Blog- Friday 5th December 2025

This week we have been practising our songs for the show next week. Please encourage your child to continue rehearsing at home. The children are very excited and looking forward to entertaining you!

In Maths, we have been learning about inverse operations for addition and subtraction and using these to help us solve missing-number problems and word problems. We have had to check our answers carefully by using the inverse operation to see if our calculations make sense.

In English, we have been exploring “show not tell” through the emotions of the Iron Man from the story. We discussed how different feelings can be shown through body language and used these ideas to improve our descriptive sentences. For example, instead of saying “He was angry,” we described clenched fists, a tense jaw, or stomping footsteps.

This week we also went on a class trip to Maths World. We had a lot of fun exploring a range of mathematical games, including cracking codes and solving puzzles. We learnt how to work collaboratively, think logically, and apply our Maths skills in new and exciting ways.

Shabbat Shalom,

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 27th November 2025

In Maths, we have been focusing on estimating and calculating numbers mentally. We practised identifying which numbers are closest to a given value to make estimating easier, and we used our place value knowledge to support our reasoning and accuracy.

In English, we learned about grammar by exploring contractions—what they are, how they are formed, and when to use them correctly. We also completed a reading comprehension on Chapter 3 of The Iron Man and took part in role-playing activities as we prepared for our winter show.

In Art, we enjoyed designing our very own costumes for the upcoming show. We looked closely at the characters we will be playing from the story The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, using this as inspiration for our creative designs.

In History, we learned about the Paleolithic period of the Stone Age. We explored the tools people used, the types of homes they lived in, and what daily life was like during this era. We then created visual information texts to explain the key features of this period.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 21st November 2025

Music

This week, we continued learning the songs for our forthcoming Chagigat Chumash. We also made good progress with our recorders, playing a simple piece using the note A. I would encourage the children to keep practising at home using the resources available on Google Classroom. Please can everyone have their recorders in school for their lesson on Wednesday.

Science:
This week in Science, we explored day and night and learned why they happen. We discovered that the Earth rotates on its axis, which causes the sun to appear to rise in the east and set in the west. We also learned about dawn (the first light of morning) and dusk (the last light of evening), and how these times mark the start and end of the day. Additionally, we studied how the Earth’s rotation creates different time zones across countries, explaining why people in other parts of the world can be asleep while it is daytime here.

Art:
In Art, we focused on creating geometric patterns. We practiced drawing a variety of shapes like triangles, circles, and squares, and combined them into repeated patterns. We experimented with symmetry, size, and spacing to create visually appealing designs. Some of us also used color and shading to make our patterns stand out even more.

Maths:
In Maths, we focused on the formal column method for addition and subtraction. We practiced exchanging (borrowing) and regrouping numbers to solve calculations that involved larger digits. Through these exercises, we learned how to organize our work neatly in columns, check our answers carefully, and solve problems accurately. We also explored real-life examples, such as calculating money or measuring quantities, to see how these skills are useful outside of the classroom.

English:
In English, we concentrated on using speech marks correctly to write dialogue between characters from The Iron Man. We learned how punctuation works with speech marks and how to show who is talking. We also practiced retelling and sequencing the story in our own words, using a story map to organize events in order. This helped us understand the plot, characters, and key events better. Additionally, we explored descriptive language and thought about how the author uses words to create mood and emotion in the story.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 14th November 2025

English:
This week, we continued our work on The Iron Man and focused closely on Chapter 2. We began planning and drafting a diary entry written in the voice of one of the key characters from the story. To help us prepare, we discussed the main events from the chapters we have read so far, paying particular attention to how the characters felt and reacted at different moments. We then used these ideas to organise our thoughts into a diary plan, thinking carefully about using past tense, emotive language, and personal reflections. This planning will support us in writing a detailed and imaginative diary entry that brings the character’s experiences to life.

Maths:
In maths, we have been practising addition and subtraction using the column method, working specifically with 3-digit numbers. We focused on the importance of lining up each digit correctly—hundreds under hundreds, tens under tens, and ones under ones—to ensure our calculations are accurate. We also spent time checking our answers, discussing when we might need to regroup (exchange) and why this step is important. By working through a range of problems, we built our confidence and accuracy using this written method.

PSHE:
As part of Anti-Bullying Week, our PSHE lessons centred around understanding what bullying is, how to recognise it, and what we can do if we experience or witness it. We talked about the difference between falling out and bullying, and why kindness and respect matter every day. We explored the theme of the Power of Good, learning how positive actions—such as speaking up, supporting others, and asking for help—can make a real difference. Through discussions and activities, we practised ways to stand up for ourselves and others in a safe and confident manner.

History:
In history, we continued our learning about the Stone Age and took a closer look at the role of archaeologists. We learnt that archaeologists study artefacts, tools, bones, and other remains from the past to help us discover how early humans lived. We discussed how careful excavation and research allow archaeologists to piece together clues about daily life, survival, and early communities during the Stone Age. This helped us understand how historians and archaeologists work together to build a clearer picture of the distant past.

