Spring 2 Week 3 – wb: 10.02.26

What a wonderful and reflective week we have had in Year 3!

This week has been Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and we have marked it thoughtfully as a class. We wore our colourful scarves to represent the SCARF values we focus on in school: Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience and Friendship.

We took part in an amazing outdoor learning session led by Louise from Wild One Adventures. We began by sitting together in the fire circle with incense burning. With our eyes closed, we used our senses to help ground ourselves, find calm, and connect with our inner peace.

We split into four groups for a mindfulness carousel of activities. One group enjoyed guided mindful meditation, another painted things that make them feel happy, a third created nature frames to explore belonging in nature, and the fourth relaxed in the hammocks. We then reflected together on how slowing down helped our heart rates settle and our bodies feel calm.

Next, we talked about the positive benefits of increasing our heart rates and the hormones this releases to support our mental wellbeing. To explore this further, we took part in a physical circuit involving heavy lifting, bending, balancing and making sounds.

We also had fun cooking popcorn on the fire – listening to the dry kernels pop and savouring the delicious treat. We enjoyed watching the flames of the fire and talking about how calm and warm it made us feel.

Louise shared a lovely story called Walking in the Woods. We discussed how being busy and rushing can stop us from noticing what is around us and where we belong. We learnt about the importance of going on slow walks to listen, connect with the earth and appreciate nature. We talked about the healing power of trees, how oxygen benefits our bodies and immune systems, and the value of fresh air.

To finish our outdoor session, we went ‘forest bathing’. We loved exploring the mud slide and walking through the stream – it was a magical way to feel grounded in nature.

Across the rest of the curriculum this week:

• In English, we have continued writing our non-chronological reports about rivers. The children’s facts and presentation skills are fantastic.

• In Maths, we have been learning about scaling and exploring different possibilities. We have also started a new unit on length and perimeter, measuring confidently in cm, mm and m.

• On Tuesday, we marked Safer Internet Day by focusing on smart technology and safe choices online. We explored the safe and responsible use of AI and designed our own AI chatbots – we had some brilliant ideas!

• In RE, we explored how people’s lives today can be transformed by God by learning about the work of Mother Teresa and discussing her influence on others.

• We enjoyed a Chinese New Year afternoon with Year 1 and Year 2. We took part in a carousel of activities linked to the celebrations, including some welcome taste testing!

• In PSHE, we learnt about the effects of alcohol and cigarettes and how to make healthy choices.

• In French, we practised saying our full birthdays, which was great fun!

• In Music, we have been learning Riptide on the ukulele, adding the chords D minor, A7, C and F to our repertoire and improving our playing skills.

• We also had an exciting visit from Prime VR, taking part in a VR experience where we travelled around the world!

A busy, thoughtful and enriching week in Year 3. Well done everyone!

Spring 1 Week 5- wb: 02.02.26

Year 3 have had a fantastic and very busy week full of learning, creativity and teamwork!

In English, we have been gathering exciting content for our own non-chronological reports all about rivers. We have practised lots of important grammar skills that we will need for our writing, including commas in a list, rhetorical questions and the present perfect tense. We have planned our reports carefully and are ready to begin writing them next week – we can’t wait! In Maths, we have been learning how to divide, and we even moved on to dividing with remainders. We were super focused and worked incredibly hard. On Friday, we tackled a tricky problem and showed great skill and resilience, doing an amazing job. Our Reading lessons have focused on poetry, where we explored rhythm, rhyme and expression. In French, we continued our birthday learning and learnt a fun song to help us remember how to say our birthday and ask others theirs. In PE, we practised our Bollywood dancing and enjoyed big movement activities such as ropes, jumping and climbing. During PE with Miss McDermott, we worked on throwing and catching, as well as batting and catching, showing excellent coordination. In Geography, we learnt about the differences between cities, towns and villages. In Science, we carried out an investigation to find out whether all metals are magnetic. We made an exciting discovery – they are not! In PHSE, we discussed things that are helpful and things that are harmful, and in Music, we continued to refine our use of the C and F chords. In Computing, we created a project using a task description, showing great independence.

Our DT lesson was very exciting this week as we carried out some market research. We took our toys to Pre-School and Reception, as children aged 3–5 are our target market. The feedback was fantastic! The younger children loved the toys and commented on how bright and eye-catching our designs were. We also enjoyed a very special Spirituality Afternoon. We began with an extra worship led by Rev Ben, then explored St Paul and our school vision. We learnt about how Paul was blinded, what he began to understand during this time and how he grew as a person. We sketched eyes to represent how Paul lost his sight but was able to see more once he became at one with God. In the centre of our work, we drew examples of seeing the school vision in action.

Well done, Year 3, for another wonderful week of learning – you should be very proud of yourselves!

