Our topic this term
Below you will find the termly curriculum bulletins. These documents give you all the information about what your child will be learning at school for each term.
Curriculum Bulletins
This week so far: Friday 4th April 2025
Our Value for This Term: Forgiveness
English: This week, the children published an instructional piece of writing titled ‘How to Be a Mischievous Child.’ They came up with lots of creative ideas. Fingers crossed they won’t try any of these out on you over the holidays!
Maths: On Monday, the children completed their end-of-unit assessment for the Decimal unit. After the holidays, we’ll be revisiting decimals. It would be great if the children could continue practising their times tables on Times Tables Rockstars over the break, especially using the Soundcheck feature.
Dance Extravaganza: The children did a fantastic job on Thursday during our Dance Extravaganza at Braywick. I am incredibly proud of them, and I’m sure you are too!
Art and Poetry: This week, we spent some time creating beautiful pictures titled Flowers in a Vase. They all turned out wonderfully, and I have the pleasure of enjoying their artwork throughout the day while teaching. The children also wrote poems to accompany their pictures. Please take a look in the Gallery section to see their work.
Easter Activities: As we approach Easter, the children created activities for an Easter Holiday Club. We discussed some key events during Holy Week, and the children planned activities and crafted items to go along with each day. Photos of their work can be found in the Gallery.
Wishing You a Happy Easter: I would like to wish you all a very happy and blessed Easter. Enjoy the break, and we’ll see you back on Tuesday, 22nd April. Please remember that it will be Immersion Week. A letter was sent earlier this week detailing the theme and dress-up suggestions.
This week so far: Friday 28th March 2025
Our value for this term: Forgiveness
Reminders:
Thursday, 3rd April: Dance Extravaganza at Braywick.
Children need to come dressed in black bottoms and black tops. Other clothing will be provided at Braywick.
Please provide your child with a packed lunch, unless you have already ordered a grab bag from the school.
We can’t wait to show you our dance!
English: This week, the children first planned their own ideas on how to be a mischievous child, and then we spent each day writing and editing a paragraph. Who would have thought your children could be so mischievous? 😊 You might want to keep an eye on them over the next few days to make sure they don’t get the chance to play any tricks on you!
Maths: This week, we continued working on our decimal knowledge, focusing on writing decimal numbers for tenths and hundredths. The children also completed their end-of-term assessments, and they did very well. We also worked on a task similar to the Times Tables test they will take in June, and most children scored more than 20 out of 25, which is brilliant! Please continue to encourage your children to play SOUNDCHECK on Times Tables Rock Stars, as it’s similar to our test and helps them get used to the speed they need to answer the questions.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on hockey, tennis and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza. All children now have their extra bit of clothing for the dance all sorted in the class with their names on it. They will get it on Thursday at Braywick to put on. Please ensure your child comes to Braywick for the Dance Extravaganza dressed in black bottoms and black t-shirts.
Times tables: We will now use the game Soundcheck on the Times Tables Rock Stars site. This will allow the children to practice answering questions within 6 seconds, which will be the same expectation in June when we take part in the Multiplication Table Check test.
his week so far: Friday 21st March 2025
Our value for this term: Forgiveness
English: This week, we began a new writing unit on Instructions. The mischief the children got up to in the text Seen but Not Heard served as the inspiration for this unit. We analysed the features of the text and discussed unfamiliar vocabulary and phrases, which we can 'magpie' for our writing next week.
Maths: This week, we focused on a new topic: Decimals. The children were encouraged to use a place value chart to help them convert decimals to fractions and vice versa. For now, we are focusing only on tenths and hundredths, so the children can understand that 1/10 is the same as 0.1 and 2/100 is the same as 0.02. We’ve also made time to revise all the material we’ve learned this term in preparation for our end-of-term assessments.
Science: This week, we continued our topic on Forces and learned that magnets have two poles: a north pole and a south pole. We discussed the terms 'attracting' and 'repelling,' and then tested the magnets to discover that opposite poles attract, while like poles repel.
Geography: This week, we went on a local walk to see if we could identify any Victorian houses. The children were able to spot features of Victorian houses during our walk and were then tasked with drawing them in their books.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on hockey, tennis and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
Times tables: Starting this week, we will make a slight change to the way we conduct our weekly times tables test. We will now use the game Soundcheck on the Times Tables Rock Stars site. This will allow the children to practice answering questions within 6 seconds, which will be the same expectation in June when we take part in the Multiplication Table Check test.
This week so far: Friday 14th March 2025
Our value for this term: Forgiveness
English: This week, we used the planning from last week to write character narratives about a character who got up to mischief. The children have worked really hard to incorporate many of the writing features we've focused on. I’m looking forward to reading their narratives this weekend.
Maths: This week, we continued our topic on fractions. We focused on writing equivalent fractions using actions and the phrase, 'what I do to the top, I do to the bottom,' and vice versa. We also worked on adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator, and as a challenge, subtracting a fraction from a whole number. It has become very clear how important it is for the children to know their times tables, as they are constantly needed when working with fractions. Your support in helping your child learn their times tables would be greatly appreciated.
Science: This week, we continued our topic on Forces and focused on magnets. We conducted an experiment to find out which objects are attracted to a magnet. The children first made a prediction and identified which variable would remain the same and which one would change. Finally, the children were able to list the metals that are magnetic.
