Year 3 Curriculum

Our Year 3 Class (ages 7-8 years), forms the initial introduction to the Key Stage 2 phase of Primary school. In Year 3 learning takes place through a structured approach, which focuses on formal academic learning and play based learning which continues to build on the skills developed through the Key Stage 1 curriculum. 

Learning is based on the English National Curriculum for the foundation subjects. This provides a framework for learning which is enriched by an awareness of the context of our host country and the international background of our students.

Year 3 builds on the learning in Key Stage 1 and moves towards more formal academic learning with an understanding that all children are unique and are at different stages of their learning journeys. For that reason we continue to incorporate a range of activities within the program that are inclusive and personalised for each child. We reserve the right to modify our programme based on the needs of our students.

Our goal is to prepare each child by the end of Year 3, to be ready for the greater independence expected as they move to Year 4.

The following information provides an overview of expected topics to be covered during Year 3.

English

The English curriculum is not taught in isolation, as the language of instruction at Hillview is English. However, there are key skills that may need to be taught as stand alone sessions. The English curriculum builds on the Early Literacy Skills practised in Year 2 and the outcomes for the end of Year 3 are students who are confident readers and writers, who have well established speaking and listening skills and are presenters at an age appropriate level. 

In Year 3 English Literacy skills are developed through a unit based approach and authentic cross curricular links are promoted wherever possible.

The following texts form the basis of the exploration and development of English Literacy in Year 3:

  • Unit 1 – The BFG
  • Unit 2 – Cinderella of the Nile
  • Unit 3 – Rosie Revere, Engineer
  • Unit 4 – Here Comes Hercules
  • Unit 5 – The Tin Forest

Our outcomes are achieved through teaching and learning focused on the following key areas: 

Reading 

We use a variety of texts from internationally recognised reading schemes to individualise reading progression for each child. There is a focus on reading fluency and comprehension skills.

Comprehension

  • Identification of main ideas from paragraphs and summarising
  • Formation of opinion of motivation
  • Retrieve and record key information from non-fiction texts

    All students join the Accelerated Reader programme (AR). This  is an online reading scheme which manages and monitors independent reading practice, and encourages reading for pleasure for students of all abilities.

    Spoken Language

    • Articulation and justification of answers, arguments and opinions
    • Read exception words, noting the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word
    • Use of intonation, tone, volume and action in spoken dialogue
    • Speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of standard English

    Writing 

    Grammar

    • Application of growing knowledge of prefixes, suffixes and root words
    • Extension of sentences with more than one clause by using a wide range of conjunctions, including when, if, because, although
    • Use of conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions to express time and cause
    • Use of the present perfect form of verbs in contrast to the simple past tense
    • Use and punctuation of direct speech
    • Continuation of use of nouns (proper and common)

    Written Composition

    • Draft and write by organising ideas around themes into paragraphs, subheadings and headings.
    • Draft and write narratives using characters, settings and plots
    • Progressively use a varied and rich vocabulary and increasing range of sentence structures

    Spelling

    We use the spelling assessment the Single Word Spelling Test (SWST) to establish a baseline for each student to explore known and unknown spelling rules. We can then individualise the spelling programme for each child. The focus of our spelling development program encourages children to nurture a curiosity about words, discover their history and, in so doing, understand the logic behind the way they are spelled rather than a focus on rote learning lists of spellings each week. 

    Handwriting

    • Use diagonal and horizontal strokes to link letters, understanding which letters are best left not joined
    • Increase quality, legibility and consistency of their handwriting

    Mathematics

    All of the learning in Mathematics is through the Maths — No Problem! (MNP). This is a series of textbooks and workbooks written to meet the requirements of the 2014 English National Curriculum using the teaching strategies developed in Singapore that lead to them becoming world-leaders in Primary maths performance.

    Topics to be explored include:

    Number and place value

    • Numbers to 1 000

    Calculations

    • Addition and subtraction
    • Multiplication 
    • Further multiplication
    • Division
    • Word problems

    Statistics

    • Graphs

    Fractions, decimals and percentages

    • Fractions
    • Decimals

    Geometry

    • 2-D and 3-D shapes

    Measurement

    • Length
    • Mass
    • Volume and capacity
    • Perimeter of figures

    Time

    • Telling the time
    • Measuring and comparing time 

    Science

    • Unit 1 – Plants
    • Unit 2 – Life Processes
    • Unit 3 – Keeping Healthy
    • Unit 4 – The senses
    • Unit 5 – Material Properties
    • Unit 6 – Forces and Motion

    French

    • Simple greetings 
    • Name
    • Age
    • Numbers 0 to 12
    • Family

    Humanities

    • Ancient Egyptians
    • Ancient Greece
    • Land Use and Maps
    • Rainforests
    • Extreme Earth

    Art

    • Drawing
    • Pastels
    • Painting
    • Sculpture

    Computing and ICT

    • Unit 1: Internet Searches
    • Unit 2: Using Email and Google Classroom
    • Unit 3: Coding with ScratchJr

    Music

    • Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.
    • Use and understand staff/stave and other musical notations.
    • Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music.
    • Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds.
    • Appreciate and understand a range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians.
    • Develop an understanding of the history of music.

    PE

    Class lessons focus on:

    • Movement and dance lessons
    • Coordination with bat and ball lessons
    • Outdoor games
    • Adventure climbing and balancing lessons
    • Outdoor sport specific lessons
    • Athletics and cross-country lessons
    • Indoor gymnastics lessons
    • Swimming

    Competitive sport specific squads include:

    • FootballHockey
    • Swimming
    • Tag Rugby
    • Netball
    • Athletics and
    • Cross country running

    Personal Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education

    • Friendships
    • Citizenship
    • Healthy Living
    • Hillview Values

    The outcomes of the Year 3 programme are children who are happy, are able to communicate well, have the ability to think critically, who can share their thoughts and ideas with confidence and have a developed understanding of how they learn best. We aim to support the development of children who are ready to face the social, emotional and academic challenges of the Year 4 programme.