Year 4

Welcome to Year 4!

Welcome, Year 4 pupils and families!

We are thrilled to have you in our Year 4 class this year. We look forward to an exciting and enriching year of learning, growing, and achieving together. Below, you’ll find important information about our Year 4 curriculum, events, and resources.

Meet Your Year 4 Teacher.

Hello, my name is Mrs McDonald, and I will be your Year 4 teacher this year. I am excited to get to know each of you and help you explore new ideas, solve problems, and develop your skills. We will work together to make this a fun and engaging year.

Parental Engagement

At Dormanstown, we believe that parental involvement is crucial to a child’s success and development. In Year 4, we warmly welcome parents into the classroom each term to share in their child’s learning experiences. This hands-on involvement allows parents to see firsthand what their child is working on and strengthens the connection between home and school. We deeply value the support that parents provide, as it plays an essential role in fostering a positive and engaging learning environment. Together, we can help children achieve their full potential and create lasting memories of their educational journey.

Our Year 4 Curriculum

In Year 4, we will be learning lots of exciting things! Here’s a sneak peek at what we’ll be covering:

• English: Exploring stories, writing creatively, and improving our grammar and spelling.
• Maths: Working with multiplication, division, fractions, and geometry.
• Science: Investigating the wonders of plants, animals, and the world around us.
• History & Geography: Discovering the history of our country and learning about different places in the world – we will be going to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
• Art & Music: Letting our creativity shine through drawing, painting, and music – we are learning two musical instruments this year – the violin and the recorder!
• PE: Building our fitness with fun physical activities and team sports. We will be going swimming in the summer term.

Useful Links and Resources

Year 3 and 4 common exception words

Please help your child to read and spell these accurately and apply them in their writing. Children will receive 3 of these a week and they will be tested on a Friday.

MTC

The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is a key stage 2 assessment to be taken by pupils at the end of year 4 (in June). The MTC’s purpose is to ensure the times tables knowledge is at the expected level. In the 2024/2025 academic year, the multiplication tables check (MTC) is statutory for primary schools.

The Multiplication Times Tables Check is an online test where the pupils are asked 25 questions on times tables 2 to 12. For every question, you have 6 seconds to answer, and in between the questions, there is a 3-second rest. Questions about the 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12 times table come up more often. The questions are generated randomly based on the rules of the MTC.

How to prepare

A good way to prepare is to start early and build a daily routine practising the times tables. With regular practice you will learn all the questions and gain confidence. We suggest practising 10 to 15 minutes a day for optimal results.

Helpful links:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

Home

Reading at home

One of the most effective ways is by listening to your child read at least three times a week.

Listening to your child read at home is incredibly important for several reasons:

1. Builds Reading Skills: It helps improve their pronunciation, vocabulary, and comprehension. You can correct mistakes gently and help them understand tricky words or concepts.
2. Boosts Confidence: Regularly reading aloud to you can make your child more comfortable with reading, boosting their confidence and encouraging them to read more often.
3. Strengthens Bonding: This time together fosters a stronger parent-child relationship. It shows your child that you value their learning, creating a supportive environment.
4. Develops Critical Thinking: Discussing the story helps your child think critically, ask questions, and engage with the text more deeply.
5. Encourages a Love for Reading: Making reading a shared activity can make it more enjoyable, helping your child develop a lifelong love for books.
6. Improves Listening Skills: They learn to listen actively and follow along, which is an essential skill for school and life.
7. Identifies Learning Gaps: You can spot any difficulties they might have early on, such as struggles with certain sounds, words, or comprehension, and address them promptly.
8. Supports Academic Success: Strong reading skills are closely linked to success in other subjects, so your involvement can have a positive impact on their overall academic performance.

We’re so excited to have you in Year 4 this year! Let’s make it a fantastic journey of learning and growing.

If you would like to pass a message on to the class teacher, please do so via Schoolcomms or by contacting the office on 01642 483696.

ClassDojo is updated weekly so that you can see what has been happening in class.

Let’s make this a Year 4 to remember! 🎉

• Y4 Long Term Plan 2023/24 Download