Geography: This week, we began our new topic on Victorian Cities. First, we identified key Victorian cities (London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Manchester) on a map of the UK and then conducted research to find examples of human and physical features in these cities. Next, we examined an OS map of London and learned how to read and write four-figure grid references. The children quickly grasped the concept and were able to locate various landmarks on the map. We then identified symbols for certain landmarks, such as museums, schools, churches, and underground stations. Finally, we analyzed a graph and map to explore how the population of London has changed since the Victorian Era. Next week, we will go on a field trip in the local area to see if we can identify any Victorian houses.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on hockey, tennis and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. We are now including the 8 times table too. Your support in encouraging your child to practise their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
8 Times Table Song (You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift) Laugh Along and Learn
8 Times Table Song (Cover of Rolling In The Deep by Adele)
Eight Times Table Song (Cover of All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor)
This week so far: Friday 7th March 2025
Our value for this term: Forgiveness
Wow! What a busy week we had. On Wednesday, Year 4 was lucky enough to have the author Sue Palmer visit us. She wrote the May’s Moon Trilogy, which tells the story of 13-year-old Michael May’s dream of becoming the first child astronaut. Sue has a real passion for space, and we learned a lot more about space and space travel.
On Thursday, the children came dressed as book characters for World Book Day. We spent the day exploring fairy tales and were set the challenge of taking an existing fairy tale or traditional tale and creating a unique story by merging themes, characters or settings from other fairy tales. The children did a fantastic job and at the end of the day they had the chance to share their stories with a Year 3 child. The teachers also took part in ‘The Masked Reader,’ where the children had to guess which teacher was behind the mask. Look in the Gallery for photos.
On Thursday night, Phoebe and Eve represented Year 4 at the Eisteddfod at Cox Green School. They were both very brave and did brilliantly.
On Friday morning, the children were introduced to Rocksteady Music School during assembly and were then lucky enough to take part in a workshop with them. A letter is in your child's bag with more information.
English: This week, we analysed an example of a character narrative to help us plan our own for next week. We identified phrases to describe a character in a more engaging way and then wrote our own character descriptions of Percy Pickles from our class text. I’m looking forward to reading about all the mischief their characters have been up to and seeing how they describe their characters in an interesting way for the reader.
Maths: This week we had a big focus on changing improper fractions to mixed numbers and vice versa. It has become very clear the importance of knowing their times tables as it is constantly needed when we do fraction work. Your support in ensuring your children are learning their times tables will be much appreciated.
Science: This week we continued our topic Forces and focused on the strength of magnets. It just so happened to fit in nicely with the guided reading we were doing this week too.
Music: This week, the groups have finished their musical selfies for an animal of their choice. It was not always easy, but again the children showed great perseverance and showcased their great ideas.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on hockey, tennis and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
(Thank you to all the girls for bringing in skirts for our dance. I think they are going to look fabulous. I will label them and make sure we keep them safe. The boys will be given red t-shirts. All children need a black t-shirt and black leggings or joggers as their base layer.)
This week so far: Friday 28th February 2025
Our value for this term: Forgiveness
We started our new half-term with STEM Day activities. After assembly on Monday, the children discovered a ‘crime scene’ in the classroom. Someone had been in the Three Little Bears' home, and Baby Bear’s chair was missing. The children had to create a database with information about various suspects, and then they received clues to help identify the guilty party. Was it Humpty Dumpty, the Big Bad Wolf, Goldilocks, the Woodcutter, or Grandma? We also learnt about chromatography. Photos of our day can be found in the Gallery.
Reminder: World Book Day – 6th March. We know the children love to dress up, but remember, you don't have to buy a costume—lots of DIY options can look even more fabulous!
English: This week, we started our new text, Seen but Not Heard. The children were given pictures from the book and had to predict what the story might be about. We also spent time reading the vehicle text and discussed the vocabulary and interesting phrases used in it.
Maths: For the next 3 weeks we will focus on fractions. So far this week we had to identify a fraction on a number line and identifying mixed numbers on a number line. We also made a start in changing improper fractions to mixed numbers and vice versa.
Science: This week we started our new topic Forces. For our first lesson, we discussed what a force and friction are and gave some examples. We then set up an investigation to test which material produced the most and least friction.
Music: For Music this term, we will draw inspiration from the music of Edward Elgar. On Wednesday, we used our recorders to practise the notes C, D, E, A and B. The note E proved to be quite a challenge, but the children did really well. Edward Elgar composed a piece of music about his dog, and now the children are tasked with creating a piece of music for an animal of their choice. They will use their recorders along with other instruments.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on hockey, tennis and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
IF YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE IN SCHOOL FOR THE DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA ON THE 3RD APRIL, CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP AS IT INFLUENCE THE POSITIONS OF THE CHILDREN IN THE DANCE.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. We are now including the 8 times table too. Your support in encouraging your child to practise their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
8 Times Table Song (You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift) Laugh Along and Learn
8 Times Table Song (Cover of Rolling In The Deep by Adele)
Eight Times Table Song (Cover of All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor)
This week so far: Friday 14th February 2025
Our value for this term: Courage
Today, we all went to the Parish Hall for the second round of the Eisteddfod. After half term, we will announce which two children will proceed to the final round, which will be held at Cox Green Secondary School on Thursday, 6th March, at 6 p.m.
Reminder: World Book Day – 6th March. We know the children love to dress up, so feel free to start thinking about it now. Remember, you don't have to buy a costume—lots of DIY options can look even more fabulous!
English: This week in English, the children used the plans they created last week to write an instructional piece on how to capture the Iron Man. They all had fantastic ideas. It's great to see how much more confident the children have become in using apostrophes for possession and contraction, and a few even managed to add commas in lists.
