Year Three Weekly Blog 06.11.26

Welcome Back Everybody…

It has been lovely to welcome all the children back this week after the October half-term break! We hope that everyone enjoyed some special time with family and friends, had the opportunity to relax and recharge and made some wonderful memories along the way. The children have returned with lots of smiles, enthusiasm and stories to share, and it has been wonderful to see them settling back into their routines, reconnecting with their friends and getting stuck into their learning once again. As we move further into the autumn term, there is lots to look forward to. We are excited to continue building on the children's progress, exploring new learning opportunities and making the most of all the experiences the coming weeks will bring.

As you will all now be aware, one of our very precious families has recently experienced the heartbreaking loss of their daddy. This is an incredibly difficult time for them, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers. As a school community, will we continue to surround them with love, compassion and understanding, offering our support in any way that we can. May we be guided by our faith and show kindness, care and sensitivity during this time, with the children at the centre of all that we do.

I have always been immensely proud of our children, but this week they have shown just how kind, caring and compassionate they truly are. Their thoughtfulness, sensitivity and the way they have looked out for one another has been incredibly heartwarming. It is in moments like these that we are reminded that coming to school each day is about so much more than learning in the classroom; it is also about nurturing kindness, empathy, love and understanding. Our children have demonstrated these values beautifully and they should be incredibly proud of themselves. They really are a credit to you all and our school community.

Magical Moments of Learning…


This week in RE, the children have been learning about Laudato Si’ and Pope Francis’ important message about caring for our common home – the Earth. They have explored how we are all called to look after God’s beautiful creation, protect the environment and show kindness and respect towards all living things. Pope Francis reminds us that we all have a responsibility to care for our planet and that even small actions can make a big difference. We can share this message with our younger friends and children around school by being positive role models, encouraging them not to waste water or electricity, to recycle, look after nature, keep our school environment clean and, most importantly, to treat all of God’s creation with love and respect.

This week, we have immersed ourselves into a new Geography topic! Fortunately, the sunshine made an little appearance, so we were able to take our learning outside! The children had a wonderful time developing their map-reading and navigation skills, learning how to use a compass and exploring the eight points of a compass. We discovered how these different directions help us to navigate and find our way around the world, before putting our new knowledge into practice outside. The children loved identifying the different compass points, following directions and challenging themselves to think carefully about which way to travel. It was lovely to see their enthusiasm, curiosity and teamwork shining through as they took their learning beyond the classroom.

In Maths this week, the children have been working incredibly hard on finding 100 more and 100 less than a range of different three-digit numbers. They have been developing their understanding of place value, thinking carefully about how the hundreds digit changes and using their knowledge of number to help them work out the answers. I have been so impressed by their determination, resilience and willingness to challenge themselves, particularly when tackling trickier numbers. Lots of fantastic mathematical thinking taking place!

Today we have had a fantastic time celebrating all things Maths! We came to school dressed as Maths Rockstars, looking fabulous and ready to show off our number skills. Throughout the day, we took part in lots of exciting Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) challenges, putting our multiplication knowledge, speed and accuracy to the test. There was lots of enthusiasm, teamwork and friendly competition as everyone got involved and challenged themselves to improve. We have had a brilliant day celebrating Maths and showing that learning can be fun, exciting and full of rockstar energy!

In English this week, the children have been learning all about direct speech and exploring the rules we need to follow when writing speech in our sentences. They have been identifying direct speech within sentences and developing their understanding of how to use inverted commas (speech marks) correctly, alongside the importance of punctuation.

On Tuesday, the children took part in an Enrichment afternoon, where they got stuck into some wonderful gardening with Mrs Hotchkiss! Safe to say…the children had a fabulous time making bird feeders for our Forest School area and placing them onto the trees for our wildlife.

Going Deeper in Conversation…

“What are the 4 cardinal points on a compass?”

“Can you name the other 4 intercardinal points on a compass?”

A little question to get your child talking about what we have been learning in school. See where the conversation takes you!

Let’s Celebrate…

This week, our Virtue Star is Marcel!

Marcel has been an absolute shining star, demonstrating our virtues of being faith-filled and hopeful so beautifully! His enthusiasm and engagement during our RE lessons have been wonderful to see. He approaches every discussion with such thoughtfulness, curiosity and a genuine willingness to explore and deepen his understanding of our faith. Marcel thinks so deeply about the questions we explore, often sharing such meaningful reflections and showing a maturity that is truly lovely to see.

Alongside this, Marcel's kindness towards his friends shines through every single day. He is always considerate of others, showing warmth, compassion and a genuine care for those around him. His ability to listen, reflect and approach things with such a positive and hopeful outlook makes him a very special member of our class. Marcel, we are so incredibly proud of you! Keep sharing your wonderful thoughts, growing in faith and letting your beautiful light shine!

Key Messages and Reminders…

  • Wellies can now be brought into school to be stored in our wellie sheds! Please can we ask that these are clearly named and labelled.

  • The Travelling Nativity has also started making it’s way home with some of our children this week. Please can we ask that this is brought back to school each morning with the children so it can go home to another family that day.

  • Homework will now be coming home with the children on a Friday. We would like this to be brought back the following Thursday. We feel this is better for the children and their learning, as by Friday, we will have taught everything for that week.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop me an email:

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you once again for all of your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Miss Brookes and Mrs Austin





Year Three Weekly Blog 22.10.26

What a wholesome and wonderful first half term…

This week, we have enjoyed a wonderful time celebrating Harvest and reflecting on the many blessings we have in our lives. It has been a special opportunity for our children to think about gratitude, kindness and how we can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Throughout the week, the children have been learning about the meaning of Harvest and the importance of being thankful for the food we eat, the world around us, and the people who care for us. We have had thoughtful discussions about how not everyone is as fortunate as we are and how even small acts of kindness can have a big impact on those in need. A highlight of our celebrations was our beautiful Harvest Mass at church on Wednesday morning. We would like to thank all of you for supporting our Harvest celebrations and for helping us to teach the children the importance of gratitude and generosity.

