Woodthorpe Church of England Primary School
Welcome to Class 3
In Class 3, we have Year 3 and Year 4 children learning together. Each day, we enjoy a 30-minute reading lesson, as well as Maths, following the White Rose Maths scheme, and English, where we focus on writing and grammar through high quality texts.
In the afternoons, we explore a variety of foundation subjects, making learning creative, hands-on, and exciting. One of the highlights of the week is our PE lesson with coaching experts from Chesterfield Community Football Club (CCFC) – it’s always full of energy and fun!
In Key Stage 2 the children will learn French. They will begin by counting to ten and learning common greetings. They will practice saying their name, asking how someone is and responding about how they feel. the children will introduce their family , learn the names of colours and discover names of animals. Through fun activities, games and songs they will start to build their confidence at speaking and understanding French.
Our classroom is a place where we work hard, have fun, and support each other, growing together as a team and as learners.
Teaching Team:
Miss Turner – Class Teacher
Mrs Bourn, Mrs Kooner – Teaching Assistant
Read on to discover all the amazing things we’ll be learning this year!
Autumn Term
🏺 History – Ancient Egypt
This term, we will travel back in time to Ancient Egypt to discover what life was like thousands of years ago. Our enquiry question is “What can we learn from Ancient Egypt?” The children will explore the lives of different people in Egyptian society, including pharaohs, farmers and craftspeople, and learn about pyramids, mummification, gods and goddesses, hieroglyphics and everyday life. We will use artefacts, photographs, sources and historical evidence to investigate the past and consider what these tell us about Ancient Egyptian beliefs, culture and society.
🔬 Science – States of Matter
This term, we will explore how and why materials change their state. Our enquiry question: How and why do materials change their state? The children will investigate the properties of solids, liquids and gases and learn how heating and cooling can cause materials to change state. Through practical experiments and observations, we will explore processes such as melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation. Children will use scientific vocabulary to describe changes, make predictions and explain what happens using their understanding of particles and temperature.
🏗️ Design & Technology – Structures
This term, we will explore how the Ancient Egyptians designed and built strong structures. The children will investigate Egyptian buildings, including pyramids and tombs, and explore how shape, materials and construction methods can make a structure strong and stable. They will design and build their own Egyptian-inspired structure, testing and improving their ideas as they work. Children will also use a computer-aided design programme to explore how buildings can be planned and designed digitally.
Our enquiry question is:
How can we build strong structures like the Ancient Egyptians?
🎨 Art – Line, Shape, Colour and Movement
This term, we will be inspired by artists including Keith Haring and Mr Doodle, while also exploring the work of Andy Warhol, Lady Pink and Lakwena Maciver. The children will investigate how artists use bold lines, shapes, colour and pattern to communicate ideas, movement and emotion. They will experiment with gesture drawing, bold line drawings, movement lines, printing and blocks of bright colour, developing their own visual style and creative ideas. Children will study and discuss artwork, experiment with different techniques and create their own expressive pieces.
Our enquiry question is:
How can we use line, shape and colour to express movement and emotion in art?
🕉️ RE – What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?
This term, we will explore what it means to be a Hindu living in Britain today. The children will learn about key Hindu beliefs, practices and traditions and explore how these are expressed in everyday life. We will investigate puja, Hindu festivals, the mandir, sacred texts, deities and the importance of family and community. Children will consider how Hindu people may practise their faith in different ways and explore the experiences of Hindu communities in modern Britain, developing respect and understanding of different religious beliefs and ways of life.
✝️ RE – What is the Trinity and why is it important for Christians?
This term, we will explore the Christian belief in the Trinity – God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The children will investigate what Christians believe about each person of the Trinity and how the three are understood as one God. Through Bible stories, symbols, artwork and discussion, children will explore how the Trinity is reflected in Christian prayer, worship and everyday life, and why this belief is important to Christians.
Below are links to knowledge organisers, if you would like to find out more:
Spring Term
🌍 Geography – Europe
This term, we will be learning about Europe, exploring the different countries, landscapes and environments across the continent.
Our enquiry question is:
What is it like to live in different places in Europe?
During our learning, the children will:
- locate Europe and its countries on maps;
- use maps, atlases and digital mapping to locate places;
- identify human and physical geographical features;
- explore different landscapes and environments across Europe;
- learn about biomes and climate zones;
- explore how climate and physical features affect where and how people live;
- investigate time zones and understand why different places have different times;
- compare places in Europe, including their weather, landscape, population and way of life;
- develop their geographical vocabulary and skills in using maps and geographical information.
