Year 3 Curriculum coverage Greyed-out boxes are areas of the curriculum which have been covered extensively Yellow highlighting indicates areas of the curriculum which have either not been covered or have only been dealt with briefly. The notes include ideas for home learning, links to resources and comments about what has or has not been covered to date. NB some subject curricula are year-group specific (maths, science), some are split into upper and lower key stages (literacy) and others are whole-key stage. Where curricula cover

more than one year group, we have specified areas which are either particularly relevant or irrelevant to Y3

Subject Skill or concept NotesMATHS Specifically Y3 curriculum

Number and place value: Pupils should be taught to:count from 0 in multiples of 4, 8, 50 and 100; find 10 or 100 more or less than a given numberrecognise the place value of each digit in a three-digit number (hundreds, tens, ones)compare and order numbers up to 1000identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representationsread and write numbers up to 1000 in numerals and in wordssolve number problems and practical problems involving these ideas.Addition and subtraction: Pupils should be taught to:add and subtract numbers mentally, including:a three-digit number and onesa three-digit number and tensa three-digit number and hundredsadd and subtract numbers with up to three digits, using formal written methods of columnar addition and subtractionestimate the answer to a calculation and use inverse operations to check answerssolve problems, including missing number problems, using number facts, place value, and more complex addition and subtraction.

Covered but would benefit from more practical problem-solving

Multiplication and division: Pupils should be taught to:recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tableswrite and calculate mathematical statements for multiplication and division using the multiplication tables that they know, including for two-digit numbers times one-digit numbers, using mental and progressing to formal written methodssolve problems, including missing number problems, involving multiplication and division, including positive integer scaling problems and correspondence problems in which n objects are connected to m objects.

Covered but would benefit from more practical problem-solving

Fractions: Pupils should be taught to:count up and down in tenths; recognise that tenths arise from dividing an object into 10 equal parts and in dividing one-digit numbers or quantities by 10recognise, find and write fractions of a discrete set of objects: unit fractions and non- unit fractions with small denominatorsrecognise and use fractions as numbers: unit fractions and non-unit fractions with small denominatorsrecognise and show, using diagrams, equivalent fractions with small denominatorsadd and subtract fractions with the same denominator within one whole [for example, ⅕ + ⅖ = ⅗]compare and order unit fractions, and fractions with the same denominatorssolve problems that involve all of the above.

Practice adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator – this should be straightforward. The trickier bit will be converting improper fractions (3 eighths plus 6 eighths = 9 eighths – this can be written as 1 and 1 eighth).

Measurement: Pupils should be taught to: measure, compare, add and subtract: lengths (m/cm/mm); mass (kg/g); volume/capacity

(l/ml) measure the perimeter of simple 2-D shapes add and subtract amounts of money to give change, using both £ and p in practical

contexts tell and write the time from an analogue clock, including using Roman numerals from I to

XII, and 12-hour and 24-hour clocks estimate and read time with increasing accuracy to the nearest minute; record and compare time in terms of seconds, minutes and hours; use vocabulary such as o’clock, a.m./p.m., morning, afternoon, noon and midnight know the number of seconds in a minute and the number of days in each month, year

and leap year compare durations of events [for example to calculate the time taken by particular

events or tasks].

Use Education City and the Visnos interactive clock on the RM unify front screen to practice telling the time on analogue clock faces and look at the difference between a 12 and 24 hour clock.

Use TV guides to work out durations of an event or series of events, or how long until… type questions. Lots of practice might be needed here as we’re working in blocks of 24 and 60 rather than base-10!

Geometry – properties of shape: Pupils should be taught to: draw 2-D shapes and make 3-D shapes using modelling materials; recognise 3-D shapes in

different orientations and describe them recognise angles as a property of shape or a description of a turn identify right angles, recognise that two right angles make a half-turn, three make three

quarters of a turn and four a complete turn; identify whether angles are greater than or less than a right angle

identify horizontal and vertical lines and pairs of perpendicular and parallel lines.

Best looked at through computer programming – try using Scratch on the RM unify front screen which will let you turn in right angles, described as 90 degrees.

Statistics: Pupils should be taught to: interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables solve one-step and two-step questions [for example, ‘How many more?’ and ‘How many

fewer?’] using information presented in scaled bar charts and pictograms and tables.

