OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
SARAH NISBETT, HEADTEACHER
DUCKLINGTON CE PRIMARY SCHOOL, ASTON ROAD, DUCKLINGTON, WITNEY, OXON. OX29 7US
Telephone: 01993 703651
Facsimile: 01993 709212
E-mail: office.3122@ducklington.oxon.sch.uk
Dear Parents and Carers
Autumn Term 2015
Welcome back to the new school year! This year we are very excited to be sharing the teaching of Eagles
class and we have lots of great activities to look forward to. Our theme this term is ‘Grand Designs’ and we
are discovering how Romans came to live in Britain and what effect they had on our country.
We will be reading various storied with a Roman theme including Caroline Lawrence’s Roman Mystery
Scrolls. The short novels are great fun, a slightly faster pace and more suitable for this age, than her
Roman Mystery series. Caroline Lawrence researches into Romans herself and her stories are packed with
references to make the learning fun.
Please see the accompanying letter explaining about the trip and visit planned for the term to enhance our
learning experience.
Homework
Your child has received a ‘Home School Link’ book that he/she should bring home and back into school every
day. This is something that we introduced two years ago into Key Stage Two and has proved a great success
and an invaluable communication tool. Mrs Hawkins will check through to make sure we have books in from
everyone each day and ensure that the children have written an entry each day to say what they have been
reading. If you have any messages to pass on you can write them in here and Mrs Hawkins will pass any
messages to us for action. We will also be able to pass back occasional lovely messages about how well your
child is doing!
Please remember that throughout Key Stage Two it is really important for them to read at home to you
every day, just for 10 minutes. It makes such a clear difference to their English learning and ability in
school, and obviously although we will hear your child read regularly through guided reading groups, we
cannot hear every child read every day. We would really like to make the most of your child’s learning
opportunities at school and we are sure you would too; confidence in reading improves their access to
learning.
Your child will also have a short maths and English task to complete each week, around 20 minutes each. We
will let you have more details about this over the next week or so.
Snack time
Please remember that only children in Key Stage One are entitled to fruit at school so please remember to
give your child a fruit snack for the morning break.
Maths
We will be having regular times tables tests and we will be encouraging your child’s learning of these as it
helps build confidence in so many areas of maths. However we cannot learn them for them so we would
really like this to be reflected at home – they need to learn tables forwards, backwards(!) and in mixed up
order. The priority this year will be revision of their x2, x5 and x10, up to twelve times each number, then
moving on to ensuring confidence in x3, x4 and x8. They will need to be confident with division facts as well
as multiplication facts, e.g. 6 x 4 = 24, 24 ÷ 4 = 6 (How many fours in 24?).
Violins
Year threes will start violin lessons during week commencing Monday 14 th September. The children will bring
the violins home and are required to practice a little at home to move them on over the year. Please
encourage your child to practice. There will be online games later on for them to try, associated with their
violin learning. Their violin teacher, Mr Bettle, will give details.
Swimming and P.E.
We will hopefully be swimming this year but a letter will follow to confirm these arrangements. Please make
sure your child has P.E. kit in every day in case times change but sessions this term are Monday a.m. and
Wednesday or Thursday p.m.
French
The children start to learn French in year 3 - this is done in a fun way through daily activities such as
registration or simple commands during the day, singing and activities.
The children will settle in very quickly into their new class and we are quite sure it is going to be a really
enjoyable year. For updates, photos and class news keep an eye on Eagles class page on our website
http://www.ducklingtonprimaryschool.org.uk .
If you have any concerns we are available after school, or you can make an appointment to see one of us.
Normally Mrs Millington will be teaching Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with Miss Stephens teaching in
class on Thursday and Friday. Mrs Hawkins will be in class every day. We look forward to meeting you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Stephens and Mrs Millington