🌱 Science – Living Things and Their Habitats
This term, we will explore the incredible variety of living things around us and investigate how they can be sorted and identified. Our enquiry question is “How can we sort and identify the incredible variety of living things around us?” The children will learn how to group and classify plants and animals using their observable characteristics and explore different habitats and the organisms that live within them. They will develop their scientific skills by observing, comparing, classifying and identifying living things, while learning how habitats provide the conditions organisms need to survive.
🫀 Science – Animals Including Humans
This term, we will explore how living things use food to survive and stay healthy. The children will learn about the digestive system and the journey food takes through the body, from the mouth to the stomach and intestines. They will investigate the different types of teeth and their functions, as well as the importance of a balanced diet for keeping our bodies healthy. Through practical activities and investigations, children will develop their understanding of how the body uses food to provide energy, growth and nutrients.
⚙️ Design & Technology – Mechanical Systems
This term, we will explore pulleys and mechanical systems and investigate how they can make tasks easier. Using our learning about Europe, the children will design and make a pulley-based mechanism that solves a real-world problem in a European environment. They might design a system for lifting cargo at a busy port, raising supplies to a castle or moving heavy objects. Children will develop their ideas, select suitable materials, build and test their mechanisms, and make improvements to ensure they work effectively.
Our enquiry question is:
How can we use pulleys to solve a problem?
🗿 Art – Sculpture, Shape, Form and Space
This term, we will explore the work of Barbara Hepworth, making links to the sculptures and ideas of Andy Goldsworthy and Henry Moore. The children will investigate how artists use shape, form, texture and space to create powerful 3D sculptures. They will experiment with different materials and techniques, including clay, cardboard, wire and plaster, to develop their own sculptural ideas. Children will explore how sculptures can be viewed from different angles and how positive and negative space can change the way a sculpture looks and feels.
Our enquiry question is:
How can we use shape, form and space to create 3D sculptures?
🌍 RE – What can we learn from religions about deciding what is right and wrong?
This term, we will explore how religious beliefs and teachings can help people decide what is right and wrong. The children will investigate stories, rules and teachings from different religions and consider how these can influence the choices people make. We will explore ideas such as kindness, fairness, forgiveness, honesty, responsibility and compassion, while discussing how people may respond differently when faced with difficult decisions. Children will have opportunities to reflect on their own ideas about what makes a good choice and develop their ability to listen to and respect different viewpoints.
✝️ RE – Why do Christians call the day that Jesus died Good Friday?
This term, we will explore the Easter story and why Jesus’ death is remembered by Christians as Good Friday. The children will explore the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and consider the Christian belief that Jesus died to bring salvation, forgiveness and reconciliation. Through Bible stories, artwork, discussion and reflection, children will explore why Good Friday is an important and meaningful day in the Christian calendar and how Christians remember it through worship, prayer and reflection.
Below are links to knowledge organisers, if you would like to find out more:
Summer Term
🌎 Geography – South America
This term, we will be learning about South America, with a particular focus on the Amazon Rainforest.
Our enquiry question is:
How does the rainforest climate affect the plants, animals and environment?
During our learning, the children will:
- locate South America and its countries on maps;
- identify and use human and physical geographical features;
- learn about the Amazon Rainforest and its climate;
- explore how hot and wet conditions affect plants and animals;
- investigate rainforest layers and biomes;
- learn how people live in and use the rainforest;
- explore the effects of deforestation and environmental change;
- use maps, photographs, diagrams and geographical information to develop their understanding.
⚔️ History – Vikings and Anglo-Saxons
This term, we will travel back to Anglo-Saxon and Viking Britain to find out what life was like over 1,000 years ago. Our enquiry question is “Who do you think was stronger, the Vikings or the Anglo-Saxons, and why?” The children will explore Viking and Anglo-Saxon settlements, homes, beliefs, lifestyles and battles. They will use historical sources, artefacts, maps and evidence to investigate key events, including Viking raids and the struggle for control of England. Through comparing the two groups, children will develop their understanding of cause and consequence, similarities and differences, and how historians use evidence to make judgements about the past.
🔊 Science – Sound
This term, we will investigate how sound is created, changed and experienced in the world around us. The children will discover that sounds are made when objects vibrate and explore how vibrations travel through different materials to reach our ears. They will investigate how to change the pitch and volume of sounds and explore how sound can be absorbed or reflected. Through practical investigations, children will make predictions, observe carefully and use scientific vocabulary to explain how sounds are produced and heard.
⚡ Science – Electricity
This term, we will explore how electricity flows and how we use it to power our world. The children will learn how to construct and identify simple electrical circuits, using cells, wires, switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors. They will investigate what is needed to make a circuit work and explore how switches control the flow of electricity. Through practical investigations, children will build, test and improve circuits, while developing their understanding of how electricity is used in everyday life and the importance of using energy safely.
