearded Collie dog called Luna
Favourite food: Spaghetti Bolognaise
Favourite drink: Orange squash or black tea
Favourite colour: Green
Favourite animal: Alpaca
Favourite hobbies: Singing, reading and dancing in the kitchen!
Favourite holiday: Mexico

Challenge- Can you create a fact file all about you?

What can I look forward to in Year 3?

When it is safe to do so, we may have opportunities to go on some exciting school trips:

You will learn lots of new things. Here are just a few things you will learn about in Year 3:

Ancient Egypt

Performance Poetry

Plants

Stone Age

Rocks

Victorian Ipswich

Cave drawings

The Sacraments of:
Holy Communion
Baptism

For the full year groups objectives across all subjects please refer to our website.

What are the rules in Year 3?

In class we follow the 5 school rules:
1. Be polite and courteous to everyone in the school
2. Keep your hands and feet to yourselves, giving each other proper space
3. Respect school equipment and other people’s property
4. Walk in the school building and in from your line
5. Follow instructions as soon as they are given, from all adults in the school

Rewards
In class you will be rewarded with praise, smileys, certificates, table points and class marbles.

However, when you do not follow the rules warnings will be given. 4 warnings will result in a visit to Mrs Jackson and 5 warnings will result in a letter home– of course we hope this will not happen!

Table Points & Class Marble Jar
We will create some rules together as a class for these.

If your table receives the most table points for the week then you everyone on your table will receive a reward.

When our marble jar is full you can choose a treat as a class.

Rewards for Reading
Each time you read at home make sure a grown up writes in your reading diary.
Every 25 reads you will receive a certificate!

What will our routine be like?

School begins at 8:45 am.

Early morning work starts in class at 8:30 am when the gate opens. This is a chance for you to finish any work or read and respond to your teachers' feedback.

The start of the school day is an extremely busy period so messages from parents, or items that have been forgotten can be left at the School Office to be passed onto teachers. Parents are welcome to write a note to the teacher in the pupil’s reading record.

In Year 3 we usually have 2 break times. This is a little different to Year 2 where you would have had a morning, lunch and afternoon break. Times will be confirmed at the beginning of the academic year.

School ends at 3:15 pm. Your parents/carers will collect you from the play ground (unless otherwise arranged with Mrs Jackson).

Here is a sample of what a typical day in Year 3 might look like:

How can I prepare for Year 3?

Shoe laces
Now you are in Key Stage 2, there are many new skills you will learn and many new responsibilities you will be expected to learn to do independently. One of these is tying your shoe laces. Practise tying and untying them. Challenge: can you do it with your eyes closed?

Tie
You may have previously used a school tie which has an elastic tie to help you wear it but perhaps now you are in Year 3, you may be wearing a standard tie. In which case, you will need to learn how to tie it yourself. Practice at home with a family member to help you. How quickly can you tie it neatly?

Times Tables
You need to practise your multiplication tables every day (2x, 5x and 10x to begin with), even if only for 10 minutes each day. You can try writing them out, asking a family member to test you, listening to Multiplication Table songs online or on CDs in the car, create Multiplication flowers, or get creative - what other ways can you think of? Can you share them with the class?

Common Exception Words
These are a group of words which may not always follow a spelling rule but which are used frequently in writing (there is a specific list for Year 3 and Year 4. You need to be able to spell these accurately, so practise regularly and think of creative ways to help you, such as drawing pictures or making up mnemonics (choosing a word for each letter - Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants = because).

Is there anything else my parents should know?

Children may return to school in their summer uniform until October Half term, or alternatively they can wear a shirt and tie. The uniform list can be found on the school website here

Any snacks that are bought into school must be healthy snacks: sweets, chocolate, cake or other confectionery bars are not allowed as St Mark’s is seeking to regain our Health School status. Only plain water may be brought into the classroom as a drink, in a named water bottle. There is a cool water dispenser in the Year 3/ 4 cloakroom from which children may refill their water bottles outside lesson times.

Children are not allowed to bring in pencil cases as all stationery is provided for them in Year 3. Pencil cases take up space on desks and act as a distraction for some pupils. They are also an additional item to keep clean.
Children should not bring in an personal games, stickers or other possessions into school.

How can I tell you about me?

Your summer project is to take 7 photographs of items that will tell us all about you and your summer holidays.

You can take photographs of your family pet, your favourite meal, your favourite book, you with your family or even some shells (they are always really popular!). The choice is yours!

Due to the current circumstances it is really important that you only include photographs.

We are really looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Please bring your photographs with you on Monday 7th September so we can share them with the class.

Have an amazing summer and we cannot wait to see you in September.

Take care,
Mrs Woodward & Mrs Bateman