Spring 1 Week 4: wb 26.01.26

What a brilliant week we have had in Year 3! The children have worked incredibly hard across the curriculum and should be very proud of themselves.

In Writing, we have started our next outcome linked to The Rhythm of the Rain. We have been gathering information and building our knowledge in preparation for writing our own non-chronological report all about rivers. The children have done a fantastic job of uplevelling their vocabulary, confidently using Tier 3 words such as meander and tributaries. We have also been using an example text to retrieve information and practise writing answers in full sentences. Another key focus has been using present perfect tense verbs, which the children are beginning to apply with growing confidence.

We have absolutely smashed Maths this week! We were introduced to multiplying a 2-digit number by a 1-digit number using the grid method. We began practically using arrays before moving on to multiples of ten and then numbers between 20 and 99. The children have been amazing at using their times table facts to support their learning – fantastic effort all round!

In Reading, we have been focusing on the text The Wonders of Nature. This has provided great opportunities for retrieval practice and has linked perfectly with our Science learning about rocks.

In Geography, we have been locating the counties and regions of the UK, as well as identifying the human and physical features of Lancashire.

In PSHE, we explored risks using the Risk Robot, helping the children to think carefully about different types of risks and how to manage them.

On Wednesday, we were lucky enough to visit Nightingale’s Farm. Steph was wonderfully welcoming, as always. We recapped our Animals Including Humans science learning by exploring the different animal skeletons on the farm and discussing how animals get the nutrients they need to survive. We also enjoyed helping Steph with some of the farm jobs and, of course, meeting Theo the cheeky goat, who was a big hit with everyone!

In PE, with Mrs Harrison, we have been putting the finishing touches to our Bollywood dance, focusing on adding a bounce and a big smile to our moves! With Miss McDermott, we enjoyed 2v2 tennis matches and even helped to build the tennis nets.

In RE, we discussed the different ways in which Jesus changes people’s lives, sharing thoughtful ideas and reflections.

In Computing, we changed the appearance of our projects, learning how design choices can improve the final outcome.

In Music, with Mr Richards, we continued practising the C chord and were introduced to the F chord. We played along to London’s Burning, Hot Cross Buns and Sur Le Pont d’Avignon – great concentration and teamwork.

In French, with Madame Wardle, we have continued to secure our learning of the months of the year, and she was very impressed with the children’s pronunciation.

Our Science lessons focused on magnetism. We explored which materials are magnetic and non-magnetic, discussed magnetic forces, and learned about safety when using magnets, including whether magnetism is a contact or non-contact force.

Finally, an exciting highlight of the week was DT, where we made our pneumatic toys! They are absolutely amazing, and the children are very proud of them. Next week, we will be sharing them with Pre-School and Reception as part of our evaluation, as children aged 3–5 were our target audience when we designed and produced them.

Well done, Year 3 – another fantastic week of learning! 🌟

Spring 1 Week 3: wb 19.01.26

ear 3 have had another fantastic and very busy week full of learning, creativity and fun!

In Maths, we have been exploring the links between the 2, 4 and 8 times tables, spotting patterns and making connections between them. We have also been working with multiples of 10, linking related calculations and improving our reasoning skills when solving multiplication problems. The children have been explaining their thinking really clearly – well done, Year 3!

In Writing, the children have truly blown Mrs Harrison’s socks off this week with their unbelievable work! We have written a setting narrative all about a river, focusing on how the river moves, what can be found inside it, what it passes on its journey and what can be seen on the horizon. The descriptive language and imagination on show has been outstanding.

In Reading, we used The Lego Ideas Book to answer a range of questions about the text, practising our retrieval and understanding skills.

Our Geography lessons focused on the United Kingdom. We located the countries of the UK, their capital cities and significant landmarks, as well as identifying the seas that surround the UK. We then described these locations using the 8 compass points, showing excellent geographical knowledge.

In PE, we continued learning more moves for our Bollywood-themed dance – they are really starting to come together and look great! In Tennis, we practised our throwing skills and hitting the ball using a bat, before finishing the session with an exciting tournament.

In RE, we retold the story of Jesus changing Zacchaeus’ life from Luke 19:1–10. The children used role play to act out the story and then took part in hot seating Zacchaeus, asking thoughtful and insightful questions.

In Computing, we learned that a sequence of commands must be in the correct order for something to work properly, building our understanding of algorithms.

Our Science lessons explored friction. We investigated how different surfaces affect friction and discussed how friction can sometimes be an advantage and sometimes a disadvantage, depending on the situation.

In PSHE, we compared dangers and risks, exploring what we should do in a range of risky situations and how to make safe choices.

