I hope you had a brilliant summer break and managed to enjoy the sunshine during one of the hottest summers we've had in years! Now that we’re back, our batteries are fully charged and we’re ready to dive into an exciting start to Year 4. Curious about what’s coming up? Let me give you a little sneak peek into what we’ve got planned for this term…

Maths 

We kick off our maths learning in Year 4 by exploring Place Value. It’s really important that we understand the value of each digit in a number, especially as we start working with bigger numbers. We’ll be practising how to order and compare numbers with confidence. Later in the term, we’ll move on to the four operations, starting with addition and subtraction. We’ll learn formal written methods to help make our maths easier and more accurate.

This year, we’ll also be working hard on our times tables up to 12. Next summer, there’s a national test all about multiplication facts, so we’ll be using fun games and tools like Times Tables Rockstars to boost our speed and recall. Get ready to become a times tables superstar!

English 

This term, we’re diving into a fictional text that explores traditional fairy tales—and it’s one many of us know and love: The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. We’ll use this story to spot the key features of traditional tales and build our understanding of how they’re put together. Along the way, we’ll be learning about word classes, and practising how to use expanded noun phrases and other writing tools to make our sentences and paragraphs more exciting and detailed.

Later in the term, we’ll be reading a story about a Viking, which links perfectly to our next subject, lets find out more..

History 

We’ll be stepping back in time to learn all about the Vikings and their arrival in Britain. We’ll explore who the Vikings were, where they came from, and why they decided to settle here. We’ll look at their way of life, their longships, and what made them such fierce warriors and clever explorers. We’ll also find out what happened when they met the Anglo-Saxons and how their occupation changed life in Britain. Get ready for some exciting stories, fascinating facts, and fun activities as we uncover the world of the Vikings!

Art 

In Art, we’ll be getting creative with the theme of Flora and Fauna—that means plants and animals! We’ll be using pencils and pastels to design and create vibrant scenes full of colour and life. As we work, we’ll explore different textures and techniques to bring our drawings to life and make them really stand out. It’s a great chance to experiment, express ourselves, and enjoy the beauty of nature through art!

We’ve got lots more exciting learning ahead this term, including topics in ICT, French, RE, and all the other subjects we’ll be exploring throughout the Autumn Term—so there’s plenty to look forward to!

PE days are Tuesday and Friday, so please remember to come to school in your PE kit on those days. Our kit is a white T-shirt, black shorts or tracksuit bottoms, and trainers. As we may be outside, please dress for the weather—on chilly days, it’s best to wear layers that can be easily removed if needed.

I’m lucky to be joined by my fantastic Teaching Assistant, Mrs Gerrard, who will be supporting us in class.

If any parents would like to speak with me, I’m usually outside the boys’ exit at 3:30pm most days. Alternatively, you can leave a message with the school reception and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Kindest Regards

Mr Draper and Mrs Gerrard