Introducing the Year 4 Team:

4SH

• Miss Hurley - Class Teacher
• Mrs Cooper – Senior Learning Support Assistant
• Ms Birch – Learning Support Assistant SEN
• Miss Roberts - Learning Support Assistant (both classes)

4ES

• Miss Sullivan - Class Teacher
• Mrs Zoubair - Learning Support Assistant

During Spring 1, our Geography lessons, we will be focusing on ‘Why are rainforests important to us?’. During this topic of work, children will learn about the different biomes on Earth and where rainforests fall into this. The children will learn where the Amazon Rainforest is, some of its key features, who lives there and how they use the rainforest to live. They will learn how plants have adapted to their environment and begin to show an understanding of how the Amazon is changing through deforestation. We will also be looking at our local wooded areas, how it’s used and what we can do to improve the area. In Spring 2, our topic will be ‘Why do people live near volcanoes?’. During this topic, children will explore the four layers of the Earth and how mountains are formed. They will look at the positive and negative impacts of living near volcanoes and how earthquakes can affect where we live.

In our English lessons, we will be looking at non-fiction writing in the style of biographies and adverts. We will focus on building confidence in the children’s own personal writing styles and using our writing toolkits effectively in order to have an impact on their readers. All writing has a purpose and we will be looking at, ‘writing to inform’, ‘writing to persuade’, short-burst skill-based writing and ‘writing to entertain’. In March, we will also be celebrating World Book Day across a week using a text across the whole school.

We will be looking at ‘Place Value and number’ in maths, where the children will develop and extend their knowledge from Autumn term and begin to learn how to apply the different methods when answering questions. We will then move onto ‘addition and subtraction’, ‘multiplication and division’. After half term, it will be ‘fractions’, ‘decimals’, ‘’length and perimeter’. The children have also been using Times Tables Rockstars regularly in the week to practice their fluency and we recommend using this for 5-10 minutes a day at home to support this.

At home learning

Children should be reading and being read to everyday. Reading each day does not have to mean finishing an entire book; a few pages will do. Please sign your child’s reading record each time they read at home and when they complete a book. You can write messages celebrating your child’s reading achievements or let us know if you’ve noticed where they may need some extra support.

This year for spelling, we will be using the website/app ‘Emile’. The children will have their own logins and will be able to access their accounts from a device/computer at home.

The children have logins for TT Rockstars, Emile and Reading Plus, which they can also access from home.

You will also be able to find a homework grid on our website, which outlines six homework suggestions, in line with what we are learning about at school. The homework is optional; however, it is a great way for you to get involved in your child’s learning and to complete them together, as a family. We would also love to see photos of you completing your efforts; these photos can be emailed into the school office. Please make sure you put your child’s name and class in the subject line. 

PE & Swimming

4SH will have PE on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

4ES will have swimming on Mondays and PE on Wednesdays.

On the days your child has PE/Swimming, please send your child to school wearing their new PE kit uniform. Most of these lessons will take place outside so please ensure that your child wears the appropriate clothing.

On the Mondays your child has swimming, please send your child with their swimming kit, in their swimming bag (all name labelled). This need to consist of: - a swimming costume (no bikinis) for girls and swimming trunks for boys, a swimming hat and a towel. Children will only require goggles if you have filled in the form giving them permission to wear them.

In the Summer term, a mixture of both classes will be chosen to continue swimming. A letter will be sent out towards the end of Spring term informing you if your child has been chosen.

Forest School

4ES and 4SH will have Forest School during the summer term.

The children will need to bring a change of appropriate clothing in a named bag each week for Forest School.

If there is anything else you would like to discuss with your child’s class teacher they will be happy to make a telephone appointment with you.

Incidentally, to help you to keep informed throughout the year, this and further newsletters will be uploaded to the school website: https://www.haydonabbeyschoolandpreschool.co.uk/

All of the staff are looking forward to working with you and your children over the rest of the year. Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Hurley and Miss Sullivan