Class Teachers 

Mrs Tanner - 4T

Mrs Vanstone - 4V

Teaching Assistants

Mrs Hoskins

Miss Shepherd

Mrs Cremona-Thomas

Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are dropped off at the main school gate for entry to school between 8.45 and 8.55am.  Pick-up is also at the main gate, at 3.30pm

All primary school pupils' lunches are free - please order your child's choice on Parentpay up until 8.00am on the morning. Pupils can bring in a packed lunch if preferred.

Every day your child will need to bring a bottle of water.  PLEASE remember to label the bottle (and all other belongings) with your child's name.  Thank you.

If your child would like to bring in their own snack, please can you ensure it is a healthy snack e.g. fruit or vegetables (no crisps, chocolate, biscuits or sweets).  Thank you.

Year 4 Learning Projects 24-25

Autumn 1 - Burps, Bottoms & Bile

Autumn 2 - Playlists

Spring 1 - Here & There (Wales and the USA)

Spring 2 - Castles & Kingdoms (the Norman Invasion, Welsh castles and the plague)

Summer Term - The Blue Abyss

For each Learning Project, we have key texts to inspire each learning journey.

Handwriting is taught every week using the 'Penpals' scheme.

Welsh is taught through Helpwr heddiw sessions, incidental Welsh, and weekly Welsh lessons, following a range of patterns, e.g. I like ... Dwi'n hoffi...  I don't like ... Dw i ddim yn hoffi... Duolingo is also used to reinforce these patterns.

Curriculum for Wales

The Curriculum consists of What Matters Statements which are found within these Six Areas of Learning 

Expressive Arts (this spans five disciplines: art, dance, drama, film and digital media and music)

Health and Wellbeing (this includes PE)

Humanities (this Area encompasses geography; history; religion, values and ethics; business studies and social studies)

Languages, Literacy and Communication (which aims to support learning across the whole curriculum and to enable learners to gain knowledge and skills in Welsh, English and international languages as well as in literature)

Maths and Numeracy - In Year 4, maths is taught on a daily basis. The 4 disciplines are taught across the year, and reinforced by problem solving, to ensure the children understand how to apply each of them. Big Maths is also done on a weekly basis, including CLIC, SAFE (outer maths) and Learn-its.

Every week, problem solving is addressed by 'Badger maths'. It really makes the children think about what they need to find out, and how they are going to do it. Six different strategies are taught, so that the children are equipped to tackle most problems.

Science and Technology This area draws on the disciplines of biology, chemistry, computer science, design and technology, and physics to enhance learners’ knowledge and understanding of the world.

Literacy

Alongside weekly reading, spelling, handwriting and Welsh, pupils will access a wide variety of literacy-related activities through their learning projects. In 'Bile, Bottoms and Burps' they use the internet and information gained from a visit by a dentist, to research all about teeth, and how to look after them.

Apps:

Say Something in Welsh

Duolingo

Health & Wellbeing

Year 4 pupils enjoy weekly PE/Dance/Gymnastics lessons and run the daily mile on the middle playground.  Pupils also have regular Jigsaw and Outdoor Learning sessions, and some pupils receive individual Thrive and 'Talkabout' sessions with Miss Clarke.

Science & Technology

The Burps, Bottoms and Bile learning project is focussed on biology, particularly human teeth and the human digestive system.  Pupils learn about healthy eating and receive a visit from a dentist to learn how to look after their teeth.

Playlist gives pupils an opportunity to learn about sound recording and manipulation.

Here and There takes the children to the USA and they look at the lights of Times Square in New York, following which they make their own lighting circuits for models of New York iconic buildings.  The Blue Abyss studies the seas and oceans of the world, looking at sea creatures and their habitats.

Humanities

In their 'Here and There' learning project, Year 4 pupils learn about Welsh and United States geography, learning about the American states and using map skills to navigate a journey across the continent; geography is also a strong focus of Blue Abyss, as pupils explore the planet's seas and oceans.