Music

This week we learnt songs for our Chagigat Chumash. The children are beginning to sound really nice together. We also managed to have some recorder time. We played a short piece with our first note  B and the children were introduced to the second note A. I would encourage them to continue to practise this at home using the support on Google Classroom.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 7th November 2025

This week in class, we have been busy exploring a wide range of exciting topics across our subjects!

Science:
We began our new topic on Light and Dark. We explored what light and dark mean, discussed everyday examples of natural and man-made light sources, and discovered how light travels and reflects off surfaces to help us see the world around us.

Maths:
Our focus has been on addition and subtraction with 3-digit numbers. We practised adding and subtracting 1s, 10s, and 100s using a variety of mental maths strategies, such as number lines, bridging to the nearest 10, and partitioning to work out sums mentally and efficiently.

Art:
In art, we continued developing our sketching techniques. This week we explored tonal shading to create 3D effects in our drawings of real-life objects. We practised cross-hatching and experimented with gradual shading using HB pencils to move from light to dark tones.

Humanities:
We began our new History topic on the Stone Age! We started by looking at the timeline of key events during this fascinating period and discussed how life might have looked thousands of years ago.

PSHE

This week in PSHE, we focused on world religions, with a particular emphasis on Hinduism. We learned about some of the core beliefs that Hindus have, such as the ideas of karma, reincarnation, and respect for all living things. We also explored the story of Rama and Sita, which teaches important values like loyalty, bravery, and the triumph of good over evil.

English:
In English, we have been learning about similes and how they can make our writing more descriptive. We wrote imaginative sentences to describe the Iron Man, using ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare and bring our descriptions to life.

Music

This week in Music, the children built on the learning from last week, playing the first note B on the recorder. We learnt how to play together ensuring that we are starting and stopping at the same time. The children can continue to practise this at home, using the document on Google Classroom.

Jewish studies

This week in Jewish Studies, our Chumash journey continued with some exciting milestones! The children learned how to find their place in the Chumash and practiced reading from it with growing confidence. Thursday brought extra excitement as they were introduced to their Chagigat Chumash script - practice is now in full swing. In Parasha, we explored the story of Avraham, who tried to save a town of wicked people, showing the children a powerful lesson about kindness and compassion for others.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 23rd October 2025

English
In English, we have been writing our own non-chronological reports about barn owls, linked to our core text The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark. We discussed the key features of non-fiction reports, including using titles, subheadings, and images or diagrams. We carried out research to find key facts about barn owls, such as their habitat, diet, and appearance, before using this information to write our own reports.

Maths
In maths, we have been learning how to add and subtract hundreds from three-digit numbers. We used practical resources and place value grids to help us understand how the hundreds column changes, while the tens and ones stay the same. We also applied this knowledge to solve word problems and reasoning challenges.

Science
In science, we investigated the different uses of magnets in everyday life. We explored how magnets are used in objects such as fridge magnets, compasses, and magnetic catches. We also took part in a sorting activity to match different pieces of equipment to how magnets help them work.

Geography
In geography, we brought together all our learning from our topic Around the World. We created presentations to share our knowledge about the polar regions, the North and South Poles, time zones, the tropics, and lines of latitude. The children enjoyed showing how much they have learned about our amazing planet!

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom.

Blog- Friday 17th October 2025

Maths:
This week in maths, we have been working with three-digit numbers, focusing on adding and subtracting tens and hundreds. We used our understanding of place value to identify which column changes depending on the amount we are taking away or adding.

English:
In English, our grammar focus was on prepositions. We explored the difference between nouns and pronouns and practised using prepositions to describe nouns. We then created our own sentences using a range of different prepositions.

Geography:
In geography, we completed our end-of-unit assessment for our topic Around the World. We reflected on everything we have learned this term, including the North and South Poles, the Tropics, lines of longitude and latitude, and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles.

PSHE:
In PSHE, we explored different emotions and feelings that can arise on the playground. We discussed how different situations can make us feel happy or sad and talked about positive ways to manage and overcome these feelings.

Shabbat Shalom 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom 

Blog- Friday 10th October 2025

This week in maths, we started a new unit on addition and subtraction, focusing on number bonds to 10. We used part–whole models and missing number equations to help us understand how numbers can be split and combined in different ways.

In our topic in geography, we learned about the Prime Meridian and how it helps us measure time across different parts of the world. We researched different countries and compared their times to the time in the United Kingdom.

In PSHE, we focused on the topic of bullying and what it can look like. We explored key definitions linked to being a target, bully, or witness. We also discussed ways we can help someone who is being targeted or bullied and how to be supportive and kind to others.

In English, we focused on grammar practice, learning how to use adverbs accurately to make our writing more detailed and interesting.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 3rd October 2025

In English this week we have focused on learning how to use speech marks accurately and within sentences. We focused on how to use the correct punctuation of inverted commas to show when someone is speaking. We then built on this knowledge by writing a short retelling of the part of the chapter from The Owl who Was afraid of the dark using speech for dialogue. 

