Spring Term

Welcome back Sharks. We hope you had a lovely Christmas break and are ready to be challenged with some new learning!

In English this term, pupils will be learning and performing the poem The Magic Box by Kit Wright. They will study and write their own caution stories, developing their suspense writing skills while exploring expanded noun phrases and fronted adverbials. During Guided Reading sessions, children will read a wide range of texts linked to our current topics, as well as traditional caution tales, to support their English learning and further develop comprehension and understanding. Our class novel for this term will be Varjak Paw by S.F. Said.
In Maths, we are beginning a unit focused on multiplication and division. As pupils will be completing the statutory Multiplication Tables Check this year, we are working hard in school to practise times tables and related number facts. Children are also encouraged to use Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) at home to further support and reinforce their learning. If you need the log-ins sending out again, or your child is having trouble accessing this at home, please speak to a member of the year 4 team to support.

In Science, our new topic is Electricity. Pupils will explore how electricity is used in our everyday lives and learn about common electrical appliances. They will investigate how circuits work, including making simple series and parallel circuits, and identifying what makes a circuit complete or incomplete. Children will also learn about conductors and insulators and carry out practical investigations to test which materials allow electricity to flow.

In History our new topic is The Ancient Romans. Pupils will learn about Roman life, including daily routines, homes, and schooling. They will explore the Roman army, Roman achievements, and the impact of Roman rule on Britain. Children will also develop their historical skills by examining primary and secondary sources, comparing life in Roman times with life today, and understanding the legacy of the Romans in modern society.
In PSHE, we will be exploring healthy bodies and healthy minds. Pupils will learn about the importance of maintaining physical and mental wellbeing, including developing strategies for managing feelings and emotions, understanding the impact of exercise and diet, and recognising how to keep themselves safe and healthy. To support our thinking, we will be using the book The Red Tree, which will help spark discussion about emotions, resilience, and ways to stay positive. We will also continue to explore the importance of community and families, considering aspects of rights and responsibilities, identity and diversity, and reflecting on how our world is enriched by both our similarities and differences.

In RHE, we will be learning about Islam. Pupils will develop an understanding of Muslim beliefs and practices, including key aspects of worship, festivals, and community life. They will explore the importance of values such as respect, compassion, and responsibility, and consider how these principles influence daily life for Muslims. This will build their knowledge of different faiths and promote an appreciation of diversity and tolerance.

Computing in Year 4 will introduce Google Classroom as a presenting and sharing platform; accessing pre-loaded documents and saving and submitting their own work. Children will begin to understand what is meant by a digital footprint and how difficult it is to erase. Google Classroom will be used to access information across the curriculum, not just within our computing lessons.

In Art, pupils will be creating mosaic tiles linked to our Ancient Roman topic. They will learn to plan and design their own mosaics, selecting shapes, colours, and patterns carefully. Children will develop their cutting and arranging skills, will be able to plan detailed designs, and practise techniques for assembling and fixing pieces securely. Finally, they will evaluate their finished mosaics, considering how well their work reflects their original design and the Roman style they have studied.

In French this term, pupils will be learning how to read, write, and say the date. They will practise saying the days of the week, months of the year, and how to use numbers to form dates. There will be plenty of opportunities for listening, speaking, reading, and writing, supported through the use of images, short tasks, and fun games. By the end of the unit, children will be confident in discussing and recording dates in French, helping to build their vocabulary and language skills.

PE will continue to include swimming on a Monday – children should wear their sports kit and bring their swimming kit (swimsuit, towel, and swimming hat) in a bag. Goggles are optional. Swimming lessons will continue until February half term.
On Wednesdays, PE will take place with our coach, and the focus will be cricket. Pupils will develop skills in throwing, catching, and striking a ball with accuracy, as well as learning how to bowl and field effectively. They will also explore teamwork, communication, and game tactics, applying their skills in small-sided matches and challenges. This will help children improve their coordination, fitness, and understanding of cricket rules and strategies.

If you have any questions or need to speak to us, please catch us at the end of the school day or leave a message/make an appointment by phoning the school office.

Many thanks,
The Year 4 Team.

Welcome to our Year 4 Shark Class page! Here we will share our plans for the term, to help you start conversations with your ‘shark’ about what they are enjoying and learning about in school.

In English, we will learn and perform a famous poem called 'The Charge of the Light Brigade', study and write our own portal stories and develop our persuasive writing techniques. We will continue to work on sentence structure, vocabulary and punctuation, as well as exploring and writing similes and metaphors. In Guided Reading, we will read examples of the text types mentioned above, as well as a range of other interesting narrative and non-fiction texts to develop our fluency, comprehension and knowledge across the curriculum. We are continuing with our ‘Just Read’ novel ‘The Land of Roar’ by Jenny McLachlan. We are really enjoying the book and are excited to see what happens next.

In Maths we are ready to start a unit on area. This will be followed by expanding our knowledge of multiplication and division. We will also be encouraging lots of practise with multiplication and related facts, as later on in Year 4 the children will have a Multiplication Check. TTRS should be accessible from home and logins have recently been sent out. Weekly challenges have been set and there are certificates to be won! Please ask if there are issues logging in and we'll do all that we can to get things sorted for you.

In Science our focus is ‘Animals including humans’. Here, we will identify, name and describe the function of parts of the human digestive system, find out about our teeth and carry out a fair test about tooth decay using eggs! 

After an exciting Ancient Egyptian topic in History, we now move on to finding out about volcanoes in Geography. We will look at the structure of the Earth and how tectonic plates are formed, where volcanoes can be found and how and why they erupt. We will discuss the 'Ring of Fire' and identify significant volcanoes of the world, including eruptions of the past; such as Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii.

In PSHE/RHE, we will be looking at the importance of community and families being made up of different people. To help develop our thinking we will be using a book called The Barnabus Project which will provoke a lot of super discussion. We will cover aspects of rights and freedoms; considering identity and diversity as we identify how our world is wonderful due to our similarities and differences. We will continue to look in greater depth at the community, worship and celebrations of people of the Hindu faith.

Computing in Year 4 will introduce Google Classroom as a presenting and sharing platform; accessing pre-loaded documents and saving and submitting their own work. Children will begin to understand what is meant by a digital footprint and how difficult it is to erase. Google Classroom will be used to access information across the curriculum, not just within our computing lessons.

In Design Technology, the children will be designing and making a Christmas stocking. They will research existing stockings, practise stitching techniques, plan how to make and decorate their work and finally evaluate their finished product.

In French this term, children will be learning how to say hello and introduce themselves.  There will be lots of opportunities for listening and responding, supported through the use of images, short tasks and games. We'll be ready for a trip in no time!

PE will continue to include swimming on a Monday – Children to wear sports kit and bring their swimming kit (swimsuit, towel and swimming hat) in a plastic bag. Goggles are optional. Children should also wear their sports kit on a Wednesday, as we explore movement through dance using different kinds of music and events such as Bonfire night fireworks.

If you have any questions or need to speak to us, please catch us at the end of the school day or leave a message/make an appointment by phoning the school office.

Many thanks,

Mrs Baldwin, Miss Dickinson and Mrs Beaumont (The Year 4 Team)