Our Learning
Laurel Class
Hi my name is Alistair Drysdale and I am the class teacher in Laurel. This is my 9th year at St Werburghs and I have taught in most year groups from Year 1 to Year 5. I particularly love teaching in Year 3 and helping guide children in the tricky transition from Silver Birch to Willow Site.
My classroom is a place of fun and warmth where children feel safe and secure. This allows them to make great progress as they are not afraid of making mistakes and are able to thrive with a combination of high expectations and careful support.
I have a toddler at home so I have chosen to go part time this year. I will be sharing the class with the wonderful Mrs Perks who will teach on Thursdays. If you have any questions or anything you need to share please get in touch - I am here to help!
Our learning in Laurel Class
| Subject Areas | During this academic year, we will be learning... |
|---|---|
| Maths |
During Year 3, children will begin by continuing their Number Sense lessons in Term 1 and 2. From Term 3, children will move onto their Number Sense Time tables programme which involves a daily ten minute rehearsal of different times table facts. Term 1: Place Value; Addition and subtraction Term 2: Addition and subtraction Term 3: Multiplication and division; Length and perimeter Term 4: Fractions; Mass and capacity Term 5: Fractions; Money Term 6: Time; Shape, Statistics |
| Reading |
We will be exploring a range of wonderful texts this year in our reading lessons and these will also help with our writing lessons too.
Term 1: Greta and the Giants; The Pebble in my Pocket Term 2: Leon and the Place Between; ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Term 3: Sam Wu is Not Afraid of the Dark (inc. My Shadow) Term 4: Operation Gadgetman Term 5: The Dancing Bear Term 6: The Magician’s Nephew |
| English |
In our writing lessons we will cover a range of skills whilst producing pieces of writing from a different genres. Term 1: Strong Start; Recap dictation routines, conjunctions, punctuation; First person narratives Term 2: Non chronological reports ; Dialogue through narrative (historical stories) Term 3: Advanced instructional writing ; Third person narrative (animal stories) Term 4: First person narrative descriptions ; Formal letters to complain Term 5: Advanced instructional writing ; Dialogue through narrative (historical stories) Term 6: Non chronological reports ; Third person narrative (animal stories); Formal letters to complain |
| Science |
Term 1: Rocks Term 2: Animals including humans; Revisit: Rocks Term 3: Forces and magnets Term 4: Plants Term 5: Light Term 6: Revisit: Animals including humans; Revisit: Forces and magnets/Light |
| Geography |
Term 1: Fieldwork and map skills - physical and human Term 2 and 3: We will be exploring OS map skills and doing some fieldwork For the rest of the year we will be doing a geographical study of the UK |
| History |
In our History this year we will be studying the Stone Age to Iron Age before exploring the Romans and their impact on Britain. |
| Religion and World Views |
In Religion and World Views we will be answering a different question each term. Term 1: What makes us human? Term 2: Where do us morals come from? Term 3: Is scripture central to religion? Term 4: What happens if we do wrong? Term 5: Why is water symbolic? Term 6: Why is fire used ceremonially? |
| PSHE |
We teach PSHE weekly in school and cover a range of topics that provide children with the skills and understanding to support themselves in a range of areas. Term 1: My Healthy self Term 2: Connecting with others Term 3: The online world Term 4: Citizenship Term 5: Health protection Term 6: Citizenship |
| Art |
Term 1: Drawing and painting Term 2: Printmaking Term 3: Textiles and collage Term 4: 3D Term 5: Painting Term 6: Creative response |
| Design Technology |
We will be having DT days each term with a different focus on skills and the products we will create. Term 1: Textiles Term 2: Food and nutrition Term 3: Mechanisms Term 4: Systems Term 5: Food and nutrition Term 6: Structures |
| Music |
We will have music lessons with Mr Rees. Term 1: Start with Playing: Adding percussive layers to texture in our songs Term 2: Singing Together: How songs are used in our communities; Christmas concert Term 3: Compose and Create: Notating and performing using rhythm grids Term 4: Playing Together: Building texture with melody, drone and ostinato Term 5: Compose and Create: Composing a pentatonic melody using a simplified stave Term 6: Singing for Performance: Holding a second part in rounds and partner songs |
| Computing |
Term 1 and 2: Computing systems and networks - Networks Term 3 and 4: Creating media - Video trailers Term 5 and 6: Programming scratch; Online safety
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PE
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Term 1 and 2: Rugby and basketball Term 3 and 4: Dance and tennis Term 5 and 6: Athletics and cricket |
| Enrichment |
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weekly timetable
PE Days
PE days are Wednesday afternoon and Friday morning. Please make sure that you wear a PE kit to school on these days. Our PE kit is plain black shorts; leggings or joggers; plain white or school PE t-shirt; school jumper.
Homework
Please read with your child daily at home as much as possible and ask lots of questions during this time to support your child to develop and consolidate their comprehension and decoding skills. Children will change their reading books weekly and we ask for them to be read at least 3 times before changing them. Reading records will also be checked regularly.
Spellings will be given out every Wednesday and will be collected the following Wednesday.
Useful information
Doors are open at 8:45am, with the children coming straight into class. Morning Work is an essential and important part of provision so please do ensure that your child is on time every day.
Please ensure your child brings a named water bottle to school each day. Please make sure that this and all school uniform, PE kit, coats and lunch boxes are clearly labelled with your child's name and class. This helps us to return lost items quickly.
Please also ensure your child arrives at school with the correct clothing for the weather. A waterproof coat is essential on wet days, and a sun hat and sun cream (applied before school) are recommended during warmer weather.