Maths: This week, we continued finding the perimeter of shapes and were even challenged to find the measurements of missing sides before we could calculate the perimeter. We finished the week with our end-of-topic assessment.
Computing: This week, the children were challenged to create their own PowerPoint quizzes based on the Victorians. First, they researched to find suitable questions for their presentation. Next, they designed the various slides for their PowerPoint. The children learned how to add animations to their slides—making the words fly in or appear, adding pictures, and changing the design layout of their slides. They all really enjoyed learning these new skills
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on basketball and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
IF YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE IN SCHOOL FOR THE DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA ON THE 3RD APRIL, CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP AS IT INFLUENCE THE POSITIONS OF THE CHILDREN IN THE DANCE.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. After the February half term, I will the 8 times table. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This week so far: Friday 7th February 2025
Our value for this term: Courage
English: This week in English, the children were introduced to an instructional piece of writing and planned another pit or trap to capture the Iron Man. I am really looking forward to reading all their ideas for the Town Mayor, as well as seeing how they incorporate words with apostrophes, commas in lists, expanded noun phrases, and a variety of conjunctions.
Maths: This week, we began by focusing on converting kilometres to meters and vice versa. Next, we introduced the topic of perimeter. The children learned that perimeter is the distance around a shape. For some problems, they used square grids to help count the cm squares to find the perimeter. They were then introduced to the term 'Regular Polygon.' A polygon is a shape with only straight lines, and a regular polygon is a shape where all the sides are the same length. Knowing their times tables really helped the children quickly calculate the perimeter of regular polygons. Finally, the children were challenged to find the missing side length of a given shape. We will revisit this challenge again on Monday.
Science: This week in our Light topic, we focused on recognising that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect our eyes. Do not stare directly at the sun, wear a cap to shield your eyes, wear sunglasses or staying indoors. We used an online experiment to test which liquid (oil, water or sun cream) blocks the most UV light rays.
Art: Last week I said our goal this week is to create ‘wallpaper’ in the style of William Morris. The children worked hard and did a fantastic job. I am so pleased with our end products. Please have a look in the Gallery to see their work. We finished the week with evaluating our own and each other’s work.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on basketball and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. After the February half term, I will the 8 times table. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
8 Times Table Song (You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift) Laugh Along and Learn
8 Times Table Song (Cover of Rolling In The Deep by Adele)
Eight Times Table Song (Cover of All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor)
This week so far: Friday 31st January 2025
Our value for this term: Courage
Eisteddfod Seme- Finalist:
- Lizzy Q
- Phoebe
- Lizzie C
- Eve
- Adya
The children will now perform their piece to all of year 3 and 4 in the Parish Hall on Friday 14th February. Good luck girls!
English: This week in English, the children used their planning from last week to write a narrative about Hogarth watching the Iron Man appear. They did a fantastic job, remembering to include the language features we've focused on, as well as using commas in lists and apostrophes for possession and contraction.
Maths: This week, we focused on the written column method for multiplication and the ‘bus stop’ method for division. The children definitely found the written multiplication method easier than the division method. We will continue practicing these techniques during our daily 5 sessions in the mornings, but it would be a great help if you could assist with this at home as well. Photos of the methods in practice will be available in the Homework section.
Science: This week in our Light topic, we focused on shadows. We learnt that shadows are formed when the light from a light source is blocked by a solid object and we also investigated the size of shadows – when are they small and when bigger. We’ve also revisited terminology they learnt in KS1: transparent, translucent and opaque. Photos of our investigation can be found in the Gallery.
Art: This week, we began our new topic, focusing on the work of William Morris. Our goal by next week is to create ‘wallpaper’ in his style. We learned that Morris was deeply inspired by nature, which is reflected in much of his work. Many of his wallpapers feature flowers or birds, so we’ve drawn inspiration from these elements. The children started by sketching a flower and then used a viewfinder to zoom in on a specific part, which they will later transfer to a polystyrene tile for printing. Fingers crossed that our painting and printing techniques will work well next week!
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on basketball and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. I’ve now added the 7s times tables. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This week so far: Friday 24th January 2025
Our value for this term: Courage
Thank you all for attending Parent’s Evening this week. It was great to share your children’s progress with you. I hope you had the chance to look at their books as well and see all the wonderful work they’ve done in our class.
English: This week in English, we’ve focused on apostrophes for both contractions and possession, as well as using commas in lists. We also analysed an example text, identifying the language features and structure that will be expected in our writing next week. The children did a fantastic job creating character descriptions of the Iron Man.
Maths: This week, we focused on dividing by 10 and 100, and then continued introducing the formal written method for multiplying a two-digit number by a one-digit number. We’ve made sure not to rush through it and have had plenty of practice. Next week, we’ll move on to multiplying a three-digit number by a one-digit number before starting division.
Design technology: This week, we built our bridges, and it was a huge success! I hope many of you were able to see them during Parent’s Evening. You can also find photos of the entire process in the gallery.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on basketball and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. I’ve now added the 7s times tables. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
Spring term:
This week so far: Friday 17th January 2025
Our value for this term: Courage
Reminders:
Parent’s evening 21st and 22nd January
Eisteddfod next week Friday, 24th January. This year we will open up the competition to also allow solo musical acts. Please note that we expect all children to perform in the class round, as it
forms part of our speaking and listening assessment. I have included some poems in the tab ‘Helpful information’.
English: This week in English, we have been immersing ourselves in our new text, Iron Man, which tells the story of a giant 'metal man' of unknown origin who descends upon England, wreaking havoc on the countryside by devouring industrial farm equipment. Children made predictions based on clues and images from the text, and then they wrote a 'Kenning' poem about the Iron Man.
