| Year 4 |
Welcome to Elm and Oak Class
| Elm Class Staff |
| Teacher: Miss Eynon |
| Teaching Assistants: Mrs Godin, Mr Pusey & Miss Thomas |
| 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: Miss Thomas, Mrs Massie & Mrs Mayles |
| 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
In Maths this term, we will be continuing our work on decimals and see how this relates to fractions. We will also be comparing decimals and rounding decimals to a particular decimal point or whole number. We then will start our unit of money where we will covert between pound and pence working up to solving money problems. After this we will work on time, statistics, position and direction and also shape.
It is really important that children in Year 4 continue to practise their multiplication tables both at home as well as at school.
Your child will be tested on the government multiplication check between June 2nd and June 13th 2025
Using TT Rockstars is a fun and interactive way to do this! (Check the front your homework book for your log in details!)
We will focus on 6s,7s, 8s and 12s following on from our recent multiplication checks with the children.
English
In English, the children will return after Easter to write a magical portal story to read to Year 2 based on the story of ‘Leon and the place between’ by Angela McCallister. Their stories will focus on adding description and using dialogue to reveal more about the characters. After half term, 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 a favourite toy.
Near 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.
Geography/History
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 Design/DT
In the Summer term we will begin with our Art topic ’Fabric of nature’. The children will begin by creating 4 images inspired by the rainforest and then they will use these images to create a repeated pattern which they will recreate on fabric using the glue batik method. In DT, the children will learn about kites and their structure in order to create their own and see if they actually fly!
PSHE
We will begin the term with discussing how families are all different and how they all share the same value of love. The children will then discuss and consider how they have a right to feeling safe for example and how this places certain responsibilities upon all of us. We will discuss how to keep safe in the local community and how they would act in a number of different scenarios. 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
In computing we are moving on to our Coding Unit where we will build on our programming knowledge and begin to explore IF/ELSE and other variables. We will continue to develop our skills in designing, coding, testing and debugging.
For the second half of the summer term we will move on to physical coding using Microbits!
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
The children will be considering the question, ‘What are the deeper meanings of religious festivals? Including Christmas and Easter, Diwali, Passover and Vaisakhi.
Key skills taught will include:
Identifying and describing how festivals from at least three religions are celebrated
Asking questions and giving ideas about what matters most to believers in festivals (e.g. Easter, Eid)
Identifying similarities and differences in the way festivals are celebrated within and between religions.
Making links between different religions, which all celebrate the triumph of goodness over evil
Understanding more about the role of festivals in the life of Britain today.
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 half term we will further develop our melody and notation skills, creating compositions using minim, crotchet, quavers and semibreve, saying how many beats they represent.
Skills will include:
- Accurately composing a rhythm and a melody
- Performing the composition on pitched and non-pitched percussion as well as some instruments e.g. keyboard, guitar, clarinet, flute
- Evaluating the performance
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
- We would love to welcome you as a parent helper - if you would be able to offer your time then please the school office.
- Read with your child for 10 minutes every day.
- Ask the children questions about what they are learning about in school.
- Complete your child's homework alongside them.
- Encourage practice of times tables using TT Rockstars or other methods. (TT Rockstars log in details can be found in the front cover of your homework book)
- Practice your child's spellings at home.
- Please see useful documents below!
Websites to help...
Spelling Shed
If you have any questions please talk to any of the team in Year 4 and we will be happy to help you. You can also make an appointment at the school office. Look out for further messages about events in school through parent mail.
We thank you for your support this year.
| 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. |