Mr Gregory & Mrs Harris

(photo to follow)

photos and names to be added once elections have taken place

This term, in English, we are studying the following texts:

The Whale by Vita Murrow                                                     Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann

Children will be writing narratives for both texts, as well as a newspaper report and an information report. 

We use Master the Curriculum for maths. Below you can see the small steps we will be learning in the Autumn term. Each small step usually represents one lesson. However, sometimes we may take a few extra lessons to learn and consolidate some of these maths skills. 

Our maths focus areas this term are: Place Value, Addition & Subtraction, Area, Multiplication & Division.

We have three Guided Reading lessons every week. These are the texts we are reading this term:

In Science during the first half term we will be learning about Digestion & Food, where we will learn to:

• Label key organs found in the digestive system and describe each of their functions.
• Describe the functions of the four different types of adult, human teeth, using key vocabulary.
• Know that good dental care involves brushing their teeth twice a day with toothpaste and a soft toothbrush.
• Produce a food chain that begins with a plant and has arrows that move up the food chain.
• Define a producer, predator and prey and identify examples in food chains.
• Describe digestion, teeth and diets when talking about the observed poo clues.
• Write a letter that uses a range of scientific vocabulary from the unit.
• Evaluate a strength or weakness of the digestive system model.
• Describe an example of evidence that can be used to study teeth.
• Identify some of the variables that need to be kept the same, predict an outcome and identify limitations to the experiment.
• Recall that scientific research needs repeated results before use in society.
• Identify trends in a predator-prey graph.
• Draw a results table that has space for observations about different poo samples.

In Science during the second half term we will be learning about Electricity & Circuits, where we will learn to:

• Recall a range of electrical appliances and classify them as mains or battery-powered.
• Explain why something is either mains or battery-powered.
• Explain how to test if a circuit works and identify when simple electric circuits will work.
• Identify symbols for open and closed switches.
• Predict whether a circuit will work based on whether the switch is open or closed and explain that it works by breaking and completing a circuit.
• Give examples of how switches are useful.
• Describe that a material is a good electrical conductor when it is added to an electric circuit and the bulb lights.
• Describe that a material is a good electrical insulator when it is added to an electric circuit and the bulb does not light.
• Recall that metals, for example, are good electrical conductors and plastics, for example, are good electrical insulators.
• Describe that the more bulbs added to a series circuit, the dimmer the bulbs will be.
• Explain that the bulbs will be dimmer when more are added to a circuit, as less energy is transferred to each of them.
• Describe precautions for working safely with electricity.
• Explain some precautions using knowledge of circuit diagrams, electrical components, conductors or insulators.
• Draw a results table and record a range of appliances under the correct headings ‘Mains’ or ‘Batteries’.
• Identify and draw simplified electric circuit symbols and use these to draw a simplified circuit diagram.
• Write a method for the investigation that considers appropriate equipment, ordering clearly written steps and considering safety.
• Pose questions relating to bulbs in an electrical circuit.
• Explain why a selected question is testable.
• Suggest that new inventions will change safety advice.​​​​​

 In computing this term we are learning about online safety and effective searching. We use Purple Mash to help us learn about computing. You will find your login details in the back of your reading diary. https://www.purplemash.com/ 

How hard was it to invade and settle in Britain? 

In our Autumn 1 history topic we will learn to:

• Explain how the Britons felt when the Romans left Britain.
• Suggest reasons for the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain.
• Name the key features of Anglo-Saxon settlements.
• Identify changes and continuities in settlements from prehistoric Britain.
• Make inferences about artefacts.
• Describe how Anglo-Saxon beliefs changed.
• Explain how missionaries spread Christianity.
• Explain the threat the Vikings posed to the Anglo-Saxons.
• Identify the qualities needed to be a monarch in 1066.

What are rivers and how are they used?

In our Autumn 2 geography topic we will learn to:

• Identify water stores and processes in the water cycle.
• Describe the three courses of a river.
• Name the physical features of a river.
• Name some major rivers and their location.
• Describe different ways a river is used.
• List some of the problems around rivers.
• Describe human and physical features around a river.
• Identify the location of a river on an OS map.
• Make a judgement on the environmental quality in a river environment.
• Make suggestions on how a river environment could be improved.

