Hello everybody and welcome to year 4!

Some of you will know me already and I have spoken to some of you already!

I am super excited to teach you all this year and I’m excited for all the adventures we may go on!

In case you don’t know who I am here is a photo of me:

Here are just some rules for our classroom this year (We will discuss together on the first day what our golden rules will be!):

  • Always be yourself is the first rule!
  • Myself and any other adults in the room are here to keep you safe and happy (and help you learn) so if you have a worry or something is on your mind, you can always talk to an adult.
  • Always have fun because learning is fun!
  • Remember to smile too!

 

The Classroom!

THE CLOAKROOM:

The cloakroom will look the same but  there wont be a table in there! Each of you will have your own peg which will have a label with your name on! As we are The Champion Class, your label will have a trophy next it to it too!

THE CLASSROOM:

This is our classroom! We have a fantastic classroom and we have lots of room and storage space! When you arrive the classroom will look different, the tables will look a little different and the displays will be brand new especially for you! You will have brand new stationary for your tables that will be yours for the year!

THE VIEWS:

As I said on the letter, our classroom has great views of the field, the views in the morning are spectacular and we have lots of light!

I really am looking forward to teaching you all next academic year and I look forward to hearing about your summer adventures! whether you go on holiday, visit family or friends, stay at home, learn a new hobby or sport, go on days out, anything you do I am super excited to hear about it!

How can you prepare for Year 4?

Information for your parents too!

WHAT WILL MY I DO IN YEAR 4?

As with other years in primary school, I will be following the schemes of learning set by the government.

The wider curriculum

In Year 4, there are some great science topics that I love, such as food chains, sound, electricity, and gases. Fun and engaging history and geography topics are also taught in Year 4, that I feel you will really enjoy!

Maths and English

In maths and English, we will be aiming to ensure that you know and understand particular key skills. Apostrophes, commas, times tables, and key spellings are just some of the things that you in Year 4 are expected to use accurately.

Moving from pencil to pen

Year 4 is also often the year that you may  earn your ‘pen licence’ – that peak of handwriting neatness that allows you to write in pen at school. It is good to have something to aim for and often raises the profile of handwriting. However, don’t worry if you’re  not writing with a pen straight away. Everyone will get there!

Becoming confident and independent in learning

Overall, perhaps the single most important aspect of this year is your increasing independence and confidence in what you can achieve at school. You  will be encouraged to start to think about your own learning. You will need to make decisions on how to present work, how and when to complete homework, and how to learn best.

FOR THE PARENTS!

HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD IN YEAR 4?

CARRY ON READING TOGETHER

For English, the single most important thing that you can do is to hear your child read. Good readers make good writers because they are exposed to a greater variety of vocabulary, syntax, grammar and style.When you listen to your child read, there are a number of things to remember:

  • Make it fun! Use silly voices and read to each other as well as just listening.
  • Ask questions about the text, the characters, the plot, the setting, the style of writing, and the words. Anything to get them to think about what they are reading and to consider the deeper messages hidden in the subtext.
  • Read a wide range of writing – from comics to newspapers, novels to Pokemon cards, and even your child’s own writing!
  • Look up individual words in a dictionary or thesaurus together to find out what they mean.
  • Stop if they or you are tired.
  • Be a good role model for reading. This is the perfect excuse to curl up on the sofa, forget the chores, and read a good book yourself!

Of course, children in Year 4 are perfectly capable of reading to themselves as well, and independent reading (and writing) must also be encouraged. However, it is important that those comprehension skills are regularly checked and reading aloud is perfect for that.

There are lots of free eBooks on the eBook library — a quick and easy way to expose children to different books without spending a lot of money.

Learn times tables

In maths, there is an expectation that by the end of Year 4 all times tables are known and learnt fluently. Anything you can do to help that knowledge go in and stay in is fantastic.

  • Practise regularly, making sure to go back and repeat tables you have practised before.
  • Sing tables in the car; at mealtimes; before bed; walking the dog; at any spare moment!
  • Download an TTRockstars to practise on a laptop or tablet.

USEFUL RESOURCES

If you have any questions or just want to pop and say hello, please email on

year4@stjohnfisher-wigston.leics.sch.uk