WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

It has been a very productive week for Year 3! In Science, the children continued learning about light. They explored what a shadow is and how shadows are formed, taking part in practical investigations to find out which factors affect the size of a shadow. Using torches, they measured how the shadow changes as an object moves further away from the light source. In R.E., the children continued learning about prayer and discussed how the decision to pray, and how often, is a personal choice that reflects someone’s beliefs and values. They explored similarities and differences between prayer and reflection, showing appreciation and understanding for the different ways people choose to express themselves. They also discussed the importance of respecting everyone’s choices and values before choosing to write either their own reflection or prayer. In Art, the children continued their charcoal exploration and learned about chiaroscuro – the technique of creating contrast between light and dark. Experimenting with a variety of mark-making techniques, blending with their fingers and a dry brush, and layering chalk for highlights, they practised building areas of shadow and light to bring depth and drama to their artwork.

 

EDUCATIONAL VISIT - BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

On Wednesday 21st January 2026, Year 3 will be visiting BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden. This visit supports our Religious Education learning on Hinduism, helping children deepen their understanding and answer our big question: "What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?" During the visit, the children will participate in a short presentation on Hindu beliefs, watch the History of the Mandir video, take part in a guided tour, experience Darshan (viewing of the sacred images), observe the Arti ceremony, and have the opportunity to ask questions.

The cost of the visit is £13.50 for transport. Please make this payment via the Trips section of your Arbor account. If you need any support, please contact the school office.

Parents are needed to support the trip – please click here (Google Form) to volunteer to support.

Please see the letter below for more information.

 

WORKSHOP - EXPLORING CHARCOAL

Year 3 took part in an amazing Art Workshop with the talented artist Laura McKendry, where they explored and experimented with charcoal in creative and playful ways. The children experimented with making bold, sweeping marks using their whole bodies—drawing while standing, sitting, or even lying on the floor—to capture energy and movement in their artwork. They learned how to manipulate charcoal to show tone, creating light and dark areas that made their drawings appear more three-dimensional and realistic. Through playful exploration, they discovered how to use charcoal to express emotion—pressing lightly to create soft “whispers” and pushing down firmly for loud “shouts.” Using a range of textured surfaces such as Lego, wicker and wallpaper, they experimented with mark-making to create depth and interest. The workshop was wonderfully creative, messy, and full of expression!

 

Multicultural week

The Year 3 children had a wonderful time learning all about Romania and the inspiring tennis player Emma Raducanu. They explored key facts about Romania, including its location, currency, and climate, and even learned to say some words in Romanian such as “hello” and “friend” — with help from children with Romanian heritage, who supported everyone with the correct pronunciation! To show their learning, the children created colourful posters full of interesting facts about the country and took part in traditional Romanian dancing, practising the steps together while listening to Romanian music. Inspired by Romanian culture, the children got busy in The Nest baking Cornulețe cu gem, traditional Romanian jam cookies. They followed the recipe carefully, rolled out the dough and produced some delicious treats! The children also learned about Emma Raducanu, a Briton with Romanian heritage. They researched her life and achievements, writing detailed fact files that celebrated her resilience and determination. They also reflected on how she inspires and influences them, sharing their thoughts in creative postcards written to Emma.

 

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are delighted to let you know that on Thursday 6th November 2025, the Year 3 children will take part in an art workshop: Gestural Drawing with Charcoal, led by Laura McKendry, an artist and Hazelwood parent. We would like to thank Laura for leading this workshop and providing the children with an amazing experience to interact with and learn from her.

During the session, the children will:

• Learn how to apply charcoal in different ways to make areas lighter or darker
• Practise techniques for reducing charcoal to create contrast and depth
• Use charcoal to express themselves and portray everyday objects
• Experiment with mark-making using objects such as building blocks

On the day, the children should wear:

• Full school uniform
• Comfortable trainers
• Although charcoal is washable, too much of it may leave a permanent mark. Children may wear an additional top underneath their school jumper for the workshop.

If your child has any additional needs and you feel certain adjustments may be required for them to fully participate, please contact the Inclusion Team, who will be more than happy to support you.

We look forward to an inspiring and creative workshop!

Kind regards,
The Year 3 Team

Year 3 LEARNING HIGHLIGHTS

The Year 3 children began learning about instructional writing. They read the text ‘How to Mummify a Tomato’ and identified its key features, which they organised into a writer’s toolkit. Next, they will use this toolkit to write their own set of instructions on how to mummify a different fruit or vegetable. In Maths, the children practised adding and subtracting using manipulatives, such as Base 10. They explored adding and subtracting 1s, 10s and 100s, noticing patterns when only one digit changes. In Geography, the children continued their rivers topic by investigating how rivers shape the land. Using playdough, they created models of the upper course of a river and labelled its key physical features. In Design & Technology, the children wrote their own bread recipes, carefully considering whether they wanted their bread to be savoury or sweet, the shape it would take, and the extra ingredients they might add for flavour. Finally, in Science, the children researched where humans get their energy from. They learned about food groups such as proteins and carbohydrates and how they support the body, like helping their muscles to recover.

 

Year 3 visiting brookwater house care home

Dear Parents/Carers,

As part of our community action work, Year 3 will be visiting Brookwater House Care Home (Care Home Website) every Wednesday from the 24^th September 2025 until the end of the academic year. 

Each week, a small group of five children will visit the care home accompanied by a member of staff, where they will spend time talking with residents and joining in with activities. This will give the children a valuable opportunity to contribute positively to our community, while also learning from the experiences of others.

If you would prefer that your child does not take part in this visit, please let your child’s class teacher or the school office know by Friday 19^th September.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards,
The Year 3 Team

Introduction to baking bread

As an introduction to their new Design and Technology unit on Baking Bread, Year 3 explored different types of bread through research, discussion, and a taste test.

The children first learnt that bread is a staple food eaten in many countries around the world. They reflected on when they personally eat bread and shared examples from their own lives. They were introduced to the names of different breads from across the globe and used the web to find out more about their origins, characteristics, and qualities, expressing preferences for the ones they liked best.

Finally, the children enjoyed a bread tasting, sampling a variety of breads such as baguette, bagel, and white roll. They considered how easy each bread would be to share and used key vocabulary to evaluate them according to taste, texture, and appearance.

Things to look forward to in Autumn 1

Brookwater House Care Home Visits - Beginning in Autumn 1 and continuing throughout the school year

Baking Bread - the children will design and bake their own bread

World Values Day - Thursday 16th October

Multicultural Week - Week Commencing 20th October