Year 3/4 - Newsletter
Dear Parents and Carers,
What a fantastic day we had at the ENPS Swimming Carnival! The weather was lovely, and our students were excellent representatives of our school. Congratulations to all our Year 3 students for participating in their very first swimming carnival, and to those students who have qualified for the District Swimming Carnival - we are sure you will make ENPS proud!
A huge thank you to all the parents who came along to support the event, because these carnivals wouldn’t be possible without your help and encouragement. Your cheering and support made the day even more special!
What's happened in Year 3/4 these last weeks?
It has been wonderful to see our Year 3/4 students confidently settling into the routines of school life. They are forming new friendships and showing a strong commitment to being positive role models within their classrooms and across our school community.
At this week’s Year 3/4 Assembly, we will present our first Student Recognition Awards for the year. Congratulations to Rose and Freya for designing the winning certificate for Semester One.
We would also like to thank parents and students for their time and engagement during last week’s PST conferences. These meetings provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen our partnerships and build positive relationships that support each child’s learning and wellbeing.
English – During our Structured Literacy unit, we began our text study of The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. Students are building confidence when reading aloud to the class through choral and individual reading, and with their fluency partners, because regular practice strengthens expression, accuracy, and understanding.
We have also started exploring persuasive writing, so students are learning how to structure their ideas clearly and logically. We are discussing why strong arguments are effective, because they include clear reasons, relevant examples, and emotive language that connects with the reader. Students will begin planning persuasive pieces that aim to convince their audience, and they’ll practise organising their ideas into clear paragraphs with a strong introduction and conclusion.
In the coming weeks, students will begin drafting a persuasive piece arguing that animals should not be used in circuses, because they are making connections to the themes explored in The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. They’ll focus on presenting strong arguments and supporting them with evidence, so their writing is both convincing and thoughtful.
Maths – In Maths, students have continued investigating Place Value, because a strong understanding of number forms the foundation for all mathematical thinking. Our Numeracy approach is based on research about how children learn best, so our lessons are clear, structured, and supportive.
Students have completed a variety of activities ordering numbers and renaming numbers in multiple ways, so they can develop flexible thinking with multi-digit numbers. For example, 4,235 can be renamed as:
- 4 thousands, 2 hundreds, 3 tens, 5 ones
- 42 hundreds, 3 tens, 5 ones
- 423 tens, 5 ones
- 4,235 ones
We’ve supported students’ understanding through Mathletics tasks and targeted My Numeracy activities, because regular practice strengthens accuracy, fluency, and confidence.
Wellbeing - In Wellbeing, we have been learning about developing a growth mindset, because understanding how we think helps us respond positively to challenges. Students are learning that they can have different mindsets in different areas of their lives, so they’re beginning to identify where they already show a growth mindset and where they may still be developing one.
Inquiry - As a follow-up to our learning about decision-making and voting, students recently prepared and presented speeches for the roles of Junior School Council (JSC) and Environmental Class Representative. We are incredibly proud of the effort students put into developing their resumes and speeches. It takes real courage to speak in front of peers and share ideas for positive change.
Each Year 3/4 class then participated in a formal vote, giving students the opportunity to experience the democratic process firsthand. Congratulations to students who have been selected as class leaders.
We know they will represent our class community with responsibility and enthusiasm. We also congratulate every student who nominated themselves and embraced the challenge of putting their ideas forward.
Homework - Reading homework has started this week. We really appreciate parents supporting this weekly routine by encouraging their child to read and record their reading, listening to them, helping them choose books, signing their diary, and having chats about what they’re reading. These little moments make a big difference to their learning and enjoyment of reading!
Things to Remember
- If your child is still missing one, please provide your child with a day-to-day diary and pencil case.
- Term One is a no hat no play term - please ensure your child has a school hat
- We are aware that some school supplies have still not arrived, please just send in when available
- If you haven’t done so already, please make sure your child has an art smock at school and library bag.
- Absences: If your child is going to be absent for three or more days, for legal reasons, it is very important you let the school know. Please use the notes section on compass, email us via compass or contact the office.
What’s Coming Up?
- School Photo Day - Tuesday 3rd March
- Labour Day Public Holiday - Monday 9th March
- NAPLAN Begins - Wednesday 11th March (more information to come)
- School Cross Country - Thursday 26th March
- Good Friday Public Holiday - Friday 3rd April
Student Awards
Look out for your class’ individual email Friday afternoon for the Student of the Week & Student Recognition Award shoutouts.
Have a great weekend.
The Year 3/4 Team