We would also like to say a special thank you to our Prayer Leaders this week, Alex, AJ and George, who led us so thoughtfully in worship on Tuesday. During our time together, we said a prayer for somebody in need or someone who holds a special place in our hearts. We reflected on the many blessings we enjoy each day and considered how we can use these blessings to support and care for others. Each week, it is such a joy for me to see the children plan their worship collaboratively and deliver this with such pride and meaning!

Magical Moments of Learning…


Our Forest School takeover afternoon has been the highlight of our week!! The children had the most wonderful afternoon…immersing themselves completely into the world of nature! Lots of the children used natural materials to create beautiful nature frames, carefully selecting leaves, twigs, flowers and other treasures they discovered around the woodland area. Some of us were even brave enough to climb the tree! To finish our special time, we all sat around the fire pit and listened to a gorgeous story, whilst enjoying a yummy biscuit! It was lovely to see their curiosity, teamwork and sense of adventure shining through as they explored, created and connected with the environment around them. Thank you so much to Mrs Tierney for such a wonderful afternoon!

In Maths this week, the children have been working incredibly hard on adding and subtracting two-digit numbers from three-digit numbers. They have been developing their understanding of place value and how they can use strategies to help them work these calculations out! I have been so impressed by their determination, resilience and willingness to challenge themselves when tackling tricky questions.

Going Deeper in Conversation…

“Why do we celebrate Harvest and how can we help others who are less fortunate than us?”

A little question to get your child talking about what we have been learning in school. See where the conversation takes you!

Let’s Celebrate…

As we come to the end of our first half term together, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of the children in Year Three and their wonderful families. Looking back over the past few weeks, I can honestly say it has been such a special start to the year and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of it.

I am so proud of how the children have settled into Year Three. They have approached every new challenge with enthusiasm, positivity and a real willingness to learn. It has been amazing to see how much they have grown already, making fantastic progress, building new friendships and gaining confidence every single day. They fill our classroom with smiles, laughter, kindness and curiosity, and they make me proud every day.

A huge thank you must also go to our families for all of your support and encouragement. Everything you do at home helps the children to thrive and makes such a difference to their learning and happiness in school.

On a personal note, I want to thank you all for the kindness, support and care that you have shown me this half term. Your lovely words, understanding and encouragement mean more than you know. Teaching Year Three is an absolute joy, but it is the wonderful community around it that makes it so special. I genuinely look forward to each day, and that is because of the incredible children and families I have the privilege to work with.

Thank you for making this first half term one to remember. I am so proud of everything we have achieved together so far, and I cannot wait to see what adventures, opportunities and successes the next half term brings for our amazing Year Three family.

Key Messages and Reminders…

  • Thinking ahead…on Friday 6th November (after the school holidays) we are asking for Year Three children to come dressed as a rockstar! This is to celebrate all things Maths.

  • OPTIONAL homework is available below:

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop me an email:

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you once again for all of your continued support. We hope you have a fabulous weekend and the most wonderful week with your children.

Miss Brookes and Mrs Austin





Year Three Weekly Blog 16.10.26

What a busy yet absolutely beautiful week…

This week in RE, we have been looking more closely at the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and his beautiful Canticle of Creation. The children explored Saint Francis’ deep love for God’s creation and how he recognised the beauty and wonder of the natural world around him. We reflected on how he saw all living things as part of God’s wonderful family and the importance of caring for our world, from the smallest creatures to the largest animals. The children considered how we can follow Saint Francis’ inspiring example by showing kindness to animals, appreciating the beauty of nature and taking responsibility for looking after God’s creation. We thought about the small but meaningful ways we can all make a difference in protecting and caring for the wonderful world we share.

A very special thank you to this weeks prayer leaders: Hector, Arya and Rose. The children helped us share a beautiful moment of prayer as we came together to pray the Rosary and spend time reflecting on Mary. We thought about the special place she holds in our faith and how prayer helps us feel closer to God. It was lovely to see the children leading with such care and thoughtfulness, bringing us all together in a moment of peace, faith and reflection. We are so proud of Hector, Arya and Rose for helping make our prayer time so meaningful and special for everyone.

Magical Moments of Learning…


Bonjour! Our French learning is off to a wonderful start! The children have been absolutely loving our French lessons this week and have been busy learning how to greet one another, use basic manners and count all the way to 10 in French! We have even learnt a catchy French song and can now count our way through the days of the week. It has been such a joy to see the children joining in so enthusiastically, growing in confidence and having so much fun as they discover a new language. We are so proud of all they have learnt already!

We would love you to have a listen to our French song! Why not see if your child can teach you a little French at home? We wonder if they can impress you with their counting, greetings and wonderful new vocabulary! We can’t wait to see where our French adventures take us next week!

Year Three French Song

Today, we have been learning all about the beautiful country of Malawi and thinking about how we can spread kindness, love and hope to others around the world. The children explored how, through working together and showing generosity, even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference to the lives of others. As part of our fundraising efforts, we are hoping to raise enough money to help feed a whole school in Malawi for an entire year! What a wonderful way to put our values into action and show love for our global family.

