| Year 4 |
Welcome to Elm and Oak Class
| Elm Class Staff |
| Teacher: Miss Eynon |
| Teaching Assistants: Mrs Mayles, Mrs Hill, Mrs Horton |
| Teacher Planning, Preparation and Assessment time (PPA) is usually on a Thursday; Mrs Ashwell teaches the class during this time. |
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PE Days Our PE days are Tuesday and Thursday Please ensure your child comes to school in their PE kit on these days |
| Oak Class Staff |
| Teacher: Mrs Catchpole (Monday - Wednesday) |
| Teacher: Mrs McCarthy (Thursday & Friday) |
| Teaching Assistants: Ms Massie, Mrs Palmer, Mrs Spicer |
| Teacher Planning, Preparation and Assessment time (PPA) is usually half a day on a Tuesday; Mrs Ashwell teachers the class during this time. |
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Homework Homework is set on a Friday and due back in on a Wednesday Spellings - Test on a Monday |
Maths
This term, our learning in maths follows the White Rose scheme and builds on the strong foundations the children have already developed.
We will begin by deepening our understanding of decimals and exploring how they link to fractions. Children will learn how to compare and order decimals, as well as round them to the nearest whole number or required decimal place.
Following this, we will move into our Money unit, where pupils will convert between pounds and pence and apply their knowledge to real-life problem-solving activities.
Later in the term, we will focus on:
- Time
- Statistics
- Position and direction
- Shape
These units will help strengthen key skills in reasoning, interpreting information and spatial understanding.
Multiplication Tables Check – June 2026
It is especially important that Year 4 pupils continue practising their multiplication tables regularly—both at school and at home.
All children will take part in the statutory Multiplication Tables Check (MTC), which will take place between Monday 1st June and Friday 12th June 2026. This online check assesses how fluently children can recall all multiplication facts up to 12 × 12. They will complete 25 quick-fire questions, with six seconds allowed for each one.
How to Support Your Child
Using TT Rockstars is a fantastic and engaging way for children to build confidence and speed with their times tables.
(Log-in details can be found at the front of your child’s homework book.)
This term we will place particular emphasis on the 6s, 7s, 8s and 12s, following on from our most recent in-school multiplication checks.
English
In English, the children will return to create Haiku poems based on the topic of Spring. Following this, the children will learn about non- chronological reports. They will use headings, subheadings, an index and a glossary to organise their writing. They will use prepositions, conjunctions and fronted adverbials to make their writing clear and precise for their audience. The children will use all these skills to create a report all about ‘play’. Towards the end of the Summer term, the children will focus on the poetry of Valerie Bloom.
Spellings will be tested each week which will include a mixture of words featuring our spelling focus and KS2 high frequency words.
Science
This term we will continue to learn about teeth and digestion. The children will identify the different types of teeth in humans and their simple functions and they will go onto explore the parts of the digestive system and the functions they have. In our last Science unit, the children will look at how animals and plants can be grouped. They will learn how to complete a classification tree and then consider the dangers humans can impose on the environment.
Reading
This term, we will return to reading fiction. The children will begin the adventurous and exciting book called ‘ Varjak Paw’ by SF Said. This is the story of a Mesopotamian Blue kitten, who lives high up in an old house on a hill. He's never left home, until he receives a mysterious visit from his grandfather who tells him about The Way - a secret martial art for cats. Now, Varjak must use the Way to survive in a city full of dangerous dogs, cat gangs and, strangest of all, the mysterious Vanishings.
We will endeavour to listen to ALL children read aloud during our weekly in our guided reading sessions. Please ensure that you bring your reading book to school with you everyday!
Our 2x weekly guided reading sessions will focus on the VIPERS question stems. (See image on left!)
Please continue to read at home and record your reading in your reading diary.
We will visit the library once per week as a class where your child will be able to select a book to share with you at home. Please ensure these are returned from changing the next week.
Humanities
In Geography, we will explore the unit ‘All Around the World’ by further developing our understanding of the world, its countries, continents and other physical/human features. We will improve our map skills and develop a greater appreciation for the world in which we live.
In History, the children will focus on the History of our village. We will explore how Silsoe has changed over time by going on a walk to identify special sites and produce a fact file of key information.
Art and DT
This term, our creative curriculum will begin with our Art topic, “Fabric of Nature.” The children will explore the vibrant world of the rainforest, creating four observational and imaginative images inspired by its colours, textures and forms. They will then develop these ideas into a repeated pattern, applying techniques such as mark‑making, shape exploration and design refinement. Finally, pupils will transfer their pattern onto fabric using the glue batik method, allowing them to experiment with resist techniques and practise control over line and detail.
This unit supports Lower Key Stage 2 Art & Design aims by enabling children to improve mastery of art and design techniques, use a range of materials, and explore the work of artists and craftspeople as inspiration for their own creations.