Maths: This week, the children learned about factors of a number and multiplying by 1, 10, and 100. Many children tend to say, "I just add a zero when I multiply by 10, and I add two zeros when I multiply by 100." However, we now know that it’s more accurate to say that the digits move. When you multiply by 10, each digit in the number moves one space to the left, and when you multiply by 100, each digit moves two spaces. Next week, we will focus on dividing by 10 and 100, before beginning to work on a formal written method for multiplying a 2-digit or 3-digit number by a 1-digit number.
Science: Last week, we started our new Science topic on Light. We learned about light sources and identified examples of both natural and man-made light sources. This week, we learned that light is reflected from surfaces and that some materials are more reflective than others. We set up an experiment to test which material is the most reflective. Look in the gallery for photos.
Design technology: This week, we started our new topic on Bridges. We learned more about the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who designed one of the railway bridges in Maidenhead. We discovered that there are different types of bridges, such as arch bridges, truss bridges, and suspension bridges. Next, the children tried making a small-scale arch bridge and tested its strength. Have a look in our Gallery to see how the children tested their bridges. Finally, the children designed their own bridges for next week.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on basketball and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. I’ve now added the 7s times tables. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This week so far: Friday 10th January 2025
Our value for this term: Courage
This Week: Immersion week
We had a fantastic first week back, exploring Victorians and visiting the Milestones Museum in Basingstoke. The children looked fabulous on Tuesday, and their enthusiasm for learning about children's lives during the Victorian era and the impact of the Industrial Revolution was truly inspiring. They’ve learned that, thanks to Lord Shaftesbury, all children are fortunate enough to attend school and receive an education.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Milestones Museum, and your children were a real credit to our school. Their behaviour was outstanding, and they impressed the adults with their knowledge.
Please take a look in the Gallery, where you will find photos of the children carrying out jobs they might have done during Victorian times, sketches of Queen Victoria, and pictures from our trip to the museum.
Next week, we will begin our new reading and writing topic based on the book The Iron Man, and in math, we will focus on multiplying and dividing by 10 and 100.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on basketball and getting our dance ready for the Dance Extravaganza.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. I’ve now added the 7s times tables. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This week so far: Friday 20th December 2024
Our value for this term:
Our value for this term is compassion.
Reminders for January 2025:
- Can you please check your children’s pencil cases and restock if needed.
- School start again on Tuesday 7th January with our immersion day. Please be assured that there is no need for the costumes to be in any way expensive. School uniforms and clothes that the children already have can be worn for the day with some simple adaptions.
Year 4 will be learning all about the Victorians. We would love for the children to come to school dressed as a child from the Victorian era. This could include a t-shirt, waistcoat, school trousers (old ones with a hole if you have them), and the children could even make themselves a chimney sweep brush. Girls could wear a long skirt, white apron and mop hat.
This Week: The children participated in a variety of activities based on the Nativity story. Each teacher portrayed a different character from the Nativity. The children had the opportunity to make origami stars and angels as part of their sessions about the angel and the wise men. They also completed an obstacle course to represent the journey the donkey took. With the innkeeper, the children worked together to build a shelter.
In addition to these activities, the children also had time to visit the church for our annual Christmas service with Reverend Dave, as well as enjoy the ever-popular Christmas shopping day!
On Thursday, we were all in the Christmas spirit, with the children dressed in their festive jumpers, and enjoying our Christmas lunch and parties.
I would like to wish all of the children and parents in Year 4 a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you so much for your gifts to both myself and Miss Bindoff.
See you again in 2025!
SPRING TERM
This week so far: Friday 13th December 2024
Our value for this term:
Our value for this term is compassion.
Reminders for next week:
- Lots of activities are planned based on the Nativity story for the children.
- Visiting St Mary’s church Monday afternoon for our Christmas service. Unfortunately, this is only for the children.
- Thursday: Wear your most festive Christmas Jumper for your Christmas lunch and class party.
- Friday: School finish at 1pm for all. No Fun Friday or After School Care available.
This Week:
English: This week, we finished writing our persuasive letters to the witch and published them. The children did an excellent job, and I'm sure the witch will return the happy endings very soon. The children also completed our Reading assessment for the term.
Maths: This week, the children completed their math assessments for the term. They took both an arithmetic test and a reasoning test. All results, along with ways to support your child, will be discussed during Parent’s Evening in January.
Science: We've finished our topic on sound this week. This week we had to recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases. We’ve planned and carried out an investigation together and discussed what outside factors can influence the results.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on netball and gymnastics.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. I’ve now added the 6- and 9-times tables. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
From January, the children will also need to work on their 7s.
This Week 2nd December
English: This week, we began writing our persuasive letters to the witch, attempting to persuade her to return the happy endings. The children have worked hard to include the necessary features we discussed, such as fronted adverbials, rhetorical questions, persuasive language, and organising their work into paragraphs.
Maths: This week, we continued our multiplication and division topic, focusing on the 11s and 12s tables. The children became more confident with the 11s table, and we explored different strategies to support their learning of the 12s table. Next week, we will complete both the end-of-unit assessment and the end-of-term assessments. I would like to emphasise once again how important it is for the children to know their times tables with speed and accuracy. This skill will also be incredibly beneficial when they tackle fraction work in the future.
