Hello and welcome to the Maple Class' webpage for 2023/24!

We have a fabulous year ahead of us this year. We have a brilliant group of year 3 and 4 children in the Maple Class. Miss Broomfield, Mrs Gale and Mrs Smart will be working with children in the class as well, and the class teacher is me - Mr Starkey!

Please see the information below, which will be updated termly. For more ongoing information, ClassDojo will be the main method of communication.

Thank you!

Term 4

Welcome to term 4!

We've a great term ahead, and we are even going to begin thinking about our musical production!

In maths, the children in the Maple class will all be taught together again, and we will be focussing on using our times table knowledge to begin multiplying bigger numbers using a formal method.

In literacy, the children will read a book called The Journey as well as Boy Giant, which are both refugee narratives. We will discuss these texts and the key themes, before writing our own version of this type of text. The children will finish the term by writing a diary entry.

In our main topic, we will be learning all about Italy and how it compares to the UK. 

In science, the year 3 children will be looking at forces, exploring magnetic forces and friction. The year 4s will learn all about how to identify different animal species and where they live.

In RE, the children will discuss the key question: What did Jesus do to save us? We will recount the death of Jesus according to the bible and discover the reasons why this happened.

In PE, we will learn tennis skills.

In music, the Maple class will continue to learn the recorder, preparing for the recorder jamboree in March. The children will also begin to learn the songs for the play next term.

Anything else...

• PE kits on Wednesday and Thursday this term.
• Please bring reading records, reading books and learning journals to school each day.
• The children will need a set of outdoor shoes for the field as well as a water bottle each day.

Thank you

Term 3

Welcome back to term 3! Here's an overview of our different units this term.

In maths, the children will be taught in separate year groups this term, allowing the year 3s and year 4s to practise the specific times tables that need to be mastered for their year group. Mr Alfieri will teach the year 4 children and Mr Starkey will teach the year 3 children. Year 3 children will also focus on fraction during the term.

In literacy, we will read and explore the story: Beast of Olympus by Lucy Coats. This closely links to our history topic for the term. We will then learn about prepositions, adverbs and conjunctions before writing our own version of the story using this grammar knowledge. Finally, we will read and write our own biographies based on another person.

In science, year 3 children will be focussing on light. They will learn how light travels, how living creatures use light to see and discover patterns on how light sources and opaque objects create shadows. Year 4 children will focus on sound. They will learn how sound travels, how humans hear sound and also how sounds are produced by vibrations.

In history, we will dive into the world of the Ancient Greeks! This is a fantastic topic which I am sure the children will greatly enjoy. We will learn about different aspects of the Ancient Greek world and how we have been influenced by them and continue to be influenced by them today.

In ART, the children will learn how to draw with scissors and create their own collages. In RE, the children will answer the question 'What does it mean for Muslims to follow God' In PSHE, we will set goals for ourselves to achieve in the new year. In PE, the children will learn the techniques involved in handball and hockey.

Other things to highlight:

• PE kits to be worn on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Please bring indoor and outdoor shoes.)
• Please ensure reading records, reading books and learning journals are in school each day.
• Please can the children have school shoes as well as an outdoor set of shoes. They can have wellies if they would like to go onto the field.

Thank you!

Term 2

Welcome to term 2!

We've got another fabulous term ahead of us and we cannot wait to get going!

In maths, we will be recapping how to add and subtract large numbers using the column method. The children made a great start to this last term! Then, we will move onto telling the time on digital and analogue clocks. This may be tricky to begin with, but we will then recap with throughout the year. Finally, we will focus on 2D and 3D shapes.

In literacy, we will first dive into the world of poetry. The children will analyse poetic devices and structures, before planning and writing their very own poem with the theme of remembrance. Next, we will be reading the story 'Kai and the Monkey King - by Joe Todd Stanton' and learn how to use inference and prediction skills. The children will then become writers and learn how to punctuate speech as well as how to use expanded noun phrases to describe. Finally, the children will write their very own story inspired by the text.

In science, both year groups will be focusing on materials. Year 3 children will look at the states of different materials - solids, liquids and gases - and then look at how materials have different properties. Year 3 children will also then look at different types of rock and soil and also learn how fossils are formed. Year 4 children will focus on how certain materials can change states by evaporation and condensation. They will also learn about the water cycle.

In geography, the children will learn all about mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes! This is a very exciting topic to cover and one I am sure the children will enjoy. We will learn all about the structure of the earth, plate tectonics and whether anybody lives near to where potential disasters could take place.

In DT, we will design and make fabric cloths with a Christmas theme! The children will learn how to stitch and create their own products. In RE, the children will answer the question 'What does it mean if God is holy and loving?' In PSHE, we will learn about families and how families are different and how to respond to conflict and bullying. In PE, the year 3 children will take part in their swimming lessons, where they will develop water safety knowledge, gain confidence and begin to learn swimming strokes. All of the class will take part in sessions which involve games and hand-eye coordination skills.

Other things to highlight:

• PE kits to be worn on Tuesdays.
• Year 3 to wear uniform on Thursday and bring swimming kit.
• Year 4 to wear PE kit on Thursdays.
• Please ensure reading records, reading books and learning journals are in school each day.
• Please can the children have in indoor and outdoor set of shoes. (Wellies are optional.)

Thank you!

Term 1

After a brilliant summer, I hope you are all ready to dive into our first term! Our main topic this term is all about the Ancient Egyptians, and we will be learning all about their religion and belief systems. 

As well as history, we will take part in science sessions all about the human body, PE lessons learning different invasion game techniques, 2 ART projects including self portraits and clay models, as well as enrichment opportunities!

In maths, we will focus on numbers, particularly looking at the place value of numbers and what it means. We will also begin to focus on mental addition and subtraction activities as well.

In literacy, our focus will be on the book 'Egyptology'. Using this incredibly exciting book, we will learn how to write a mystery story of our own inspired by the Egyptians! We will pay particular attention to our handwriting, spelling and punctuation during the first few weeks of term.

Other important information:

• Children will have a reading record and school reading book. Please take time to allow the children space and time to read and record this.
• The children will be given weekly maths, spelling, times table and reading homework. More information will follow on the first Friday.
• Please send the children in with an indoor and outdoor set of shoes so that they can enjoy playtimes and lunchtimes and be in the correct uniform in the classroom.
• Please send the children with a healthy snack and a refillable water bottle each day, even if they are having a hot meal.

Please get in touch via the school office or ClassDojo if you have any queries.

Thank you