It's been a great start to Year 4!  The children have been busy with some amazing learning. 

It has been a wonderful and exciting half term! In English, the children have been learning how to write explanation texts. By exploring a range of examples, they became familiar with their structure and key features. Inspired by Wallace and Gromit’s cracking contraptions, the children designed their own imaginative inventions, creating detailed blueprints with clear labels. They then used these to write their own explanation texts, successfully including all the key elements they had learned. Later in the term, the children turned their attention to poetry, exploring different types of poems and experimenting with figurative language to bring their writing to life.

In Maths, Year 4 have been actively developing their fluency and reasoning skills in place value, addition, and subtraction. Throughout this learning journey, the children have explored and applied a range of strategies to tackle more complex mathematical problems with confidence. They have used number lines, mental maths, and written methods to strengthen both their problem-solving skills and their understanding of key concepts. In addition, Year 4 have been learning about regular and irregular polygons. Through a variety of hands-on activities the children have demonstrated great understanding and confidence when applying their reasoning skills.

In our project, WE ARE World Explorers, Year 4 have been enthusiastically exploring countries from around the world. The children have immersed themselves in different aspects of global culture, including music, art, cuisine, and wildlife, broadening their understanding and appreciation of our diverse world. To enrich their learning, they had the opportunity to sample a variety of international foods and use VR headsets to virtually visit different countries. We also enjoyed a fantastic cultural dress-up day, where the children proudly shared elements of their own cultures — from traditional clothing and stories to family customs and favourite foods. It was a wonderful celebration of diversity and respect, as they learned not only about their friends backgrounds but also about cultures from across the globe. We rounded off the half term with an exciting trip to Chinatown, where the children deepened their understanding of other cultures in a real-world setting. Year 4 will continue this exciting project into the next half term as they work towards their showcase.

To celebrate Black History Month, the children have been learning about the inspiring Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock. They researched her life and discovered the challenges she faced during her school years, including overcoming barriers to achieve her dreams. The children were truly inspired by her determination and perseverance, as Maggie went on to become a highly successful space scientist. Through this learning, the children reflected on the importance of resilience, ambition, and believing in themselves.