Welcome to Hedgehog Class (Year 3/4)!

An exciting Autumn Term is ahead as children step back into prehistory and explore the wonders of the natural world!

English & Reading: In Talk for Writing, pupils will delve into a twisted tale version of Rapunzel—crafting escape instructions—before exploring survival themes and non-fiction retrieval with Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot. Across the term, pupils will share classic reads for pleasure, including Dick King-Smith’s The Hodgeheg and Tom Fletcher’s The Christmasaurus. 

Maths: The focus begins with Place Value, followed by Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, and Measurement & Area.

Science: Investigating the physics of sound in Sounds Spectacular, children will later explore chemistry through states of matter in What’s the Matter? (Solids, Liquids, and Gases).

History & Geography: In History, children will travel thousands of years into Britain's past to answer: "Would you prefer to have lived in the Stone, Bronze, or Iron Age?" In Geography, the class turns up the heat to investigate the destructive powers of nature and ask: "Why do people live near volcanoes?"

Art & Design Technology: Children will channel early humans with Prehistoric Painting before heading to the kitchen to practice adapting recipes in Food and Nutrition.

Wider Curriculum: Highlights include South African instrumental music, developing conversational French (greetings, adjectives, and puppet work), exploring connecting networks and stop-frame animation in Computing, and enjoying Tag Rugby, Netball, Football and Hockey in PE.

Enrichment: To bring learning to life, Hedgehogs will celebrate the Harvest Festival and take part in hands-on visits to WildPines!

Homework

Reading

We are kindly asking for your support in encouraging your child to read at home at least twice a week for approximately 10 minutes each time. These short, regular reading sessions can make a significant difference in building fluency, comprehension, and a genuine love for books.

To help us track their progress and celebrate their reading achievements, we will be using reading record books. After each 10-minute reading session at home, please could you sign their reading record as evidence of their reading. This simple act will not only acknowledge their effort but also create a valuable connection between home and school in supporting their literacy development.

To further enhance your child's reading experience and encourage deeper engagement with the text, you might like to ask them a quick question about what they have read. Some examples include:

 * Who is the main character in the story?

 * Are you enjoying the book? What do you like about it?

 * What do you think is going to happen next?

 * Where and when does the story take place (what is the setting)?

These simple questions can spark conversations about the book, encourage critical thinking, and help your child to better understand what they are reading.

Times Tables Rock Stars in Hedgehog Class

To build quick recall and mathematical confidence, we encourage all children to use Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) regularly at home. Rapid recall of multiplication and division facts forms the bedrock of key Maths concepts—especially as Year 4 prepares for the statutory Multiplication Tables Check (MTC).

• Short, Frequent Bursts: Just 3 to 5 minutes of practice a day is far more effective than one long weekly session. Short bursts help move key facts into long-term memory without overwhelming your child.

• Why It Works: With its gamified rock-star avatars, fun challenges, and tailored question sets, TTRS keeps practice engaging and low-stress, meeting every child at their current level and building speed over time.

• How to Support: Encourage your child to log in a few times a week, celebrate their personal bests, and watch their rock status—and times-tables confidence—soar!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2f3O35X47M