1. Great start to the year!
Children have arrived enthused and looking smart.
Please ensure all uniform is labelled as difficult to keep track of 30 jumpers!

2. PE will be on Wednesday up until Christmas (swimming).
Class 3A–Mrs Wilson
PE will be on Wednesday up until Christmas (swimming).
Library day is a Friday.
A warm welcome to year 3! Introduce myself!

3. PE will be on Wednesday up until Christmas (swimming).
Class 3B- Miss Button
PE will be on Wednesday up until Christmas (swimming).
Library day is a Friday.

4. PE will be on Wednesday up until Christmas (swimming).
Class 3C – Miss Foard
PE will be on Wednesday up until Christmas (swimming).
Library day is a Tuesday.

5. Housekeeping
Whenever possible dinner money should be handed in on a Monday, or paid online.
Check the school website for updates and information (links).
Parentmail, please ensure the office have your current address and mobile phone number for text messages.

6. Housekeeping
Please label your child’s uniform including PE kit and coat.
Lost property is kept in the Year 3/4 porch.
Parent consultations will be held across two weeks in November.
You will be advised of exact day shortly.
Cloakroom outside class.

7. We will always make time to discuss any concerns you or your children have, please make an appointment with us at the end of the school day or contact us via the office.

8. Housekeeping
If children would like a snack at break time then you will need to provide them with fruit or vegetables.

9. Home Time
Please stand back from the door as that makes it easier for us and for the children, to see who is waiting.
The children should tell the Teacher who they can see and then point.
Please refrain from coming over and taking your child, we need to know who the children go home with. D

10. Homework!
Homework will go out on a Monday and should be handed in by the Friday. Weekends are for playing and family time!
The children will receive a mixture of English and Maths each week.
Reading (short bursts daily is best), you must sign the Reading Record book when you hear your child read.
Maths game (fortnightly) up and running soon  A
It is your child’s responsibility to hand in their homework, we encourage them to hand in promptly on a Monday as it is a quick turnaround – with the next piece of homework going out on a Wednesday.
Maths game is very important and a fun way for your child to learn maths, it is also quality time together as a family. If too difficult use lower numbers, alternatively if too easy use higher numbers. We do try to match the correct level of game to each child. Please sign the book. Maths worksheet will appear soon!
The homework set will help to embed what your child is learning about in school and also allows you to see what they have been learning.
Please could you sign to say you have seen them. Your child will receive a book mark with the targets on.
Allow your child to complete as independently as possible.
This week your child has an order form for Christmas cards – their designs will be going up on the windows of the glass corridor very shortly. Order forms need to be back asap. Closing date is 27/9.
We welcome your input so please feel free to write comments/leave feedback when necessary.

11. Homework!
Spellings will be given on a Friday, which will be learnt the following week during class.
An informal test will be given the following Friday.

12. Term 1- Heroes and villains
Year 3 Topic Overview
Term 1- Heroes and villains
Term 2-Tribal Tales
Term 3- Gods and Mortals
Book Dalmatians
Music focus with rap performance at the end of term
Book – Stig of the dump
Kent Life Trip
History focus – create ancient monument from junk modelling
Book - Greek myths
Greek dress up day with food tasting and mini Olympics
History focus – Greek vase designing and painting

13. Year 3 Topic Overview Term 4 - Predator Term 5 – Mighty Metals
Term 6 - Flow
Book – Sheep Pig
Animal visit
Science focus – creating own predator in art lessons
Book – The Iron Man
Park visit
Science focus – junk modelling a friend with moving parts for Iron Man
Book – Swallows and
Amazons
Geography focus – making a volcano and performing a contemporary dance

14. Maths in St John’s

15. Curriculum A new Curriculum programme has been implemented from Yr 1-6
The aim is to provide consistency in approach across the school
Each Year Group is a learning journey and is a stepping stone to the next year.
The curriculum provides challenge and opportunity for all children to achieve their full potential.
Challenge is a focus for our school year!

16. Pupil Pathways
The Pupil pathways identify the specific expectation for each Year Group, with the overview providing how and when topics are taught to ensure coverage and depth of understanding.
Copies available for you at the side

18. ***Inset Curriculum overview for your year group

19. Maths In Maths we focus on the fundamentals of:
Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning.
We encourage pupils to explore and discuss their Maths to promote and develop conceptual understanding and depth of knowledge.
Alongside this, we teach Arithmetic, to ensure pupils develop their number skills and are procedurally fluent.

20. An overview of concepts/topics from our scheme will be available on the school website ‘Year pages.’
The scheme is designed to provide consistency and depth across the school.
The school calculation policy is available on the website.
Parent leaflets are available with some tips and ideas that can be used at home to support your children.

21. Number Work and Timestables
Ensuring that our children are Number Fluent is essential:
This includes number bonds and timestables:
Yr 1 – Count forward and back to and from 100 (including in steps)
Tables 2,5,10s.
Y 2 – Count forward and back to and beyond 100 (including in steps)
Tables 2,5,10s multiplication and division and beginning 3s.
Yr 3 – Count in 10s and 100s up to 1000 from any given number
Tables 3,4,8s as multiplication and division (2,5,10s from KS1)
Yr 4 – Count in 10s, 100s and 1000s from any given number
tables 6,7,9,11,12s as multiplication and division (2,3,4,5,10s from previous year groups)
Yr 5/6 – Know and use all timestables and understand indices (square, cubed, square root etc…)

22. Latest information from the Government is that pupils will have to sit formal ‘Timestable Tests’ beginning in 2018/2019 for use from 2019 onwards.

