YEAR THREE

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School provides a range of holistic learning experiences to enable students to:

• Participate in the life and mission of the school.
• Deepen their knowledge and engagement with the Catholic faith and tradition.
• Build capacity to continuously reason, reflectively, logically and critically.
• Embrace interdependence of human existence as global citizens, who are responsible to and for themselves and others.
• Engage in learning in a multitude of ways, through personalised and self-paced learning.

Religious Education

E3 Morality and Justice - Called to Holiness

This unit explores the Christian call to holiness, which we all receive at Baptism. Students will identify, through their own experiences, people who demonstrate holiness and use their gifts in love and service. They will also learn about the canonised Saints – those whom the Church has declared Saints and set before us as models of holiness. The process of canonisation will be explored. Students will be encouraged to identify ways that they can live out their own baptismal call by living lives of love and service.

DLY3 Prayer, Liturgy and Sacraments - Advent and Christmas

The Liturgical Year units enable students to explore the traditions, beliefs, Scripture and events celebrated by the Catholic community throughout the Liturgical Year and especially during the time of Advent to Christmas, Lent to Holy Week and Easter to Pentecost. 

English

This Term, Year 3 students will investigate the ways that an author uses text structures, textual concepts and language to create entertaining and humorous narratives. They will work towards creating their own twisted fairy tale narratives. Students will cover the following textual concepts of characterisation, narrative, imagery, symbol and connotation. In Reading, students will continue to focus on fluency and comprehension strategies. 

Students will engage in the ’Sound Waves Spelling’ program, which is implemented throughout the whole school.

Mathematics

Students are explicitly taught concepts from the NSW Mathematics K-10 Syllabus. The main concepts taught in Term 4 are: Representing Number, Three-Dimensional Space (Volume), Partitioned Fractions, Non-Spatial Measure (Time), Multiplicative relations (Multiplication) and Additive relations (Addition). The students will continue to engage in a numeracy fluency program to develop counting patterns, as well as facts and strategies for mathematical operations. Each class will provide differentiated activities according to their class's learning needs.

The students will also take part in daily review and use their maths mental books to build fluency and help consolidate their skills.

History

The unit for this term is ‘Community and Remembrance’. This topic provides a study of identity and diversity in both a local and broader context. Students explore the historical features and diversity of their community. They examine local, state and national symbols and emblems of significance, celebrations and commemorations, both locally and in other places around the world.

Science and Technology

In Science and Technology, Year 3 will continue to explore the Material World. This strand focuses on how solids and liquids change state and the properties of natural and processed materials. Students investigate how different properties of materials affect their suitability for products. They have the opportunity to develop a design solution to an identified need or opportunity, using a variety of materials. Stage 2 of this strand develops students’ knowledge and understanding of the properties and performance of materials and the material sciences.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

Sport: This term, students will develop their movement skills, strategic thinking, and teamwork through engaging basketball and striking/fielding activities. In striking and fielding games such as baseball and T-Ball, students will refine specialised skills including striking, fielding, and catching, while learning to adapt techniques to different game contexts. In basketball, they will focus on passing, dribbling, and movement skills to build accuracy and control. Through modified games, students will apply tactics, demonstrate fair play, and work collaboratively to solve movement challenges.  

We’re excited to launch our Peer Support program in Term 4. All students participate in 30-minute sessions each Friday. In this initiative, two trained Peer Leaders guide a small group of 8–10 younger students through engaging, structured activities designed to foster connection and collaboration. 

This term, we’re exploring the Keeping Friends module-an enriching series of five sessions focused on friendship, empathy and critical thinking. We encourage families to chat with their children about Peer Support each week. These conversations help reinforce the values and skills explored during the sessions and deepen the impact of this meaningful program.

Open Parachute will then continue for the remainder of the Term. Open Parachute aims to provide practical support on mental health to students. The program aims to reduce stigma and generate authentic dialogue in classrooms about the real issues students face. The psychological skills-building exercises aim to increase empathy, self-compassion, self-awareness, mental health literacy, and self-efficacy in students

Students will also participate in an Intensive Swim Week. During this week, they will focus on developing essential swimming skills in a safe and supportive environment. Lessons will cover stroke techniques, water safety, and fun aquatic activities, helping students gain confidence and competence in the water. The swimming program is part of the school curriculum and is compulsory for all children. The intensive swimming program will run for 5 days. Each lesson is 40 minutes. 

Timetable:

3 Blue - Week 2 (Monday 20th October - Friday 24th October)

3 Gold - Week 3  (Monday 27th October - Friday 31st October)

3 White- Week 4 (Monday 3rd November - Thursday 6th November) and Week 5  (Monday 10th November)

In addition, students will take part in the Swimming Carnival on Friday the 28th of November (Week 7), providing an opportunity to demonstrate their swimming skills, celebrate participation and enjoy friendly competition.

Amadeus Music Program

Students will continue with the Amadeus Music Education Program and participate in activities in listening, performing and organising sound within their regular Classroom Music lessons. 

• It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they:

  • Arrive on time for each lesson

  • Bring their instrument and required accessories to every lesson

  • Bring their Essential Elements* music book

  • Bring a lead pencil and eraser

Creative Arts

In Visual Arts, students will make artworks that represent a variety of subject matter and make choices about the forms and techniques used to best represent the qualities of the subject matter. They discuss reasons why artists make particular artworks and why different interpretations are possible, recognising similarities and differences in how subject matter is represented. Students will create a variety of artworks across different curriculum areas.

In Music, students will recognise that their learning experiences relate to the study of music rather than merely participation in musical activities. They will understand that they can have dual roles as both performers and composers and can easily distinguish between these roles.

In Drama, students will engage in small group work to research and create a video drama focused on sustainability. Students will develop their ability to use movement, vocal expression and projection to create characters and engaging performances.

Homework 

It is recommended that Year 3 students spend up to 30 minutes on homework per day. This includes 20 minutes of reading every night. Students are required to record what was read in their School Diary or Homework Books each day. Both diaries and homework will be due each Monday. Please make sure your child has filled in their daily reading in their diary and you have signed it. 

This Term, students will be bringing home targeted maths consolidation sheets as part of their homework. These tasks are carefully aligned with the concepts and skills introduced in class the previous week. The purpose of these sheets is to reinforce learning, build confidence and allow students to practise and apply their understanding in a supported way.

Mrs Tayla Waters and Mrs Jolene Cullen (3Blue)

Mrs Gabby Devine and Mrs Nicole Pyne (3Gold)

Mr Thomas Gair (3White)

Important Dates for Year Three

Music & Library

Music class lessons and Library Day for Year 3 are on Wednesday. Each week, students will have the opportunity to borrow books from our school library. Please ensure your child brings their Library Bag to school on this day.

Sport 

Sport day will be on Wednesday

Students are to wear their sports uniform on this day.

2025 - School Term 4

 Please refer to the Parent Calendar at this link to confirm dates

Dates may have changed after publishing this bulletin.