• English
• Maths help
• Homework

Welcome to Year 4!

We hope you have had a wonderful Summer and have been able to spend some quality time with family and friends. We are so excited to welcome you to a new school year and cannot wait to begin working with your lovely children and helping them to grow and flourish during the school year. In Year 4, our teaching team will be: Mrs Keating, Mrs Brown and Miss Jones. We’re all very much looking forward to working together.

Our Curriculum

History and Geography

This term, our history focus will be the Ancient Egyptians-a topic I know the children will LOVE! We will understand and become familiar with the ancient Egyptian civilisation. From mummification to the River Nile, we will find out all about life in ancient Egypt and what we can learn from the evidence the ancient Egyptians left behind. Our Geography unit will work beautifully alongside this, with a focus on ‘The River Nile.’  Together we will go on a journey of discovery up and down the River Nile. We will learn about the impact the River Nile had on Egypt and be able to locate the River Nile on a world map and identify the countries it runs through. We will learn to identify the source and mouth of the river, investigate its main physical and human features, and much more.

Religion

Our new unit, ‘Creation and Covenant’ will be a wonderful way to start our school year. We will learn about people whose lives have been transformed by faith and hope in God. Through learning about the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love, children will encounter the belief that good deeds flow out of a love of God and deepen their own faith through their learning.

Science

In science, we will be learning about states of matter, followed by sound after half-term. We will, of course, be conducting lots of fun investigations and learning about the practical, real-world applications of the theories that we study.

English

Our English work will develop this term through a book-based approach to learning where children will be inspired, engaged and enthused about writing in year 4, as quality texts promote successful outcomes. Children love to learn through books and become engaged in the story, which affects outcomes of writing positively. Children will have fun writing biographies, own version legends and playscripts based on a text. Grammar and punctuation skills will be embedded into our English curriculum in year 4. For our reading lessons, we will use some books related to our history and geography units.

Maths

In maths we will be improving our knowledge and skills across a range of areas within the Power Maths scheme, including: the four operations, place value and area. Problem solving and reasoning skills will form an important part of each unit.

Computing, Music, Art, DT and MFL

In computing, we will begin with online safety. Children will have the opportunity to talk about any thoughts, worries or raise questions which can then be addressed in a sensitive manner during computing lessons.

During the first part of the Autumn term, we will be designing ancient Egyptian scrolls and then looking at structures within D&T. Two wonderful units of work of which I know the children will really enjoy.

Throughout our music lessons, we will be listening and responding to a range of Folk Music and having a go at composing some of our own too. Children will also have French lessons once a week on a Friday conducted by a specialist teacher.

PE

During the Autumn term, PE will be on both a Tuesday and Friday, so please remember to send kits in to school on both of these days. Please note that as the weather gets colder, children will need to wear a navy or black jumper and navy or black joggers (or leggings). If the weather is warm, a hat and a good application of sun cream is also recommended.

Reading

The greatest way to support your child with their learning at home, is to read with them as often as possible – we recommend daily. Please can this be recorded in your child’s reading diary which we would like to be brought into school each day. Once your child has read their book, they may change it themselves in school. Children are encouraged to do this as independently as possible in Year 4, so please support us with this by reminding your child before they come into school,

Homework

Spellings: Spellings will be set and tested on a Friday each week and will be added to the Year 4 homework page on the St Gabriel’s school website. Please encourage your child to work hard learning these at home. This will be highly beneficial for their progress during the year.

Other homework: An English or Maths based activity will be set most weeks using special homework books. Sometimes, homework will be focussed on a different subject or a longer-term project set dependent upon topics studied throughout the year. The tasks will be listed on the Year 4 homework page and will be released on a Friday and expected to be back in school by the following Friday. Homework is an essential part of learning at St Gabriel’s and completion will be monitored throughout the year, with house points rewarded to those who bring their homework in on time.

Times Tables

In the summer term, Year 4 children are required by the government to complete a Times Tables Check. This is an online program where children answer 25 multiplication only times-tables questions inputting their answers using an onscreen keyboard. Each question has an answer time of 6 seconds. There are numerous ways to help your child become more confident and fluent in their time-tables. Regular practice on TTRockstars will help to build confidence in a fun and engaging way. The ‘Soundcheck’ area was designed to emulate the conditions of the formal test and will familiarise your child with the format. The following websites are also fantastic and replicate the actual test. We will use this in school, but you can also access it from home:

https://talkingtimestables.uk/y4_ks2_mtc_practice_tests_multiplication_tables_check.php

https://www.timestables.co.uk/multiplication-tables-check/

Other ways to practise include chants and songs (we will be learning lots in class!), the website ‘Hit the Button’ and additional books and activities which can be found online such as dot to dots or colour by numbers. Any questions or concerns regarding your child and this test, please do get in touch.

Belongings

Each day, your child will need to bring their water bottle into school – this will be sent home each day to be cleaned and refilled. The school canteen will continue providing snacks at playtimes, so please bring in the correct change where possible if your child would like to buy a snack or you may provide your own healthy snack for your child to eat.

Please also ensure that your child brings their coat into school with them. We are hoping that the weather will provide ample opportunities for fine weather outdoor learning, however, we wish to be prepared to venture outside as much as possible regardless!

As always, if all belongings are clearly named, it would greatly assist us in school.

Behaviour

We will be continuing to use our 'Good to be Green' behaviour system throughout Year 4. In Year 4, we do have very high expectations of behaviour and believe in a fair, firm and consistent approach. What matters to us most is that your children reach their full potential and try their absolute best in all they do. A really positive and happy atmosphere will be created, where children follow our school/class rules. Great behaviour is always celebrated on a Friday when children receive 'Golden Play'. Any questions about our Behaviour system, please do not hesitate to ask. 

Class Dojo

Class Dojo will be used regularly to aid communication between home and school. Using this website, we are able to share photos and information about your child’s learning and experiences in school and share relevant information about day-to-day school activities. We really hope that you continue to find this a useful tool in feeling continually engaged in the school community and also part of your child’s learning journey.

As we no longer use the messaging function on Class Dojo, if you wish to contact us, please use: skeating@stgabriels.cheshire.sch.uk  

We would like to again welcome you and your child to Year 4!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. The door is always open :)