A very warm welcome to Jaguars, Gorillas and Panthers – our Years 3 and 4 classes! These are exciting years at Oxley, as children take another big step in their learning journey. We want every child to feel happy, confident and proud of themselves, while becoming more independent, discovering new interests and enjoying everything that life in Key Stage 2 has to offer.

There is so much to explore! Our curriculum is designed to spark curiosity, encourage questions and give children plenty of opportunities to investigate, create and discover. In Science, children explore everything from skeletons, movement, nutrition and forces to magnets, light, plants, rocks, soils, fossils and biodiversity.

Our History and Geography learning takes us on some fantastic journeys through both time and place. Children investigate how children’s lives have changed, discover what was important to the ancient Egyptians, and explore the incredible achievements of the ancient Maya. We’ll also travel all the way to Antarctica, explore different types of settlements and discover how rivers shape our world and how people use them.

There are lots of opportunities to get creative and practical too. Children experiment with charcoal, shape and colour, before using art to tell stories through making. In Product Design, they’ll tackle challenges including designing packaging, creating mechanical cars and exploring seasonal food and cooking. Computing develops from programming with Scratch to creating more complex programs and exploring branching databases.

Years 3 and 4 also bring some exciting new experiences. Children continue developing their French, learning everything from French phonics and animals to classroom language and talking about pets. Music is a particularly exciting part of these years too, with Year 3 learning to play the recorder and Year 4 learning the saxophone, alongside exploring rhythm, pitch and music technology.

Being active is an important part of life in Jaguars, Gorillas and Panthers. Across the year, children have opportunities to enjoy rugby, yoga, dance, outdoor adventurous activities, gymnastics, handball, rounders, tennis and athletics – developing skills, teamwork and confidence along the way.

Of course, growing up is about much more than academic learning. Through PSHE, we help children think about what makes us feel safe and included, how we communicate online, how to respect others, what is safe and unsafe, and what information we can trust online. We also begin to open their eyes to the world of work by exploring different careers and why people choose them.

Our Oxley values are woven through everything we do: Be kind. Be brilliant. Have an I can attitude. As children move through Years 3 and 4, we encourage them to become increasingly independent, to champion their friends, be brave enough to have a go, keep going when something feels tricky and celebrate the successes of others as well as their own.

And there is much more to life in Jaguars, Gorillas and Panthers than lessons! These years are full of opportunities to get involved in wider school life, represent Oxley, take on new challenges and enjoy experiences with friends. Whether they are performing, competing, creating, collaborating or simply trying something for the very first time, we want children to discover just how much they are capable of.

Most importantly, we want Years 3 and 4 to be filled with learning, laughter, friendship and brilliant memories. These are the years when confidence really begins to grow, interests develop, and children start to find their feet as members of Key Stage 2.

Welcome to Jaguars, Gorillas and Panthers – two years of discovery, growing independence, exciting challenges and plenty of fun. Be kind. Be brilliant. Have an I can attitude!