In Music, we continued learning to play as a ukulele ensemble, practising together and learning a new chord – the progress has been wonderful to hear.

In DT, we designed a toy that uses a pneumatic system, thinking carefully about how air can be used to create movement.

We were also very lucky to be joined by Janek Puzon, a local author who has written a new book called Dean the Baked Bean and the Karaoke Machine. He treated us to a reading of his book, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you for joining us, Janek!

Well done, Year 3, for another brilliant week of learning! 👏

Spring 1 Week 2- wb: 12.01.26

What a busy week in Year 3 at Hoddlesden St Paul’s!

We have had another fantastic week full of learning across the curriculum.

In Maths, we have been exploring the 4 and 8 times tables. We have practised multiplying and dividing by 4 and 8 and have been making links between multiplication and division to deepen our understanding.

In Writing, we have continued working with our class text, The Rhythm of the Rain. We have been preparing to write our own setting narratives next week by identifying the text structure and key features. We have also explored important grammar choices to include in our writing. The children have learnt what a narrator is, what writing a narrative means, and have gathered ideas and planned their own settings ready to begin writing next week.

In Reading, we have been enjoying The One and Only Ivan. We have explored how the author presents different themes throughout the story, including loneliness, and discussed how these themes make us feel as readers.

In Geography, we zoomed out from our own addresses to explore the seven continents and five oceans. We used the four points of the compass to describe our location in relation to other continents, for example: If I travelled south from where we live, I would reach the continent of Africa.

In Science, we carried out an investigation exploring rough and smooth surfaces and how they affect forces.

In PSHE, we discussed safe and unsafe situations, thinking carefully about how different choices can change whether a situation is safe or unsafe.

In RE, we explored why choosing to follow Jesus is not always easy. We learned about the calling of Levi from the book of Matthew and discussed how people’s lives may change before and after choosing to follow Jesus.

In Computing, we learnt that commands have outcomes and that a program has a clear starting point.

In DT, we used different types of diagrams to summarise information.

In French, we have been learning the months of the year and practising remembering our birthday months. Next week, we will try to say the date of our birthday in French!

Finally, we also enjoyed a wonderful ukulele session with Mr Richards, which the children loved.

Well done, Year 3, for another brilliant week of learning! 🌟

Spring 1 Week 1 wb: 05.01.25

Happy New Year to you all! We have had a wonderful first week back and have really enjoyed settling into 2026 together.

In Maths, we continued our learning on multiplication and division. We revisited sharing and grouping before focusing on the 3 times table, multiplying and dividing by 3 in a range of contexts. Towards the end of the week, we moved on to multiplying by 4.

In Writing, we began a new text, The Rhythm of the Rain. We made predictions and wrote a kenning poem to describe the river. The story is a setting narrative with beautiful illustrations, which inspired us to write our own fantastic setting descriptions. In Shared Reading, we have been enjoying Harry and the Poisonous Centipede, focusing on the reading skill of “reading between the lines”.

In Geography, we launched our new topic all about the world. Our enquiry question is: “Where in the World Are We?”We explored the components of our address and located them using Google Maps.

In PE, with Mrs Harrison, we started Bhangra dancing! We explored the music and learned about mudras. With Mrs McDermott, we began learning how to play tennis, using bats and practising our technique.

In RE, we are exploring how Jesus did and does change lives. We discussed our own experiences of change and how Christians believe Jesus has the power to transform lives.

In Computing, we were introduced to Scratch, a new programming environment for us. In PSHE, we focused on online safety, discussing whether everyone online is who they say they are and the importance of keeping personal information safe, even accidentally.

We thoroughly enjoyed our first ukulele session with Mr Richards, recapping how to hold the ukulele, the names of the strings, and the chords we already know.

In DT, we explored how pneumatic systems create movement using balloons, straws, tubes, and syringes. Finally, in French with Madame Wardle, we recapped our learning from before Christmas and began learning about different fêtes and fiestas. We also learnt that Happy New Year in French is Bonne Annee! 

What a busy and exciting start to the term! 🌟

Autumn 2 Week 7- wb 15.12.25

And that’s a wrap on 2025! 🎄

We have had an amazing festive week in Year 3 at Hoddlesden St Paul’s. It truly is a wonderful time to be a teacher and to work with children of this age – the week has been filled with excitement, creativity and Christmas magic! The children have had great fun and made some brilliant primary school memories that will hopefully last a lifetime.

Our festive fun has included making our beautiful Christmas cards, where we put our sewing skills to excellent use. In DT, we also finished our cushions and evaluated our final products, reflecting carefully on what went well and what we could improve next time. Alongside this, we evaluated our Elf Enterprise products and sales, thinking about teamwork, creativity and success.