Computing: This week, the children were introduced to programming using a program called Micro:bit – MakeCode. We began by writing a procedure to control the movement of arrows in different directions. Next, we wrote a procedure that displayed a small figure performing dance moves. The children then had the opportunity to connect it to the Microbit, and the excitement when it lit up and carried out the instructions was priceless. Having learned about Mount Vesuvius erupting, our next challenge was to recreate a volcanic eruption using the LEDs on the BBC micro:bit. The children all excelled in this challenge.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on netball and gymnastics.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. I’ve now added the 6- and 9-times tables. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This Week: 25th November
English – We have started our new writing unit on persuasive letter writing. The letter will be based on the class text, The Lost Happy Endings, in which the witch steals all the happy endings from the stories children enjoy reading at night. Our task is to write a persuasive letter to the witch, explaining why she should return the happy endings and what this is doing to the children. This week, we’ve focused on analysing an example of a persuasive letter and discussing rhetorical questions that could be included. The children have also been introduced to persuasive phrases that can be used as sentence starters. I’m really looking forward to reading their letters next week when they have the opportunity to apply the features we’ve worked on this week.
Maths –This week, we continued our multiplication and division topic, focusing on the 9s and 7s. The 7 times table is trickier, while there is an easier method for learning the 9s. The children can use their fingers to work out the 9s up to 10 x 9—ask them to show you this method. This technique has given many of them more confidence and has allowed them to include the 9 times table in our times table test as well.
Art- This week, we continued using charcoal in our artwork, and the children have created their final pictures of Mount Vesuvius erupting. They’ve done a fantastic job, and it was wonderful to see how they applied the different techniques we’ve focused on previously. Photos of the artwork can be viewed in the gallery.
Science: We've continued our topic on sound this week. The children learned that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear. They drew a simple diagram showing how vibrations are created when a drum is struck, causing the air particles it touches to vibrate. This creates a sound wave that moves from the sound source (the drum) to the ear. The children were then tasked with investigating whether sound vibrations travel the same way through all solids. Before conducting our experiment, we discussed sound conductors and sound insulators.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on netball and gymnastics.
Times tables: Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. I’ve now added the 6- and 9-times tables. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This week, we visited church on Wednesday to meet Rev. Dave. He had a conversation with us about Jesus' baptism and the significance of baptism. Photos of our visit can be found in the gallery.
English – This week, we wrote our own twisted endings for a well-known fairy tale. The children did a fantastic job, with many challenging themselves to include a variety of Year 3 and 4 spelling words. Lots of Dojos were awarded for their effort. They also did an excellent job incorporating speech to move the story forward and using speech marks correctly. Additionally, they are mastering the skill of making their writing more engaging for the reader by including expanded noun phrases.
Maths – This week, we began by recapping our new knowledge of finding the area and completed our topic assessment. The children did really well. At this stage, they only need to be able to count the squares of a given shape to determine the area. We also briefly discussed how their knowledge of times tables could be applied to some examples.
We then introduced our new topic for the rest of the half term—Multiplication and Division. In this unit, we will focus heavily on times tables, with particular emphasis on the 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 12 times tables. Where possible, I will share tips to make remembering these times tables easier.
Art- This week, we continued using charcoal for our artwork. We experimented with different techniques and were able to draw a sphere, including its shadow. The children then examined a painting of Mount Vesuvius erupting and selected a part of the painting to draw, using charcoal pencils in their sketchbooks. Next week, the children will create their own charcoal drawings inspired by the painting.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on netball and gymnastics.
Times tables-Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. I’ve now added the 6 times tables. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This week : WC 18th November
I have made an interesting discovery this week. There are a large number of children who do not know the order of the months of the year. It would be greatly appreciated if you could help your child learn them. Here is a link to a song to help:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5enDRrWyXaw
If possible – can children please bring in an old t-shirt that they can use for art to protect their clothes.
English – This week, we explored well-known fairy tales, identifying the heroes and villains in each story. We focused on writing dialogue, covering all the essential elements: speech marks, commas, and capital letters. The children did an excellent job writing paragraphs that included dialogue between the two characters, along with fronted adverbials and expanded noun phrases. We ended the week with the children planning a twisted ending for their fairy tales, and I’m very much looking forward to reading their stories next week.
Maths – This week, we started our new topic: Area. The children learned that area refers to the space inside a shape. They practiced finding the area of various shapes by counting squares and were then challenged to calculate the area of shapes that included half squares. The children used the symbols <, >, and = to compare the areas of different shapes before moving on to drawing their own shapes with a specified area.
Art- This week, we started our new topic: using charcoal to create drawings. We began by looking at two artists known for their charcoal work—Edgar Degas and Laura McKendry. The children compared their styles and discussed which artist's work they preferred and why. Then, we had a hands-on session where the children explored different techniques for working with charcoal. They really enjoyed this activity, especially since we don’t often use charcoal in our lessons.
Science – We started our new unit last week – Sound. This week, we discussed the difference between pitch (how high or low a sound is) and volume (how loud a sound is). The children explored different instruments and made observations about what might affect the pitch of a sound. They were given the following question: How do you think the length of an object affects the pitch of the sound? The children then used straws to create their own pan flutes and used a sound meter to measure the pitch of the sounds they produced.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on netball and gymnastics.
Times tables-Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. We’ve now added the 6 times tables as well. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This week: WC 11th November
RE and Art day- On Monday, we focused on the creation story from Genesis 1. After sharing the story, we explained that Year 4 would be responsible for creating artwork for Day 5—the day God made the sea and sky animals. All the children began by painting paper using various techniques. While their painted paper dried in preparation for the afternoon, they had the opportunity to do some Bible journaling based on the creation story. In the afternoon, the children used their painted paper to create a collaborative collage. Photo of our work in the gallery.