🌮 Design & Technology – Cooking and Nutrition
This term, we will explore South American food and flavours while developing our cooking skills. The children will learn about different ingredients and how they can be combined to create tasty and nutritious meals. They will prepare salsa and South American-inspired tortilla fillings, using a range of cooking techniques such as chopping, mixing, grating and heating. Children will develop their knowledge of healthy, balanced choices, food hygiene and kitchen safety while designing, making and evaluating their own dishes.
Our enquiry question is:
How can we create a healthy and delicious South American-inspired meal?
🎨 Art – Self-Portraits and Emotions
This term, we will explore the work of Frida Kahlo and discover how artists can use self-portraits to show their identity, feelings and experiences. We will make links to artists the children may already know, including Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso, and explore how different artists have represented faces and emotions. The children will develop their drawing and painting skills by studying facial features, proportion, colour and expression, before creating their own self-portrait. They will consider how their choice of colour, background, symbols and objects can communicate something about themselves.
Our enquiry question is:
How can we create a self-portrait that tells us something about who we are?
🌍 RE – How and why do people mark the significant events of life?
This term, children will explore how people mark important events and changes throughout their lives. They will investigate celebrations and ceremonies linked to birth, naming, coming of age, marriage and death, considering examples from different religions and non-religious traditions. Children will explore why these events are important to individuals, families and communities, and how traditions can express beliefs, values, love, belonging and remembrance. They will compare different practices and consider the similarities and differences between the ways people mark significant moments in life.
✝️ RE – For Christians, when Jesus left, what was the impact of Pentecost?
This term, children will explore the Ascension and Pentecost and consider the impact these events had on Jesus’ disciples and the early Christian Church. They will learn about Christian beliefs about the Holy Spirit, including the events of Pentecost when the disciples received the Holy Spirit and began sharing the message of Jesus with others. Children will explore how Pentecost is seen by Christians as the beginning of the Church’s mission and how the Kingdom of God can be expressed through worship, community, service and sharing the Christian faith. They will use Bible stories, artwork and discussion to consider why Pentecost continues to be an important celebration for Christians today.
Useful Documents and links:
(please always check the website before a child uses it)
Common exception words Year 3 and 4
Books for topics - book ideas for your children to read
National geographic - lots of useful information on topics we will be learning about
BBC Bitesize - information on all areas of the curriculum
Primary curriculum - Primary Curriculum website explains what your child will learn and what they need to know this year.
Maths
As a school, we follow the White Rose Maths scheme, which shows what your child should be learning in maths throughout the year.
Each year is divided into three terms – autumn, spring, and summer – and each term contains blocks of learning on specific topics. Below is the overview for each term and a link to some videos on what your child has learnt.
To support your child in maths, start by practising their times tables. Begin with the 2, 5, and 10 times tables, then move on to 3 and 4, followed by 6 and 8, and finally the rest. By the end of Year 4, children should know all their times tables by heart. Make it fun and engaging using games, songs, or challenges to help your child practise at home.
A calculation policy outlines how your child is expected to calculate using the four mathematical operations. This approach changes as your child progresses through school, with methods becoming more formal and abstract over time.
In Year 3, children begin to transition from informal methods to more structured written approaches. However, they continue to use pictorial representations to support their understanding.
Addition and Subtraction: Children are expected to add and subtract numbers up to three digits using formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction.
Multiplication and Division: Children should recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4, and 8 multiplication tables. They should write and calculate mathematical statements for multiplication and division using the multiplication tables that they know, including for two-digit numbers times one-digit numbers, using mental and progressing to formal written methods.
Place Value: Children should recognise the place value of each digit in a three-digit number (hundreds, tens, ones).
In Year 4, children become more secure with written methods and begin to apply them to more complex calculations.
Addition and Subtraction: Children should add and subtract numbers with up to four digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction where appropriate.
Multiplication and Division: Children should recall multiplication and division facts for multiplication tables up to 12 × 12. They should use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including multiplying by 0 and 1; dividing by 1; multiplying together 3 numbers. They should also multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number using formal written layout.
Place Value: Children should recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number (thousands, hundreds, tens, ones).
Calculation - multiplication and division
Calculation - addition and subtraction
Video Year 3 Addition and Subtraction
Video Year 3 Multiplication and division
While every attempt has been made to ensure the suggested websites are child-friendly and safe, please tell a member of staff if you have any e-safety concerns regarding these suggestions.