23. Timestable Challenge in KS2
Across Key Stage Two, pupils will participate in the Timestable Challenges.
There are two Bronze, Silver and Gold activities within each Year group.
Pupils need to achieve at least 98 in both activities to be awarded the certificate.
Improvement is key! Pupils will also be rewarded and praised for their effort and improvement (even 1 point is progress)
Activities are available on the Maths section of the school website.

24. Maths Homework
Maths homework is planned to enable pupils to develop their skills.
Homework will include:
Timestable and Number work
Arithmetic calculations
Problem Solving games to develop thinking (to be played as a family)
Online Games (Abacus)

25. Abacus Games will be allocated by the class teacher
Children can play the games more than once to improve their score.
Pupils will earn points and be able to ‘buy’ things to create their own virtual platform
Games will remain on their platform to enable pupils to play on average up to 5 times
Bronze, Silver and Gold Prizes can be won.
Passwords will be provided to the children
Activities will be matched to the children’s class learning

26. A Key Message Encourage children to have a GROWTH MINDSET with Maths.
All children can achieve in Maths – we need to remove words like: “I can’t” or “I’m no good at Maths.” These words create barriers to learning.
Maths is not always about a right or wrong answer – sometimes it’s about exploring….

27. English at St John’s

28. Homework –
Spelling lists will go home every week as part of their homework. The rules will be learnt in school and children will test one another using our clued spelling process.

29. Reading for enjoyment
Click here for video

30. Reading at home Share - take turns reading. Model reading aloud.
Choice – magazines, comics, information books.
Find somewhere cosy – make it a special time.
Sign reading record at least once a week. Make comments about your child’s reading and how they are progressing i.e. pages read and books completed.
Teachers will keep you up to date with progress in their quizzes through the reading record.

31. Rewards

32. Reading Journeys

33. Promote children’s love of reading at St John’s
Accurately assess the most suitable books for your child.
Children complete a quiz when they finish the book.
Every quiz passed is a step on their reading journey (earning prizes).
100% entry to a termly lucky dip draw to win a Kindle Fire.
Children may want to read books which are not stored on Accelerated Reader. They will still be rewarded by progressing on their reading journeys.

34. Children complete an online reading assessment which gives them a book level range.
For example:
Child A, has a book range of 2.3 – 3.5.
They start by reading books at the lower end of that range and progress to the upper end.
Teachers will closely monitor how they do in the quizzes to ensure they are selecting the correct level of books.

36. Looking for books at home… Go to www.arbookfind.co.uk
Go to advanced search.
Put in the interest level of your child.
Select your child’s level range (ATOS).
Click search.

37. You can see a list of suitable AR books.
Alternatively you can use the ‘Quick Search’ to see if books are AR and therefore quizzable.

38. How we teach reading…
We are using class novels linked in with our topics to model reading aloud to the class.

39. Growth Mindset

40. Growth Mindset (a whole school approach)

43. Assessment

44. Children should be reported as EMERGING, EXPECTED or EXCEEDING the standards for their year.
Floor target of 85% of year 6 children to reach ‘Expected Standard’ for year 6 in Summer 2017.

45. School Website
The Home page will have information about upcoming events in the school. It is continually updated and will advise of you of any changes.
The Maths page of the school website will have links to:
The updated calculations policy
Year Group Guidance / Programmes of Study
Links to games and activities
The Year Group page will have information specific to Year 3 and an overview of what is being covered in each term.

46. First Holy Communion First Holy Communion will be in May.
Holy Communion Talk
Sacrament of Reconciliation/ Confession service Letter will be going out imminently.
Commitments involved- mass attendance each week, involvement in school liturgy.
There will be specific details at the First Holy Communion talk later in the term.

47. Upcoming dates
Harvest Mass will be on Sunday 8th October at 10.30am in St John’s.
Trip to Kent Life will be on Friday 24th November.

48. Thank you 
Please feel free to approach your child’s teacher to ask us any general questions related to tonight’s talk.
We are sure your child will have a successful and enjoyable year!

49. PTA
What does the PTA do?
All the money raised by the PTA goes directly to supporting the children, funding equipment and trips:
For example:
Every child in Year 6 got a leaving hoody
Subsidising Leeds Castle trip for reception
Board games per class for wet play
£500 towards trip to the beach for Year 6
Data logger and training

50. What events do the PTA run?
Discos
Film nights
Clown and magician for nursery and reception
PTA Fun Day
Christmas cards
Mothers’ and Fathers’ days gift sales
Bags 2 School
There will be a Family Fun Quiz Night later this term

51. But we can only do it with your support
PTA
But we can only do it with your support
The more, the merrier!
The more parents we have representing the PTA and helping organise events, the better the PTA will be!