Welcome to Year 4

Class Teacher: Miss Wainwright

Teaching assistant: Miss Marsh

A very warm welcome to Year 4 children, parents and carers. I am delighted to be teaching Year 4 this year as there are so many exciting learning opportunities and experiences ahead. After speaking to the children, I know they are very excited about swimming lessons! I look forward to seeing each an every child grow and achieve their potential.

If you have questions or queries, please don't hesitate to contact me. 

Miss Wainwright 

Year Four welcome prayer

Lord,

Thank you for the gift of education in every form. 

As our children prepare to start a new year

may confidence be their foundation, 

May grace be their guide and

may hope be their compass toward a bright future. 

I pray they show empathy and understanding to others

and a heart full of love.

May they face each day with positivity

knowing that no matter

what comes their way,

they do not have to face it alone. 

Amen

General school information

• School starts at 9:00am with the school gates opening at 8:35am
• Breakfast club starts at 8:00am and the gates will be closed at 8:15am for breakfast club attendees.
• Please inform the office if your child is absent. 
• All children need to be in the correct school uniform each day, including black school shoes. 

Year 4 key information

►Reading - Reading is at the heart of all our learning at Holy Family. To support this at home, please could all children ensure that they read their school reading book every night and that the planner is signed by an adult. Children will need to bring their reading book and planner back to school each day. 

►Spellings - Every Monday, all children will receive a new spelling list based on spelling rules/patterns which will have been our focus in class. Please can all children learn the given spellings ready for our Friday spelling tests. 

►Homework - All children will be given weekly English or maths homework. This is to be completed and returned to school as required. 

►PE - PE will take place every Monday and Thursday. All children must have the correct school PE kit of white t-shirt and black/ Navy shorts and trainers. (Track suits may be worn as the weather turns colder). Please ensure that all children have trainers to enable them to fully participate in this key subject. 

The above information has been produced by the DfE and has information about the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) for 2024. If parents or carers have any questions about the up coming MTC, please see Miss Wainwright. 

Year 4 have explored fractions and decimal. They have compared and ordered numbers with one or two decimal places, and multiplying and dividing decimals by 10 and 100. 

In our topic, 'to the ends of the Earth, Year 4 have explored the narrative of St Peter as we looked at the resurrection from St John's gospel and made links with St Matthew's account of Peter's declaration of faith and subsequent betrayal. 

Year 4 have researched and celebrated the life and work of Pope Francis. 

Year 4 have really enjoyed learning about electricity this half term. They have used electrical components to make a bulb light up, created their own switches and investigated which materials are conductors.

Year 4 have learned about who the Ancient Maya were, how they lived and explored the theories of what they think happened to them. 

Year 4 have given and followed Triarama instructions. They identified and pronounced the names of French shops correctly.

To celebrate VE Days 80th anniversary, Year 4 have written diary entries reacting to the VE Day announcement and read these out in a VE Day assembly. Year 4 have also used tint and tone to create observational drawings of Sir Winston Churchill. 

Year 4 have created their own shadow sculpture and displayed this in the playground. 

In art, Year 4 have used complex techniques to create soap carvings. 

Year 4 focused on the whole school virtue, Kindness, for our class celebration of the word. The children planned and led this celebration for their peers. In a small group, the children wrote a prayer and shared this with the class. 

In science, Year 4 have names electrical components and created their own circuits. They worked with a partner to investigate how to make a bulb light up and what can change the brightness of a bulb. 

It was wonderful to see members of the Chaplaincy and Care for Creation teams from Year 4 going out into the community to do God's work. The children worked with members of Shaping Stainforth and Stainforth 4 All to pick up litter in the local environment and even competing to see who could pick up the most. Well done!

Year 4 invited parents and families into school to take part in our science investigations. Year 4 investigations focused on states of matter where children made their own rain clouds, created a water cycle experiment and their own larva lamps!

Year 4 have developed and communicated ideas by making prototype timers.

