Welcome to our Year 4 Class Page.  

Curriculum Information for Parents and Carers – Year 4 Autumn Term 2024

The Autumn Term is here and we would like to share with you a summary of what your child will be learning in class.  We would also like to share some ways that you can support your child at home.

Detailed information about the topics can be found in the Knowledge Organisers.  The Knowledge Organisers contain the key vocabulary and learning for each topic and you can look at these with your child over the course of the term. 

English

Autumn Half Term 1: Our class text will be ‘Gregory Cool’.  During our English sessions,we will be planning and participating in discussions about what it would be like to arrive in a new environment.  We will be planning and writing our own stories with a set theme.  We will be looking at the work of the poet Grace Nichols.

Autumn Half Term 2: Our class text will be ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’ by C.S. Lewis.  The children will be improving their letter writing skills and exploring how different characters behave and feel.

Mathematics

Place Value: We will learn to represent 4-digit numbers using a variety of concrete apparatus.  We will confidently use a number line to order and compare a variety of 4-digit numbers and be able to round to the nearest 10, 100 and 1,000.  We will also focus on reading Roman numerals to 100.

Addition and Subtraction: We will learn how to find totals and differences using the column method of addition and subtraction.  We will confidently apply our knowledge when solving word problems.

Measure: We will learn that 1 km equals 1,000 m and will be able to use this equivalence to convert lengths given in one unit of measurement to the other.  We will understand the concept of a shape’s perimeter and use this knowledge to find solutions involving perimeter, including where there are missing measurements.

Multiplication and Division: We will begin to rapidly recall all multiplication and division facts from the 1 to 12 times tables.  We will use this knowledge to find solutions to word problems.

RE

Family: We will describe with increasing detail and accuracy; the life and work of key figures in the history of the People of God.  We will make links between beliefs and life, giving reasons for actions and choices.

God’s People: We will learn what the Communion of Saints means, as well as what it means to be a martyr.  We will undertake independent research on people whose lives have been informed by values and beliefs, such as Oscar Romero, Nitu, Blessed Teresa or Martin Luther-King.

Called: We will describe religious symbols and steps involved in religious actions and worship and those actions of believers which arise as a consequence of their beliefs with a particular focus on Confirmation.

Loving: We will make links between the stories that we read and the religious beliefs contained in them.  During the season of Advent, we will explore the gift of love and the promise of Jesus’ return at the end of time.

Science

Autumn Half Term 1: We will describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the human digestive system.  We will construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey.

Autumn Half Term 2: We will explore some uses of electricity and the importance of safety before constructing simple circuits.  We will learn how to change a circuit by changing its components.

History

We will learn about the Roman invasion of Britain and its impact on the lives of the Celts.  We will consider whether the Roman settlement was a positive experience for all involved, and explore the long-term legacy of the invasion.  We will use a variety of sources of evidence to investigate the topic, including visual sources of artefacts.

Geography

We will develop an understanding of biomes, ecosystems and tropics; mapping features of the Amazon rainforest and learning about its layers; investigating how communities in Manaus use the Amazon’s resources; discussing the global human impact on the Amazon; and carrying out fieldwork to compare and contrast two types of forest.

Computing

Autumn Half Term 1: We will learn to work collaboratively on a document.  We will use a variety of different slide styles to convey information including images and transitions.

Autumn Half Term 2: We will learn how to programme using Scratch.

French

We will learn to identify France, the United Kingdom and nearby European neighbours as well as their capital cities.  We will learn new greetings and salutations, the seasons and months and how to describe the weather associated with them, including today, tomorrow and yesterday.  We will learn to extend responses to key questions by using other pronouns, such as:  Il/elle s’appelle and ils/elles s’appellent.

Music

Autumn Half Term 1: STOMP! We will create a rhythmic piece in the style of a stomp performance.  We will learn and use key words: tempo, crotchet, quaver minim, syncopation, polyphonic.  We will develop rhythmic notation reading, composition skills and performance skills.

Autumn 2: Carol Service - Perform in the Christmas Carol Service.  We will refine our singing posture and projection and develop our performance skills.

PE

Tag Rugby: We will explore key skills and principles such as defending using the tagging rules and using movement skills to dodge a defender.  We will develop our positioning for passing and defending.

Football: We will develop competencies in key skills and principles such as defending, attacking, sending, receiving and dribbling a ball.

Dance: We will focus on creating characters and narrative through movement and gesture.  We will gain inspiration from a range of stimuli, working individually, in pairs and small groups.

Swimming: We will be introduced to specific swimming strokes on our front and back.  We will learn how to travel, float and submerge with increasing confidence.

Art

We will be using mechanical engravings as a starting point.  We will develop an awareness of proportion, composition and pattern in drawing and combine media for effect when developing a drawing into a print.

Design and Technology

We will follow a recipe and describe some of the features of a biscuit based on taste, smell, texture and appearance.  We will learn to adapt a recipe by adding extra ingredients to it and plan a biscuit recipe within a budget.

RHSE (Relationship, Health and Sex Education)

We will recognise that people are unique and that our similarities and differences should be celebrated.  We will explore the importance of respecting our bodies as a gift from God in very practical ways, such as clothing, food and physical exercise.  We will reflect using the account of the raising of Jairus’ daughter.

Educational Visits

Information about Educational Visits will be confirmed shortly.  

How you can help your child at home

• Practising your child’s times tables with them.
• Reading daily.
• Supporting your child with Maths homework.
• Providing support with half termly projects.