Year 4 Autumn Term 2023

Welcome back to an exciting, new year, in Year Four!

As we start the new school year, we would like to share with you an overview of the learning journey your child will take part in, during the Autumn Term. Moving up with the children this year has really given us an excellent head start. We, as teachers, have carefully been assessing each pupils’ academic ability, which has subsequently enabled us to plan a supportive and cohesive curriculum.

This year, however, we will explore some incredibly exciting and new subjects, while taking the time to ensure that we consolidate some previous learning.

These subjects include: Ancient Greece in History, Animals and Plants in Science, Poetry and Explanation Texts in English and Place Value, Addition and Subtraction and Multiplication in Maths. Please see our curriculum overview for more details of the learning that will take place during Autumn Term.

HOME LEARNING: This will continue to alternate between English and Maths, and will now be set every Monday via your class’ Microsoft Teams account. In addition to this, the children will also be set spellings and times tables on alternating weeks, which they should practise throughout the week. A creative learning log task will be set each term.

Please ensure that your check these accounts regularly for any updates or messages your teachers may post.

READING RECORDS: We are delighted that we are now able to send home Reading Record books. We would encourage all pupils to continue to read at home daily, where possible. We have shown the children how to fill out their reading records, and these will need to be returned to school every Friday. 4W and 4F will have their library day every Friday and 4P will have theirs every Wednesday.

Just a reminder, that all children have logins to the School Library Service, https://portsmouth.eplatform.co/. This is a fantastic service, where the children can loan books and eBooks online, to read at their leisure. We would really encourage you to explore this wonderful service, as it is something that will benefit the children’s reading.

TIMES TABLES TEST: Next June, during the Summer Term, the children will all be completing a Times Tables Test. This is a new Government method of assessment that will check that all children in Year 4 know their times tables up to 12x12. It will take place in June 2024, within a three-week window, where there will be 25 questions, and the online test will last approximately 5 minutes. Children will have six seconds to answer, and input each question, with a three second gap in between. 

There are lots of useful websites available, which follow a similar format, to that of the test, and extra practise at home will be incredibly valuable. Although this seems a long way off, the more prepared the children are for the test, the more relaxed they will feel at the time.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/daily10

https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check

https://www.themathsfactor.com/times-tables-check/pinpoint/#/

CALSHOT: Our annual residential trip to Calshot has been booked for Monday 27^th November to Wednesday 29^th November 2023. We will be sending out more details regarding this trip, as soon as possible.  Please do watch this space.

CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION: We are aware that this is an incredibly creative and talented cohort of pupils and we would like nothing more than to confirm information with you relating to the Year 4’s 2023 Christmas Production. We will endeavour to keep you updated on all information relating to this. Watch this space!

P.E.: We would like to invite all Year 4 pupils to wear their PE Kits to school every Tuesday. Pupils will have two P.E. lessons each week (see each classes additional P.E. day, below). For reasons of safety and personal hygiene, it is important that they are appropriately dressed for the P.E. activities. Additional safety precautions during PE: Earrings need to be removed or covered with plasters or tape (to be supplied from home) and long hair needs to be tied back. No watches or rings please.

P.E. Kit: Children are encouraged to wear black shorts and or jogging bottoms; house coloured school hoodie; their house coloured PE t-shirt. Please ensure that your child has appropriate footwear. At this time, all games will be held outdoors, therefore, trainers are essential to ensure your child can take part in all activities safely.

• 4P – Monday and Tuesday
• 4W – Monday and Tuesday
• 4F – Monday and Tuesday

Parents Evening:

In the Autumn term, we look forward to seeing you on parents evening.  This will be an opportunity to discuss this initial ‘settling in’ period with your child’s class teacher, and to discuss progress made during the Autumn Term.  These will take place on: Monday 16^th October 2023 3:20 – 6:00pm and Thursday 19^th October 2023 3:20 – 6:00pm.

Years 3 and 4 are not permitted to have MOBILE PHONES in school. 

We are sure that we will have a happy and successful year; please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have via the office email:   solentjunior@thesolentschools.org

Yours Sincerely,

The Year 4 Teachers,

Mrs Winslade, Miss Fear and Miss Parsons