.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Year 3(2)")
Moving to a new building may be a little daunting (for both children and parents) but we are still the same school with the same Oaky Family ethos! Year 3 is a time when children can become a little more responsible and independent. As parents, you can help with this by encouraging them to carry their own bag and talking with them about what they may need for the school day ahead.
As a team we feel that one of our greatest strengths has been our partnership with parents and we know this greatly benefits our children. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. If it is more convenient to you, parents can email teachers on our year group email Y3twitter@oakwoodavenue.co.uk.
Please keep up to date with our learning journey through the year by following us on X (was twitter) @Y3Oaky
Please ensure your child brings these things to school daily:
Your children will have worked incredibly hard on their reading in Y2 - this is a life skill which will continue to be a priority throughout key stage 2. Therefore, it is so important that you encourage your children to bring in their reading book and reading record every day. They will therefore need a bookbag as well as a water bottle and a water proof coat weather dependent.
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.png?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Water bottle(4)")
PE days
3W Saplings & 3H Buddies - Monday
3DM Acorns - Thursday
Your child can come to school in their school PE kit (black tracksuit bottoms /leggings/school shorts, plain white crew neck t-shirt, Oaky sweatshirt/green sweatshirt and pumps/trainers) on PE days. Please note that Oaky hoodies are no longer PE uniform. If your child isn't wearing the correct PE uniform, they will be asked to remove it and will be given an alternative for the day; their clothing item will be given back to them at the end of the day. Please refer to the School Uniform booklet, which can be found under the Parents tab on our website for any further clarification.
All of Y3 will have PE on Thursday
In the summer term, Y3 will be going swimming – more details about this will follow.
Forest School
On forest school days your child can come to school in suitable forest school clothes. - we recommend long jogging trousers or leggings. Children have been allocated into either Group 1 or Group 2, which m,eans that your child will access Forest School once every 2 weeks. Information about which children will access this and when will be sent by a ping and we also use a whiteboard outside 3 Acorns classroom to share this information.
Snack
Parents can provide a healthy snack from home. Alternatively, toast can be bought from the canteen at a cost of 25p, juice at a cost of 35p and milk 30p. An amount of £3.00 must be loaded onto your Parent Pay account by 9am on Monday at the beginning of each week.
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Homework
Reading
Your child will have been given a reading book suited to their level of reading, after using the information sent up from year 2 teachers. Reading in Y3 continues to be a huge focus - in fact, it is critical that the work put in place in year 2 is sustained, as the curriculum in year 3 is progressively more demanding. By continuing to practise reading at home, children will have every opportunity to succeed.
We ask that you continue to good habits embedded in KS1 by encouraging your child to read daily. We realise that family life is busy, yet 10-15 minutes each day will hugely benefit your child's opportunties of accessing the year 3 curriculum. As a minimum, we ask that they read at least 3 times per week with adults making a comment and signing the reading record each time, so they can earn their Reading Karate Certificates. One of these comments must be written or signed by an adult. Reading books and records need to be brought in daily as the children do a lot of 1:1 and group reading with adults.
We ask that all reading records be brought in every day so that teachers can monitor and praise home reading as well as using it to comment on reading in school. Unlike KS1, all children do not have the same set day to change their books. They are sent out in small groups during Guided Reading time if they need to change their book, which is a way to encourage that little bit more independence.
Spelling and phonics
This is given out weekly, every Friday. Please make sure you practise these regularly as children need to know them by heart. Again, little and often is best. The homework will be an extension of their learning in class.
Maths
By the end of Year 4, all children must sit a statutory times tables test. Children have a set amount of time to complete 25 questions on a device. The results are collated by the Department of Education and the school is measured against a National benchmark. Children have to achieve 25/25 to pass. Therefore, as a school, we invested in Times Tables Rockstars, which is an online resource which helps children to prepare for this test. You may think that year 4 is a long way off, but if we can embed good habits of practising their times tables, we are sure your child will fly when it comes to sitting the test at the end of year 4. We expect your child to practise x3 weekly - it doesn't have to be on a device, we also have paper copies if this is difficult for you. Once a week we will use TT Rockstars in class so the children can see the improvement that practising at home makes.
Home Learning Projects
There will only be one piece of Topic homework per term i.e. 3 in the year. Each term Oaky will ask the children to complete a project linked to their topic learning. Letters will be sent out informing you of this and the children will have quite a few weeks to complete the task. There will always be a choice to make learning as personalised as possible for your child.
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The Oaky Way – Staying Connected
At Oakwood, we very much have an open door policy where we welcome open communication. At least one member of staff from the year group is on the playground at the beginning of the day. If parents/carers need a quick chat or need to pass on any information, then please feel free to do so on the playground, but we politely ask you to refrain from entering the school building.
If you require a more lengthy conversation, then please email or ring for an appointment with the class teacher, as you can appreciate that teachers need to be back up in class to maximise learning time. We are encouraging parents to allow their children to come up to their Year 5 classrooms independently. Staff will bring the children down onto the playground at the end of the day, which is another opportunity to speak with the class teacher is needed.
For safeguarding and welfare concerns, please continue to use Option 4 on the school phone line and ask to speak to Mrs Frank
Members of the senior leadership team will be visible at drop off and pick up times at the gate. If you require a meeting with a senior leader, then plase contact the office to arrange an appointment.