This morning, Year 3 enjoyed an energetic and engaging musical assembly from the Travelling by Tuba duo. Designed to inspire pupils across the primary range, the session delivered exactly that. The performers introduced a fascinating collection of unusual wind and brass instruments—many completely new to the children—and filled the hall with humour and captivating storytelling.

Pupils were taken on a musical journey around the world, encountering remarkable instruments such as the Chinese dragon‑headed trumpet, the Swiss alpine horn and giant Tibetan dungs. The children were amazed by their size and unique sounds, and the duo’s lively delivery kept everyone thoroughly entertained.

Year 3 especially enjoyed joining in with rhythms, actions and musical challenges. The performance also reinforced learning across music, history, geography and science, creating a rich cross‑curricular experience. The children left the hall buzzing with excitement and eager to share their favourite moments from this memorable musical adventure.

In our first science lesson on Light, Year 3 explored how we see objects and what happens in darkness. We began with a cardboard box filled with small play objects hidden inside. With the lid closed, we asked: Can we see the objects? The children quickly discovered that we couldn’t. We then pierced a single hole in the box and checked again—still no objects! Adding more holes didn’t help either; everything remained dark.

Next, we shone a torch through a hole at the top of the box. This time, the children noticed that they could see some of the objects directly in the torch beam. But when we shone the torch through a side hole, nothing appeared. Why? Because light travels in straight lines, and without the beam reaching the objects, they stay hidden.

We finished by learning that darkness is the absence of light—a great start to our new topic!

In today’s Computing lesson, Year 3 explored creating media through stop‑motion animation using the Chromebooks. We began by looking at how stop‑motion works and how a series of still images can be combined to create the illusion of movement. The children were excited to try it themselves and used simple stick‑figure characters to animate actions such as kicking a ball, throwing a ball, and other small movements.

We also learned about onion skinning, an important tool that helps animators see a faint outline of the previous frame. This made it easier for the children to make tiny, gradual adjustments and keep their characters’ movements smooth and consistent.

Once they understood the technique, pupils worked in pairs to capture their own short animations, carefully moving their figures a little at a time. The class showed fantastic creativity and teamwork, producing some brilliant first attempts at stop‑motion!

What an incredible World Book Day we have had in Year 3! Mrs Rose and Miss Edge (also known today as Snow White and Happy!) were absolutely amazed by the creativity and effort the children put into their outfits as they welcomed the children into the classroom. Our classrooms were filled with a magical mix of characters, from Willy Wonka and Where's Wally to Dorothy from Oz, a Roman soldier, Matilda, Disney princesses, action heroes, Mr Men characters, Harry Potter, Darth Vader and even some brilliant David Walliams characters. We began our day with a whole‑school assembly, thinking about what we find fun and how reading can bring joy, imagination and excitement into everyday life.

After assembly, we had the fantastic opportunity to join V&A Schools Live: Primary Read and Draw-Along webinar. We listened to the wonderful Cressida Cowell, who shared how she carefully planned her How to Train Your Dragon series from the very beginning, using meticulous notes and ideas to build her world. She also read from her collection, transporting us into the adventures of Hiccup and Toothless. The children especially loved the step-by-step draw‑along where they created their very own illustration of Hiccup. It was a brilliant experience that inspired creativity, storytelling and a deeper love of reading across the year group.

This week in Year 3, our young scientists took part in an exciting hands‑on investigation all about light—and more importantly, how it behaves. Our mission? To discover how light travels and why we sometimes can’t see objects, even when they’re right in front of us.

🔍 Our Science Challenge

We began with sealed cardboard boxes. Inside each box, we placed a selection of mystery objects—things like toy animals, cubes, dice, and small classroom items. On the top of each box, we carefully made small holes and peered inside.

But… nothing!
Even with our eyes right up to the holes, we couldn’t see a single thing inside the box.

True to our role as scientists, we stopped and asked ourselves the most important question of all:
“Why can’t we see the objects?”

💡 Our Investigation

Next, we added torches to our experiment. When we shone the torch through one hole, something amazing happened—we could suddenly see one object, but only the one directly below the beam of light.

The rest of the box remained dark.

This led us to an exciting discovery…

✨ Our Big Scientific Conclusion

We realised that:
💡 Light is needed for us to see objects.
💡 And light travels in straight lines.

Because the torch’s beam travelled directly downward, we could only see the item exactly in its path. Anything outside that straight beam stayed in darkness, hidden from view.

In Computing this half term, the children will be learning all about how animations are created. In our first lesson, we explored different types of animation and discovered how a simple sequence of images can be brought to life. The children were fascinated to learn that traditional flipbooks use this exact technique, showing pictures that change slightly from page to page to create movement. After looking at some examples, the class designed and made their very own flipbooks. They experimented with drawing small, gradual changes and were delighted to see their characters “come alive” when the pages were flipped quickly!

This half term in Design Technology, as part of our Textiles topic, the children have been exploring a range of existing pencil cases. They investigated what each pencil case was made from, how the materials felt and why different fabrics might have been chosen. The class also examined how each product was constructed, looking closely at zips, seams and stitching. We compared pencil cases with just one compartment to others with several sections, discussing which designs we preferred and why. This hands‑on exploration has helped the children understand what makes a textile product both functional and appealing.

Our Year 3 scientists had a fantastic time exploring the different layers of soil through a hands-on classification experiment! Using a range of sieving tools—including colanders and fine-mesh sieves—the children carefully separated a mixed soil sample into its distinct components. As they sifted, they observed how the pieces of organic matter and plant materials formed the humus layer, followed by the finer particles of topsoil and the denser subsoil beneath. The activity helped pupils understand how each layer plays an important role in supporting life and healthy ecosystems. The session was filled with curiosity, teamwork, and plenty of muddy excitement as the children discovered what lies beneath our feet.

