This year we will be continuing with the new Literacy scheme. During this term, pupils will study texts in detail and create a range of written pieces to explore conventions of grammar, punctuation and sentence structures. Pupils have begun to read 'The Winter's Child' by Angela McAllister, in which they will explore and be immersed in the story's theme, making predictions about what might happen if they are not careful what they wish for. Children will continue to explore the themes and language of the text, particularly identifying noun phrases and prepositional phrases and how they are used to create images. Children will predict what might happen after the story, as it becomes spring, and write their own simple sequel, applying the grammatical skills learnt.

The second book children will study will be 'The Iron Man' by Ted Hughes and illustrated by Laura Carlin, in which children explore the devices of mystery and suspense. They will write a range of texts types including letters, news articles and a poem, with the extended written outcome being a published narrative. Drama techniques such as Teacher in Role, Conscience Corridor and Sculptor/Sculpted support understanding and develop writing.

Children will continue to use Spelling Seeds, which is designed to work alongside the texts within the Literary Curriculum by providing opportunities to practice spelling rules and patterns. Spelling sessions will link directly to the text and provide pupils with contextualised sequences of lessons that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts. 

In addition to literacy lessons, pupils will participate in Whole-Class Reading sessions. These sessions will provide children with opportunities to develop skills of retrieval, inference, summarising and sequencing through taking part in class discussions, completing practical activities and answering questions. Year 4 will read 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' and 'The Undefeated' during Whole Class Reading sessions. 

Pupils will be able to choose their own independent reading book this year, either from home or our school library.  Upon completion of this book, they will be required to complete a book log to review the book they have been reading. This will develop comprehension as well. This book will be read in school and sent home each day.  

Children will need to bring their reading book to school every day. 

At the start of the Autumn Term we will develop the pupil's skills in understanding Place Value; the value of a digit within a number. Pupils will use a range of concrete materials, such as counters, Base-10 and Numicon, to explore the value of numbers up to 10,000. Pupils will then continue to order and compare numbers up to 1,000, being able to recognise which is greater or less than using < and >.  Children will continue to use number lines to explore and reason with the value of digits and whole numbers. 

As the term progresses, pupils will begin to investigate addition in greater depth. They will delve into column addition with numbers up to 1,000. They will also add numbers to solve problems involving money. Children will use a range of resources to 'show' their maths as well as be encouraged to talk about their maths to demonstrate a solid understanding. 

Further skills developed across the term include subtraction and addition and subtraction as inverse operations. Pupils should begin recognising that they can solve addition and subtraction problems using their prior knowledge of both operations. Towards the end of the term and moving into Autumn Term 2, pupils will explore sequences of numbers and investigate rules and patterns. 

Autumn Term 2 will see pupils moving onto multiplication and division, again looking into both operations in greater depth. Pupils will again be encouraged to 'show' their maths using concrete materials as well as talking about their maths with peers and teachers. Towards the end of the Autumn Term, pupils will learn about 3D and 2D shapes and their properties. 

All children are encouraged to complete 'maths' activities at home within their everyday activities. Practising times tables daily will support them in calculating problems more efficiently. Pupils should know their 2,3,4,5,6 and 10 times tables in Year 4. 

In our challenge curriculum, we will be exploring Significant People of Wales and the Wider World.  In this unit we will be considering how the word significant should not be conflated with the word famous, and coming to understand that it is not only famous people who make significant impacts on communities, societies and the world. 

Every day ordinary people do incredibly significant things by acting for the benefit of all.  

In humanities and science we will explore significant local people who are, right now, having an impact in the fields of science and education. The children will then reflect on what they can do to have an impact on their community. They will take part in a collective social action to improve their classroom environment, learning about climate change in the process. They will then decide on a personal action - something that is important to them -  plan it, carry it out and report back on it. 

In expressive arts, we investigate the significance of the musical devices of African traditional music in influencing and continuing to influence Western Music today. By studying the work of Cameroonian artist Enfant Precoce and Welsh artist Rhiannon Roberts, learners will come to understand how colour and form can be used to express cultural identity. They can draw inspiration from the work of those artists and musicians and use these devices to create their own artwork and music to express their own identity.

In enrichment, children will be learning to cook with Mrs Murdoch, practise and develop digital skills with Ms Ellett and participate in Kyokushin Karate with Miss Vaughan. 

This term, Year 4 will continue to focus on building relationships, friendships and displaying kindness to those around them. 

School values over the term are Responsibility, Managing Changes, Perseverance, Compassion and Hope. All of these values will be covered throughout lessons, with a focus during school assemblies. 

Children will also explore the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), focusing on having freedom of thought and the right to express our ideas, thoughts and opinions. They will research the UNCRC and how the rights impact aspects of their own life. 

PE will take place on a Tuesday and children should wear their PE kit to school on this day.  

Children should bring a water bottle with them each day.

Children should bring their reading books to school every day. 

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To contact your child's teacher please drop us an email via ask@oldcastleprimary.co.uk or call us 01656 815790.  

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