In Design and Technology, the children will investigate how kites are constructed, learning about frame structure, material suitability, stability and aerodynamics. Using this knowledge, they will design, make and evaluate their own kite—before testing it outdoors to see how effectively it flies.
This work links directly to Lower Key Stage 2 D&T objectives by encouraging pupils to apply practical and technical skills, research and evaluate existing products, and design purposeful, functional items using an understanding of how structures work
PSHE
We will begin the term with discussing safety and the changing body. The children will learn about personal safety, including the difference between private and public. They will explore the benefits of being a non-smoker and how to respond to an asthma attack. We will also start to discuss the physical and emotional changes during puberty, helping them understand how their bodies grow and change. After half term, we will begin our transition work. The children will look back at all their achievements at Silsoe Lower and then look forward on how they can prepare for the changes ahead. They will consider how to deal with a range of situations, they will research into the school day of their new school and discuss phone and road safety in preparation for their new independence.
Computing
This term in Computing, the children will be completing a range of exciting units through the Purple Mash curriculum. We will begin by finishing our Coding unit, where pupils build on their understanding of algorithms, sequences and debugging to create increasingly sophisticated programs. Following this, the class will move on to the Composing Beats unit, exploring digital music creation and learning how to layer sounds, adjust tempo and create rhythmic patterns using online tools. Later in the term, the children will take their first steps into the world of technology development with an Introduction to AI, where they will learn what artificial intelligence is, how it is used in everyday life and begin to think critically about its benefits and challenges. These units are designed to develop creativity, problem‑solving skills and digital confidence across a range of modern technologies.
French
In our final term, the children will learn how to say what pets they own and what they are called. The children will also create a French vocabulary booklet which will display all their language learning from Year 3 and 4 ready for them to transition to middle school.
RE
This term the children will be considering the questions:
1) What are the deeper meanings of religious festivals?
Key questions include:
- Which times are special and why?
- How and why do we celebrate special and sacred times?
- What is the same and what is different?
2) How and why do people try to make the word a better place?
Key questions include:
- What is special about our world?
- Why do you think the world is not always a good place?
- What can we learn from religions about deciding what is right and wrong?
PE
Our first units in PE for the Summer term are Football and Cricket. In Football, we will be developing our physical skills in dribbling, passing, receiving and gaining possession as well as working on social skills such as co-operation, respect and communication. In Cricket, we will develop our knowledge of the principles of striking and fielding as well as learning how to overarm bowl.
After half term, we will move on to Athletics and Rounders. In Athletics, we will be developing our running, jumping and throwing skills by learning techniques to achieve our greatest possible speed, distance and accuracy. In Rounders, we will learn the rules of the game and develop our underarm bowling and batting skills.
Music
This term we are going to further develop our compositional skills which will include:
- Listening and copying more complex rhythmic patterns, by ear or from notation.
- Composing rhythm and melodies using: semibreve, minim, crotchet and quavers in rhythm as well as notation on the stave
- Performing more complex rhythmic and melodic patterns
We are also going to develop our use of a digital sound studio to:
- Create sound effects, enhancing the drama and realism of a film clip.
- Compositional decisions, considering mood, timing, and impact.
- Evaluate final composition and perform to other year groups.
Reading in KS2
In KS2, children are encouraged to become confident, expressive and passionate readers. Most children will move fairly quickly onto the broader range of books available in the Brown, Grey and Blue book bands. Your child may spend quite a while on each book band. This isn't because they are not progressing, it is rather an opportunity for your child to be exposed to a wide range of authors, genres and styles of writing at a level in which they can comprehend what they are reading. They will be asked to answer comprehension questions to show their understanding of what they have read and encouraged to discuss the books they have enjoyed from the book band and the ones they have disliked.
We aspire to make every child a passionate reader and need your help to do this!
We will try to read with your child as often as we can in school. This will be either 1:1 with an adult, or in a guided reading activity where the children will read in a group and discuss the text together. We will hear your child read aloud a minimum of once a week but encourage you to supplement this by reading with your child as often as possible at home.
If your child would like access to more books at home, perhaps you could use Oxford Reading Owl to read different books. Oxford Owl has many different books and you can download and read them all online for free.
Oxford Owl
For a recommended reading list, please visit:
Recommended reading list for KS2 children
Ways you can help at home
- Read with your child for 10 minutes every day
- Support your child to complete the homework set each week
- Ask your child questions about stories that they are reading to you, or about stories you are reading to them.
- Ask your child to tell you the time to help them to practise the skill of telling the time. To challenge your child, you could ask them to tell you the time on both an analogue and digital clock.
- Ask children to help you to count out money and ask for change
- Encourage your child to write stories, recounts, shopping lists to help build their stamina for learning.
Websites to help...
Purple Mash
Top Marks Maths Games
Primary Maths Games
TT Rockstars
Spelling Shed
| Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any worries or concerns. You can contact us directly on the playground at the end of the school day or via the school office to request a call or a meeting if required. Thank-you for your continued support. |