Year 4: Aqua & Teal

Welcome to Year 4

This year, we’ll be building strong foundations in key areas of learning, while also encouraging curiosity, confidence, and creativity.

In maths, we’ll be focusing on mastering times tables. Quick and accurate recall of these facts is essential for the children to tackle more complex maths and the end of year Government Multiplication Times Table Check with confidence.

Reading will be an exciting journey as we challenge the children to broaden their horizons with new genres and text types. We want them to be brave readers, ready to discover new favourites.

As learners, we’ll be helping the children to become more independent, encouraging them to ask thoughtful questions and take ownership of their learning. Across the curriculum, we’ll be exploring and using rich vocabulary – helping the children to express themselves clearly and confidently, both in writing and in conversation.

Just as importantly, we’ll be supporting the children in building strong, positive relationships. We want school to be a place where they feel happy, valued, and ready to have fun while learning.

And of course, we’re already looking forward to all the extra curricular things we will do such as our Year 4 camp (a highlight of the year), our trip to the Roman Baths and a visit to the Bristol Hindu Temple.

Useful Information

In Term 3 and Term 4 , children in Aqua will alternate PE on Mondays and Wednesdays (Monday with Mrs Clark and Wednesday with Mr Lucy) but can wear their PE kits on both days to save confusion. Teal Class will have PE every Wednesday (one week with Mrs Dallimore and one week with Mr Lucy) so must wear PE kit every Wednesdays. Thursdays will be our swimming session and it is down to parent/child choice whether they wear PE kit or school uniform on this day as long as they bring their swimming kit with them to school. Please read the information below regarding swimming. Information about uniform and PE uniform can be found here.

Swimming

Key details:

– Lessons will take place every Thursday morning during term-time from 11th September

– Aqua will swim from 11:00–11:30, and Teal will swim from 11:30–12:00

– Children will return to school in time for lunch

– Each child will receive over 30 swimming sessions throughout the year, taught by qualified and experienced swimming instructors, paid for by PSJ

What your child will need each week:

Swimsuit or swim trunks
Towels
Swimming cap (if possible)
Goggles (optional, but recommended)
Please make sure all items are clearly labelled and packed in a waterproof bag.
No toiletries needed!

Forest School

Throughout Term 3 and Term 4 Year 4 have forest school. This will be alternate Wednesdays starting on 14th January. Please come to school with waterproof clothing, warm layers and wellington boots to change into. A letter has been sent home with more information on this or please look on our Outdoor Learning page on the school website.

Reading

As a part of our homework, we ask that children have read and recorded this in their reading records a minimum of four times per week. We aim to check this everyday and will always have checked this and signed it by the end of the week. Within their homework books there is a print out to help you think of questions to ask your child whilst listening to them read and you can find more tips for reading at home here: Tips for reading with your child | BookTrust.

Your child will bring home a levelled book which is matched to their reading ability (called ZPD – Zone of Proximal Development). This is measured regularly through the Accelerated Reader platform. The ZPD is given as a range. Choosing books within this range ensure your child is reading at a suitable level. Book levels (BL) can be found on the Accelerated Reader Bookfinder website. Reading records should be filled in each time your child reads at home and signed weekly by parents.

Class books we will read this year:

Maisie vs Antarctica by Jack Jackman, Journal of Iliona A Young Slave by Richard Platt, The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, Icarus was ridiculous by Pamela Butchart and Kidnap on the California Comet by M.G Leonard & Sam Sedgman.

Homework

Homework will be set on Monday and returned the following Monday. Details of homework are sent to parents with the newsletter weekly.

In Year 4, homework will consist of a selection from:

– times table practice (set on Times Tables Rockstars)

– spelling practice

– activities on DoodleMaths

– activities from Third Space Learning

– reading

– activities from the Citizenship and Character award

Spellings

Spellings will be tested each Monday and will be linked with the spelling pattern we have focused on in class.

All children in Aqua and Teal need to know Year 3 and 4 key spellings (Common Exception Words). Please practice these with your child regularly.