Windrush Valley Prep School Oxfordshire – Year 3

Life in Year 3 is the first step into Key Stage 2. The children will be expected to sort out their own belongings in the morning in preparation for the school day ahead. In Year 3 we teach greater independence and confidence, a pride in their work and friendships, and honing skills for the Upper School years ahead. They will now be socialising with the older children at lunch times and in the playground, and it really is a year when the children begin to mature and flourish both socially and academically.

Academic Studies

Maths – Maths in Year 3 begins to extend the pupils’ understanding of the number system and place value of numbers to at least 1,000. We concentrate on skills in the four operations; addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. Small classes ensure plenty of differentiation in order to hone skills and move them forward. We work really hard on learning times tables, with weekly times tables tests, and introduce more complex problem solving.

English – In English we read as much as possible, again, small class sizes allowing a regular one to one read with the teacher. We try hard to encourage a love of reading, a love of books and a love of writing. In Year 3 we combine Ginn and Focus on Literacy with grammar lessons, weekly spellings, and creative writing to enhance all English skills. Handwriting will be joined and neatly presented, and most children will be using an ink handwriting pen by this stage.

Languages – The children will also continue with weekly French lessons.

History – During the Autumn term, the class are introduced to Prehistoric Britain and look at the Stone Age in detail. We then move on to the Greeks and how they changed the world with their inventions, looking at the Olympic Games and Greek Gods and Goddesses. The summer term moves onto Roman Britain and the engineering feats they bought to the world.

Art and ICT – Another 2-year cycle, art provides the opportunity for the children to study, appreciate and mimic the styles of many artists and designers, from William Morris to Vivienne Westwood, Claude Monet and David Hockney. In DT we design and make kites, following up with evaluations of our designs and questioning how they fly. ICT sees a honing of presentation skills, themes, transitions and animations, and general programming using the Turtle Logo.

Performing Arts

Year 3 join in with the singing and performing at our annual Harvest Festival, as well as the Key Stage 1 Nativity. Year 3 have many opportunities to perform, including a regular class assembly. They also perform in the Key Stage 2 Easter production where they learn songs and dances. All pupils have an opportunity to play a musical instrument of choice in music lessons. Our English Speaking Board exam (ESB) at the end of the Autumn Term gives the children the chance to showcase their skills in performing, reading and presenting.

Sport – Games/PE/Swimming

PE takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. There is a wide range of sport on offer to Year 3 pupils through the year. Typically, these include football, tag-rugby, cross-country running, netball, hockey, rounders and athletics. Additionally, pupils continue to have a weekly swimming lesson.

Our World – Science and Geography

Geography in Year 3 covers a 2-year cycle. From the Rivers and Seas in the UK to the Himalayas, the geography curriculum covers a fascinating range of physical and human geography. Another 2-year cycle in Science covers many interesting topics, from a study of habitats to digestion and the circle of life.

My World

My World lessons support and develop the social, emotional and well-being of every child. The lessons consist of a combination of the PHSE curriculum and the RE Curriculum. Each child is taught to value and respect one another and celebrate differences and strengths, developing self-esteem and a positive growth mind-set.

Educational Visits/School Trips

Local trips are organised throughout the academic year usually in support of science, history or geography topics. In addition to this, trips to the pantomime at Christmas are a regular treat. The children have weekly trips to Kingham Hill School for swimming lessons, and to the village church for assembly.

Homework

Each week the children are set Maths or English homework to complete. This is set on a Friday and handed in on the following Wednesday. The homework generally focuses on reinforcing what has been taught in a class lesson. They also receive spellings and time tables to learn, ready for a weekly test on Mondays.