Year 3 Parent Information Evening

1. Year 3 Parent Information Evening September 9th 2014

2. Aims and purpose of this evening • To raise awareness of the routines and expectations in Year 3 • To inform you of curriculum content • To reinforce and outline the importance of the school and parent relationship and co-operation. • How and where you can help and enhance your son’s learning • To maximize learning opportunities and ensure that your son settles in well and makes the most of his first year at V.C.P

3. What you as a parent can do to help Ensure your son comes to school with the correct equipment. Check and sign the homework diary each day and view it as an invaluable means of communicating with the class teacher. Encourage independence but still maintain support until your child is ready to cope with routines alone. Continue to support your son with presentation of work including the basic skills that seem to be increasingly forgotten. Listen to your son read regularly and encourage your son to view reading in a very positive manner Support their mental maths agility and provide real life maths opportunities. Encourage your child to challenge themselves and be resilient. If possible provide invaluable support with trips and outings which are a vital means of enhancing our curriculum. Raise awareness of any issues however minor or trivial they may seem

4. Major events this term • House Cross country 17.10.14 • Reading Week 20.10.14 • Parent /teacher meeting - week beginning Monday 20th October • House Football • House Photography competition • Carol Service • Visits to Durrell and St. Paul’s Church

5. Literacy • In literacy we will be covering a variety of genres of writing including: stories with familiar settings, instructional texts, non-chronological reports, play scripts, myths/legends/fables and a variety of poetry styles. • The V.C.P planet scheme is the backbone of our reading. The scheme provides structure, variety and ensures continuity and progression. Movement through the planet scheme will be based on assessment and be at the teachers’ discretion. You should encourage your son to read as often and as widely as possible. • Encourage your son with his presentation. By the end of year 3 we expect every boy to be writing in an evenly sized, joined style. • Spellings should be practised using the L.S.C.W.C method every day and should be signed and dated. • At least one homework a week will be literacy based. • Each boy will also have a ‘free reader’ which they choose from their class library.

6. Numeracy • After half term the boys will be taught in sets which match their pace, confidence and ability. The sets are fluid and boys may be changed if the teachers feel that this would be beneficial to your child. • Numeracy homework will be set once a week on a Tuesday. This will be consolidating the areas covered. We would encourage you to support and practise mental agility as regularly as possible including tables. • Abacus Evolve is our main framework but we include many other approaches to the curriculum. • When helping your son with homework tasks please encourage him to share his methods with you. Do not be tempted to teach them a method that they are unfamiliar with as this may cause confusion.

7. Science • In Science we will be covering the following areas: • Teeth and healthy eating • Magnets • Materials • Sound • Helping plants grow well • The flowering plants cycle • Moving and growing.

8. P.E. • Curriculum: throughout the year the boys will be learning the following sports during their P.E. and games lessons: football, rugby, hockey, cricket, tennis, athletics, swimming, dodgeball, sportshall athletics, gymnastics and basketball. • Kit – What to wear when! • Extra curricular activities as scheduled (Calendar of Events) Boys will be notified of any changes. • Sportsmanship : V.C.P prides itself on this aspect of sport along with effort. Please try and encourage the boys to show excellent sportsmanship at all times! • Sports noticeboard

9. I.C.T. • In Year 3 the boys will each have access to an i-Pad which will be used regularly • Each class also has an allocated slot in the ICT suite. • A great deal of Humanities, Science and Literacy will be completed using I.C.T.

10. Music • Curriculum: during the year music lessons will have a balance of composing, performing, listening and appraising. • Hymn books should be named and kept in school. • Recorder folders ( recorder, recorder book, theory book and recorder cleaner) - should all be named and kept in school bag. • Recorder practice- it is recommended that boys do at least 5 minutes practice three times a week. • Extra - curricular activities as scheduled (Calendar of Events) Pupils will be notified of any changes. • Jersey Music Service Lessons - boys currently receiving tuition from J.M.S should have been notified directly by J.M.S about lesson times/days. Please contact the J.M.S on 832230 with any routine queries and let Mrs Silvester know if you have any concerns.

11. Homework • Most nights the homework is formally set. • A maximum of 30 minutes work is expected of which 10 minutes should be reading aloud. • Reading should be done every night as should spellings. • A structured approach is encouraged as is developing a routine. • Homework is not intended to become onerous. We are very aware of how tired the boys get and do not want to overload them; if it does become a problem please let us know. • Homework should be logged and signed on a daily basis.

12. Curriculum Support • VCP wants the boys to be able to maximise their learning and take advantage of all that we offer. • Curriculum Support covers a variety of needs – these broadly include: Those boys who have difficulty accessing the curriculum; Behavioural; Social and Emotional; Assessing progress. • This year the Teaching Assistants are going to be spending part of each day helping to meet the learning needs of some of the boys. Mrs. Hayhurst will be over-seeing the development of this work. • Communication between home and school is very important. The boys usually respond well to knowing that parents and staff are regularly communicating. Please contact school if you have concerns.