Thank you so much for the donations we have received today! We are truly so grateful and we are so excited to see how, together, we can make a real difference!

Going Deeper in Conversation…

“What can we do at home or at school to care for God’s Creation?”

A little question to get your child talking about what we have been learning in school. See where the conversation takes you! Can they think of ways to look after our shared home, such as caring for animals, saving water, recycling or keeping our environment clean?

Let’s Celebrate…

This week, our Virtue Star is Hector!

Hector is truly a shining star, not just this week, but every single day! His kindness shines through in everything he does and his beautiful ability to understand and empathise with the feelings of others is one of his most special qualities. Hector is always looking out for those around him, offering support, celebrating others’ successes and making sure everyone feels loved, included and cared for. He shows our virtues of love and compassion so naturally, showing us what it means to be a truly wonderful friend. He has such a big heart, and the warmth and kindness he brings to our classroom makes it a very special place to be.

Alongside his beautiful character, Hector shows his teachers so much love and enthusiasm. He approaches his learning with a wonderful attitude, embracing new challenges with confidence and a willingness to give everything a go. Hector, you are so loved and admired! We feel incredibly lucky to have you in our class. Keep shining your beautiful light!

Key Messages and Reminders…

  • We have organised for Year Three to ALL enjoy a Forest School take over afternoon next Wednesday 21st October! This will be such a lovely treat for us all to enjoy. Please can you ensure that your children come to school with a waterproof coat, suitable clothing and shoes to change into. Old trainers are recommended and warm clothing - we are expecting it to be cold and possibly damp.

  • Year Three Book Look is going to take place on Monday 19th October at 2:30pm. We would love to see as many of you there as possible!

  • Harvest is fast approaching and this year, we would like to ask that you donate cereal boxes! If you are able to donate, please send a box of cereal to school with your child before Tuesday 20th October.

  • Thinking ahead…on Friday 6th November (after the school holidays) we are asking for Year Three children to come dressed as a rockstar! This is to celebrate all things Maths.

Parents Day Appointments…


Our Parents' Day will take place on Friday 23rd October! We are really looking forward to welcoming you into school and having the opportunity to share your child’s progress and achievements with you. Online, remote appointments are also available. Please see the designated Parents Day page.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop me an email:

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you once again for all of your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Miss Brookes and Mrs Austin





Year Three Weekly Blog 09.10.26

What an Exciting & Experimental Week…

This week in RE, Year Three have been learning about different saints and the ways in which they made a difference to the world around them. The children explored the lives and inspiring examples of saints who showed kindness, compassion, courage and a deep love for God’s creation and for others. We reflected on the positive changes they brought about through their words, actions and choices, whilst thinking about how we can follow their examples in our own lives. The children enjoyed considering how, just like the saints, our own actions, however small, can make a big difference to others and to the world we share.

A big thank you to our wonderful prayer leaders this week, Eliza, Sydney and Jemima. The children led us in a truly special time of prayer as we came together to pray the Rosary. We reflected on the life of Mary and the importance of prayer, faith and trust in God. We are so proud of the thoughtful way the children led our prayer and helped the class to come together in prayer and reflection.

Magical Moments of Learning…

Our newest and most exciting lesson this week has been French! We have learnt how to greet one another, introduce ourselves and count to 6! The children absolutely LOVED this and we can’t wait to build on this new learning more next week.

This week in Science, we have been learning all about rocks and their different properties. The children became little scientists as they learnt how to carry out an effective scientific experiment. We talked about the importance of making a prediction, carrying out a fair test, observing carefully and recording what we notice. We then investigated what happens when vinegar is added to chalk, which is a form of limestone. The children were fascinated to observe the reaction and enjoyed discussing what they could see, hear and notice during the investigation.

Going Deeper in Conversation…

How can we keep ourselves safe?

This week, the children took part in Session Five of KidSafe, led by Mrs Carter. The focus of the session was adults feeling sad and shouting.

The children took part in some thoughtful discussions around adults shouting and we have learnt that this is never our fault. We did wonder who we go to if our trusted adults are sad or angry. Please read the parent letter to go with this session and have a chat.

KIDSAFE Letter to Parents

Let’s Celebrate…

This week, our Virtue Star is Dee Dee!

This week, we are celebrating the wonderful Dee Dee! Dee Dee is an incredibly creative, kind and thoughtful member of our class who brings so much love and joy to everything she does. She has such a beautiful imagination and a wonderful way of expressing herself through her creativity. Dee Dee is also a fantastic writer and it is a joy to see her ideas come to life through her writing. She approaches her work with such enthusiasm and always finds special ways to add her own creative touch!

Alongside her creativity, Dee Dee is always ready to learn and embraces every opportunity to keep learning! Not only this, Dee Dee also has such a compassionate heart, showing kindness, care and understanding towards her friends and neighbours. She is thoughtful of others and has a lovely way of making those around her feel loved and supported. Her caring nature and the love she puts into everything she does, makes her such a special member of our class.

Dee Dee, thank you for bringing so much creativity, kindness and love into our classroom. We are so proud of the enthusiasm you bring to your learning and the care you show to those around you. Keep sharing your wonderful ideas, spreading your love and shining in your own beautiful way!

Key Messages and Reminders…

  • Year Three Book Look is going to take place on Monday 19th October at 2:30pm. We would love to see as many of you there as possible!

  • Harvest is fast approaching and this year, we would like to ask that you donate cereal boxes! If you are able to donate, please send a box of cereal to school with your child before Tuesday 20th October.

