“I’ll Spread My Wings and I’ll Learn How To Fly

I’ll Do What It Takes, Till I Touch The Sky”

What a start it has been to year 4! We were so pleased to see the children at the beginning of September, and we can’t believe how quickly the first half term is flying by – to think we are almost at half term! We have been really busy in year 4, so please enjoy reading what we’ve been up to so far…

Reading

We kicked off our reading unit with Krindlekrax, an exciting children’s novel by Philip Ridley. The story follows Ruskin Splinter, a small and shy boy with big dreams of becoming a hero. Set on Lizard Street, Ruskin is often overlooked by his classmates and even his parents. But when a mysterious creature called Krindlekrax threatens the neighbourhood, Ruskin gets the chance to show his bravery. Despite his small size, Ruskin faces the monster with courage and cleverness. The class loved cheering him on! Through this book, we explored important themes like believing in yourself and finding inner strength.

Next, we started reading Fly, Eagle, Fly, retold by Christopher Gregorowski. It’s a powerful story about a farmer who raises an eagle as if it were a chicken. When a friend notices the bird’s true potential, he helps the eagle realise that it was born to soar. This beautiful tale teaches us about self-discovery, transformation, and recognising our true nature. As we read, we’ve been practicing important reading skills like predicting, summarising, making inferences, and sequencing. The children have really enjoyed this story and are excited to see how it ends!

Writing

This half term, our Year 4 classes have been working hard on developing our writing skills through three exciting topics: Narrative, Poetry, and Explanation Texts.

We began with Narrative Writing, where the children learned how to craft engaging stories with interesting characters and vivid settings. We focused on using expanded noun phrases, descriptive language, and subordinate clauses while also taking pride in presenting our work beautifully. The classes loved letting their imaginations run wild while creating their own unique stories!

Next, we explored Poetry, diving into rhythm, rhyme, rhyming couplets, and imagery. The children learned how to use creative language tools like superlatives, alliteration, and similes to bring their poems to life. We had fun experimenting with the poem What Do the Fairies Ride? and the children amazed us with their own creative poems titled What Do the Goblins Ride?

Currently, we’re working on Explanation Texts. The children are learning how to clearly explain how something works, using facts, structure, and diagrams. Our major focus has been on the Roman Army, and the classes are doing a brilliant job explaining this fascinating topic!

It’s been a fantastic term of writing, and we can’t wait to see even more progress as we continue to build our skills!

Maths

Year 4 have been working hard on two key topics in maths: Place Value and Addition and Subtraction.

We started with Place Value, where the children learned how to understand and work with numbers up to 10,000. We focused on recognising the value of each digit, comparing and ordering numbers, and rounding to the nearest 10, 100, and 1,000. The class did a fantastic job building their confidence with larger numbers and deepening their understanding of how our number system works.

Next, we moved on to Addition and Subtraction. The children practiced both mental and written methods, working on adding and subtracting four-digit numbers with and without exchanging. They also applied these skills to solve word problems, using estimation and checking their answers with the inverse operation. It was great to see the children building their problem-solving skills.

It’s been a productive term in maths, and we’re excited to keep challenging ourselves as we move forward!

Science

This half term in Science, our Year 4 classes have been learning all about The Human Teeth. We explored the different types of teeth: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars and also discovered their functions. The children have also learned about the structure of a tooth, including layers like enamel, dentin, and the pulp, and how important teeth are for both eating and speaking.

One of the highlights of our learning was conducting our very first experiment! We used eggshells to investigate the effects different drinks have on our teeth. The eggshells represented tooth enamel, and we observed what happened when we placed them in drinks like water, juice, and other drinks. This hands-on activity helped the children understand how certain drinks can affect our teeth, emphasising the importance of brushing and choosing healthy foods.

It’s been a fascinating topic, and the classes have loved learning about how to care for their teeth and keep them strong and healthy!

History

This autumn term, Year 4 has been exploring the fascinating world of The Romans and Roman Britain. We’ve learned about who the Romans were, where they came from, and how their empire expanded across Europe. The children have particularly enjoyed discovering why the Roman Army was so successful, with its discipline, weapons, and clever strategies that helped the Romans spread their empire far and wide.

To bring our learning to life, we are excited to announce that we will be having our Roman Day on Thursday 24th October, with a special visit from an external guest! This will give the children the opportunity to experience Roman life firsthand through fun activities and demonstrations.

Outdoor learning opportunities

This half term, Year 4 has enjoyed some exciting Outdoor Learning Opportunities! To kick off our reading lesson, we explored the school grounds, searching for possible signs of a monster on the loose. This creative hook sparked the children’s imaginations and made our reading lessons even more appealing.

Additionally, Elm class has started their swimming lessons, diving into the water to learn important skills and build their confidence. It’s been a fantastic half term filled with adventure and learning!

How have we shown our value of resilience?

Year 4 has focused on showcasing our school’s value of resilience. During the first three weeks, we explored how to build resilience in every aspect of our lives, discussing challenges and strategies to overcome them. The children engaged in meaningful activities and discussions that highlighted the importance of determination and a positive mindset.

Throughout this time, the students created some amazing work in their PSHE books, illustrating their understanding of resilience and sharing personal experiences. It has been inspiring to see how the children are applying these lessons, demonstrating resilience not only in their schoolwork but also in their everyday lives!

I hope you have enjoyed reading our year group blog, and we do hope that you all have a wonderful half term break!

Mrs Clarke, Mrs Owen & Mr Owusu