Welcome back! We have already packed a lot into the first week back after a (much needed) half term.

We have started lots of new topics across the curriculum and are getting excited about our new learning.  Our Maths topic is now Multiplication and Division - starting off with the 6, 7, 8 and 9 times tables. We were delighted with our unofficial MTC results before half term (see photo!) and hope that we can improve even more before the official MTC check in June.

In English, we have started a new text, Varmints, which we will be writing a newspaper article about. We have made lots of predictions about who the mysterious 'Others' are and why they have arrived.  

In Science, we are now studying electricity and electrical circuits. This week, we have sorted appliances into Mains vs Battery and had our first go at making a working circuit which lit up our bulbs. Our DT this half term links very nicely to this as we will be designing and making our own torches.

Thank you so much for all of the amazing Roman topic homework that has been handed in - either digitally or physically. They look fantastic and clearly involved a lot of research and making. Thank you for your support with this at home.  Our new topic homework details are below.

Year 4 will be again be taking part in the statutory Multiplication Tables Check in the summer term. This is done in all Year 4 classes in the country. All children are expected to know their tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of year 4, as this will support their Maths going forward. We use TT Rockstars to help us to practice for this, as well as other printed and online games etc and the children have all been asked to practice daily using the Soundcheck on TTRS as this is almost identical to the actual MTC. The children have also been shown how to find their 'heatmap' on TTRS which shows them the tables they need to work on. Once they have done 2 or more Soundchecks a day (which take only a few minutes) they can then focus on the times tables they need to work on.

Please support your child to become as fluent as possible in their times tables as this will increase their confidence across every area of Maths. 

Thank you for your continuing support with homework and with reading for pleasure. Our Reading Cafe last half term was a huge success and we can't wait for the next one.

Reminder: Our Homework in Year 4 consists of weekly Maths assignments on Century plus a Topic homework each half term.  Spellings are also set each week and posted on Google Classroom on Mondays. Children do practise these in school but we ask that they also practise at home to consolidate this. 

The children can access Century via their LEO Homepage on their chrome books. This will be uploaded weekly.  Unless we have had a message from parents with a reason, any children who have not completed the Century homework by the due date will be asked to complete this during their lunch time. If you or your children have any problems with homework, please let me know as soon as possible and I will help. 

Our Topic homework is due in at the end of each half term. This half term we are studying "Where Does Our Food Come From?" in Geography. The homework task is to produce either a digital presentation or a booklet (such as an accordion style folded book or simply folded/stapled sheets) following the journey of one particular type of food before it gets to your own plate. Foods that you might want to choose are: chocolate, bananas, oranges, bread, rice. Think about the 'food miles' that the food travels, whether it involves more than one ingredient, whether it is transported a long distance, pollution, global warming and seasonal produce. Is your food grown locally? What are the positives and negatives about having access to this food? Please include images/pictures and present your work neatly and clearly. These should be handed in by Monday 16th December. The assignment has been set on Google Classroom so that children who wish to submit a digital version of the homework can upload it directly to this assignment.