Opal Class

2026–2027

Mr Northcott – Year 3/4 Class Teacher

Mrs Latham – Trainee Teacher

Welcome to Opal Class

Welcome to Opal Class, where our Year 3 and Year 4 children learn together.

Mr Northcott is the class teacher, and Mrs Latham will be working alongside him as a trainee teacher. We are looking forward to a busy and exciting year filled with reading, creativity, investigation and opportunities to develop confident, independent learners.

Important information

Swimming and PE

Swimming takes place on Monday afternoons and will continue up to and including Monday 25 January 2027.

After swimming finishes, Monday afternoon will become our indoor PE session. Our outdoor PE lesson takes place on Fridays.

Children should come to school wearing their PE kit every Friday. The school PE kit consists of:

A plain white top
A black or navy hoodie
Black or navy shorts or jogging bottoms
Suitable trainers

Please ensure that all PE and swimming kit is clearly named. Earrings must be removed before PE and swimming lessons, and long hair should be tied back.

Spelling

Spelling homework is given out every Monday and should be returned to school by Friday.

Children will complete their weekly spelling test on Friday. Regular practice at home will help children remember spelling patterns and apply them confidently in their independent writing.

Reading at home

Children should read at home several times each week. Please talk to your child about what they have read and record a brief comment in their reading record.

Reading books may be returned and changed once they have been completed. Alongside their school reading book, children are encouraged to enjoy a wide variety of stories, poetry and non-fiction texts.

Maths at home

Magma Maths is available for children to continue and consolidate their maths learning at home.

Times Tables Rock Stars is the best way for children to improve the speed and accuracy of their multiplication and division fact recall. Regular, short practice sessions will make a significant difference.

Purple Mash

All children have access to Purple Mash. It provides activities and resources for computing and can also support learning in subjects such as maths, art and topic work.

Children may occasionally be given a Purple Mash “2Do” to complete.

Class timetable

View or download the Opal Class timetable 2026–27

Our curriculum

Opal Class follows the CUSP Lower Key Stage 2 mixed-age curriculum. The curriculum is carefully adapted so that Year 3 and Year 4 children are appropriately supported and challenged.

Autumn term

In reading, we will begin with Greta and the Giants before exploring The Pebble in My Pocket and Leon and the Place Between.

Our writing will include sentence composition, poetry about emotions, first-person narrative descriptions, non-chronological reports, formal letters of complaint, performance poetry and dialogue within historical stories.

In science, we will investigate rocks, soils and fossils before learning about animals, including humans.

Our history topic explores the changes that took place from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. In geography, children will develop their map and fieldwork skills, identify human and physical features and learn to use compass points and Ordnance Survey maps.

Spring term

In science, children will investigate forces and magnets before beginning a unit about plants.

Our history learning will continue to explore the Stone Age to Iron Age before moving on to Roman Britain and the impact of the Roman Empire.

In geography, children will complete a detailed study of the United Kingdom. Art and design will include textiles, collage and three-dimensional work, while design technology will include mechanisms and systems.

Writing will include animal stories, non-chronological reports, advanced instructional writing, performance poetry and first-person narrative descriptions.

Summer term

Our science learning will continue with plants before moving on to light and shadows. Children will also revisit important learning about animals, including humans.

History will continue to explore Rome and its impact on Britain, while geography will extend our study of the United Kingdom and its countries, counties and regions.

Children will revisit and strengthen important writing forms, including historical narratives, poetry, instructional writing and formal letters.

Other areas of learning

Throughout the year, children will also study:

French, including greetings, classroom language, numbers, emotions, questions, instructions, games and food
Religious education through Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism
PSHE topics including readiness to learn, friends and family, respectful relationships, personal safety and healthy living
Music through singing, rhythm, notation, composition and performance
Computing, including online safety and the confident use of digital technology

We look forward to sharing photographs, news and examples of the children’s learning throughout the year on ClassDojo.

St Thomas' Church of England Primary School