Year 4 Overview

Year 4 (Y4) in the second of four years that children spend in Key Stage 2 (KS2). In Year 4, children engage in exciting topics about their locality and develop an understanding of North East heritage. There are also a number of opportunities to engage with sport and the arts through both curriculum-led partnership competitions and projects as well as an extensive range of extra curricular clubs and teams.

During the summer term, children in Year 4 take a national multiplication check, which is accessed via a computer. The check provides a series of times table facts for children to complete. Timings are 6 seconds per question with a 3 second pause between questions. It is greatly beneficial for parents to support their child in developing confidence in times table recall throughout Year 4.

Curriculum and Areas of Learning

Children’s learning is rooted in the Y4 or Key Stage 2 programme of study from the Primary National Curriculum. In addition to this, children will develop their understanding of the wider world and current topical issues highlighted by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). In Year 4, children focus upon the following Global Goals specifically:

Global Goal 6- Clean Water and Sanitation

Ensure all have access to safe water

Ensure all have access to sanitation with safe sewage disposal and understanding of good personal hygiene.

Protect water related ecosystems such as mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, wetlands etc.

Learn about water contamination - pollution and chemicals in the ocean.

Global Goal 7- Affordable and Clean Energy

Promote energy efficiency and look at ways to waste less energy (e.g. electricity)

Learn about renewable energy sources

Global Goal 8- Decent Work and Economic Growth

Promote decent and safe working conditions for all

Reduce the number of unemployed youth through access to training in new jobs

Tackle child labour

Key units of learning throughout Year 4 include delving into the past to learn about the lives of both the Vikings and Egyptians. Children develop an understanding of the importance of rivers and biomes and how they impact both physical and human geography. They also develop an understanding of the heritage of our locality in their mining study.

Homework

Spelling

Children will be set weekly homework to practise key spelling patterns. These often relate to the Year 3 and 4 statutory spelling words in addition to words with spelling patterns discussed in class. 

Reading

We encourage children to read 10 minutes daily to ensure that they have exposure to the fantastic books in school. Children use the Accelerated Reader programme to take a quiz after completing their book.

Foundation Subjects

Each half term, children are provided with a selection of activities and tasks that link to their learning and encourage creativity . Children aim to complete as many of these challenges as possible within a half term. The tasks are designed to recap and extend the learning from a range of foundation subjects.

Maths

Children receive a weekly maths homework that is accessed through MyMaths. The weekly task relates to the unit of learning that the children have been covering in class. These activities are designed to provide additional independent practice of key mathematical skills including fluency in calculation with basic operations. Children also use Times Tables Rockstars to support the recall of times tables facts. 

Links to additional learning resources

Maths

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/ 

MyMaths- https://www.mymaths.co.uk/

Times Tables Rockstars- https://play.ttrockstars.com/auth/school/student

Foundation Subjects

Busy Things- Log in to School 360 and access the Busy Things platform - you can practise your typing skills as well as coding avatars to perform specific tasks.

www.natgeokids.com 

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk 

General

https://www.school360.co.uk