In Year 4, the children have explored how Jesus reveals that He is the Servant Messiah through the Holy Week stories in Matthew's Gospel. They read scripture, discussed their thoughts and recorded key ideas from their discussions. 

In DT, Year 4 have programmed and controlled a micro-bit. They de-bugged their codes until they successfully programmed the micro-bit. 

Year 4 have created and performed and ostinato. They have then given feedback to their peers, applied the feedback an performed again for their peers. 

Year 4 have learned weather phrases by creating their own French weather forecast. 

Year 4 have described the weather using points of the compass.

Year 4 delivered their own celebration of the word that reflected our school virtue 'forgiveness'. The children chose to base our celebration of the word on being prepared to forgive others and others forgiving us. They used bibles to find 'forgive, and you will be forgiven' Luke 6:37. 

Year 4 have performed a vocal ostinato!

Year 4 have sung in two parts using expression and dynamics about a river. 

Year 4 investigated organisms around on the school playground and school field. The children used this information to make their own classification key. 

Year 4 have built, improved and composed their own body percussion composition. 

Year 4 created musical rhythms using body percussion. 

Year 4 followed musical instructions for creating body percussion.

Year 4 identified structure and texture in music and they performed body percussion music as a class.

Year 4 dressed up for World Book Day theme, 'A land far, far away'. The children retold the story, 'Hansel and Gretel' and they recreated the witch's house through modelling and water colour painting. 

Year 4 understood the significance of Ash Wednesday through our Celebration of the Word, which was planned and delivered by some of the Year 4 children. In our Celebration of the Word, the children thoughtfully made their own Lenten promises and hung these on our school Jesse tree. During Celebration of the Word, they received ashes on their foreheads as a symbol of the beginning of Lent.

Year 4 children have entered a whole school poetry performance competition. The children displayed great expression, tone and pace. The Holy Family winner will represent our school at the Danum Read Aloud competition. Good luck Holy Family!

During our Amazon Rainforest topic, the children have written persuasive letters to David Lammy (Foreign Secretary). They have used persuasive language to persuade David Lammy to reduce deforestation. The children have posted these off this week and look forward to his reply. 

Year 4 were lucky enough to receive a special visitor... Ed Miliband! On his visit to school to speak to the school council, he was given a tour of the school where he spoke to the children and answered questions in each class.

In Branch 3, Year 4 have understood and explained why Jesus sought out those who were maginalised in society through drama. The children acted out the miracles Jesus performed in 'The cure of the two blind men' (Matthew 9:27-31) and 'Jesus heals one who was mute' (9:31-34). 

Year 4 created their own persuasive arguments to convince the class to agree with them about a topic of their choice. The children used persuasive words and phrases in their presentations and their peers gave feedback to each group. 

Year 4 children have improvised in a Calypso style using a pentatonic scale.

Year 4 recognised and performed quavers from staff notation. 

Year 4 have understood how and why percussion instruments can be used in Calypso music.

Year 4 have explored how paint can create different effects. They have used dabbing, washing, stippling and pointillism techniques when applying paint. 

In Year 4, the children have made and tested their prototype biscuits. They gave feedback to each group explaining what they liked about the biscuits and what improvements could be made. 

Year 4 children have taken inspiration from existing products and designed their own 3D packaging. 

All classes displayed their learning in a Design and Technology showcase. They shared this with their parents, families and peers. Well done, Holy Family!

Year 4 have had lots of fun following a basic cookie recipe...and eating a few too!

For Remembrance Day, Year 4 used water colours to paint the poppy fields around the silhouette of a solider. 

Year 4 have searched a data base to answer questions. 

In computing, Year 4 have used excel to develop an understanding that storing information in an organised way helps answer questions. 

Year 4 have created explanation texts based on Roman baths. They have presented their Powerpoints to the class using targeted vocabulary and sentence stems. 

In PE, Year 4 have enjoyed completing activities to develop their speed, balance and strength. 

Year 4 have completed sit ups, sprinting on the spot and press ups. They have explored these different areas of fitness and discussed how this affected their bodies. 