  • As a school and trust, we are proud to be working closely with the wonderful charity Mary’s Meals, which provides nutritious school meals to children living in some of the world’s poorest communities. On Friday 16th October, we would like to invite all children to come to school in their own clothes in return for a donation to this fantastic cause. Together, we hope to raise enough money to feed a school for an entire year! Every donation, no matter how big or small, will make a difference. There is no fixed amount and every contribution is greatly appreciated.

  • Thinking ahead…on Friday 6th November (after the school holidays) we are asking for Year Three children to come dressed as a rockstar! This is to celebrate all things Maths.

Parents Day Appointments…


Our Parents' Day will take place on Friday 23rd October! We are really looking forward to welcoming you into school and having the opportunity to share your child’s progress and achievements with you. Online, remote appointments are also available. Please see the designated Parents Day page.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop me an email:

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you once again for all of your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Miss Brookes and Mrs Austin





Year Three Weekly Blog 02.10.26

What an Adventurous & Fun-Filled Week…

What an incredible day we had on our recent school trip to Woodmatters in Windermere! The children had a fantastic opportunity to step back in time and immerse themselves in the world of the Stone Age, bringing their classroom learning to life through a range of exciting, hands-on activities. The children became true Stone Age experts for the day! They had the opportunity to make their very own hand axes and even learnt how to light their own fires using safe, modern methods. It was fantastic to see them putting their knowledge into practice and experiencing first-hand some of the skills that would have been essential for Stone Age people.

The children really impressed the instructors with their fantastic knowledge already. They were enthusiastic, curious and eager to share everything they had learnt in the classroom. Their confidence and excitement throughout the day was wonderful to see! We were also incredibly proud of how brilliantly the children behaved from start to finish. They listened carefully, worked together, followed instructions and represented our school wonderfully throughout the trip. I am one very proud teacher! We are sure it is a day the children will remember for a very long time!

This week in RE, Year Three have been learning all about St Martin de Porres and his inspiring life. The children discovered how he dedicated his life to helping others, especially those who were poor, sick or in need. We explored the importance of kindness, compassion, humility and treating everyone with love and respect, thinking about how we can follow St Martin’s example in our own lives. The children enjoyed reflecting on how even small acts of kindness can make a big difference to others.

A big thank you to our wonderful prayer leaders this week, Kian, Poppy and Cora. The children led us in a truly beautiful worship, with our focus on Mary and her strength. We reflected on Mary’s courage, faith and trust in God, thinking about how we can show strength and faith in our own lives. We are so proud of the thoughtful way the children led our worship and shared their reflections with the class.

Magical Moments of Learning…

This week in History, we have been learning about some of the significant changes that took place during the Stone Age, particularly the development of farming. The children explored why Stone Age people began to settle in one place and how becoming farmers changed their everyday lives. We discussed the impact this had on food, homes, jobs and communities, developing our understanding of how life changed from the hunter-gatherer way of living. It has been wonderful to see the children building on their historical knowledge and making links between the different changes that shaped Stone Age life! Our school trip certainly helped to reinforce some of this fantastic learning!

In English, we have been continuing our work around Paddington Bear. This week, we have been learning to identify verbs and subjects in a sentence. This is going to help us so much as we begin to plan writing our very own chapter. The children have come up with the most wonderful ideas and I know just like me, you will be very excited to read them when they are finished!

Going Deeper in Conversation…

How can we keep ourselves safe?

This week, the children took part in Session Four of KidSafe, led by Mrs Carter. The focus of the session was private parts, helping the children to understand appropriate behaviours, personal boundaries and how to keep themselves safe.

The children took part in some thoughtful discussions and explored the importance of speaking to a trusted adult if they ever feel worried or unsure. We also talked about looking after one another and making sure that everyone feels safe, valued and respected. It was lovely to see the children engaging so positively and thoughtfully throughout the session.

Please find attached a letter below that outlines what we have discussed.

KIDSAFE Letter to Parents

Let’s Celebrate…

This week, our Virtue Star is Elijah!

This week, we are celebrating the wonderful Elijah! Elijah is an incredibly kind, caring and thoughtful member of our class who always goes out of his way to help others. He is such a pleasure to be around and is the loveliest friend to everyone. Elijah is always showing affection and kindness towards others and genuinely loves making sure those around him are happy and supported. He has such a beautiful heart and is always looking for ways to help.

Alongside this, Elijah has shown a fantastic commitment to his learning this week. He approaches every lesson with enthusiasm and gives his very best, even when faced with something new or tricky. His determination, positive attitude and willingness to challenge himself have been wonderful to see and we are so very proud of him!

Elijah, thank you for being such a wonderful friend and for always showing such kindness, love and care towards others. Your enthusiasm for learning and your determination to do your best make you a truly special member of our class. Keep being your wonderful self and continuing to shine!

Key Messages and Reminders…

  • Year Three Book Look is going to take place on Monday 19th October at 2:30pm. We would love to see as many of you there as possible!

  • The Feast of the Rosary is Wednesday 7th October, so please can we ask that your child brings in their Roasary beads, if they are able to do so.

  • Forest School sessions take place on a Wednesday and Thursday afternoon for the children who have been selected for this. Please ensure that your child comes to school with the correct clothing and footwear for Forest School.

  • Homework has been sent out to you already this week. Please have a little look at the Year 3 Homework Blog for some more guidance and information about this.

Parents Day Appointments…



Our Parents' Day will take place on Friday 23rd October! We are really looking forward to welcoming you into school and having the opportunity to share your child’s progress and achievements with you. Online, remote appointments are also available. I have blocked out some time for these to take place on the list of appointments (these appointments are colour coded pink).