In History, we answered our enquiry question, “Is equal always fair?” using examples from both within living memory and before living memory. The children shared thoughtful ideas and showed a great understanding of fairness and equality. In English, we wrote the final three parts of our explanation text all about the trap for the Iron Man. They are fantastic pieces of writing, and Mrs Harrison is very proud of the effort and imagination shown!

In Maths, we explored multiples of 5 and 10, as well as grouping and sharing, identifying the similarities and differences between the two. In Science, we completed a quiz to show how much we have learned in our unit – and the results were impressive!

In RE, we explored the work of the Salvation Army and looked closely at how Christians put their belief in Jesus into action to show his impact on the world. We discussed how we are the hands of Jesus and learned about the Jesus statue in Strasbourg that survived bombing during World War II, reflecting on how we can be Jesus’ hands on Earth today.

We also performed two beautiful carol concerts for our families, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Christmas jumper day was another highlight, topped off with a delicious Christmas dinner! Our behaviour treat was Christmas crazy golf, which everyone loved, and we were even treated to a surprise visit from two of Father Christmas’s elves and his reindeer – what a magical moment!

What a fantastic end to the year. Thank you for all your continued support, and we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎅✨

Autumn 2 Week 6 - wb: 08.12.25

What a busy and exciting week we’ve had in Year 3!

In English, we have started writing our The Iron Man explanation texts all about the traps. We have written the first two sections and have made a great start. We will continue and finish these next week, and we’re really looking forward to improving and adding more detail to our work.

In Maths, we began a brand-new topic: multiplication and division. We have been exploring equal groups and arrays, and we have started learning the 3 times table. The children have shown fantastic enthusiasm and effort when explaining their thinking.

In DT, some of us have sewn and stuffed our cushions, and they look amazing! We are very proud of the care and perseverance shown. We will continue this next week before giving each other feedback and evaluating our final designs.

In French, we had lots of fun learning clapping rhymes, helping us practise our listening and pronunciation skills.

In Science, we explored how different animals use their muscles and discussed what would happen if our muscles stopped working. There were some brilliant questions and thoughtful ideas shared during this lesson.

In History, we learned about Greta Thunberg and felt inspired to create our own posters about something we feel is unfair in the world. From animal rights to treating children fairly, we produced some passionate and powerful posters. We also explored the cause and effect link between Greta Thunberg and the Suffragettes, making great historical connections.

We have also been practising hard for the Carol Concert. Mrs Harrison has uploaded our words onto Seesaw, and the children have also brought a copy home. Please could grown-ups at home help us learn our line? Thank you for your support.

We evaluated our Elf Enterprise and worked out our fantastic profit! We discovered that the snowmen sold better, so next year we will pass on our advice to the current Year 2s to make more snowmen and maybe some Christmas puddings. We’ll also bear this in mind for when we are in Year 4.

We have continued to enjoy gymnastics with Miss Winward, developing our strength, balance and confidence. Many of us also had the wonderful opportunity to perform with the choir at RBH, singing for staff and patients. It was a lovely experience and really helped to cheer lots of people up.

We also wanted to let families know that next week is going to be very busy and full of Christmas excitement! We have lots of festive activities planned, so please keep an eye on Arbor for important dates and information. There will be lots of things on such as party days (Monday) behaviour treats, Christmas dinner and jumper day (Thursday) , Dojo winner days (Friday), and even a very special surprise guest… or guests – who knows! 🎄✨

It’s shaping up to be a magical end to the term, and we can’t wait to enjoy it all together.

Well done, Year 3, for another brilliant week! 🌟

Autumn 2 Week 5- wb: 01.12.25 

What a fantastic week we have had in Year 3!

In Maths, we have been completing quizzes to show off everything we have learned so far. We are so proud of how confident and determined everyone has been, our brilliant learning really shone through!

In English, we have been preparing to write our very own explanation texts all about how to capture the Iron Man! We have planned carefully, choosing powerful vocabulary and thinking about the grammatical features that will make our writing detailed and exciting. We even planned our subheadings, and we can’t wait to begin writing our final pieces. Our ideas are truly amazing!

This week was also Elf Enterprise Week, and it has been full of creativity, teamwork and festive fun! We have designed and made our own 3D felt baubles using both running stitch and cross stitch. We carefully worked out our costings, thought about profit, and even designed our packaging. Every one of us played a part in producing our beautiful products, and we are incredibly excited to be selling them at the School Christmas Fair this Sunday! We hope to see you there; come along and buy one of our handmade creations! 🎄

We also enjoyed a non-uniform day, where children donated items for the Christmas Mission and the Food Bank. Your kindness and generosity were heart-warming—thank you for supporting such a wonderful cause.

A busy, brilliant week in Year 3. Well done everyone!