In DT we are learning about mechanical systems - making a slingshot car. We will learn to:

• Work independently to produce an accurate, functioning car chassis.
• Design a shape that is suitable for the project.
• Attempt to reduce air resistance through the design of the shape.
• Produce panels that will fit the chassis and can be assembled effectively using the tabs they have designed.
• Construct car bodies effectively.
• Conduct a trial accurately and draw conclusions and improvements from the results.

In Art we are exploring drawing materials that create texture and clay. We will be looking at Anglo Saxon artwork and recreating our own. 

For our music lessons in Year 4, we learn to play a musical instrument and have a specialist music teacher from Severn Arts come in every week to teach us through the FAME programme. 

In Autumn term we learn to play the fife.  Each child will be allocated their own fife, which they will bring home to practice on. These need to be bought into school every Monday!

In PE this term we are learning the following:

Street Dance:

• Physical: actions, dynamics, space, relationships
• Social: co-operation, communication, inclusion, collaboration
• Emotional: confidence, empathy, determination
• Thinking: observe and provide feedback, select and apply skills, creativity, comprehension

Outdoor Adventurous Activities: 

• Physical: balance, run at speed, run over distance, co-ordination
• Social: communication, co-operation, collaboration
• Emotional: determination, resilience, honesty, trust, confidence
• Thinking: problem solving, evaluation, reflection, create, select and apply

We also have our forest school sessions this term, which is part of our PE curriculum. 

We follow the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for RE. 

Our two key questions this term are:

• What do Hindus believe God is like?
• What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?

In PSHE we are learning about:

Health & Wellbeing

• Self-esteem
• self-worth;
• personal qualities;
• goal setting;
• managing set backs

Relationships

• Respect for self and others;
• courteous behaviour;
• safety;
• human rights

Out French topic this term is 'Our School', where we will be exploring the following with Mme Pillion

Forest School

Year 4 have forest school on a Thursday afternoon starting on Thursday 12th September, and finishing Thursday 17th October. The final session for each year group will be in the morning, and family members will be invited in to join the children around a fire.

Children are to come to school in uniform and bring their own kit in to school on a Thursday to change in to. This includes: a change of clothes, waterproofs, wellies/walking boots, gloves, hat, bag to put wet items in at the end of the day.

LOTC 

Year 4 have learning outside the classroom for an hour every Tuesday afternoon. Children need to bring in dark jogging bottoms and wellies for these weekly sessions. 

Please see our Outdoor Learning page for more information on Forest School and LOTC

Bishops Wood Class Trip - this is taking place on 4th October 2024 and is linked to the children's history learning. 

Adopt a Chef - as part of the children's DT and PE curriculums, Mr Caldora will be in school each term to teach the children about healthy eating and how to prepare different meals. This term he is visiting on 10th October. 

Transition Music Event - hosted by the middle schools. TBC

Christmas Play - The children on year 4 take the lead on this. We are performing for families on 9th December 2pm and 6pm, and 11th December 6pm. We hope you can join us! 

It is expected that parents will support their child’s learning through nightly reading, times tables and practising spelling words. Creative tasks may be set at points during the year that children can complete to support class topics or other whole school themes e.g. arts week or science week.

Expectations for homework

• Reading: Children will receive a reading book from school, which they should read every day. It is also encouraged for them to read their own books at home too, to develop a love of reading and an experience of a range of genres. Please log all in reading in their diaries.
• Spellings: children  will receive weekly spellings. Please support your child in learning these.
• Times tables:  Children should be using the online platform Times table Rock Stars - https://ttrockstars.com/ regularly to practice these, so that they know all of their facts up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 4. Every day (all tables to 12 x 12)
• Whole School Challenges: Throughout the year there are a range of special challenges e.g. make a bird feeders related to whole school initiatives. These tasks are optional and are in addition to homework set by class teachers.

Online Platforms (if you wish to do extra!)
Numbots - https://play.numbots.com/
Times table Rock Stars - https://ttrockstars.com/
Purple Mash - https://www.purplemash.com/