Class 3
Hello. My name is Mrs Kinsey and I teach Class 3 (Years 3 and 4).
This is my eleventh year of teaching at Aldbury Primary School. I aim to foster independence in children as they move out of KS1, enabling them to be more resilient as they meet the new demands of KS2.
I am passionate about teaching Maths and helping children to enjoy and understand this important and often challenging subject. I also love teaching music and in Class 3 we sing regularly and with enthusiasm!
I hope that this page will keep parents and carers up to date with all the exciting things that are happening in Class 3. I am keen for the children to continue to discover all of the wonderful things that make Class 3 so enjoyable.
Outside of school, I enjoy taking part in musical theatre productions, singing in a choir, playing the flute, reading and visiting historic homes and palaces.
If you have any questions or concerns, do feel free to see me after school or leave me a message on Class Dojo.
Meet the Teacher Presentation
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Class 3 Meet the Teacher session.
We began by welcoming all parents who joined us in Class Three, before talking about what our whole-school aims will look like for our mixed Year 3 and Year 4 class.
We want our children to be curious and increasingly independent learners. We encourage children to ask questions, and think carefully about the world around them. We make use of our school grounds, technology and opportunities beyond the classroom, including through Forest School.You may have heard about us playing games outside to practise our French or some of our many dice activities in Maths. In Class 3, as children become increasingly computer literate, we use technology and Google classroom to support and enrich their learning across different subjects.
We also want our children to feel challenged. Expectations are high in Class 3, but teaching is adapted so that every child can access the curriculum and make progress from their own starting point. Children may be supported in different ways or given additional challenges where appropriate, and we encourage them to become increasingly independent in Class 3, which includes carrying their own belongings to and from school.
Most importantly, we want the children to feel safe, happy and nurtured in Class 3. Good communication between home and school is really important to us, so please do get in touch if there is anything that you feel we should know or if you have any concerns. In the classroom, we have a cosy mezzanine area which has a calm reflective corner, equipped with mindful colouring, and resources to support children who need a quiet moment until they feel ready to join in class activities. Every morning, the children are talked through the visual timetable for the day (known as the Plan of Campaign in Class 3) so that there are no surprises and children have an opportunity to ask questions about how the day might look for them.
We spent some time discussing spelling and how this is approached in Class 3, with both year groups having a separate spelling lesson teaching a specific rule or group of words. The words are given to the children to stick in their planners, as the spellings are tested in school on Mondays. We also explained our approach to home learning. Homework is set weekly through MyMaths and a spelling sheet is given to support the weekly lesson. Although homework is optional, the spelling test will take place.
We consider reading to be fundamental to learning and so expect a minimum of two home reading sessions per week. If a child reads 5 times a week at home, they are given a star in their book and entered into the termly class reading raffle, the prize being a £10 book token. Reading to an adult for a few minutes every day has been seen to be more effective than reading less often for longer chunks.
During the meeting, we looked briefly at our curriculum and some of the experiences planned for the year. These include trips to Verulamium Museum in St Albans and Phasels Wood, We are looking forward to a busy and exciting year with Class 3 and to working closely with families to help every child make the most of their time with us.