Step into the Stone Age. Create something extraordinary. Discover what you can do.

Year 3 marks the beginning of Key Stage 2—and a world of new possibilities. Children grow in independence, explore ideas in greater depth and discover new interests, with caring teachers helping them feel confident about the next step. From shaping clay pots to investigating fossils, learning French and making music, there is plenty to bring home and talk about.

History you can get your hands on

Our Through the Ages project takes children on a journey through the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. They investigate how people lived, how inventions changed everyday life and what surviving evidence can tell us.

This learning reaches far beyond a textbook. At the Earth Trust, Year 3 children have handled artefacts, practised fire lighting, created cave paintings and built woodland shelters—working together to make their dens secure and waterproof. Back in school, making and decorating Bell Beaker-style clay pots connects historical understanding with creativity and practical skills.

We encourage children to think like historians: examine evidence, ask questions and explain how they know. Revisiting foundational knowledge helps them build a lasting understanding of the past.

Reading that feeds imagination

Books give children new worlds to explore and exciting reasons to write. This term, Skara Brae and Stone Age Boy connect English with our prehistoric discoveries. Children use their knowledge to create persuasive brochures and imagine their own unexpected journeys through time.

Our newsletters have also celebrated Year 3’s budding journalists, who investigated a fictional sinkhole in the school car park before writing news reports. Texts such as Revolting Rhymes bring humour, lively language and opportunities to discover how authors play with familiar stories.

Through reading, discussion and carefully modelled writing, children develop the vocabulary and confidence to make their ideas heard.

Maths with understanding at its heart

Year 3 children explore numbers to 1,000 and discover how their earlier learning helps them tackle bigger calculations. Place value counters, number lines, arrays and practical equipment make mathematical ideas visible.

Our “I do, we do, you do” approach gives children a clear demonstration, time to practise together and the confidence to work independently. As they develop multiplication and division skills, including the 3, 4 and 8 times tables, they learn to explain their methods, recognise patterns and apply what they know.

Regular retrieval opportunities keep foundational knowledge secure, helping children approach new challenges with confidence.

Scientists who look closer

What can a fossil tell us? Why do we need joints? Which materials reflect light best?

Year 3 scientists investigate questions through observation, practical experiments and discussion. Children have explored rocks, fossils and soils, linking scientific discoveries with detailed sketches and artwork. Learning about skeletons and joints helps them understand their own bodies, while investigations into light encourage them to predict, test and explain.

Practical food preparation also connects learning with everyday life. Exploring ingredients, nutrition and cooking methods helps children understand balanced diets while developing useful skills.

Colour, music and new adventures

Creativity has a place throughout Year 3. Children explore colour mixing, shape clay and develop their own artistic ideas. Our Van Gogh-inspired sunflower paintings showcase the care and expression children bring to their work.

Musical experiences include singing, playing instruments and composing. Opportunities such as a visit to Birmingham’s Symphony Hall introduce children to the excitement of live orchestral music.

New challenges build confidence too. Alongside swimming and team sports, Year 3 pupils have enjoyed climbing and bouldering at Sibford School, practising cooperation and discovering the satisfaction of persevering. French introduces another language, while computing helps children develop their understanding of safe and responsible choices online.

Growing together

Greater independence goes hand in hand with belonging. Children learn that their opinions matter, their choices affect others and everyone has something valuable to contribute.

Shared activities with pupils from Frank Wise School have included music, artwork and seasonal celebrations—opportunities to enjoy learning together and put inclusion into practice.

Our vision, “Encourage one another and build each other up,” is part of these everyday experiences: trying again, offering a helping hand and celebrating someone else’s achievement.

These highlights give you a flavour of life in Year 3 at Bloxham, where thoughtfully chosen visits, activities and experiences bring learning to life. Each year brings new opportunities to explore, discover and grow.

Each term, we share a curriculum overview outlining the learning journey, alongside knowledge organisers introducing key concepts and vocabulary. Current families can find these and further resources on our Parent Portal.

Year 3 Long-term Plan

All Curriculum Knowledge Organisers are now stored here - access to this area requires a login due to copyright restrictions.

Year 3 Van Gogh-inspired Sunflower Paintings