Autumn 2 Week 4- wb 24.11.25

Autumn 2 Week 3- wb 17.11.25
What a fantastic week we’ve had in Year 3! We have been incredibly busy and have produced some brilliant work across all of our subjects. In English, we wrote our very own approaching threat narratives inspired by The Iron Man. The children worked so hard to build suspense and use powerful description, Mrs Harrison was amazed by the results and cannot wait to put them up on display!

In maths, we continued using dashes and dots to help us with adding and subtracting, including questions that involved exchanging. Everyone showed great determination and growing confidence.

Our science lessons took us into the world of vertebrates, where we explored different animal groups and sorted them based on their skeletons. The children loved investigating and comparing the features of each group.

In history, we learned about how the suffragettes were treated in prison. We wrote diary entries in the role of Emmeline Pankhurst, showing real empathy and understanding of her bravery and determination.

This week in DT, we began designing our cushions for our textiles unit. The children enjoyed thinking about patterns, colours and what makes a good design. In reading, we explored exciting extracts from Varjak, discussing the characters and building our comprehension skills.

Gymnastics has been full of energy as we continued working on our vaulting skills using the vault tables and the trampette. We focussed carefully on our take-offs and landings. During our circuit we practised skipping, handstand shapes and front support walking to build upper body strength, before finishing with rope climbing.

We enjoyed another lovely French lesson with Madame Wardle, practising our numbers and growing in confidence with our speaking. In computing, we continued editing our animations, improving the timing and movement in each frame. In PSHE, we explored different families and friendships and discussed how we show respect to everyone.

As part of Interfaith Week, we learned about different faiths and focussed on the Golden Rule. We made our own Golden Rule chain to remind us of the importance of kindness and treating others as we wish to be treated.

A real highlight of our week was taking part in wheelchair sports. Everyone had the chance to use a sports wheelchair and we loved playing wheelchair tig and wheelchair ball games, it was a brilliant experience for us all.

A busy, exciting and very successful week in Year 3! Well done everyone! 

Autumn 2 Week 2- wb: 10.11.25

What an action-packed week we have had in Year 3!

In English, we have continued to explore our vehicle text The Iron Man. The children have produced some fantastic character descriptions using similes to bring their writing to life. We have also focused on developing our writing knowledge by planning our very own “approaching threat” narratives. Next week we will be writing our final pieces, and we are so excited to see all the wonderful ideas come together!

In Maths, we have been working hard on expanded column addition and subtraction. We have used these methods not only to calculate, but also to reason and problem-solve, such brilliant mathematical thinking on display!

During Reading, we’ve enjoyed extracts from Charlotte’s Web. The class has been practising how to find evidence in the text to support their ideas and answers, super reading detectives!

In History, we learned all about the suffragettes and the inspirational Emmeline Pankhurst. We explored how women fought for equality and campaigned for the right to vote.

In Design and Technology, we learned how to sew a cross stitch. It was very tricky, but Year 3 showed amazing perseverance!

In Computing, the children had great fun creating their own animated movies, bringing stories to life through simple animation techniques.

In Science, we explored the human skeleton and muscular system. We discovered why we need both, how some muscles work in pairs, and even practised using a few of them ourselves!

In RE, we have begun our learning about Christmas, focusing on how Christians celebrate the arrival of Emmanuel which means Jesus, “God with us.”

This week in Gymnastics, we continued developing our vaulting skills. After practising take-offs and dismounts from a stationary position last week, we progressed to using a run-up—everyone showed brilliant control and confidence!

In French, we learnt some lively playground rhymes, which were great fun to practise together.

This week was also Anti-Bullying Week. On Monday, we proudly wore our odd socks to celebrate uniqueness and raise awareness. We took part in the BBC live lesson and learnt how we can use our power for good and stand up for others safely.

Finally, today we celebrated Children in Need! The children looked amazing in their Pudsey-inspired outfits and showed great enthusiasm for such an important cause.

Another brilliant week in Year 3, well done everyone! 🌟

Autumn 2 Week 1 - wb: 03.11.25

What a fantastic (and very busy!) first week back after half term it has been in Year 3! Everyone has returned full of energy and enthusiasm, ready for an exciting half term of learning.

In Maths, we have been recapping our understanding of odd and even numbers, as well as practising rounding, and using our skills to add and subtract mentally across 10. We’ve also been learning to use dashes and dots to help us visualise and solve addition and subtraction problems – the children have really impressed us with their focus and problem-solving skills!

In English, we have started our brand-new novel, The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. The children have loved exploring the striking illustrations and have been using these to discuss the setting and main characters. We even wrote some brilliant kenning poems to describe the characters – they were creative, descriptive, and full of imagination!