Link to science to create tallies (how many of each type of plant/animal/insect etc) and turn into bar charts; record growth of a seed day by day (sunflower?), measuring carefully, then turn into a line graph to show the growth.

LITERACY Year 3 and 4 curriculumReading - word readingPupils should be taught to: apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (etymology and

morphology) as listed in - see English appendix 1 , both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words they meet

read further exception words, noting the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound, and where these occur in the word

Reading – comprehensionPupils should be taught to: develop positive attitudes to reading, and an understanding of what they read, by:

listening to and discussing a wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks

reading books that are structured in different ways and reading for a range of purposes using dictionaries to check the meaning of words that they have read increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including fairy stories, myths and

legends, and retelling some of these orally identifying themes and conventions in a wide range of books preparing poems and play scripts to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding

through intonation, tone, volume and action discussing words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination recognising some different forms of poetry [for example, free verse, narrative poetry]

understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding, and explaining

the meaning of words in context asking questions to improve their understanding of a text drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their

actions, and justifying inferences with evidence predicting what might happen from details stated and implied identifying main ideas drawn from more than 1 paragraph and summarising these

We have covered fairy tales in some detail, but less so myths and legends. It would be great if the children could do some more reading around UK folklore (Robin Hood? King Arthur?) and retelling these to grown-ups in summary.

We have looked at some poetry but not different forms, and have not had the chance to deal with play scripts at all yet. This will be covered in more detail in Y4 when they look at the works of Shakespeare. In the meantime it might be good to look at some more poetry via The Literacy Shed:

https://www.literacyshed.com/the-poetry-shed.html

identifying how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning retrieve and record information from non-fiction participate in discussion about both books that are read to them and those they can read for

themselves, taking turns and listening to what others sayWriting – transcriptionSpelling - see English appendix 1Pupils should be taught to: use further prefixes and suffixes and understand how to add them - see English appendix 1 spell further homophones spell words that are often misspelt - see English appendix 1 place the possessive apostrophe accurately in words with regular plurals [for example, girls’,

boys’] and in words with irregular plurals [for example, children’s] use the first 2 or 3 letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary write from memory simple sentences, dictated by the teacher, that include words and

punctuation taught so far

The possessive apostrophe can be dealt with via Ed City

Dictate and write a sentence is a good way to practice spellings and memory building anyway – turn this into a game using the Y3 spellings to create nonsense sentences that the child has to write from memory

HandwritingPupils should be taught to: use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which

letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting, [for example, by ensuring

that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant, and that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch]

Practice via the spelling sheets, making sure letter formation is copied accurately and that ascenders and descenders are stretched out to the guide lines.

Writing - compositionPupils should be taught to: plan their writing by:

discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write in order to understand and learn from its structure, vocabulary and grammar

discussing and recording ideas draft and write by:

composing and rehearsing sentences orally (including dialogue), progressively building a varied and rich vocabulary and an increasing range of sentence structures English appendix 2

organising paragraphs around a theme in narratives, creating settings, characters and plot in non-narrative material, using simple organisational devices [for example, headings and

It would be useful to produce a piece of non-fiction writing based on an element of research carried out independently (maybe on one of the history themes – see below?) thinking about how we could group facts and sentences together into a coherent paragraph. We had just started doing this with our dinosaurs when we had to close!

For any writing the children do, they should read back through for both SPAG mistakes (especially full stops and capital letters), but also as critical readers thinking about how they could make their writing a bit better. Can we include some more interesting words, add some sentence openers or link clauses with a conjunction?

sub-headings] evaluate and edit by:

assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing and suggesting improvements proposing changes to grammar and vocabulary to improve consistency, including the

accurate use of pronouns in sentences proofread for spelling and punctuation errors read their own writing aloud to a group or the whole class, using appropriate intonation and

controlling the tone and volume so that the meaning is clearWriting - vocabulary, grammar and punctuationPupils should be taught to: develop their understanding of the concepts set out in English appendix 2 by:

extending the range of sentences with more than one clause by using a wider range of conjunctions, including: when, if, because, although

using the present perfect form of verbs in contrast to the past tense choosing nouns or pronouns appropriately for clarity and cohesion and to avoid repetition using conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions to express time and cause using fronted adverbials learning the grammar for years 3 and 4 in [English appendix

