Thematic

This week in our thematic learning, as part of our Design and Technology lessons, we have been diving into the fascinating world of joints and muscles. Understanding how our bodies move and function has been an exciting journey, combining science and creativity! One of the highlights of our learning was constructing a skeleton using linkages. This hands-on activity helped us visualise how joints work in real life. By carefully assembling the skeleton with moving parts, we could see how bones are connected and how different joints enable movement. It was fascinating to observe how pivot points allow for bending and stretching, just like in our own bodies!

We also created an informative booklet about joints and muscles and in doing so, we learnt about the role of muscles in movement, particularly how they work in pairs to contract and relax, enabling motion. This project not only deepened our understanding of human anatomy but also enhanced our problem-solving skills and creativity. By applying DT concepts to biology, we gained a new appreciation for how our bodies function and move seamlessly.

Next week, we will continue our DT learning journey, but will instead, be focusing on cooking and nutrition. The children will designing and making a Hummus dip accompanied by a selection of crudités- we can’t wait!

English

This week in English, we have been working on writing a conversation between Mr. Hoppy and Mrs. Silver. This task has been both fun and challenging, allowing us to explore how characters express themselves and interact through speech. We began the week by firstly analysing the personalities of the two characters, which helped children to then shape their conversations in a way that felt true to their characters.  The activities this week have really helped us improve our dialogue-writing skills, especially when learning how to use punctuation to make speech clear and how to give characters a distinct voice. Most importantly, we had fun bringing Mr. Hoppy and Mrs. Silver’s conversations to life!

Next week, we will be writing from the perspective of another character within the text; we will be writing from the perspective of Alfie, Mrs Silver’s tortoise.

Maths

In Maths this week, we have continued with our learning about perimeter, but have developed our understanding further by exploring how to measure the total distance around different shapes, using  mixed measurements. Understanding how to work with mixed measurements is an important skill, especially in real-life situations and so this week, our Year 3’s have really benefitted from converting and calculating in a hands on, practical way.

Next week, we will be moving onto a new unit in Maths; children will be moving on to learn about multiplication and division.

Chinese New Year celebration day

On Wednesday, we embraced the joy and traditions of Chinese New Year with a variety of exciting activities that combined learning with cultural appreciation. From Tai Chi sessions to Chinese-themed Maths, English, and crafts, our children immersed themselves in this vibrant celebration.

We are OUTSTANDING!

Check out Upton in the news: Upton celebrates Outstanding grading from Ofsted – The Isle Of Thanet News 

At Upton, we are incredibly proud of our recent OFSTED inspection outcomes, which reflect the dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment of our entire school community. This achievement is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our staff, children, and parents, all of whom contribute to making Upton an exceptional place to learn and grow.

To celebrate this fantastic milestone, we wanted to create a special memory that symbolises the unity and spirit of our school. This week, we gathered our children and staff outside for a unique aerial photo, capturing the essence of our wonderful community and marking this well-deserved accolade in style.

As we continue to strive for excellence, this celebration serves as a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we work together. We look forward to building on this success and continuing to provide an outstanding education for all our children.

Here’s to the bright future of Upton – and to many more milestones to come!

Reminders:

DT Day 

On Wednesday 5th February and Thursday 6th February, our Year 3's have their DT project days (see letter attached below). To ensure the activity runs smoothly and is both fun and safe for everyone, we kindly ask for your assistance with the following:

• Please send your child to school with an apron or an old, large adult t-shirt that they can wear over their uniform to protect their clothes while cooking.

• Whilst we have records of children’s dietary requirements, please can you update us if your child has any allergies or dietary restrictions. Please let us know as soon as possible so we can plan an appropriate alternative dish for them.

Poetry recitals

On Thursday 13th February, we would like to invite parents/carers in to watch a poetry recital. The recitals will start promptly at 2pm with doors opening at 1:45. They will finish before the end of the school day ready for 3pm collection. Each learning group will perform their poem and share with you their love of poetry. We hope to see you there.

Home Learning:

Attached below is the overarching Thematic Curriculum homework ideas. Please refer to the homework menu which gives a variety of creative tasks for the children to choose from. Children only need to complete one task as a minimum, but can choose to complete more if they wish. Homework is due in on Friday 14^th February.

Spellings:

To support children with their spellings, we would like children to practise ‘Level 3- PATIENT POTTER Bundle’ 

To access it on a laptop, PC, Mac or Chromebook (therefore IWBs): 
1. Type in the browser itself where you normally type www (not a search engine)...app.sirlinkalot.org (with no Ws before it) 
2. Click on 'More' (top right) 
3. Click on 'Sign in' 
4. The children will then need to type in their access code  

Times Tables Rock Stars: 

• Tasks to be completed online. 

• Children’s logins are stuck in their Reading journal.   

Mathletics : 

• Mathletics tasks will be set from Friday to Friday.  

• Tasks will always follow the learning that week.  

Children’s logins are stuck into their Reading journal.  

Reminder to ensure:

• Children are wearing correct school uniform and shoes.

• Children are bringing in their water bottles.

• Coats are being worn to school.

• Children to bring in healthy snacks for breaktimes.  

• 3B and 3G will have their swimming sessions on Mondays. Children will need to come dressed in their PE kit to school on this day, and bring with them their swimming costumes to change into.