Our new History topic this half term is Women Who Changed the World. We began by exploring what life was like for Victorian women and girls, comparing it to our lives today. This will help us build up to answering our big question: “Is equal always fair?” The children have already shared some thoughtful ideas and questions.

In Science, we’ve started our new topic, Animals Including Humans. We looked at the Eatwell Plate and learned about what makes a balanced diet. The children showed great understanding when discussing how to make healthy choices and why our bodies need different types of food.

In RE, we’ve been exploring different versions of the Nativity story. We noticed that, while the details can vary, all the stories share the same important message and overall plot.

In Computing, we have been learning about online safety, focusing particularly on Roblox and how to keep ourselves and others safe when playing online. We discussed how to make kind and respectful choices and what to do if we ever feel unsure or uncomfortable. This linked beautifully to our PSHE lesson, where we thought about friendship and respect, and how our actions can help everyone feel included and valued.

In PE, we enjoyed a fantastic gymnastics session with Mrs Winward, where we worked on balance, coordination, and moving with control and confidence. The children had a wonderful time showing off their skills and supporting one another.

Finally, in our Outdoor Active Learning (OAL) session, we linked our Science learning by investigating human and animal skeletons. We explored the similarities and differences between them and discussed the important roles our bones and muscles play in helping us move and stay protected. We also learned about vertebrates and invertebrates, and the children loved classifying different animals.

It’s been a wonderful start to the half term – we can’t wait to see what next week brings!

Autumn 1 Week 8: wb- 20.10.25

Autumn 1 Week 7- wb 13.10.25

In Maths, we’ve been learning how to add using the column method. We’ve practised exchanging and now feel much more confident with this tricky but important skill. Next week, we’ll be moving on to subtraction with exchange – we can’t wait to put our knowledge into action!

In English, we have been exploring different sentence types to make our writing more interesting and descriptive. We then planned and wrote the beginning of our own innovated versions of Akimbo and the Elephant. We have so many creative stories, including Akimbo and the Duck-Beaked Platypus and Akimbo and the Lion! We are really proud of our imaginative ideas.

In Spelling, we’ve been recapping our Year 2 learning and working hard to build on our spelling skills.

In Geography, we looked at how extreme weather and climate change are affecting people’s lives around the world. It was eye-opening to learn how these changes impact different communities.

In RE, we compared harvest festivals celebrated across the world and discovered the many ways people give thanks for their food.

In Computing, we identified the physical components of a network and learned more about how computers connect and share information.

In PSHE, we discussed what makes friends special and how we can show kindness and understanding towards others.

In Science, we explored different types of soil and investigated why they are all so different. We enjoyed comparing their similarities and differences during our experiments.

In Music, we have been performing as part of an ensemble, singing in two parts and following the directions of our conductor. Our teamwork and listening skills are really shining through!

In PE, we’ve been working on our passing for possession skills and had a brilliant time showcasing our gymnastics routines. The showcase was truly amazing and even brought tears of joy! Mrs Harrison has kindly uploaded it to Seesaw so everyone can watch it again and again.

Finally, we had a special visit from the BwD Road Safety Team for a fantastic workshop. We enjoyed the role play activities and learned all about different pedestrian crossings. We also heard about the exciting “Design a High-Vis Jacket” competition — our creative entries are already looking wonderful! Don’t forget, designs are due in by Wednesday 22nd October. Today, Jackie from the BwD library service came into see us all too. She explained how we can access the library services we have locally and we played some super games. 

What a brilliant week, Year 3 — well done everyone for your hard work and enthusiasm! 🌟

Autumn 1 Week 6- wb: 06.10.25

What a fantastic and busy week we've had in Year 3!

In Maths, we’ve been brave bananas, showing great determination as we tackled the challenge of crossing the hundred when adding and subtracting multiples of 10. We’ve also worked hard to make connections between number sentences, helping us to deepen our understanding and become more confident mathematicians.

In English, our focus has been the story Akimbo and the Elephant. We’ve enjoyed retelling the story orally and exploring the thoughts and feelings of the main character through discussion and drama. A highlight of the week was debating whether Akimbo and his father should adopt the orphaned elephant and bring it back to the compound. We gave thoughtful reasons for our ideas and used persuasive language to write a heartfelt note from Akimbo to his father. The emotive language we used was truly impressive!

In Geography, we’ve been learning about some of the hottest and driest places on Earth. We explored what life is like in a tropical desert climate and learned about the Bedouin people who live there.

RE and Outdoor Adventurous Learning (OAL) came together this week in a brilliant joint session with Year 1. We learned about the Jewish festival of Sukkot and even built our own Sukkahs in the woods—it was such a fun and meaningful experience!