2]/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335190/English_Appendix_2_-_Vocabulary_grammar_and_punctuation.pdf)

indicate grammatical and other features by: using commas after fronted adverbials indicating possession by using the possessive apostrophe with plural nouns using and punctuating direct speech

use and understand the grammatical terminology in English appendix 2 accurately and appropriately when discussing their writing and reading

Fronted adverbials are openings of sentences incorporating an adverb describing how the subject of the sentence is doing something:

“Typing quickly, Mr B produced a document for parents”

The adverb (quickly) describes how I am doing the typing, and the clause is separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma.

SCIENCE Specific Year 3 curriculumWorking scientificallyDuring years 3 and 4, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content: asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate

measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and

Link this to maths with use of statistics. We can gather, present and discuss findings from data about anything. How many pairs of shoes does each member of the family have etc. It would be useful to incorporate an element of scientific enquiry into this too – measuring growth of a plant seedling would be perfect.

A fair test is one where we change a single variable so we

data loggers gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering

questions recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts,

and tables reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or

presentations of results and conclusions using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements

and raise further questions identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.

understand that if we get different results, it is because of that variable. EG my crumpled paper demo on the Dojo thread – why does the crumpled paper fall more quickly than the flat sheet?

PlantsPupils should be taught to: identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants: roots, stem/trunk, leaves

and flowers explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and

room to grow) and how they vary from plant to plant investigate the way in which water is transported within plants explore the part that flowers play in the life cycle of flowering plants, including pollination, seed

formation and seed dispersal

We have touched on this on a few occasions (harvest festival, different crops farmed around Europe) but not covered this as a single block.

As well as Ed City we can set up practical enquiries here – growing seeds, one in light and one in dark, and measuring the difference?

Animals, including humansPupils should be taught to: identify that animals, including humans, need the right types and amount of nutrition, and that

they cannot make their own food; they get nutrition from what they eat identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection

and movement

Practical study – have a look at the nutritional information on food from the shops – what sort of nutrients are you getting, which foods give you the most/least of each type, what is unhealthy?

We covered skeletons but not muscles. You can demo these with a pair of elastic bands – one stretching, one contracting - and how they can control movements.

RocksPupils should be taught to: compare and group together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple

physical properties describe in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within

rock recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter

We classified rocks but have not looked at sedimentary, metamorphic or igneous.

Fossil formationhttps://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-are-fossils-formed.html

Light

Pupils should be taught to: recognise that they need light in order to see things and that dark is the absence of light notice that light is reflected from surfaces recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect their eyes recognise that shadows are formed when the light from a light source is blocked by an opaque

object find patterns in the way that the size of shadows changeForces and magnets compare how things move on different surfaces notice that some forces need contact between 2 objects, but magnetic forces can act at a distance observe how magnets attract or repel each other and attract some materials and not others compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of whether they are

attracted to a magnet, and identify some magnetic materials describe magnets as having 2 poles predict whether 2 magnets will attract or repel each other, depending on which poles are facing

GEOGRAPHY KS2 curriculumLocational knowledgeo Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and

North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities

o Name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time

o Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)

Practicing map work with an old road atlas or similar, or designing a map incorporating a key for an imaginary world would be a nice way of using this practically.

Place knowledgeUnderstand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South AmericaHuman and physical geographyDescribe and understand key aspects of:o physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains,

Looking at biomes/vegetation belts would be useful to reinforce our study of countries and land use in Europe.

volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycleo human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including

trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z849q6f/articles/zvsp92p

Geographical skills and fieldwork use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe

features studied use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key

(including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world

use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.