In maths we have been focusing on comparing numbers to 1,000 using the knowledge of less than, greater than and equal to. We have also been ordering numbers to 1,000 from smallest to largest using our knowledge of place value to help us establish which number comes next. We also practiced counting in 50's forwards and backwards.

In science, we built on our knowledge of magnets and we were able to carry out a practical investigation about materials which are magnetic and non- magnetic. We had to make predictions before carrying out our investigation and then tested the materials to see if our predictions were correct. 

In computing, we began learning how to use different features on google docs linked to creating word art styles. We practiced how to use different font styles and colours as well as shapes and sizes of  text. 

In PSHE, we learnt about the meaning of a friendship wave. We learnt that friendships can have highs and lows and we identified how we can maintain positive friendships and also ways that we can deal with any challenges in a friendship.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 26th September 2025

I hope you all had a wonderful Rosh Hashana and enjoyed celebrating with family and friends.

In Maths, we have been focusing on using number lines up to 1,000. The children have been practising how to find 1, 10, or 100 more or less than a given number — an important skill for building number sense and understanding place value.

In English, we continued exploring the story The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark. We completed a reading comprehension based on Chapter 2 and focused on understanding key details from the text. The children also wrote their own instructional texts about how to build a campfire, using imperative verbs to make their instructions clear and engaging.

In Geography, our focus was on the tropics and tropical rainforests. We explored different types of forests — including coniferous, dry, and tropical grasslands — and became weather news reporters! Each child chose a country to report from and presented information about the temperature, wind speed, and weather conditions.

In PSHE, we explored vocabulary linked to different emotions. We discussed how we feel when we are scared, angry, or happy, and used a ‘feelings thermometer’ to map out a range of words that describe these emotions with different intensities.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 19th September 2025

This week has been full of exciting learning across lots of different subjects!

In science, we explored forces using magnets. We learnt how magnets can attract and repel each other and discovered more about the north and south poles. Our investigation task was to explore what happens when we place two magnetic poles together — sometimes they snapped together, while other times they pushed apart!

In maths, we continued learning about place value up to 1,000. We practised representing numbers in different ways and partitioning them into hundreds, tens, and ones. We also created our own 3-digit numbers and wrote them in expanded form to make number sentences.

In English, our focus was on alliteration. We used it to write descriptive sentences about Plop, the main character from our book. We also created our own senses poems about fireworks, linking them to the story. We thought carefully about the five senses: see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.

In geography, we learnt about The Artic and Antarctica circle. We had to research about the climate, weather, population and animals we would find in these Polar regions. 

In art, we continued our unit on natural forms for sketching. This week, we focused on sketching different types of feathers, practising how to use different tones and shading techniques to create effect.

In Jewish Studies this week, the children have been working hard on their Hebrew reading, looking at more sh’va rules  and rotated through activities including reading, iPads, workbooks and script practice. The excitement for Rosh Hashanah is building and the children learned about the simanim for Rosh Hashanah and created beautiful placemats to depict them. They then used their placemats for a special practice Rosh Hashanah seder, tasting each of the special foods and reciting the brachot together. In parasha they learned how Moshe told Bnei Yisrael they were about to enter the Land of Israel and must all stand together and choose to follow Hashem’s mitzvot, and that Hashem gives everyone free will to choose good. 

This week in Music, we reviewed the names of the rhythms that we looked at last week. The children had to work together to play different rhythm patterns. 

Other information: 

As we approach the upcoming chaggim, we want to ensure that families are able to celebrate and fully enjoy the Chaggim.

Therefore, no formal homework should be set during the chaggim period. The only exceptions will be:

• Hebrew reading

• English reading

• KIRFS revision

• Years 5 & 6: continued access to ATOM

Shabbat Shalom,

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom

Blog- Friday 12th September 2025

Year 3 have had a fantastic first full week back at school! We’ve made a great start on our new topics and the children have been working really hard.

Maths
This week we began learning about place value. We explored how to represent numbers up to 100 using different methods, including expanded form and visual representations. We also practised drawing and building 3-digit numbers.

Science
In our new topic on Forces and Magnets, we looked closely at the forces of pushing and pulling. We discussed real-life examples and then created our own lists of situations where these forces are used.

Art
Our Art focus this term is sketching natural forms. We were introduced to the artist Georgia O’Keeffe and studied her unique style of art. The children then enjoyed sketching some of her beautiful flower drawings.

Geography
In our Geography topic Around the World, we explored the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. We learnt what the equator is, identified the world’s continents using an atlas, and carried out research into different countries, finding out information such as population, capital cities, and official languages.

Other Information
- The Meet the Teacher PowerPoint has been uploaded to the school website if you would like to revisit any of the information shared.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Mrs Prince, Mrs Boyask and Miss Bloom