Curriculum – Year 4
Year Group Overview
Download: Year 4 – Long Term Overview [PDF]
Download: Year 4 – Autumn Overview [PDF]
Download: Year 4 – Summer Overview [PDF]
Download: Year 4 – Spring Overview [PDF]
Download: Year 4 – Reading Spine [PDF]
Year 4 – Brief Overview
In Year 4 we continue to develop our skills, knowledge and understanding across a wide range of new and exciting topics in the Autumn term.
Our new topic in history involves studying ‘The Roman Republic’ and ‘The Roman Empire’. In Geography we will be finding out about the river Rhine and how humans use it. In science, we are studying States of matter and are looking forward making our own ice cream! We will move onto ‘Animals including Humans’ and find out what happens to food and drink as it enters our bodies.
This term we will be enjoying improving our throwing and catching skills during dodgeball and handball lessons with a whole year group tournament taking place at the end of every half term. We will create dances inspired by the sounds and sights of the carnivals and will be improving our gymnastic skills.
As we move into the second part of the Autumn term, we will begin by finding out how populations differ from place to place in Geography. In Computing, we will learn about repeated loops in coding which the children are really excited about.
During Spring, we will be learning about Jesus’ journey from Galilee to Jerusalem and from the desert to the Garden focusing on Jesus’s public ministry, teaching pupils about his life, miracles (like healing the blind, raising Lazarus), parables (Sower, Prodigal Son), and teachings (Golden Rule, “I am” statements) to understand his mission and how his followers (disciples, saints like St. Francis) lived out God’s love, encouraging personal reflection on faith and bringing light to their communities.
“Desert to Garden,” focuses on Christian themes of forgiveness, mercy, new life, and service, linking Old Testament ideas (desert as trial/sin) to New Testament hope (garden as paradise/renewal, Lent/Easter). Key topics include the Prodigal Son, Holy Week, Jesus’ trial, the Corporal Works of Mercy, and the meaning of Lent as selflessness and helping others, culminating in the Easter celebration of new life, using Catholic teaching to inspire compassion and connection to the Church.
In English we will be focusing on handwriting and spelling and developing comprehension and writing skills focusing on a variety of different texts and books through the Ready Steady Write programme. Maths will focus on Fractions, Multiplication and Division.
Also during the term we will be exploring sound and how living things adapt to their habitats during our Science lessons.
Online safety will be a key focus in computing and during PE the children will improve their netball cricket and athletic skill through practice and small sided games.
Moving into the Summer term, we will be looking at how electricity is used as a power source and the dangers surrounding it -focus on home safety as well as how science has influenced history.
Through the medium of dance, dodgeball and tag ruby the children refine their skills and develop their fitness levels.
In MFL the children will learn phrases and words associated with sports activities and summer holidays.
In Opening Worlds the topics will focus on earthquakes and deserts as well as the development of the Islamic world -Arabia before Muhammad; Bedouin culture, trade and life in the desert; the place of the Makkah in the trade of the Middle East and the world. An oral culture and a land of poetry.
Creatively, in art and DT the children will produce a Gaudi inspired sculpture and design and make a nightlight using a computer programme.
Lastly, the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check will take place in June.
Homework in Year 4
New homework is given each Friday. The homework relates to Maths and English work that we have done in school. In addition, children are asked to complete times tables and spellings tasks. We ask that this is given in to the class teacher every Thursday so that it can be marked. We suggest that weekly homework should take no longer than 30 minutes. If you are struggling with homework, stop after this time and let your teacher know.
Reading Books
All children should read with someone at home for 15 minutes each night and Reading Records must be signed and dated. These should be sent into school every day so children can be heard read and the books changed.
PE Lessons
PE will be on a Tuesday and Friday each week for all classes. Please ensure that children have the correct PE kit in school on these days.
Multiplication Tables Check
As you may be aware, all children in Year 4 will complete a Multiplication Tables Check in the summer term. This test will determine whether they can recall their times tables fluently. The test is completed on a laptop or tablet and consists of 25 random times tables questions which the children have 6 seconds to answer.
Information for parents about the multiplication tables check, taking place in June 2027 can be found by clicking here [External Link]
The leaflet may say there is nothing you need to do BUT if you keep testing your child at home it will help with their speed and accuracy.
The more they learn with quick fire questions the easier it will be on the day.
The test is not till June so please KEEP working with your child as much as possible.
Thank you for your support.