Year 3
Curriculum Summary for Parents
Term 1 • 2025/26
This information represents a summary of plans for the term. Please understand that all plans are flexible; there is always the possibility that fewer (or more) topics will be covered than those stated.
Subject Topics
English
Thematic approach
We will be developing our ‘Talk for Writing’ approach through the term, with the intention of helping children to internalise the text we are studying and internalise the structure and language of the different text types. We will be writing poetry and focusing on our narrative skills, as well as exploring non-fiction texts. Securing the phonics understanding of all children in Year 3 will be a primary goal for this year and some children will be working on their phonics skills to help them become more confident and fluid readers. We have invested in a comprehensive phonics program from ‘Read, Write, Inc’ which will then lead into the Year 3 spelling scheme. Each week, we will be looking at different spelling patterns from the Year 3 curriculum. The children will be reading a range of class texts this year, alongside reading extracts to help them develop their prediction and inference skills, with a focus on improving reading speed and accuracy as well.
Focusing on core arithmetic skills, including:
• Place value with 3 digit numbers
• Securing our core number bond knowledge
• Multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000
• Mental addition and subtraction
• Formal written methods for addition and subtraction
• Introduction to multiplication methods
• Initial focus on learning our 3, 4 and 8 times tables
Our themes for this term are ‘Our Perspectives’ and ‘Inspiring Narratives’. During these themes, the children will experience engaging and exciting launch days which will introduce the overarching theme to them, and then we will explore the theme in more detail, asking the children in which direction they would like to shape the learning. Through the theme, the children will develop a number of key skills, and the direction of the learning may vary between the classes depending on their interest. Key to the success of our thematic approach, is the need to develop learning traits within our children, including their resilience, ability to collaborate effectively, willingness to enquire further and problem-solving skills. The topics will help develop their curiosity and intrigue into areas of their own interest.
Focus on:
• Greetings
• Saying ‘how you are’ and expressing feelings
• Pets and colours
• Where you are living
• Days of the week / months of the year
• Numbers
• Birthdays and Christmas events
Focusing on ‘Landscapes and Settlements’
1. Where I live
2. What is in my city
3. What is in my village
4. What is in the mountains
5. What is in the desert
6. What is on the island
Focus on ‘School Life’
1. Review Greetings and Feelings
2. Name Classroom Objects
Spanish (SFC)
3. Talk about School subjects
4. Use Classroom Instructions
5. Learn how to Express Opinions
Maths
French
Kiswahili
Computing
Music
P.E.
Swimming
P.S.H.E.
Understanding relationship between hardware and software Understanding algorithms, sequences and programs Introduction to programming languages – Scratch Exploring and controlling simulations in Scratch; applying real world examples to programming parts of a robot. About the internet – menus and passwords, Common software/apps, and applying them to cross-curricular themes.
Musical Memory
Prior skills check & recorder note reviews, introduce 5 line staff notation
Reading a Song
Building music literacy & aural skills through learning new recorder notes
The Song in My Head
Aural imagination & inner hearing forming
Year 3-4 Play Prep
A focus on the benefits of warming up and warming down. Looking at how to increase stamina, muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance and encompassing the different components of fitness, including flexibility, agility, balance and coordination. Improve PBs in all disciplines: Sprinting techniques for 50m, 75m, 100m, 200m. Middle distance running for 800m, various Jumps, Ball Throw techniques, relay skills. The children will develop fundamental football skills, including passing and shooting, whilst working on their basic cricket skills, such as batting, bowling and wicket-keeping.
Fundamental skills stages of Swim England LTAD to develop their own personal skills, including freestyle and backstroke focusing on stroke mechanics and efficiency. This focuses lessons on learning water skills through fun. They have gained confidence by taking part in activities such as star floats, bomb jumps, and under water swimming.
Being me in my world – the key topics covered in this puzzle piece include looking at our achievements and valuing ourselves and others. Pupils will discuss how to make other people feel welcome, as well as what they think a nightmare and dream school would look like (including rules, rewards & sanctions and who to go to if they feel they need help). This unit culminates in the class discussing a Classroom Charter to aid positive learning.
Celebrating differences - the key topics covered in this puzzle piece include understanding that everyone is different and that should be celebrated. Topics discussed include families and their importance in our lives. We try to emphasise that there are lots of different families ie immediate family, school family etc. Pupils will also discuss conflicts (such as falling out with friends / bullying) and how that makes us feel but most importantly what we should do about it / how we can help resolve issues.