We had a fantastic start to our ballet lessons today when The Royal School visited us for the first of six sessions, and we absolutely loved every moment of it. We began by trying out pliés and learning how important good posture is in dance, thinking carefully about engaging our abdominals and gluteus maximus muscles to help us stand tall and move with control. Miss Gough explained that holding our bodies correctly can make us feel better and more confident too. One of the highlights was pretending to be astronauts, moving slowly across the hall with long, extended actions as if we were floating in space. We then explored constellations, using our bodies to create still, balanced shapes inspired by the night sky. The live music from Mr Morris, who played guitar with a tambourine under his foot, made the lesson even more magical. We can’t wait for next week!

Year 3 had a fantastic Geography lesson this week learning all about climate zones around the world, including tropical, arid, temperate, polar and Mediterranean climates. To bring their learning to life, the children explored the daily weather in Manaus (Brazil), London (UK), Nuuk (Greenland), Cairo (Egypt) and Seville (Spain). They researched temperatures, sunshine, rain and wind for each location before writing and presenting their very own weather forecasts. After watching real forecasts for inspiration, the children created brilliant scripts that showed off their growing confidence, research skills and understanding of how weather changes across different climate zones.

In our Oracy lesson for Reading into Writing, we explored the topic of cognition by learning how to summarise our opinions clearly. We discussed what active listening looks like and why it is important in meaningful conversations. Working in pairs and trios, we shared our views and practised probing and challenging ideas politely. Using different debate cards, we began with table discussions that developed into whole-class conversations. Throughout the lesson, we used the “Agree, Build, Challenge” structure to show active listening, respond thoughtfully, and extend the discussion further, helping us communicate with greater confidence and clarity.

To celebrate Safer Internet Day, Year 3 took part in a special live BBC lesson all about staying safe and smart online. The session helped us think about how we use the internet every day and why it’s important to make good choices whenever we are using technology.

One of the key messages we explored was the importance of checking information—especially when it comes from AI tools. We learned that although AI can be very helpful, it doesn’t always get things right. The children practised spotting mistakes, asking questions, and thinking carefully before believing or sharing information they see online.

The class showed brilliant curiosity and gave thoughtful examples of times when they needed to check facts. Overall, it was a valuable session that reminded us all to stay critical, kind, and safe when using the internet.

Year 3 have taken part in a series of RSE lessons designed to help them understand their bodies, stay safe, and appreciate the diversity of families.

In our first lesson, children learned the correct names for male and female body parts. Using accurate vocabulary helps them understand their bodies and communicate clearly if they ever need support.

The second lesson focused on personal boundaries. We discussed appropriate and inappropriate touch and identified trusted adults they can speak to if they ever feel worried. The children also enjoyed singing the PANTS song: “What’s in my pants belongs only to me!”, which reinforced the message that their body is their own.

In the final lesson, we explored different types of families. Children shared examples and recognised that families can look different, but all are built on love and care.

The class showed maturity, respect, and thoughtful engagement throughout.

There was lots of excitement  as the children taking part in Schools Alive recorded the audio for their upcoming performance at the Winter Gardens!

They worked brilliantly together, using their loud, clear voices and putting real enthusiasm into every line. The recording session gave them a fantastic preview of what it will feel like to perform on the big stage, and their energy was wonderful to see. We can’t wait to hear the final performance—well done, everyone!

Year 3 Dive into Imagination with Author Dan Worsley

Our Year 3 students were treated to an unforgettable morning when the amazing author Dan Worsley visited to deliver one of his high‑energy storytelling workshops. From the moment he began, Dan’s animated style had every child completely hooked.

With his trademark enthusiasm, Dan transported the children straight to a mysterious, litter‑strewn beach. There, looming among the piles of rubbish, was a bizarre sea creature like no other. The children gasped as they imagined it's eight long, thick tentacles, crooked, jagged teeth, and a circular,red eye capable of shooting a laser beam. This strange creature devoured every scrap of rubbish it could find—but despite his helpful intentions, he accidentally frightened the local people, who chased him away. Without their unexpected helper, the rubbish quickly began to pile up again…

Dan’s storytelling not only captured the children's imaginations but inspired them to create worlds of their own. After the tale, the Year 3 pupils set to work sketching their own unique sea creatures, each more inventive than the last. They eagerly described what their creatures looked like, how they behaved, and what magical or monstrous abilities they possessed.

The classroom buzzed with creativity, laughter, and excitement. It was clear the children thoroughly enjoyed every moment of their workshop. Many left still chatting animatedly about their creatures—and they absolutely cannot wait for Dan Worsley’s next visit.

A huge thank you to Dan for igniting such imaginative thinking. We’re already looking forward to the next adventure!

This week in Year 3 French, we continued our exciting journey into the world of language learning with a focus on animals—les animaux. The children loved diving into new vocabulary and discovering some surprising rules about how French works!

This week, Year 3 have been learning all about climate zones and how temperature and precipitation vary across the globe. To help us understand these differences, we located Manaus (Brazil), Nuuk (Greenland), London (United Kingdom), Seville (Spain) and Cairo (Egypt) on a world map. The children enjoyed spotting which places were close to the equator and which were nearer the poles.

We discovered that Manaus, in northern Brazil, has a hot, tropical climate with high temperatures and lots of rainfall. In contrast, Nuuk, in Greenland, is extremely cold with very low temperatures throughout the year. London has a mild and changeable climate, while Seville, in southern Spain, is warm and sunny with very hot summers. Finally, Cairo, in Egypt, has a desert climate, meaning it is very hot and receives very little rain.

Year 3 loved comparing these places and spotting global weather patterns. 🌦️🌍