English – This week, we began a new writing unit inspired by the book The Lost Happy Endings. To start, the children were challenged to guess the fairy tale by reading only its ending. Then, using the book's cover and a few illustrations, they made predictions about the story. After reading the entire story, they worked on a synonym activity to help them craft a character poem focused on the book’s main character.
Maths – We’ve finished the unit Addition and Subtraction. As it was half term last week, we made sure to revisit the addition and subtraction methods this week, ready for our end of unit assessment next week. The children were also introduced to estimating an answer by using their rounding to the nearest 100 or 1000 strategies.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on netball and gymnastics.
Times tables
Every Friday, the children take a timed mixed times tables test, with 10 seconds to answer each question. We’ve now added the 6 times tables as well. Your support in encouraging your child to practice their times tables daily for at least 5 minutes on Times Tables Rock Stars would be greatly appreciated. Children receive dojo points in class as a reward for practising online.
This week: WC 21st October
English – The children created fantastic leaflets about animals of their choice. Thank you to all the parents who joined us this morning to view the children's work and learn interesting facts about various animals. The children truly enjoyed the experience, and it was wonderful to give them a purpose and audience for their writing.
Maths – We’ve continued with the unit Addition and Subtraction. A lot of time was spent on subtraction. Children subtract up to 4-digit numbers with more than one exchange, using the written method of column subtraction. Children performed subtractions involving two separate exchanges (for example, from the thousands and from the tens) as well as those with two-part exchanges (for example, from the thousands down to the tens if there are no hundreds in the first number).
Music: This week, we explored the work of film composer Hans Zimmer, which inspired the children to create their own volcano soundscapes. They used a variety of instruments and body percussion. You can find videos linking to the children's work in the gallery.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on football and tag rugby skill.
Times tables
To start, all the children will focus on the following tables: 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 11. Every Friday, the children will have a timed times tables mix test. They will get 10 seconds to answer the question.
After half term, we will add the 6 times tables too.
WB 21st October
This week:
English - This week in English, the children have completed their informational leaflets about an animal of their choice. They have also spent time editing to ensure their writing is at its best for you to view next week when you are invited to come and see their work and listen to some of their presentations.
You are welcome to visit our class next Friday morning (25th October) at 9:30am to look at your child's leaflet and listen to some children sharing their work with the whole class.
Maths – This week we’ve started our new maths unit – Addition and Subtraction. We’ve focused on adding and subtracting 1s, 10s and 100s to/from any 3 and 4-digit number. The children explored the effect of either adding or subtracting a multiple of 1, 10, 100 or 1,000 by discussing which columns always, sometimes and never change. For example, when adding a multiple of 100, the ones and tens never change, the hundreds
always change and the thousands sometimes change, depending on the need to make an exchange.
Science – We have continued with our topic – Rocks and Soil. This week the children learnt about the cross section of the earth and that there are different layers of earth called topsoil, subsoil, rocky soil and bedrock.
Design and technology- This was definitely the highlight of the week. All the children did a fantastic job creating a Mediterranean salad of their choice. They could choose between fusilli pasta, penne pasta or couscous as their cooked element. Then, they had to incorporate three different preparation skills, such as peeling, grating, snipping or chopping. Next, they selected ingredients that would allow them to demonstrate these skills, with options including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, sweet corn, basil and chives. Photos of their efforts will be in the gallery. Finally, they evaluated their own salads.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on football and tag rugby skill.
Times tables
To start, all the children will focus on the following tables: 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 11. Every Friday, the children will have a timed times tables mix test. They will get 10 seconds to answer the question.
WB 14th October
This week:
English - This week in English, the children have started writing their informational leaflets about an animal of their choice. Thank you for supporting your children with their research last weekend—it has been incredibly helpful. Each day, we focused on a different subheading for our leaflets, ensuring that our writing is clear and contains sufficient detail for each section.
During the last week of this half term, we would like to invite you to visit the class to see your child's work and listen to some of the children present their work. A confirmed date will be shared soon.
Maths – This week was our final week of place value. We finished off the topic focusing on rounding to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000. Children learnt to how to choose the correct column to help them with their rounding. Also ask your child about the ‘balloon’ method we did in class to help us decide if the number needs to round up or down. The children also completed their end of unit assessment.
Next week we will start with our addition and subtraction unit, firstly focusing on adding two four-digit numbers.
Science – We have continued with our topic – Rocks and Soil. This week the children planned and carried out an experiment to find out which type of soil they thought drained the quickest.
Design and technology- At the beginning of the week, we learned that food is either grown (such as tomatoes, wheat, and potatoes), reared (such as pigs, chickens, and cattle), or caught (such as fish). The children particularly enjoyed Wednesday’s lesson, where they sampled three different Mediterranean salads. The Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil pasta salad was a firm favourite in the class. Most of the children said they wouldn’t change a thing about the salad and even asked if they could have more!
They also had the opportunity to practice various preparation skills, including peeling, grating, chopping, and snipping. Some children returned to class eager to share how much they enjoyed the experience. Perhaps it’s time to let them lend a hand in the kitchen!
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on football and tag rugby skill.
Times tables
To start, all the children will focus on the following tables: 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 11. Every Friday, the children will have a timed times tables mix test. They will get 10 seconds to answer the question.
All children have different learning styles. Some are very good at skip counting for example 2,4 6, 8…. Other children might need it more visually, so display the times tables around the house. Finally, some children might benefit from learning it like a song. We will try this in class, but you can do this at home too.