In Computing, we explored how digital devices are connected and how they can work together.
In PSHE, our focus has been on problem-solving and finding peaceful resolutions.
In Art, we’ve been developing our ideas for 3D sculptures—we’re really looking forward to bringing them to life in the coming weeks.
In Gymnastics, we’ve been adding the final touches to our showcase routine, which is looking absolutely amazing!

We’ve also been working hard practising for our upcoming Harvest class worship, which takes place in church this Sunday. We can’t wait to share it with you.

Our World Faith focus this week has been Navaratri, the Hindu festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil.

To top it all off, we had an exciting Battle of the Bands on TT Rockstars against Year 2—and Year 3 were victorious! Well done, everyone!

On Friday, we proudly wore yellow to support the Hello Yellow campaign, raising awareness for mental health. A huge thank you to everyone who took part.

What a brilliant week!

Autumn 1 Week 5: Wb 29.09.25
In Maths we’ve been working really hard on adding and subtracting multiples of 10 and 100. We have also been spotting number patterns and practising adding 1s across a 10 and 100. Everyone has shown fantastic determination and accuracy – well done Year 3! Mrs Harrison’s socks have been well and truly blown off this week by our amazing information texts in English! After lots of careful planning and research, we have written beautiful non-chronological reports all about Africa. The children should be so proud of the detail and presentation in their work. In computing, we have been learning about computer networks and how they can be used to share information. The children were fascinated to discover how computers ‘talk’ to each other. In Geography we’ve loved exploring the polar regions and learning about the tundra biome. We investigated the polar climate zone and discovered how different animals adapt to survive in such extreme environments. In science, we have been finding out how fossils are formed. We explored the process step by step and used our new key vocabulary, including sedimentary rocks. Our gymnastics practice is going from strength to strength as we prepare for our upcoming showcase. We are so excited to perform for parents and family members soon! In art, we have been experimenting with joining different materials when working in 3D. The children enjoyed testing out new techniques and creating unique pieces. We had a wonderful spirituality afternoon this week, focusing on our school vision: As God’s family, together we achieve. We learned about how St Paul wrote letters to the Romans, reminding them that all parts of the body need to work together to be the best they can be. We reflected on the special gifts God has given each of us and how we can use these gifts to help others. We even created a news report to share our ideas – you can watch it here...Year 3 Spirituality afternoon | Hoddlesden St Paul's Church of England Primary School We started our week with a flourish, we enjoyed a fantastic dance workshop with Dance Syndrome. The energy, creativity, and teamwork were amazing to see! What a wonderful week of learning, exploring, and celebrating together. Well done Year 3 – you have been shining stars!

Autumn 1 Week 4: wb-22.09.25

In English, we have been working hard on writing our own retells of The Fire Children – and what superb stories they were! We have now begun reading Akimbo and the Elephants and exploring The Elephant poem by the same author. We didn’t just read them – we performed them too, using tone, intonation and volume to bring the words to life.

In Maths, we have been counting in fifties and spotting patterns. We also began our new addition and subtraction unit, learning how to add and subtract 1-digit numbers from 3-digit numbers and applying our number bonds to help us solve problems.

In Geography, we travelled the world through our learning about different climates and biomes. It has been fascinating to see how people, animals, and plants adapt to their environments.

In RE, we looked at the Hindu festival of Pongal. We created a timeline to help us understand the traditions and order of events in this special celebration.

In Computing, we discussed how different devices can change the way we work – thinking carefully about the benefits and challenges of technology.

In PSHE, we had some brilliant discussions about white lies (very interesting debates and revelations!) and talked about how we can look after our special people.

In Art, we put our design skills to the test by joining 2D shapes to make 3D structures. It was tricky, but very rewarding to see our creations take shape.

In Science, we learnt the word porous and carried out a fun experiment to test which rocks were porous, whether they floated or sank, and if they could be scratched.

In Music, we explored vocabulary such as verse, accompanied and unaccompanied, round and canon. We also had fun copying back melodies and improving our listening skills.

In Gymnastics, we have been practising our routine ready for our showcase – which all parents have been emailed about. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on!

On Friday was our brilliant MacMillan Coffee Morning and we were all treated to a delicious cake for a good cause.

Autumn 1 Week 3- wb : 15.09.25

What a brilliant week we’ve had in Year 3!

In English, we’ve been diving even deeper into our class text, using our inference skills to explore the thoughts and feelings of the characters Ako Yaa and Kwaku Ananse. The children have really impressed us with how carefully they’ve been thinking about what the characters might be experiencing, even when it’s not written directly in the text. We used everything we’d learned to write diary entries in role – full of emotion, reflection, and brilliant vocabulary choices. Later in the week, we took on a new challenge: writing a diary entry as one of the Fire Children. It was amazing to see how confidently the children applied their skills, imagining what it would feel like to be breathed life into like of the The Fire Children.