The children have used bibles to share the story 1 Kings 19: 4-8 in our Prophet and Promises topic. The children discussed what happened in Elijah's life and the difficulties he faced along the way. 

Year 4 worked in small teams to create different slides to contribute towards out ant-bullying powerpoint. The children discussed what it means to show and receive respect and what action they should take if they are being bullied. 

Year 4 visited Stainforth Library this half term. They selected books to read to friends and they selected a book to take home to share with their family. The children were thrilled to listen to an ex miner discussing the historical mining artefacts and answering their questions. 

Year 4 have investigated how the digestive system works. The children used some everyday items to explore the journey food takes from the moment it enters the mouth to the moment it leaves the body.

Year 4 have been active citizens by raising funds for our school. They created an advert for parents and families asking them to donate baked goods for us to sell. The children all had a turn to sell buns after school to their peers and they raised a magnificent £211! Year 4 would like to say a massive thank you for all the donations and sales! 

Year 4 have composed rhythmic patterns for a gumboot dance.

Year 4 have recognised and played semibreves by ear and from staff notation. 

Year 4 had a fantastic visit from the History Van. The children were immersed into the history of the Romans as they played Roman games, wrote in Latin and investigated Roman coins. The children really enjoyed dressing up as a Roman and acting out some of the Roman's most famous battle tactics. The children also worked collaboratively to 'build like a Roman' and discussed why their construction techniques were more advanced when compared to the 'Britons'. 

During Black History Month, Year 4 have studied the life and achievements of Simone Biles and Marcus Rashford. The children researched information and presented their work in a chosen way. 

Year 4 have worked collaboratively to transfer their drawings into prints to create their own Roman shields!

Year 4 have learned how to create space so they can create shooting opportunities. 

Year 4 have developed defending skills to delay an attacker and gain possession. 

Year 4 have experimented with pencil and charcoal to create tint and tone. They have been inspired by real artists and explored proportion. 

Year 4 have used glockenspiels to recognise and play minims, by ear and from staff notation, moving up and down by step.

Year 4 have developed their understanding of the number system by investigating and manipulating 4 digit numbers. They have explored 10, 100 and 1,000 more and less than a given number. Additionally, they have also built on previous learning of rounding to the nearest 10 and 100, and developed new skills in rounding to the nearest 1,000. The children have also applied all of the taught skills to problem solving. 

Year 4 have written a Roman diary entry. They have analysed a diary entry, identified the features, learned new skills, planned a diary entry and then applied all that they have learned to a written piece. The children have edited their writing and then published their final pieces.

Year Four's class reading book this half term is 'Leopard in the Golden Cage'. The children have identified the characters, first thoughts, made predictions and drawn on their wider reading to make comparisons. 

Year 4 have retold the call of Abraham and discussed what Abraham may have heard and felt at the time. The children have thought about how Abraham's life was transformed by hope. Year 4 have also retold the story of the Abraham's covenant with God and how it was influenced by faith, hope and love. 

Year 4 have learned about human teeth. They have identified different types of teeth and what can happen if we don't look after them. 

Year 4 have have been learning about the Romans. They have discovered who the Romans were and why Julius Caesar wanted to invade Britain. The children have also investigated the reason why the Roman Empire was so successful at taking foreign land. 

Year 4 have developed dribbling skills and attacking skills in order to move towards a goal. 

Year 4 have used scratch to detect and correct errors in a computer program. They have also used coding to remix and reuse to create new content. 

Year 4 used ipads to understand that broadcasts can be used to change scenes in Scratch.

Year 4 have used scratch to understand that actions can be programmed to perform in synchronicity.

In RE, the children used drama to create their own 'conscience alley' to explore what Abram may have been thinking when he heard God's call. The children (on the left) whispered the negative thoughts he may have heard and the children (on the right) whispered the positive thoughts he may have heard. 

Year 4 have interviewed a Roman solider! They have asked the solider questions about what they wore, where they had travelled and how they felt about going into battle. 

In computing, Year 4 have used scratch to understand the need to reuse coding. They also understood how to improve their own codes by debugging it.