Please click on the link below to view the available appointment times. Appointments will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, so please email me with your preferred time and I will do my very best to allocate this time, or one as close to it as possible.

Parents Day Appointments

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop me an email:

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you once again for all of your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Miss Brookes and Mrs Austin





Year Three Weekly Blog 25.09.26

What a Wonderful Week…

What a brilliant week we have had in Year Three! As we reach the end of our third week together, it is wonderful to see just how much we have achieved in such a short space of time! Our classroom has been filled with curiosity, laughter, hard work and lots of exciting learning. The children have continued to impress me with their positive attitudes and their willingness to have a go, even when things feel a little tricky. There is already such a lovely sense of community within our classroom and I am very proud of the children. It has been wonderful to see them supporting one another, celebrating each other’s successes and showing such kindness and care towards their friends.

This week in RE, Year 3 have been exploring the wonderful themes of Creation, being made in the image of God, human dignity and Catholic Social Teaching. We began by thinking about the beautiful world God has created and discussing what makes each person special and unique. The children explored the belief that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God, which means that every single person has inherent worth and should always be treated with love, kindness and respect. We then explored the idea of human dignity and what this looks like in our everyday lives. The children thought carefully about how our words and actions can show others that we value and respect them, regardless of their differences.

We also began to make links to Catholic Social Teaching, particularly the importance of caring for one another, standing up for what is right and recognising the dignity and worth of every person. The children shared some thoughtful ideas about how they can put these teachings into action within our school, at home and in the wider community.

Magical Moments of Learning…

In History, we have been exploring a very important change during the Stone Age - the transition from being hunter-gatherers to farmers. We discussed why people began to settle in one place and how farming changed the way people lived. The children also had the opportunity to become Stone Age designers and created their very own outfits, thinking carefully about the materials that would have been available to people living during this time. It was wonderful to see their creativity alongside their growing historical knowledge!

Our Science learning has taken us into the fascinating world of rocks. We have been learning how rocks can be classified into three main groups: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. The children have been developing their understanding of how each type of rock is formed and have enjoyed becoming rock detectives as they explored their different characteristics.

In English, we have been continuing our work around Paddington. This week, we have been learning about conjunctions and how they can be used to join ideas together and make our writing more interesting. We are now beginning to plan our very own chapter of a Paddington story, and the children have been thinking carefully about characters, settings and events that they could include. I cannot wait to see their wonderful ideas come to life!

We have also been working hard in Maths, where our focus has been on place value. The children have been developing their understanding of the value of each digit within a number and using practical resources and different representations to help deepen their understanding. They have worked incredibly hard and are becoming increasingly confident mathematicians.

The children have absolutely loved their Computing lessons with Mrs Carter this week! They have been exploring both digital and paper-based drawing, experimenting with different ways of creating and expressing their ideas. Working together, they have been comparing the similarities and differences between the two approaches and discussing how each method can be used to create something unique. It has been wonderful to see them sharing ideas, experimenting and having so much fun with their learning!

Lastly…Mrs Mather has been working with the children on drawing the most beautiful pictures of flowers! Roll on book look so you can have a sneak peak…they are fabulous!

Going Deeper in Conversation…

How can we keep ourselves safe online?

This week, the children have taken part in Session Three of KidSafe, led by Mrs Carter. The focus of the session was online safety and helping the children understand what this means and how we can help ourselves to stay safe online.

The children have had some thoughtful discussions and explored the importance of speaking to a trusted adult, looking after one another and making sure everyone feels safe, valued and respected.

Please find attached a letter below that outlines what we have discussed.

KIDSAFE Letter to Parents

Let’s Celebrate…

This week, our Virtue Star is Kian!

Kian has shown the most wonderful attitude towards his learning this week and has embraced all of the new challenges that Year 3 presents! We are extremely proud of how hard he has worked and the determination he has shown when faced with something new or tricky.

Alongside this, Kian is always such a kind, caring and thoughtful friend to others. He is a wonderful member of our class and truly has such a lovely heart. Kian, thank you so much for being our superstar this week and for always approaching your learning with such enthusiasm and a brilliant attitude. Keep believing in yourself and continuing to grow. We are so very proud of you!

Key Messages and Reminders…

  • WOODMATTERS SCHOOL TRIP is on Wednesday 30th September! This is now live on ParentPay and is £32.00 per child. Please see below for more details about our upcoming trip! Please complete the consent form on the separate Woodmatters Trip Page!

  • FLU VACCINATIONS will take place in school on Monday 28th September 2026.

  • FOREST SCHOOL sessions take place on a Wednesday and Thursday afternoon for the children who have been selected for this. Please ensure that your child comes to school with the correct clothing and footwear for Forest School.

  • HOMEWORK has been sent out to you already this week. Please have a little look at the Year 3 Homework Blog for some more guidance and information about this.

Woodmatters School Trip

As mentioned above, we have planned to go on a very exciting day out to Woodmatters in Windermere, where the children will be immersed in all things Stone Age!

We will be leaving school at 08:15am in the morning to ensure we arrive on time, so please make sure your children arrive at school for 08:00am on this day. We will meet you at the school gate. We will be out of school all day, but we will be back for home time (15:25pm).

Children must come to school in their PE kit, wearing long sleeves and trousers - no shorts please. Hats, scarfs and gloves are optional, but the children are more than welcome to bring these items with us. We are expecting the weather to be cold and possibly wet.

If your child is travel sick, please ensure they take any medication they need before school. If they require an addition tablet or medicine during the day, you will need to fill in a form giving me permission to give your child medication you have provided. You can give me the medication on the morning of the trip, it must be in a named bag. The forms to be completed for this will be available at the school office.