In maths, we’ve been exploring number lines up to 1,000. We’ve practised estimating where numbers would sit and explaining our reasoning using place value knowledge. It’s been fantastic to see the children growing more confident at spotting patterns and justifying their answers — we’ve even had a few lively maths debates in class!

Science has been particularly exciting this week as we carried out our rock hardness investigation. The children tested a range of rocks to find out which were hard and which were softer – lots of hands-on exploration and careful observations! We then discussed why certain rocks are better suited for specific everyday uses, like building materials or kitchen worktops.

In geography, we’ve been travelling (with our imaginations!) to the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. We’ve learned where they are located on the globe and why they’re so important when it comes to climate and seasons. The children were fascinated to discover how the sun’s position affects the temperatures of different places around the world.

Music has been full of energy and creativity this week! We’ve been learning the traditional round London’s Burning and then innovating the lyrics to create our own verses. The children absolutely loved performing in rounds and listening carefully to stay in time – it was a real team effort and lots of fun. In RE, we have explored harvest festivals all around the world, such as the rice festival in Bali and Erntedankfest in Germany. We looked at the similarities and differences between the different festivals. 

In PE, we’ve been working on our passing accuracy, focusing on control, direction and teamwork. Everyone is really starting to think carefully about how to pass with precision. Over in gymnastics, we’ve been practising and refining our showcase routine, adding in balance, strength and control – it’s coming together beautifully, and we can’t wait to show it off!

We are so proud of how focused, enthusiastic and creative the children have been this week. Keep it up, Year 3 – you’re doing an amazing job!

Autumn 1 Week 2- wb: 08.09.25

Year 3 have had a busy and exciting week at St Paul’s Hoddlesden!

In English, we have continued exploring our new text The Fire Children, focusing on using adjectives to create expanded noun phrases and on uplevelling our vocabulary to make our writing more vivid. We experimented with different word classes to describe the setting and discussed how the main character’s feelings change as the story unfolds.

In Maths, we carried on with our place value unit. Everyone showed a fantastic understanding of hundreds, tens and ones by partitioning numbers to 1000 in a variety of ways- great job, Year 3!

Our new enquiry question in Geography is Why is climate important? This week we learned to identify the Equator as well as the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, setting the stage for deeper climate investigations.

In RE, we reflected on the Christian belief about harvest and worked together to create a beautiful Thankfulness Tree in our classroom, reminding us to appreciate the world around us.

In PE, we practised passing for possession and scoring goals. We also feel very lucky to have Mrs Winward, our gymnastics specialist, teaching us new skills this term.

Our musical focus was singing in unison and in rounds, helping us to listen carefully and keep in time. In Art, we have investigated the sculpture artist, Anthony Caro and sketched some of his work. 

In Computing, we explored how digital devices function, discovering the connections between inputs, processes and outputs.

Two special visitors made this week even more exciting. Life Education helped us learn fascinating facts about our bodies and brains, and a thrilling Science show about forces gave us an early peek at concepts we’ll revisit later in the year.

We have been working hard on our 2 and 5 times tables, with many children proudly earning their prestigious Times Table Badges. Keep practising at home, and don’t forget TT Rockstars is ready to help!

Well done Year 3, your hard work and enthusiasm shine through everything you do.

Autumn 1 Week 1- wb 01.09.25

What a brilliant first week we’ve had in Year 3 at Hoddlesden St Paul’s! We’ve hit the ground running and already learned so much.

In English, we began our brand new text The Fire Children. We looked closely at the front cover and the opening pages before making our own predictions about what might happen next. We also explored what a folk tale is and thought about the special features these stories often have.

In Maths, we have been busy recapping place value up to 100. We practised partitioning numbers in lots of different ways and challenged ourselves to explain our thinking clearly.

In Science, we launched our new topic all about rocks. We worked scientifically by carefully observing and categorising different rocks based on their appearance and physical characteristics.

In French, we enjoyed recapping some of our Year 2 learning through fun games. It was a great way to refresh our memories!

In PE, we started our “Passing for Possession” unit. Through football-linked games, we’ve been practising our passing skills and learning how to work together as a team.

In RE, we began exploring the theme of Harvest, looking at where harvest is mentioned in the Bible and why it is such an important time of year.

We also had some important discussions about Online Safety, thinking carefully about safe and unsafe scenarios we might come across online.

Another big achievement this week was creating our very own Year 3 Class Contract. Together, we agreed on rules to help us work happily and safely all year. Everyone has signed it to show their promise. Finally, we each set ourselves a personal goal for something we would like to achieve in Year 3.

It’s been a fantastic start to our journey, and we are excited to see what next week brings!