• Spellings
• Times Tables
• Forest School
• Reading
• Religious Education

Welcome to Sapling Class: Year​ 3 & 4

Miss Swanwick is the Class Teacher and she is supported by Mrs Dunn, Miss Langdon and Mr Best.

In class we have Termly Topics. The topics we will cover this year are: Through the Ages, Rocks, Relics and Rumbles and Emperors and Empires.

What are we learning in the Spring Term?

Rocks, Relics and Rumbles is our Termly Topic, giving children the chance to explore the layers of the Earth. Throughout the unit, pupils learn about the structure of our planet and develop an understanding of volcanic, tectonic and seismic activity. We begin by investigating different types of rocks, including sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. Children look closely at their features and discover how each one is formed.

In Maths, we have been introducing formal methods for multiplication and division, helping children build on their times table knowledge so they can tackle more challenging three‑by‑one‑digit calculations with growing confidence. Over the term, pupils will also explore length and perimeter, fractions and mass and capacity.

In English, children have been creating their own finding tales inspired by The Magic Brush. Their stories follow a character who receives a magical gift that helps them overcome challenges and support others, eventually outsmarting a troublesome antagonist.

We are also taking part in the Young Writers “I Have A Dream” poetry competition, giving pupils the chance to express their ideas creatively. Before half‑term, the focus is on writing non‑fiction explanation texts. In Spring 2, children will move on to writing cumulative tales inspired by Nail Soup, as well as developing their skills in writing non‑fiction discussion texts.

In Art, we will be contributing to the Schools Exhibition Art of Tomorrow at Ilminster Arts Centre, running from Tuesday 10 February to Friday 27 February. Children will create oil pastel drawings inspired by the figure work and urban scenes of LS Lowry, using the school environment as their starting point.

In D.T, pupils will be exploring cam mechanisms and then applying their understanding to design and make their own automaton toy.

In Science, we have been learning about the importance of nutrition for humans and other animals. Children have explored different food groups and discussed a variety of diets. Our next focus will be understanding how the skeleton and muscles work together to support movement and protect the body.

In Computing, children explore sequencing using programming blocks in Scratch, combining motions and sound. They will learn to use costumes to change the appearance of a sprite, and backdrops to change the appearance of the stage. After half-term, they will learn what a branching database is and how to create one.

In Music, our topic is Latin Dance, exploring salsa rhythms and music from Cuba. We have learned some salsa dance moves and will work towards a whole class performance with percussion. We will soon be busy preparing a Spring song for our Easter service at the church, as well as exploring drama and atmosphere by exploring the piece, Fanfare for the Common Man.

In French, our topic is Les Saisons. We have been learning phrases to describe key features of the four seasons. Our upcoming topic is Les Animaux.

Our PSHE units are Keeping Safe and Rights and Respect.

Additional information:

P.E this half-term is on Fridays. On Wednesday afternoons, Sapling Class go swimming at the Aqua Centre in Crewkerne. Please ensure that your child wears their P.E kits on both Wednesdays and Fridays and that they bring a suitable swimming kit and towel on Wednesdays.