For this trip, your children will need:

  • A packed lunch and drink (please refrain from packing any sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks - also, please do not pack anything that may contain nuts)

  • A pair of wellies, old trainers or walking boots (anything you don’t mind possibly getting dirty)

  • A spare jumper and a pair of spare socks

  • Named waterproof coat

  • A reusable carrier bag (to transport the things we make back home)

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop me an email:

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you once again for all of your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Miss Brookes and Mrs Austin



Woodmatters Stone Age Trip

Permission Form…


In order for your child to attend our trip to Woodmatters, written consent is required. This is because we will be taking the children out of school and on a coach, away from their local area.

Please find the attached consent form below.

Any outstanding payments for the trip can be made via ParentPay.

Woodmatters Consent Form

We are really excited! Please see the weekly blog for more information about what your child will need to bring.

Thank you for your support!

Miss Brookes

Year Three Weekly Blog 18.09.26

What a Fabulous Week…

We are two weeks in and what a fabulous two weeks they have been! I honestly could not be prouder of each and every child in our class. They have worked incredibly hard all week and have made such a positive start to Year Three. It is so wonderful to see how independent and confident they are becoming as the days have gone by.

In RE this week, we have been learning all about Imago Dei, which means “Image of God.” The children have been exploring the belief that we are all made in the image of God and we have discussed what this means. As a class, we have thought carefully about how we can reflect God’s love through our own behaviour and ways we can show kindness, patience, compassion and forgiveness to the people around us. The children have shared some incredibly thoughtful ideas about how our words and actions can make a difference to others.

I would like to say a very special thank you to this weeks prayer leaders, Dee Dee, April and Antonio, who have all had the opportunity to lead us in worship this week. They did such a wonderful job and we all loved sharing this special time together to reflect, pray and think about how we can live out our faith through our everyday actions.

Magical Moments of Learning…

This week in History, we went on a VERY exciting journey, transporting ourselves all the way back to the Stone Age! The children were introduced to what life may have been like during the Stone Age and we began to explore how different everyday life was then, compared to our lives today. We thought about where people lived, what they ate and most importantly, how they survived. But this really wasn’t an ordinary History lesson…the children were given a mission! They had to imagine they were Stone Age Hunter-Gatherer’s and their challenge was to think carefully about what they needed in order to survive! The classroom was soon filled with Stone Age experts and we had so much fun immersing ourselves in this role!

Alongside this, we have continued to explore the wonderful world of Paddington Bear, whilst also looking carefully at the different sentence types that we are going to begin to use in our writing. The children have become so good at spotting subjects and verbs in a sentence and we have started to learn about conjunctions and how to use them to enhance our writing skills.

In addition to this, we have been working our little socks off in Maths this week! We have been revisiting how to bridge numbers over ten and looking at strategies for adding and subtracting small numbers. This has helped us to understand why our strategies work, rather than simply finding an answer.

Going Deeper in Conversation…

How can we keep ourselves and others safe?

This week, the children have taken part in Session Two of KidSafe, led by Mrs Carter. The focus of the session was bullying and helping the children understand what bullying is, how it can make others feel and most importantly, what they can do if they experience or see it happening.

The children have had some thoughtful discussions and explored the importance of speaking to a trusted adult, looking after one another and making sure everyone feels safe, valued and respected.

Please find attached a letter below that outlines what we have discussed.

KIDSAFE Letter to Parents

Let’s Celebrate…

This week, our Virtue Star is Rebecca!

Rebecca has shown so much love and enthusiasm towards her learning this week. We are extremely proud of how hard she has worked and how much determination she has shown. Alongside this, Rebecca is always a compassionate and loving friend to others. She truly has such a kind and caring heart. Rebecca, thank you so much for being our superstar this week and for always wanting to grow and better yourself. We are very proud of you!

Key Messages and Reminders…

Unfortunately, I am still unable to post any photographs of what we have been up to as we are still waiting for a couple of forms to be returned. Please can we ask that these are completed as soon as possible! We’d love to show you what our learning looks like in Year Three!

  • FOREST SCHOOL is now up and running! Our sessions are on a Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. Letters have already been sent home with the children who will be taking part, so please ensure that your child comes to school with the correct clothing and footwear for Forest School.


  • SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS will be taking place on Wednesday 23rd September for all children in school. These will be individual photos. As Wednesday is our usual PE day, children are welcome to come to school in their full school uniform for their photographs and bring their PE kit in a named bag to change into afterwards. This is completely optional and up to you to decide what uniform you would like your child to be photographed in.


  • HOMEWORK will be sent out next week on Monday 21st September. Please have a little look at the Year 3 Homework Blog for some guidance and information about this next week.


  • WOODMATTERS SCHOOL TRIP is on Wednesday 30th September! This is now live on ParentPay and is £32.00 per child. Please note, the deadline for this is Friday 18th September (today). Please see below for more details about our upcoming trip!

Woodmatters School Trip

As mentioned above, we have planned to go on a very exciting day out to Woodmatters in Windermere, where the children will be immersed in all things Stone Age!

We will be leaving school at 08:15am in the morning to ensure we arrive on time, so please make sure your children arrive at school for 08:00am on this day. We will meet you at the school gate. We will be out of school all day, but we will be back for home time (15:25pm).

Children must come to school in their PE kit, wearing long sleeves and trousers - no shorts please. Hats, scarfs and gloves are optional, but the children are more than welcome to bring these items with us. We are expecting the weather to be cold and possibly wet.