As well as learning about Native American tribes in America, Year 4 children enjoy history through their Castles & Kingdoms project, which looks at the Normans and Welsh royal history, as well as the Black Death.

Religious Education is a weekly area of learning and community engagement at Lakeside, with daily assemblies exploring the many religious and other festivals we mark at school.  Pupils learn about the Christian stories of Christmas and Easter, Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr, plus Eid ul-Adha.  We celebrate Chinese New Year with decorations and dressing up, and Diwali with dance and craft workshops, and create assemblies and videos to mark festivals such as Yom Kippur, Vaisakhi and Christingle.

Expressive Arts

Year 4 pupils enjoy singing and composing workshops as part of their Playlists learning project, and enjoy working on depicting their landmark models in Here and There.  Role play is encouraged, e.g. in Burps, Bottoms & Bile, pupils imagine that they are a strawberry being digested, and how this would feel.

Our P.E. day is Wednesday

Year 4 pupils will need to wear their P.E. kits to school on their PE day.  A navy T-shirt and navy blue shorts are required and trainers or similar footwear. Navy T-shirts may be purchased from YC Sports. Children will not be allowed to participate without suitable clothing. During colder weather, tracksuits or other warm clothing may be worn. 

In classrooms, pupils sit in groups. Both classrooms are located on the first floor.

The Big Hall is used for lunches, assemblies & PE lessons 

We have regular Outdoor Learning sessions in which children have the opportunity to explore and discover various aspects of their natural environment outside. The outdoor activities planned often link to their indoor learning projects. 

We do many activities that involve being out exploring the wider school grounds e.g. collecting natural items, drawing maps etc. 

During the school year, Year 4 visits Caerphilly Castle and Bristol Aquarium 

Year 4 use the platform GOOGLE CLASSROOM as a tool for home school communication as well as setting homework and recording their digital learning journeys in school. 

We will send out any announcements and reminders using the messaging part of Hwb 

Parents & Carers can also use the messaging part of Hwb to communicate with class teachers. 

Homework

Homework will be set in Google Classroom 

Homework will consist of either maths, comprehension or a piece of work related to our context. It will be in google classroom at 3.30pm on Friday and should be completed by 5.00pm on Monday.

Spellings

Spellings will be set in Google Classroom every other Friday

Children will be given a list of words to learn, using a different strategy. This can also be practised in J2Blast in HWB.

Reading

Some children will take home a new reading book each week, but all children are encouraged to read books from home, or books from the library every day.  Additional reading books will be provided on Active Learn - Bug Club, online.  Your child has been provided with a username and password.

Children are welcome to bring in books from home to read in school. Please encourage your child to read at home as much as possible whether it be books, comics or even instruction manuals!

Big Maths

Big Maths 'Clic', 'Safe' and 'Learn-its' tests will take place weekly online in school. Parents/Carers are able to work with their children on these Big Maths/CLIC questions, which can be found on the Google classroom, under the children's log-ins. In addition, there is usually work that can be completed on a daily basis, if your child is unable to attend school, but are well enough to complete it.

 

Welsh

Welsh you can use with your child at home

Beth ydy dy enw di? (What is your name?) answer: Tom ydw i (Tom ydy fy enw i)

Sut wyt ti’n teimlo? (How are you feeling?) answer: Dwi'n ____ achos ____

Sut mae’r tywydd heddiw? (what is the weather like today?) answer: Mae hi'n _____ (and extend using achos - because, ond -but, ac- and)

• Newsround
  Keep up to date with the latest news.

• Active Learn
  Bug Club and Maths

• CEOP
  Internet Safety

• UK Safer Internet Centre
  Safer Internet

Year 4 hold a Curriculum Meeting at the start of the year in October

There will be sharing sessions throughout the year in which Parents/Carers can see what the children have been learning. 

Parent consultations take place twice yearly, in October and March