3 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG8hRwH3JJM
4 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMdE6ghY4CE
Don’t forget, all the children have login details for Times Tables Rockstars too. Mrs Denham sets a different tournament for the school each week. If you have not looked yet, ask your child to show you.
WC 7th October
This week:
English - This week in English, we began working on our new writing topic—an informational text about an animal of our choice. I visited the library to gather as many books as possible, and some of the children showed great initiative by conducting their own research at home or bringing in books about their chosen animals. To further support their learning, it would be extremely beneficial if they could continue researching at home this weekend. This will help them write confidently and knowledgeably about their selected animals. They are also welcome to bring in pictures to accompany their work.
Maths - This week in maths we are still focusing on place value. Children had to order a set of numbers up to 10,0 from the smallest to the greatest and the greatest to the smallest. They also used language such as “ascending” and “descending” when putting the numbers in order. Children were given examples where the same digit is used in the thousands or the hundreds column so that they needed to look at the other digits to determine the value. They also include zero in different places to check understanding of placeholders.
Children build on their knowledge of Roman numerals from 1 to 12 and learnt that L represents 50 and C represents 100. Several children were already familiar with the idea that, for example, 4 is written as IV rather than IIII, and they applied the same concept to write 40 as XL and 90 as XC.
Science – We have continued with our topic – Rocks and Soil. This week we had a look at different soil samples (clay, peat, sandy and chalky) and they had to describe that the soil felt like and what it smelt like; test if the soil would go through a sieve and finally if they could roll it into a sausage. They were then given the question, ‘Which type of soil do they think will drain the quickest?’
Geography – This week we looked at the location of earthquake hotspots and completed a case study of an earthquake event that happened in 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand. We looked at a news report from that time and the children then had to describe some of the effects that the earthquake had on the city of Christchurch. We continued discussing the impact an earthquake can have on the people and the environment.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on football and tag rugby skill.
Pencil cases: Just a little reminder that all children need their own pencil cases. Here is a little reminder what needs to be in their pencil cases.
Times tables
To start, all the children will focus on the following tables: 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 11. Every Friday, the children will have a timed times tables mix test. They will get 10 seconds to answer the question.
All children have different learning styles. Some are very good at skip counting for example 2,4 6, 8…. Other children might need it more visually, so display the times tables around the house. Finally, some children might benefit from learning it like a song. We will try this in class, but you can do this at home too.
3 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG8hRwH3JJM
4 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMdE6ghY4CE
We had great success with our times tables again today! Almost every child showed improvement again from last week. Thank you for supporting your children—they were glowing with pride when they realized how much progress they’ve made in just one week. Keep practicing, and soon we’ll be ready to tackle another set of times tables.
WC 30th September
This week:
English - This week in English, the children used the plans they created last week to write a letter to the Earth or the world, talking about their favourite place in our local area, how they’ve noticed changes in the area, and what they will do about it. The children did a tremendous job and wrote truly lovely letters. They even took on my challenge to include personification when describing their favourite place, and I have to say I was blown away by some of their sentences.
Maths - This week in maths we are still focusing on place value. Children had to find 1, 10 and 100 more or less than a 4-digit number. I’ve tried to make the lesson hands-on for the children as it can be a very difficult concept to understand, especially when multiples of 10, 100 and 1000 are crossed. The children were given the opportunity to use base 100, 10 and one’s counters to help them with their questions. We then moved on to a slightly more challenging task. The children had to label, identify and find missing values on blank or partially completed number lines up to 10 000.
Here are a few examples. You will notice, the children had to find a number halfway between two intervals too. As a tip, if the children struggle to find the values that the intervals will go up in, then they can complete a bit of trial and error. The jumps will normally be in 10s, 50s, 100s, 200s, 500s or 1000s.
Science– We have continued with our topic – Rocks and Soil. This week we’ve learnt about fossils. We’ve looked at a video detailing how fossils are made and was then tasked to create a flow chart to show the different steps. Our challenge question at the end was: ‘Is it possible that fossils could be found within igneous rocks?’ Remember igneous rocks are rocks formed when molten (melted) rock or magma is cooled.
Lots of the children really enjoyed learning about Pompeii. One child specifically told me earlier in the week that it was her favourite topic! Unfortunately, we have now finished our history topic and are now moving on to Geography. (We won’t forget Pompeii too soon, as we will be learning about volcanoes.)
Geography – This week, we started learning more about how volcanoes are formed and the fact that there are different types of volcanoes. Some are ‘active’ and some are ‘dormant.’ Active volcanoes have erupted in the last 10,000 years, but dormant volcanoes haven’t, and they are not expected to ever erupt again. The children also drew different shapes of volcanoes, including composite, shield, and cinder cone volcanoes. Finally, we looked at the advantages and disadvantages of living near a volcano.
PE Kit: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every week we have two PE lessons. This half term we are focussing on football and tag rugby skill.
Reminder: On Monday, 30th September, we will be going to St Mary’s Church in White Waltham for a Harvest service. It would be great if your child could bring along an item for the Harvest service. All donations will be taken to the church, where they will then be delivered to Foodshare in town. Foodshare would particularly like donations of biscuits, cooking sauces, tinned macaroni cheese or ravioli, fruit juice or squash, children’s cereals and any washing up/cleaning/laundry products.
Times tables
To start, all the children will focus on the following tables: 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 11. Every Friday, the children will have a timed times tables mix test. They will get 10 seconds to answer the question.
We had great success with our times tables today! Almost every child showed improvement from last week. Thank you for supporting your children—they were glowing with pride when they realized how much progress they’ve made in just one week. Keep practicing, and soon we’ll be ready to tackle another set of times tables!
