Otter Class – Year 3 & Year 4

Welcome to our Class Page.

Otter Class is an important stage in the life of children at Nunney First School. Expectations are high, led by class teacher Mrs Lindow. These are the final years before the children move to the local middle schools, an important time when they are supported to develop their academic learning, their social skills and their broader approach to lifelong learning.

During his or her two years in Hedgehog Class, coming across to the main hall each day for assembly and lunch, or for PE or Multi-Sports Club, each child will have peeped through the door of Otter Class and seen a very different classroom, where the chairs are bigger and the displays on the walls are more complicated with a more demanding vocabulary. Otter Class is in the oldest part of the school where children have been educated since 1896; the room, the library and hall next door all have high ceilings with big tall windows that let in lots of light.

The school day is a little more formal, the work more challenging. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are likely to be given responsibilities such as playground leaders and team captains. They often represent the school at sporting and community events, for example the Tag Rugby Festival, a community harvest celebration and carol singing for our neighbours at Dallimore Mead.

These years see a growing capacity in each child for independent learning and the enjoyment of playing a greater role in leading whole school projects. In English, fluent reading and writing is the norm, with an enriched vocabulary and growing confidence in using language in a greater variety of situations, for a variety of audiences and purposes, including through drama, formal presentations and debate. Daily spelling exercises continue to make sure that key spelling skills are embedded for each child.

Mathematics becomes more demanding and more challenging as the children become familiar with larger and  smaller numbers, more complicated calculations, fractions, measurements, geometry, statistics – all natural steps in their progression, backed by the solid foundations laid in the previous years.

Other subjects including science, history, geography, religious studies, personal, social and health education, modern languages; sport and outdoor activity are taught through engaging projects where children also have the opportunity to use and apply key English and maths skills taught in discrete lessons.

Before moving on to larger middle schools, Year 4 pupils have the opportunity to participate in a residential visit where they join pupils from Hayesdown First School to engage in a range of enjoyable and challenging outdoor and adventurous activities such as raft building, zip wire and canoeing.

Year 4 leavers have a dedicated Leavers’ Assembly in July celebrating, amid much laughter, applause and the odd tear, their achievements at Nunney.