Welcome to Year 4

It's so lovely to have you all back in school and ready to learn again! 

The Year 4 Team

Miss Bevan - Class Teacher 4B - (email: emma.bevan@racemeadow.org)

Miss Sanderson - Class Teacher 4S

Mrs Laight, Mrs Powell and Mrs Dryhurst - Year 4 Learning Support Assistants

Please use school emails to contact us about any non-urgent issues.

Anything more urgent can be passed to us via the main school office. 

Marvellous Me 

If you no longer have the app on your phone or tablet, please reinstall it and ask for a joining code. This is the only way we can contact you with messages, news and updates. Please email or get in touch with the office to request a code and one will be sent home with your child.  Thank you for your continued support. 

Key information

• Diaries and reading books should be in school every day.
• Water bottles will be sent home everyday to be washed and refilled. 
• Children can bring in their own pencil cases which should be left in school.
• Please provide a healthy snack (fruit, cereal bar, cheese etc)  or change for the tuck shop. 

Tuesday is Swimming day (starting 9th September)

Thursday is PE day

Homework will be given out on a Friday and should be handed in by the following Wednesday. Homework consists of Arithmetic, Grammar and a short reading activity. Homework should be completed in pencil or a black or blue pen. In addition to this, children are expected to have read at home 3 times each week and have this signed by an adult in their diary.

Weekly spellings are stuck in the spellings section at the front of your child's diary, new spellings are given out on a Friday and will be tested on the following Friday. Children can access and practice their spellings at home via Spelling Shed. 

Year 4 MTC

The multiplication tables check (MTC) is statutory for all year 4 pupils registered at state-funded maintained schools, special schools or academies (including free schools) in England. The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, which is essential for future success in mathematics. It will help schools to identify pupils who have not yet mastered their times tables, so that additional support can be provided.

The MTC It is an on-screen check consisting of 25 times table questions. Your child will be able to answer 3 practice questions before taking the actual check. They will then have 6 seconds to answer each question. On average, the check should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete.

Using the following website, children across KS2 practice this style of rapid recall of multiplication tables:

Times table Rockstars and Sumdog are also available for all children to use at home or at school. These apps help to track the progress children are making in their times tables

Looking after our children’s Mental health and Wellbeing

At primary school age, children are developing the emotional and social foundations that will support them throughout life. Their mental health and wellbeing play a vital role in how they learn, build friendships, and cope with challenges. When children feel safe, valued, and supported, they are more confident, engaged, and ready to learn. As parents and educators, we can work together to create nurturing environments where children feel comfortable expressing their feelings and developing resilience. By prioritising wellbeing early on, we help set children up for long-term success both in and out of the classroom.

Tips for you to Support your child’s Wellbeing at Home

• 🗣️ Talk regularly: Encourage your child to share how they’re feeling. Listen without judgment and reassure them that all feelings are okay.
• 🛏️ Establish routines: Consistent sleep, mealtimes, and downtime help children feel secure and balanced.
• 🧸 Play together: Play is a powerful way for children to express emotions and build confidence.
• 🌳 Get outside: Fresh air and physical activity support both mental and physical health.
• 🎨 Encourage creativity: Drawing, music, and storytelling can help children process emotions.
• 💬 Model calm and kindness: Children learn emotional regulation by watching how adults respond to stress.
• 🧘 Teach simple coping strategies: Breathing exercises, quiet time, or a “calm corner” can help children

"The best way to make children good is to make them happy" —Oscar Wilde 

Autumn 1 - Augustus and His Smile

This half term, using Augustus and his Smile as a stimulus, we will be developing our English skills by writing about Augustus' journey to find his smile. In Geography, we will learn more about mountains around the world and in Art, we will be using print to replicate illustrations and Henri Rousseau’s work, in particular "Surprised! Tiger in a Tropical Storm."

We are Geographers

We are Scientists

We are Artists

Autumn 2 - Veni Vidi Vici

In this History mini-mission, we will be learning about the Romans. We will be looking at the Roman invasion of Britain and the impact that they had on Britain and Roman life and find out what legacy the Romans left in Britain. During DT,  we will be making aqueducts. We will look at how and why Romans built them, what strengthening techniques the Romans used and what we could replicate an aqueduct before designing, making, testing and evaluating our own.

We are Historians

We are Designers

Roman aqueducts were constructed to transport water from external sources, such as springs and lakes, into cities and towns. They were essential for supplying water for drinking, irrigation, public baths, fountains, and even private households. 

Pont du Gard Aqueduct

This is the Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, which crosses the Gard river, France. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Robert Harding Picture Library

We are Scientists

Spring 1 - Who Pays the Price?

We are Geographers

In this Geography mini-mission we will be learning about rivers. We will learn about the world’s major rivers and use atlases to locate them. We will then compare different rivers before identifying the features of rivers and how they have changed over time.