Cedar Class- Year 3
Welcome to Cedar Class 🌿
A very warm welcome to Cedar Class! We are so excited to begin our Year 3 journey together and to create a classroom where every child feels happy, safe, valued and ready to learn.
Cedar Class is a place where we want children to feel that they truly belong. We will encourage one another, celebrate each other’s successes and remember that everyone learns in different ways and at their own pace.
In our classroom, mistakes are welcome. We believe that getting something wrong, having another go and discovering a new way forward are all important parts of learning. Children will be encouraged to be brave, ask questions, share their ideas and take on new challenges—even when something feels a little tricky at first.
Year 3 will also be a year for imagination and creativity. We want our Eaves children to express themselves, explore their interests, think differently and have plenty of opportunities to be curious and creative across their learning.
Most importantly, Cedar Class will be a place filled with kindness, encouragement and high expectations. We want every child to grow in confidence, discover what they are capable of and feel proud of the progress they make.
The Year 3 Team cannot wait for all the learning, laughter, creativity and adventures ahead!
Mrs Bowles, Miss Gaskell and Mrs McCabe
English in Year 3...
This half term, our English learning will focus on developing our narrative and explanation writing, inspired by the classic children’s text The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. This exciting and imaginative story will give the children plenty of opportunities to explore rich vocabulary, develop memorable characters and settings, and create engaging narratives of their own. We will also use ideas from the text to develop our explanation writing, helping children to organise information clearly and explain how and why things happen. Along the way, we will continue to build confidence with spelling, punctuation, grammar and editing, encouraging children to take pride in their writing and enjoy expressing their ideas creatively.
We will be reading a class book every half term and this half term it will be 'Ug' by Raymond Briggs and 'The Stone Age: Hunters, Gatherers and Woolly Mammoths' by Marcia Williams. Both of these texts will enrich our history unit- 'The Stone Age.'
In Mathematics, children will be exploring numbers up 1000. Here is a website for practising-IXL - Count forwards - up to 1,000 (Year 3 maths practice)
In Science, we will be learning about Rocks. Have an explore here- Rocks - Year 3 Science - BBC Bitesize
In History, we will be investigating the Stone Age. This website has lots of handy information- The Stone Age – Years 3/4 and P4/5 History Collection - BBC Bitesize
When will my child have PE?
On Wednesday and Thursdays, your child should come to school dressed in their PE kit and trainers. Please see the uniform page on our website (https://www.eaves.st-helens.sch.uk/page/school-uniform/161792) 
What homework will my child be given?
Children are expected to read every day for around 10 minutes. Reading diaries should be signed by an adult and completed at least four times each week.
Each week, pupils will be asked to spend around 10 minutes on Times Tables Rockstars- this will help them in all areas of mathematics!
One written homework task will be set each week, alternating between Maths and English. Homework books will be sent home on Fridays and should be returned to school by Wednesday.
Why is reading so important?
Reading plays a vital role in Year 3, as children continue to grow in confidence and fluency. Sharing books at home—whether reading independently, reading aloud, or reading together—helps to build a love of reading and supports learning across the curriculum.
We ask that children read at least four times each week. These sessions do not need to be long; even a short, relaxed read can make a big difference. Please record reading in the diary and sign it to show your child has read.
Some children will also bring home phonics books to help develop their reading skills, alongside their usual reading book.
When a book is finished, children will complete a short quiz in school to support their understanding. Pupils will change their books regularly and are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for choosing books they enjoy, with guidance and support from adults when needed.
Useful Links
Year 3 & 4 Spelling list (from the National Curriculum):
Recommended reading books for Year 3 children
Year 3 reading list for children aged 7-8 | School Reading List
Phonics
https://www.littlewandle.org.uk/resources/for-parents/
Times Tables Rock Stars:
Year 3 Maths BBC Bitesize
Year 3 Timetable
Here is an example of a typical weekly timetable for our Year 3 class. Please note that lesson times and activities may change from week to week to reflect curriculum priorities and special learning opportunities.
