Year 4

Welcome to Y4!

In Y4, we are a job share:  Mrs Gay teaches on Mondays and Tuesdays, Mrs Marsh teaches on Wednesdays – Fridays.  On Wednesday mornings, Miss Buchanan takes the class up until playtime.

Sport

On Tuesday afternoon, the class are taught PE by a Sports Coach, therefore they need to bring their PE kit in a named bag.  PE kits consist of a blue t-shirt, dark coloured shorts, trainers.  In winter, we recommend leggings or tracksuit bottoms in a dark colour and suitable dark-coloured sweatshirt or sports top.

On Wednesday, in the morning, the class goes swimming at Easton Leisure Centre where they are taught in small, ability-based groups by swim coaches at the pool.  Children need to wear their swim clothes underneath their uniform – “beach ready”.  They must bring a towel and underwear in a named bag too. They are encouraged to bring goggles too.   Children need to be able to dry and dress themselves independently, staff are not able to help. Getting dressed after swimming needs to be very fast, so children need to wear easy to put on school uniform, eg no tights.

Reading

We would like every child to become a competent reader by the end of Y4. To achieve this, please can you support your child on their learning journey by hearing them read at home a minimum of 4 times per week.  We will hear them read in school too.  They will have a reading log book – please sign every time you hear them read. They need to bring their book and reading log to school every day. While you are hearing them read, please ask them questions about their book. Here are some suggestions:

Times Tables

At the end of Y4, the Government holds Statutory Tests to test Y4 children’s knowledge of Times Tables.  All Y4 children will be tested on all Times Table facts from 1x1=1 right up to 12x12=144 and everything in between.  The children will be asked to complete 25 tables facts with only 6 seconds to answer each one and the whole test will be online. Please can you support your child in learning these in any way that works for them:  chanting, singing, writing them down, playing board games, playing online games etc.  They need to constantly practise these so as to be able to answer within 6 seconds.  6 seconds is not enough time to work them out or count on fingers, so the children have to have instant recall of these facts.  We appreciate all the help you can give them.

Homework

As well as frequent reading at home and practising Times Tables, Y4 pupils will also receive a spelling rule or pattern plus up to 15 example spellings to learn.  These will be given to the children on a Thursday and they will be tested on the following Wednesday.

Class Dojo and communicating with us

Please sign up to Class Dojo.  This is similar to a private texting system where we can send you messages directly to your device and in turn, you can send us messages too that Mrs Gay and Mrs Marsh can both read (other parents cannot see messages sent to teachers). There is also the ability to read whole class information, see photographs of the children in school, as well as whole school information.  It is a great way to keep in touch. 

In the event of any issues or problems, or if you would like to talk with us face-to-face, please either make an appointment via the Office or via Dojo.  It will probably be after school time. Unfortunately, we are not available for Parent meetings in the playground before school begins: if it is urgent please Dojo or speak to a member of the Office Staff.

We look forward to a partnership between us the teachers, the children and you, the parents: working together to help your children become the best versions of themselves. Thank you for your support.

Topics for the year

Term 1 and 2:  Britain now, Britain then

Term 3 and 4: The Railway Revolution

Term 5 and 6:  Raging Rivers

We look forward to getting to know your children, helping them learn, grow and love.