HISTORY KS2 curriculumChanges in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. This could include:

late Neolithic hunter-gatherers and early farmers, for example, Skara Brae Bronze Age religion, technology and travel, for example, Stonehenge Iron Age hill forts: tribal kingdoms, farming, art and culture

The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain. This could include: Julius Caesar’s attempted invasion in 55-54 BC the Roman Empire by AD 42 and the power of its army successful invasion by Claudius and conquest, including Hadrian’s Wall British resistance, for example, Boudicca ‘Romanisation’ of Britain: sites such as Caerwent and the impact of technology, culture and

beliefs, including early ChristianityBritain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots. This could include:

Roman withdrawal from Britain in c. AD 410 and the fall of the western Roman Empire Scots invasions from Ireland to north Britain (now Scotland) Anglo-Saxon invasions, settlements and kingdoms: place names and village life Anglo-Saxon art and culture Christian conversion – Canterbury, Iona and Lindisfarne

Looking at the Sutton Hoo ship burial would be a good place to start if interested – do a display poster? Make a version of the helmet??https://www.britishmuseum.org/learn/schools/ages-7-11/ancient-britain/classroom-resource-sutton-hooKey will be looking at what the artefacts tell us about the people who left them: sailors, traders, warriors, pagans etc.

The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor. This could include:

Viking raids and invasion

Resistance by Alfred the Great and Athelstan, first king of England Further Viking invasions and Danegeld Anglo-Saxon laws and justice Edward the Confessor and his death in 1066

A Local History study. This could include: An in-depth study linked to one of the British areas of study listed above A study over time tracing how several aspects of national history are reflected in the locality

(this can go beyond 1066) A study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant

in the locality.

Why is Redditch famous? Look at the Forge Mill website:https://www.forgemill.org.uk/web/Use this to look at how the area has been changed by industrial revolution and why Redditch (briefly) produced the world’s supply of needles!

A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066. This could include The changing power of monarchs using case studies such as John, Anne and Victoria Changes in an aspect of social history, such as crime and punishment from the Anglo-Saxons to

the present or leisure and entertainment in the 20th Century The legacy of Greek or Roman culture (art, architecture or literature) on later periods in British

history, including the present day A significant turning point in British history, for example, the first railways or the Battle of BritainThe achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of one of the following: Ancient Sumer; The Indus Valley; Ancient Egypt; The Shang Dynasty of Ancient ChinaAncient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western worldA non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – one study chosen from:

Early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; Mayan civilization c. AD 900; Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300.

COMPUTING KS2 CurriculumProgramming: Pupils should be taught to:

design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts

We can make a start on this using Scratch or the online Beebot emulator

use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output

use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs

https://www.terrapinlogo.com/emu/beebot.html

Technology and software: Pupils should be taught to understand computer networks, including the internet; how they can provide multiple services,

such as the World Wide Web, and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration

use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content

select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information

use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact

Please do make sure the children read and work through Thinkuknow on the RM Unify front screen

FRENCH KS2 curriculumPupils should be taught to: listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling,

sound and meaning of words engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of

others; seek clarification and help* speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading

aloud or using familiar words and phrases* present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences* read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced

into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly describe people, places, things and actions orally* and in writing understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant):

feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features

Focus should be on speaking and listening at this point. Little and often is best – we have learned some basic introductory phrases and practiced our pronunciation but need to extend our vocab:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z39d7ty

and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English

ART KS2 curriculumArt Pupils should be taught:

o To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideaso To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture

with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]o About great artists, architects and designers in history.

Lots of drawing practice using our basic techniques would be good. Look at and copy famous works of art

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

KS2 curriculum

Design Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing

products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches,

cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design

KS2 curriculum

Make Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for

example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction

materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities

Evaluate Investigate and analyse a range of existing products Evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of

others to improve their work Understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the

worldTechnical knowledge

Apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures

Understand and use mechanical systems in their products [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages]

Understand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits

Electrical circuits are covered in Y4 science

Programming can be covered in maths and ICT using Beebots and Scratch.

incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors] Apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.

Cooking and nutritionAs part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.Pupils should be taught to:

Understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking

techniques Understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown,

reared, caught and processed.

MUSIC KS2 CurriculumPerformance and composition: Pupils should be taught to:

Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression

Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music

Use and understand staff and other musical notationsAppreciation and understanding. Pupils should be taught to:

Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from

different traditions and from great composers and musicians Develop an understanding of the history of music.

