Friday 13th March DT day 

Today was DT Day in Year 3, and the children had a fantastic time learning how to programme a Micro:bit. They designed an eCharm for road safety, which could help remind children how to cross the road safely.

Throughout the day, the children explored how technology has changed and advanced from the 1980s to the present day. They also learned the basics of coding and programming a Micro:bit, experimenting with different functions and commands.

Working in pairs, the children then designed an eye-catching pouch to safely store and carry their Micro:bit. It was wonderful to see their creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills throughout the day. The class showed great enthusiasm and produced some fantastic ideas!

World Book Day 2026

Year 3 had an amazing time celebrating World Book Day! The children all looked fantastic in their costumes and it was wonderful to see so many creative outfits.

Throughout the day, the children created their own stories and had the opportunity to share them with Year 4 during reading buddies, which they really enjoyed. They also took part in the “Masked Reader” activity, which was a big hit and had everyone guessing who was behind the mask!

It was a fun-filled day that celebrated our love of reading and storytelling.

Mental Health Week (9th–13th February 2026)

This week, Year 3 marked Mental Health Week by exploring what wellbeing means and thinking about the different ways we can look after it. The children had thoughtful discussions about belonging, what it means, how it feels, and why it is so important for everyone to feel included, safe and valued.

To celebrate this, the children worked with their grown-ups to create beautiful positivity chains filled with uplifting quotes and kind words. We also spent time in circle discussions sharing ideas and took part in mood-boosting breaks to help us recognise and manage different emotions.

Tuesday 3rd February - Art 

In Art, our topic Fabric of Nature was inspired by the rainforest. Throughout this unit, the children explored pattern design, drawing inspiration from the work of William Morris. They investigated the batik technique, beginning by designing a rainforest-themed pattern and drafting it carefully on paper before transferring it onto fabric. To achieve a more precise finish, the children lightly sketched their designs in pencil on the fabric, then traced over the lines using glue. Once the glue had dried, they painted over the fabric. After the paint had fully dried, the batik pieces were soaked to remove the glue, revealing the final resist pattern.

Following this lesson, the children explored the concept of repeating patterns. They examined examples of work linked to how pattern designers operate within the creative industries and learned how repeating patterns are created. Using collaging techniques, the children designed their own repeating patterns, drawing on the mood boards they had developed in previous lessons.

Friday 23rd January 2026: Art day 

Year 3 launched their new Craft and Design unit today with an inspiring introduction to the artwork of William Morris. The children explored his intricate patterns and held thoughtful discussions about his creative techniques and the stories behind his designs.

To spark their own creativity, the classroom was transformed with the sights and sounds of the rainforest. This immersive experience fuelled their imaginations as they produced a series of expressive drawings, gathering their ideas into vibrant mood boards.

Building on this, the children investigated how drawing can be used to develop patterns and motifs. They each selected a rainforest animal and sketched it from four different perspectives, experimenting with shape, detail and composition.

The children had a fantastic day and produced some truly impressive artwork. Their enthusiasm and creativity shone throughout the session, setting a wonderful tone for the rest of the unit.

Year 3 had a fantastic time making their own seasonal tarts in DT as part of their learning about food and where it comes from. The children carefully chose three vegetables that are grown in the UK, thinking about seasonality and freshness before preparing their tarts. The finished tarts looked amazing and even better, they were absolutely delicious!

Today we explored the different layers of soil, from rich topsoil to rocky bedrock, and learned how each layer supports plant and animal life. To bring our learning to life, we created our own edible soil models using ingredients like crushed cookies, marshmallows, and cereal to represent each layer. This hands-on (and delicious!) activity helped us visualise soil composition in a fun and memorable way.

Today, the children focused on developing their cutting and peeling skills. They have previously learned how to use a table knife, and today they were introduced to a vegetable knife. This new knife is sharper than a table knife, making it better suited for cutting through tougher foods.

We practised two grips to cut the vegetables - a bridge hold and a claw hold. 

Pitt Rivers and Natural History Museum!

Our adventure began with us becoming real-life Rock Stars! We dived into the fascinating world of rocks, discovering the unique features of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. We investigated how each type is formed and why rocks are so important in our everyday lives. The children were amazed as they explored sparkling minerals, examined fossils hidden within sedimentary rocks and uncovered the stories they tell about life long ago. The highlight of the morning was examining a meteorite—an actual rock from outer space that is older than Earth itself!