All children have different learning styles. Some are very good at skip counting for example 2,4 6, 8…. Other children might need it more visually, so display the times tables around the house. Finally, some children might benefit from learning it like a song. We will try this in class, but you can do this at home too.
3 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG8hRwH3JJM
4 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMdE6ghY4CE
We have sung the 3 times tables song a few times this week. Have they requested it at home yet? Have you maybe found another song that we can introduce to the class to help the children?
WC 23.09.24
This week:
English - This week in English we have used our writer’s knowledge that we gained last week to write a diary entry about the environment around us. We have included wonderful descriptions and identified how we feel when our world and environment is not treated the way it should be. We have finished the week planning our own letters about a part in in our local environment.
Maths - This week in maths we continued deepening our understanding of place value. Building on previous steps where children explored numbers up to 1,000, they are now exploring numbers beyond 1,000 up to 10 000. The initial focus was counting in 1,000s. forwards and backwards from any given multiple of 1,000. They were then challenged to use different place value charts to identify any number up to 10 000.
It would be a great help if you can write down numbers up to 10 000 and ask your child to read it out but also to try and write it in words.
Science – We have continued with our topic – Rocks and Soil. This week we compared and grouped together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties. The children were challenged to find their type of rock by using the questions in the dichotomous key. Ask your child if they can explain what sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks are.
History – At the beginning of the week, we had a very enjoyable trip to the Verulamium Museum. The children all really enjoyed the market workshop. If they have not told you about it yet, ask them. Some of them especially mentioned the coins fascinated them.
This week in school, we focused on the influence the Romans had on Britain. The children found out that many aspects of Roman life – including those found in Pompeii can still be found in Britain today. For example, aqueducts, Roman baths, roads, cats’ eyes.
Times tables
To start, all the children will focus on the following tables: 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 11. Every Friday, the children will have a timed times tables mix test. They will get 10 seconds to answer the question.
All children have different learning styles. Some are very good at skip counting for example 2,4 6, 8…. Other children might need it more visually, so display the times tables around the house. Finally, some children might benefit from learning it like a song. We will try this in class, but you can do this at home too.
3 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG8hRwH3JJM
4 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMdE6ghY4CE
We have sung the 3 times tables song a few times this week. Have they requested it at home yet?
PE Kit Reminder: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
WC 16.09.24
This week:
English - This week in English we have been immersing ourselves in our new vehicle text ‘Dear Earth’ which is a letter in story form. Students made a prediction based on some clues and an image from the text. We then wrote ‘spine poems’ about a forest. The children came up with fantastic ideas for our poems.
Maths - This week in maths we spent some time getting accustomed to the new maths platform Magma Maths. We have also started our new topic place value where we have looked at numbers up to 1000 and used our knowledge of place value to partition our numbers into hundreds, tens and ones. The children all did really well, getting to grips with the new way we are completing our maths work.
Science – We’ve started our new topic – Rocks and Soil today. The children had the opportunity to handle different stones, for example, limestone, slate, granite, marble and chalk. We had to describe the different stones and then carried out 3 tests. We tested the rocks' hardness, permeability and acidity.
History – We continued learning more about Pompeii. We’ve looked at pictures to find out about what life was like in a Roman town at this time. We are looking forward to our trip on Monday to the Verulamium museum in St Albans.
RE - In RE our big question this half term is ‘Why do people pray? We’ve had a discussion, and the children explained what they think prayer is and where and when we can pray. They all agreed that it is a conversation with God and that it can take place any time of the day, and it does not matter where you are. They then identified who they think loves them and drew beautiful pictures for our RE book. Next time we will discuss ‘what is the difference between prayer and magic.’
Times tables
To start, all the children will focus on the following tables: 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 11. Every Friday, the children will have a timed times tables mix test. They will get 10 seconds to answer the question.
All children have different learning styles. Some are very good at skip counting for example 2,4 6, 8…. Other children might need it more visually, so display the times tables around the house. Finally, some children might benefit from learning it like a song. We will try this in class, but you can do this at home too.
3 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG8hRwH3JJM
4 times tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMdE6ghY4CE
PE Kit Reminder: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
School trip to St Albans: Monday 16th September. Can all children please be at school at 8 am for us to leave on the coach at 8:30 am. We aim to be back at school for normal pick-up time.
Bonus!!
One of the children in our class completed her own research about volcanoes and produced a little booklet which is now displayed on our Pompeii board in class. You can have a look at her booklet in the gallery section.
I would like to encourage other children to do the same. They can also make some thing. Let their imagination go and they can present their work in which ever way they would like. I would love to see it and share it with the class and Mrs Denham.
WC 02.09.24
Immersion week
We had a fantastic two days in Year 4 this week. The children settled in quick, and they were all ready for the challenges of the day.
One of the highlights was our hands-on volcano experiment, where we used simple household items like lemon and baking soda to create a memorable learning experience. Witnessing the eruption and reactions was not only educational but also a moment of sheer delight for both the children and myself. You can see photos of our lemon volcanoes in the photo gallery.
I want to say thank you to you for your efforts in dressing up the children for the occasion. Your involvement undoubtedly added an extra element of excitement to the day and made it even more special for all involved.
As we look ahead to the coming week, I would like to provide a couple of reminders:
PE Kit Reminder: Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Parent Information Evening: A friendly reminder that our Parent Information Evening is scheduled for Thursday, 12th September, at 6 pm. We will start the evening in the classroom for a brief session before Mrs Denham provides valuable school information in the hall.