The BBC 10 pieces page includes music and practical activities

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

KS2 curriculum

Pupils should be taught to: use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination play competitive games, modified where appropriate [for example, badminton, basketball,

Difficult when housebound, but we can work on different key skills in a small space – throwing, catching, aiming etc.

cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending

develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example, through athletics and gymnastics]

perform dances using a range of movement patterns take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve

their personal best.

Look for improvement in general “keep fit” activities around the home – how many star jumps can I do in 1 minute? Time, record, chart progress – and link to resting and elevated pulse rate to look at how exercise can improve our overall fitness.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

KS2 curriculum

Belief:What do different people believe about God? Christians, Hindus and/or Muslims

Talk about ways in which we exercise trust and faith in our everyday lives. Find some examples of how we know about something we have not seen or experienced for

ourselves. What do people believe about God? Explore some of the ways in which religions name and

describe the attributes of God – with a particular focus on how Christians think of God as Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the 99 Names of Allah; or Hindu beliefs about the Trimurti – Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), Shiva (destroyer).

Study art (Christians), calligraphy (Muslims) and/or murtis (Hindus) used to represent ideas about God to find out what they say about God.

Explore how ideas about God are shown in stories/narratives: E.g. encounters which help believers to understand God’s relationship with people e.g., Moses and the Burning Bush (Exodus 3.1–15), Jonah (book of Jonah in the Old Testament); Baptism of Jesus (Mark 1.9–11); Pentecost (Acts 2. 1–21) and Paul's conversion (Acts 9. 1–19); stories Jesus told which teach about God e.g. the parable of the Forgiving Father (Luke 15.11–32).

Why is the Bible so important for Christians today? Talk about sources of guidance and wisdom in their own and others’ lives: who or what helps

them to decide how to live? Introduce the Bible as a guide for Christians. Give pupils a brief introduction to the Christian Bible – Old and New Testaments, divided into

books, chapters and verses; different types of writing (illustrate with two examples e.g. histories; laws; poems; prayers; biographies (Gospels); letters) (be clear that what Christians call the ‘Old Testament’ is Jewish scripture too).

Introduce pupils to the idea that for Christians, the Bible tells them about what God is like. It

Our focus has been on Christianity, especially parables, and with a focus on the New Testament.

With Easter in mind, it might be good to recap on temptation looking at Christ’s temptation in the wilderness at the start of Lent.

also tells a ‘big story’ of God’s dealings with human beings: God loves humans and created a wonderful world for people (creation); humans disobey God and go their own way (‘the Fall’); God sends his Son, Jesus (incarnation) to save people – to bring them back to God (salvation). This story explains why Christians think they need to say sorry to God, why they try to follow Jesus, and why they are grateful to God for sending Jesus. It shows why Christians think the Bible is still important because it tells them about how to live, and why they should follow God.

Creation: Read Genesis 1 (use a lively children’s version). Ask pupils to create dance/movement actions for each day, or art work to reflect the narrative; focus on what the narrative shows God is like – powerful, creative, good etc.

Find out what good and bad things people sometimes do. Explore idea of temptation: what things are tempting? Why do we give in sometimes? Do we sometimes blame others? Tell the story of Adam and Eve giving in to temptation (Genesis 3 – often called ‘the Fall’). Does the way the people behave sound familiar? What lessons do pupils think Christians might learn from this story? Think about why Christians say people need to ask God to forgive them.

Explore creatively the Lost Coin, Sheep and Son stories (Luke 15) and how Christians interpret them as showing how much God wants ‘sinners’ to turn back to him; ask some Christians what they mean when they say Jesus saves or rescues them.

Look at some examples of how Christians use the Bible – for everyday prayer and Bible reading (often using notes), in Bible study groups; read aloud in church, with people talking about the meaning. What are the good things and the difficult things people might find from trying to follow this book in day-to-day life?

ExpressionWhy do people pray? Christians, Hindus and/or Muslims

Discover and think about the meanings of the words of key prayers in three religions – e.g. the Muslim First Surah of the Qur’an, the Christian Lord’s Prayer and the Hindu Gayatri Mantra.

Learn that Hindus, Muslims and Christians pray in many different ways, both using set forms of words and more spontaneously, and the three religions believe similar and different ideas about how God hears prayers.

Consider the idea that some people are spiritual but not religious and like to pray in their own way.

