What We Do in Lower Keystage 2

The Lower Key Stage 2 Phase is made up of Years 3 and 4. These are important bridging years of learning where skills are embedded and your child is encouraged to develop new, independent skills and greater responsibilities.

In Year 3 and 4 the children are taught the core and curriculum subjects through Topics. At the end of each year the children will be assessed in their progress in the core subjects of Literacy and Numeracy. This takes the form of ongoing teacher assessment and optional tests in May. We don’t just aim to provide evidence of tests though - we want to show how your child has progressed through their first part of Key Stage 2, acquiring a whole range of skills and learning.

Swimming for everyone

As well as the two statutory PE sessions each week, every child in Lower Key Stage 2 Phase receives swimming lessons at Monkton Combe swimming pool, which is within walking distance of the school. We share these sessions over the year to give everyone an equal chance to develop their swimming skills.

Trips and visits

We are fortunate to have many opportunities for educational visits and trips in Lower Key Stage 2. In Year 3 there are regular annual visits to local places to inspire our art work, especially our sculpture in the local area work. The Year 3 classes also visit Bristol Museum and Nothe Fort in Weymouth to enrich the ‘Ancient Egypt’ and ‘Children in World War II’ topics. In Year 4 the children visit Montacute House and The Roman Baths to compliment the history topics of the Tudors and the Romans. The Year 4 pupils are also the first year group in the school to go on a short (three-day) residential visit to Sandown in the Isle of Wight in the Spring.