If your child is travel sick, please ensure they take any medication they need before school. If they require an addition tablet or medicine during the day, you will need to fill in a form giving me permission to give your child medication you have provided. You can give me the medication on the morning of the trip, it must be in a named bag. The forms to be completed for this will be available at the school office.

For this trip, your children will need:

  • A packed lunch and drink (please refrain from packing any sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks - also, please do not pack anything that may contain nuts)

  • A pair of wellies, old trainers or walking boots (anything you don’t mind possibly getting dirty)

  • A spare jumper and a pair of spare socks

  • Named waterproof coat

  • A reusable carrier bag (to transport the things we make back home)

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop me an email:

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you once again for all of your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Miss Brookes and Mrs Austin



Illness in class

There has been a bit of illness in class that has presented itself in Scarlet Fever in a child. This is a bacterial infection that is treated with anti-biotics and may have a rash and a sore throat. Whilst there is no NHS guidance for schools, the guidance states that anti-biotics will be prescribed and children can return when well and 24 hours after the first lots of medication.

NHS guidance

This is a common illness in schools and often goes quickly once treated. We will be vigilant in school and ensure we communicate anything we spot in your child quickly. Please do keep an eye on your children at home and let us know if they become unwell.

Year Three Weekly Blog 11.09.26

What a Wonderful Week…

I am so incredibly proud of all of the children for their first full week back in school! After only having two days in school last week, it has certainly been a busy and jam-packed week, but the children have settled beautifully and have taken everything in their stride. It has been wonderful to see them getting stuck into their new learning, embracing new routines and showing such enthusiasm and positivity throughout the week.

I would also like to say a really big heartfelt thank you to all of the parents and carers who were able to attend our welcome evening on Wednesday. I am incredibly grateful for the time you took to come along and I hope you found the evening informative and useful as we begin this exciting new chapter together. I would also like to apologise that I am not the most confident public speaker! However, I am very grateful to you all for your patience and kindness and I hope that I was able to give you all the information you needed and provide a helpful introduction to Year 3. If there are ever any questions you have, anything you feel I may have missed, or something you would like to share with me, please do not hesitate to get in touch. As I mentioned during the evening, you are very welcome to contact me via email at any time. If you would prefer a face-to-face conversation, simply pop an email over to me or catch me at the door at home time and we can arrange a convenient time to chat together.

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

If you were unable to join us for the welcome evening, please find all of the shared information below:

Induction Evening Presentation

Magical Moments of Learning…

In RE, we have been developing our understanding of the Creation Story and exploring how the story is presented in the Bible. The children have sequenced the events of creation across the seven days, carefully recalling what was created on each day and discussing the significance of God's creation. We have also enjoyed exploring the beautiful, poetic language used in the Old Testament to describe creation. The children have been inspired by this to write their own thoughtful poems, to celebrate the wonder and beauty of God's creation. It has been lovely to see the children sharing their ideas and reflections, and beginning to appreciate how Scripture can use poetry and imagery to help us understand our faith.

Alongside this, we have been very busy exploring the wonderful world of Paddington Bear! The children have been watching clips from the Paddington film alongside reading Chapter One of A Bear Called Paddington. We have been busy comparing the film and the book, spotting similarities and differences and thinking carefully about how the story has been presented in each. The children have also been practicing their summarising skills, identifying the key events and important information from the chapter. The children have worked incredibly hard, and we have had quite a few giggles along the way as we’ve watched some of Paddington Bear’s funniest moments!

In Science, we have been learning all about rocks, with a particular focus on igneous rocks. The children have been finding out how igneous rocks are formed when molten rock cools and solidifies. We have been exploring the difference between magma and lava and looking at examples of igneous rocks. The children have been fantastic scientists this week, asking thoughtful questions and developing their understanding of the fascinating world beneath our feet!

Going Deeper in Conversation…

At the beginning of every year, we start with our Safeguarding lesssons for children. These help the children to know how to keep safe. This week (session 1) we have reflected on “yucky” feelings and what this means. This does not mean the feelings are negative, it means they are telling us something is wrong. Ask your child what the “yucky feelings” are and what they can do if they have them.

The key message from this is to tell your trusted adult. Here is a letter about the lessons and what we did today.

KIDSAFE Letter to Parents

Let’s Celebrate

This week, our Virtue Star is Sophia!

Sophia has shown so much love and compassion since returning to school. We are extremely proud of how beautifully she has settled into Year 3 and most importantly, how kind and caring she is to those around her. Sophia, thank you for being so wonderful and for always having such a loving and kind heart. We are very proud of you!

A huge well done to all of the children who put themselves forward to be a School Councillor or Eco Councillor! It was wonderful to see so many children showing confidence, enthusiasm and a willingness to take on an important responsibility within our school. Everybody did so well and we are incredibly proud of each and every child who had the courage to put themselves forward. After an individual class vote, I am very proud to announce…

Our Year Three School Counsellors are: Theo and Cora!

Our Year Three Eco Counsellors are: Kian and Mia!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Key Messages and Reminders…

  • FOREST SCHOOL will be starting again next week. Letters have been sent home with the children who will be taking part, so please ensure that your child comes to school with the correct clothing and footwear for Forest School.

  • SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS will be taking place on Wednesday 23rd September for all children in school.

  • HOMEWORK will be sent out next week on Monday 14th September. Please have a little look at the Year 3 Homework Blog for some guidance and information about this next week.

  • WOODMATTERS SCHOOL TRIP is on Wednesday 30th September! This is now live on ParentPay and is £32.00 per child. Please note, the deadline for this is Friday 18th September.