Consider the idea that some people are atheists who believe it is more use to be kind or to

We have started studying the Easter story in detail as a festival and the meaning behind the story as redemption of sinners. It would be great to finish off the story from Crucifixion to Resurrection and subsequent appearance to the Apostles and prompt discussion:

Why did Jesus first appear to Mary Magdalene? Why did the disciples believe it was Jesus, and why did

Thomas have doubts? Why did Jesus only stay for 40 days after the resurrection? What themes and ideas can you find in the story? Rebirth,

help someone than to pray for them. Find out about some symbols used in prayers in different religions. Explore connections between prayer in three different religions. Explore the impact of prayer: Does it enable people to feel calm, hopeful, inspired, close to

God or challenged? How? Ask good questions about answered and unanswered prayer and find out some answers to these questions.

Discuss and consider the impact of praying in some stories from inside the religions, e.g. stories of answered prayer, or of the origin of a prayer in ancient India, in Jesus’ teaching or in the Holy Qur’an.

Make links between beliefs and practice of prayer in different religions. Weigh up the value and impact of these key ideas for themselves.

Why are festivals important to religious communities? Christians, Hindus and/or Muslims and/or Jewish people

Think about times in their own lives when pupils remember and celebrate significant events/people, and why and how they do this

Consider the meanings of the stories behind key religious festivals, e.g Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Harvest in Christianity, Diwali in Hinduism, Pesach, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in Judaism, Eid in Islam.

Describe how believers express the meaning of religious festivals through symbols, sounds, actions, story and rituals.

notice and think about similarities and differences between the way festival are celebrated e.g. Christmas or Holy Week within different Christian traditions; between home and places of worship.

study key elements of festival: shared values, story, beliefs, hopes and commitments. Consider (using Philosophy for Children methods where possible) questions about the deep

meaning of the festivals: does light conquer darkness (Diwali)? Is love stronger than death (Easter)? Can God free people from slavery (Pesach)? Is it good to say sorry (Yom Kippur)? Does fasting make you a better person? How? (Ramadan and Eid-ul- Fitr; Lent).

Explore the benefits of celebration to religious communities by asking some local believers: why do they keep on celebrating ancient events?

Consider questions about the role of festivals in the life of Britain today: Is Comic Relief day a bigger festival than Easter? Should everyone be allowed a day off work for their festivals? Is Christmas for the Christians or for everyone? Can the real meaning of a festival be preserved, or do the shops and shopping always take over?

redemption, sacrifice, individual weaknesses?

Religious life

What does it mean to be a Christian in Britain today? Find out about how Christians show their faith within their families. What objects might you

find in a Christian’s home and why? E.g. Bible, cross/crucifix, palm cross, pictures of Jesus or the holy family (Mary, Joseph and Jesus), Christian magazines, CDs of Christian music, some Bible verses on the fridge. What kinds of things would Christian families do during the week? E.g. grace before meals, family prayers and Bible reading, private prayer and Bible reading, giving money to charity. Talk about which objects and actions are most important and why. What similarities and differences are there with the family values and home rituals of pupils in the class?

Explore what Christians do to show their faith within their church communities. What do they do together and why? Explore church noticeboards or websites to find out what goes on in at least two different kinds of churches (e.g. Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal), and some of the similarities and differences between what Christians do there. E.g. Sunday school classes, ‘Messy Church’, Girls Brigade, Boys’ Brigade, Sunday services, different types of worship music, home groups. Ask some teenagers from two churches about how they show their faith.

Find out what Christians do to show their faith in how they help their local community. Choose one or two local churches to illustrate local involvement, e.g. in food banks, running creches and toddler groups, supporting those in need (e.g. St Vincent de Paul Society), running ‘Christians Against Poverty’ money management courses, Alpha Courses, cake sales, visiting the sick, etc. Obviously, Christians are not the only people who do these things, but find out why Christians and others do work hard to help people in their communities. What kinds of things do pupils at your school do to help others, and why?

Find out about some ways in which Christians make a difference in the worldwide community. How do they show that they are Christians? E.g. Mother Teresa, Pope Francis, Archbishop Justin Welby, Loretta Minghella (Director of Christian Aid). See if there are local Christians who are involved in fighting for justice etc.