Willow
History - The Anglo-Saxons and Vikings - How hard was it to invade and settle in Britain?
This term in History, we will journey back over a thousand years to explore the dramatic arrival of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings in Britain. Through engaging lessons and thought-provoking questions, children will uncover who these groups were, what motivated them to leave their homelands, and how they attempted to claim new territory.
Our focus will centre on the key question: How hard was it to invade and settle in Britain? Pupils will examine the fierce battles, dangerous sea voyages, and resistance from local populations that made life as an invader anything but easy. Using maps, artefacts, and historical evidence, we’ll investigate the strategies used for both conquest and settlement.
By the end of the term, children will have gained a vivid understanding of this transformative period in British history—and how the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings helped shape the nation we know today.
Maths
This term in Maths, Year 3 pupils will be building on their skills and confidence as we explore three key areas of learning: time, shape, and statistics.
Children will begin the term by continuing their learning in time. They will deepen their understanding of the 12- and 24-hour clock, and solve real-life problems involving time, including calculating durations and comparing lengths of events.
Next, we will be identifying and describing 2D and 3D shapes, including their properties such as angles, sides, faces, and vertices. Children will also explore symmetry and begin to understand how shapes can be classified and sorted using mathematical vocabulary.
In our final unit (statistics), we will look at how information can be collected and presented. Children will interpret pictograms, bar charts, and tables, and use the data to answer questions and draw conclusions.
English
Our focus text will be - Ada's Violin - Susan Hood
This term in English, we will be exploring a variety of engaging and enriching writing styles, all linked to our core text, Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood. This inspiring true story of creativity and resilience will provide the foundation for much of our reading and writing. We will begin the term by learning how to write clear and effective instructional texts. Drawing inspiration from the resourcefulness of the Recycled Orchestra, the children will write their own instructions on how to create instruments from everyday materials! Next, we will explore poetry, using the powerful imagery and emotional depth in Ada’s Violin as a springboard. They will study a variety of poetic forms and techniques, and will craft their own poems, reflecting the themes of music, hope, and transformation. To conclude the term, we will delve into biography writing. Building on the true events in Ada’s Violin, children will research and write about inspirational real-life figures, learning how to organise and present factual information in an engaging and structured way.
Reading
As a class, we really enjoy reading, and we read for at least 20 minutes a day. The reading record will be checked every day and this will contribute to your child achieving their Bronze, Silver and Gold Certificates for 10 days of reading.
Forest School
Our class will participate on a Wednesday afternoon with Mrs Crosby. Please ensure that your child has their boots and kit every week. Please speak to us if you need guidance on what is required.
PE
Friday afternoon and will be with our specialist sports instructors who will use their extensive coaching knowledge to support a variety of different sports.
Homework
The class teacher will inform the parents of the homework via Seesaw
Spellings will be set via Spelling Frame. Children have one week to complete the test on the given words.
French homework is via Languagenut and each child is required to complete a test on a given topic within a week.
Our weekly timetable