Thank you once again for all of your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Miss Brookes and Mrs Austin


Year Three Weekly Blog 04.09.26

What a wonderful and wholesome start to the new school year! The children have come back so eager to learn new things, embrace all of the new challenges coming their way and continue to keep blossoming into the lovely young people they are! I feel incredibly lucky to be their teacher and cannot wait to see what this year brings.

We have begun our year by talking through our new routines and what is expected of us now we are in the juniors. As a team in Year 3, we have taken on some new and exciting responsibilities, which I know the children will take very seriously and be wonderful with! Some have chosen to be a part of the ‘cloakroom crew’ whereas others have chosen to embrace roles such as the ‘Equipment Experts’ or ‘House Point Chiefs’. Alongside this, we have also looked closely at some of the really meaningful messages, such as kindness, in one of my favourite books - The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. The children have all discussed what characteristics they would like to work on in Year 3 and we shared this together as a class.

GOING DEEPER IN CONVERSATION…

During our RE lesson today, we have revisited and remembered the Creation Story from Genesis. We thought carefully about the different stages of creation and discussed the Christian belief that God created the world and everything in it. The children worked together to recall the story and explored some of the key messages within it, including the importance of caring for our wonderful world. They shared thoughtful ideas about how we can show gratitude for creation and discussed ways we can look after the environment and the people and animals around us. It was lovely to see the children building on their previous learning, asking thoughtful questions and making connections between the Creation Story and their own lives. A wonderful opportunity to reflect on the world around us and our responsibility to care for it!

The children then made links between the Creation Story and the message of Pope Francis in Laudato Si’. Pope Francis reminds us that our world is a precious gift from God and that we all have a responsibility to care for our “common home”. He encourages us to think about how our everyday choices can help protect the Earth and look after the people, animals and natural world around us.

At Our Lady’s, caring for our common home is something we are working so hard on as a school family. We want our children to understand that caring for creation is not just something we talk about in RE, but something we can live out every day through our choices, our actions and the way we care for one another and the world around us.

LET’S CELEBRATE

As agreed, through our school council, our learning awards will no longer be handed out in our celebration assemblies on a Friday afternoon. We now have little versions of these certificates for learning, which can be given whenever we spot some amazing learning in class. Keep an eye out for these - many will be coming your way!

The Virtue Star remains and will be awarded next week during the Friday afternoon assembly. We are trying our very best to be Loving and Compassionate.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Please complete the following consent form for the year ahead. This gives your permission for various things, such as school trips, usage of technology and photographs to be put on the website. In addition, if your child has a medical condition such as asthma or an allergy that we need to know about, then please complete the medical form below. Thank you for those who have already completed.

Year 3 Permission form 202627
IF YOUR CHILD HAS A MEDICAL CONDITION

Please also note, our first PE lesson back will be on Monday 7th September. On Tuesday 8th September, I will also be sending home the homework books for this school year! The children have been given the very creative and exciting task of decorating their homework books! We can’t wait to see the finished designs! If possible, please can I ask that you decorate around the printed label already stuck on the front cover - thank you! The homework books will be due back in on Monday 14th September.

Lastly, I’d just like to say the biggest thank you to you all for being so supportive and welcoming me so kindly into the Our Lady’s school family. If you ever need to contact me directly or wish to ask me a question, my school email address is:

e.brookes@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend with your little ones and I’ll look forward to seeing you all on Monday.

Miss Brookes & Mrs Austin

Year 3 2026-2027

I hope that you are all having a wonderful summer holiday. The weather has certainly helped; I cannot remember a summer quite like it.

I just wanted to update you all on two things ready for the children coming back in a couple of weeks.

You will be aware that Miss Drummond was unwell last year and has been absent from school since Easter. Whilst she has been recovering at home in this period, she has informed us that she is not well enough to return to school for the start of the academic year in September and will require some additional time off. We continue to send her our best wishes and our prayers - hoping that she will be back with us soon.

When a key member of the staff team is off, especially as we head into a new academic year, my absolute priority is getting someone in place to ensure that the children feel settled and welcomed as they start their new year group. Having a familiar teacher in place is absolutely essential. I am delighted that Miss Brookes will be joining us and taking charge of Year 3 in Miss Drummond’s absence. The children know Miss Brookes incredibly well as she taught them in the final term of Year 2 as she completed her teaching qualification. She can literally hit the ground running with them; she is so very excited and has done a wonderful job of getting the classroom ready. Miss Brookes is the perfect teacher for this role and we are very lucky to welcome her to our class team. All of the teachers will be writing a welcome blog in the coming weeks so I will let Miss Brookes take over then. I know you will all support her and welcome her formally to Our Ladys.

Secondly, you will be aware of the closure of St Annes Swimming Pool, which now appears to be closed for some time. Year 3 is our school swimming year and St Annes is the swimming pool that we use; infact, all of the schools in our cluster use it. As a team of Headteachers, we have been trying to problem-solve what we can do to ensure that our children keep swimming as the information from Fylde came to us quite late. We are currently in the process of working with Palatine Swimming Pool in Blackpool to see if they have a slot in which they can accommodate us; which we think they do. This is just taking some time to organise the logisitcs. As soon as we have a plan, we will let you know when the children will be swimming. The curriculum requirement is that all children should be able to swim 25m by the end of primary school; we want to do that as soon as possible, given where we live. If your child does not have swimming lessons, I wuld urge you to get them swimming as soon as possible then as soon as we have a school swimming plan, it will help the children further.

I am really looking forward to welcoming the children back in September. Enjoy the last few weeks of your Summer!

Mrs Gregan