Welcome to Year 3!

All class photos will now be uploaded to the 'Gallery'. Please click '2019-20' and go to 'Year 3'.

Under each set of class photos, will be a written overview of what the children have been doing in class during the week. This replaces the weekly newsletter. We hope these changes make it easier for you to follow your child's learning journey. 

The four purposes of the new curriculum for Wales inform our teaching. Our learning experiences enable our pupils to be:

• ambitious, capable learners who undertake research and evaluate critically what they find and are ready to learn throughout their lives
• enterprising, creative contributors who give of their energy and skills so that other people will benefit and are ready to play a full part in life and work
• ethical, informed citizens who show their commitment to the sustainability of the planet and are ready to be citizens of Wales and the world
• healthy, confident individuals who have the skills and knowledge to manage everyday life as independently as they can and are ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

Literacy and Spellings

We understand the importance of literacy skills and their use within the wider world.  As part of your child's literacy lessons, they will be learning to spell words relating to specific patterns each week in class.  We have listened to your feedback and have made available lists of words that you can study with your child at home.  The lists compiled are words that your child will come across as part of their reading in school and are age appropriate. These can be found under 'Resources and Useful Links'. 

The children will also be tested on their spellings throughout the year. Spellings and test dates are shown at the bottom of the page. The children are expected to learn their spellings in preparation for each test. 

Guided Group Reading

The aim of Guided Group Reading is for learners to develop skills to help them read independently and fluently. It enables students to have a conversation about the text and to think in a critical way. It encourages students to use their prior knowledge and experience and apply it to their understanding of the text.

Guided Group Reading is carried out in all year groups, from Reception to Year 6. It takes place daily, in twenty minute sessions. Short sessions aim to capture and maintain the attention and interest of all learners while accessing a variety of reading skills. The class is split up in to groups which rotate activities throughout the week.

PE

PE will take place every. Please make sure you bring your kit and suitable footwear. 

Expectations

Bug Club

It is expected that the children use Bug Club to support to developing their reading skills at home. Books have been assigned to each child and can be accessed using under the 'Useful Links' section below. 

Mathletics

Children also have access to Mathletics. which is an online learning resource which supports the development of mathematical skills at home. Children are expected to make use of this resource on an weekly basis and work their way through the challenges assigned to them. A link to the site can be found under the 'Useful Links' section below.  

Hwb

At St. Joseph's R.C. Primary School, we use Hwb, which is a collection of online tools provided by the Welsh Government, to develop digital skills. Hwb also provides the children with access to Encyclopedia Britannica, should they need to carry out research at home. Tools which support the children in developing their maths, literacy and programming skills are also accessible via the site. 

Elements of the ‘My St. Josephs’ umbrella, which was introduced in 2018, are completed using one of the tools available within Hwb.  The umbrella comprises of ‘My Profile’, ‘My Targets’, ‘My Voice’, ‘My Way’ and ‘My Challenge’. These are known as the ‘5 MYs’ and every child’s learning journey in Key Stage 2 will be evidenced through these. 

‘My Profile’ and ‘My Targets’ are both completed independently by the children on Hwb, using Microsoft Teams. These are to be updated throughout the year as part of their homework.

Microsoft Teams (accessed within Hwb and Office 365) is used as our main tool for developing digital skills and facilitating online collaboration within our school. Homework will often be set via the 'Assignments' tab. 

A link to Hwb, can be found under the 'Useful Links' section below. 

Spellings and Test Dates

The children will be tested on their spellings every Monday throughout the year.

The date of each test and the spellings they will be tested on are shown below in the table.

The children are expected to learn their spellings in preparation for each test.

Half-termly Homework Projects