In the afternoon, we travelled back in time on an exciting journey from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age and finally into the Iron Age. The children became expert investigators, using clues, evidence and their brilliant historical knowledge to work out whether mysterious artefacts were Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age or Iron Age— and they got every single one correct!

Our visit ended with a thrilling scavenger hunt through the museum galleries. From bird traps and axe heads to ancient spear points, the children raced to track down a whole range of fascinating artefacts.

We had a truly fantastic day at the museum—full of curiosity, discovery and hands-on learning. The class absolutely loved exploring the fossils and artefacts, and we can’t wait for our next adventure!

Science magnet workshop 

Today, Siemens visited Year 3 to deliver a fantastic and inspiring science workshop! The children were amazed as they watched exciting demonstrations using liquid nitrogen, including experiments with balloons, flowers, and magnets. They also explored superconducting magnets powered by electricity and permanent magnets, learning how each one works in fascinating ways. The session was a brilliant opportunity for the children to deepen their understanding of magnets and discover new, fun science facts through real-life experiments. It was a engaging experience for everyone. 

Monday 10th November - Hook lesson - News reporters.

To introduce our exciting new text, The Iron Man by Ted Hughes, the children had a fantastic time stepping into the role of TV news reporters! They planned and presented clear, engaging news reports about the first sighting of the mysterious Iron Man. It was wonderful to see everyone so enthusiastic and confidently performing their reports in front of the class — a brilliant start to our new story

In this lesson, children explored prehistoric handprint art inspired by the Chauvet cave paintings. After viewing examples of positive and negative handprints, they learned how to create their own versions using natural colours from previous lessons. Working in groups on large sheets of paper, pupils experimented with both techniques — pressing painted hands onto the paper and painting carefully around their hands to create outlines. Through this activity, they discovered how ancient artists expressed themselves.

In this lesson, children painted their Stone Age animal drawings onto the textured “cave wall” backgrounds they created previously. 

In this unit, the children explored the world of prehistoric art by recreating the techniques of early cave painters. They began with a “Natural Colours Walk” to collect materials like leaves, mud, and petals, which they used to experiment with mark-making and to create their own natural paint using spices. Using these handmade pigments, the children made textured “cave wall” surfaces from materials such as oats and lentils. In the next lesson, they will sketch and paint Stone Age animal designs onto these surfaces, mixing natural-inspired colours and applying the techniques learned earlier to bring their prehistoric artwork to life.

By looking closely and thinking carefully, we learned that artefacts are pieces of evidence that help us build a picture of the past.

The children were asked questions such as: 

• 🏺 What do you think this artefact was used for?

• 🧍‍♀️ Who might have used this object in the Bronze Age?

• 🔨 What is it made of, and how do you think it was made?

• 💭 What does this artefact tell us about life long ago?

• ❓ Why do you think this artefact was important to the person who owned it?

In this lesson, children learned how charcoal was made from willow branches and used it to create prehistoric-style animal drawings. 

Using biscuits, icing, and a whole lot of imagination, we designed and constructed our very own mini Stonehenges. Just like the real builders, we worked carefully, problem-solved, and celebrated our creations!

On Tuesday 23^rd September, the children blasted off into science and creativity in a session led by Science Oxford! They explored air power by designing and decorating plastic bottle rockets, which they safely launched using water and compressed air. Working in pairs or small groups, they practised key scientific skills - asking questions, observing, and drawing conclusions, while experimenting with nose cones, fins, and streamers. They tested whether a water rocket would soar higher with less or more water inside. They concluded that the less water the rocket had, the higher it flew into the air. The workshop combined teamwork, creativity, and real-world science fun. The children had a blast!

Our Stone Age Day was a huge success! Children arrived in fantastic costumes and explored prehistoric Britain through timelines, artefacts, and hands-on activities. They became hunter-gatherers, “hunted” animals with beanbags, and created cave paintings to tell stories - bringing history to life in the most fun and creative way. We’re now looking forward to seeing real Stone Age artefacts on our upcoming trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum!