Year 4 Important update about Holy Communion

Dear Parents,

As you all know we will once again be entering National Lockdown from Thursday. For churches this means that they will only be open for private prayer sessions. Sadly, for us, this means that the planned masses to celebrate children making their first Holy Communion will have to be postponed. We are all so upset for the children and yourselves but at this time there is no other alternative.

We will hope to rearrange masses in January or February and will keep you informed as soon as we have firm dates. This is such an important sacrament for the children and we look forward to when we can eventually share this with them.

In the meantime, Mrs Lyons will continue to teach the children about the beauty of receiving the Eucharist in preparation for spring.

We will keep the children and yourselves in our prayers.

Miss Hornby

Attention Artists.

Attention Y2, 4 & 5 Artists

Attention Year 2, 4 & 5

You will need an old, named t-shirt to go over your school uniform, to keep you clean during our ART lessons this half term. These will be kept in your tray’s in class and brought with you to each ART lesson.

Remember the Create room is a little chilly with the doors open so an extra layer on Art days is advisable. Thank you for your co-operation.

Mrs Curtis

Year 4 blog "Rest and be thankful,"

The end of our first half term together - and a lovely end. This week, we took part in a beautiful worship, led by Father Peter where children completed one decade of the rosary and thought about the Annunciation. We thought about ways that we can say “Yes,” to God like Mary. We are growing in our understanding of column addition and we are really enjoying our work on ‘The Pied Piper.’ Children are definitely tired but they kept their resilience up and completed some great geography books about the uses of plants.

Notices

• Over the holidays, I would like children to complete their ‘Called to His Supper,’ books to bring in on the first Thursday back. Also go on times tables rock stars for a little time each day. This is now set to give them questions at their own level.

• Children have decided that they would like to do little jobs for you over half term in return for a little money to collect for Streetlife. Lets get sweeping those leaves and washing the car!

• I will be sending you a mini report on Friday. There is also a selection of your child’s work in their purple mash folders for you to access at home.

  Thank you for your support and for your lovely children. They have worked so hard and have made a good start to year 4!

  Have a lovely break together, Mrs Lyons, Miss Forster, Miss Edmondson and Mrs Mather

Year 4 blog: "Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning." Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Its hard to believe we have only been in year 4 for seven weeks - it feels like much longer and we are working well together as a class. This week has seen us take part in the beautiful sacrament of Reconciliation. There is a little movie below to watch. Despite being unable to do this in church with our families, it was a different but special occasion. Children came back into class with big grins and shared their feelings of freshness and love!

This week we have dived into our new story, ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin,’ in English. We have looked at lots of different versions and expressed preferences, found similarities and differences. Year 4 children wrote their own descriptions of the Pied Piper, trying hard to use our new Year 4 grammar skill - extended noun phrases. We have also made up our own class version which we are learning to recite!

Geography has been a high point this week - what good little map readers we are becoming! Children have learned further about the earth’s climate zones and biomes - exploring extreme environments. We found out deserts can be hot and cold! Children were brilliant at researching a desert and also asked geographical questions to find out more about one particular desert in America. Finally, we learned about export and import and researched where many of the world’s foods come from! Very exciting.

Maths has seen us start column addition - with 4 digit numbers (presentation is key with this!) and also start to practise our 8x table.

RHE focus

This week, we have focused on love and compassion, with our story, Be Loving, Layla Lioness.’ Children reflected on what compassion was and this fed into our council session in class - where we discussed what charity we could focus on this year. We have decided to give to ‘Streetlife.’

We again thought about gratitude and how lucky we really are when there are so many in desperate need in our world.

Let’s Celebrate!

One Bobby Bee certificate for Lexi for buzzing about her learning and loving every minute!

A Lizzie Ladybird certificate goes to Esme for always listening so carefully to advice from the teacher and for considering how she can improve in all she does.

French star this week was Julia

PE stars this week were Olivia and Jacob O

Thomas got the lunchtime award for being sensible and calm.

Notices

We break up on Wednesday at the normal time.

I have set homework for this week - which will not need to be in until after the half term.

Have a great and cosy weekend with your very tired children!!

God bless,

Mrs Lyons, Miss Forster, Miss Edmondson and Mrs Mather

Year 4 blog "It is our faith that activates the power of God."

It has been a truly delightful week of learning in Year 4. Children are so settled and are maturing before my very eyes! We have done so much in one week!

We have enjoyed drawing conclusions from our many plant experiments in class and also learning about Biomes in Geography. This helps us practise our location skills and we are getting better at knowing which continents different countries are in.

We have been busy finishing off our Place value in maths and this week, we learned about negative numbers! Now we have moved to addition and subtraction. However, there is going to be a big emphasis on learning those times tables in Year 4 alongside all maths work. This week it is the 4x and next week it is straight onto the 8x table!

In English, we have started ‘The Pied Piper’ and children have been asking questions, reading different versions and making predictions. We have also been collecting lots of exciting vocabulary to use eventually in our own fairy tales on the same theme. The children’s enthusiasm has been off the chart!!

On a similar theme, in RE this week we did the story of Moses and the Exodus. Children became newspaper reporters and wrote about the ten plagues. We had a meaningful discussion about slavery and why it was so terribly wrong. We always bring everything back to our mission statement, ‘You are precious in my eyes,’ and children understand that every human being is equally precious - and deserves to be treated as a child of God.

Children have loved trying out our new trim trail this week too! They have been so lovely cheering each other on to complete the monkey bars!

Next Tuesday will be our Reconciliation Session. It would be lovely if you could spend some time reflecting with your child on this and talk about the wrong choices they sometimes make. It is such a good opportunity to grow as a person. I always say it is like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders when you experience the power of God’s love and forgiveness.

Let’s Celebrate!

This week, our French stars were Jess and

Miss Forster and Mr Nay picked Saul and Jess for PE stars this week - super effort from both!

A Clara Clownfish certificate went to Julia for being a real pattern-spotter and noticing grammar that we have been learning in her reading book!

A Sadie Spider certificate went to Kiefer for trying so hard to get lots done and considering his learning so carefully.

Notices

In readiness for our upcoming Holy Communion, we are starting to prepare children for this and have completed a session today. They will come home with books to share and fill in with you (see homework) Also, please return any outstanding Holy Communion letters.

Since we cannot meet for parents’ day I will be sending a simple mini report out for your child to let you know how they have been getting along and also some examples of their fantastic work!

Have a lovely weekend everyone. God Bless,

Mrs Lyons, Miss Forster, Miss Edmondson and Mrs Mather

Year 4 blog - Learning is the Gateway to Adventure!

We have had a very exciting week in Year 4! We began by learning the life cycle of a plant through our dance lesson on Monday. We learned the function of the flower and what part the bees play in reproduction of flowers.

Then on Tuesday we looked at the functions of different parts of a plant. We put carnations in coloured water and discovered that the stem’s function is to suck the water up to the flower. We also thought about roots, leaves and the flower itself.

On Wednesday we dissected a lily in partners to find the reproductive parts in a flower and then made beautiful annotated drawings of them. We learned about the processes of pollination and fertilisation.

One Thursday and today children have been very busy, composing their own explanation text all about the the life cycle of a flowering plant. They have worked so hard to incorporate all the language of explanation and are really becoming such a focused, hardworking group of children.

Both Mr Nay (PE) and Mrs Curtis (Art) commented on how wonderful the children had been in their lessons this week. Add to that a good play of recorders on Monday and a drama session outside, acting out the story of Joseph from the bible and we have had a fun week with lots and lots of growth!

Let’s celebrate!

This week 2 certificates were given.

Harriet received a Lizzie Ladybird certificate for listening to teacher’s advice on how to improve and also always being so hardworking.

Grace received a Roger Robin certificate for being such a supportive and loving member of our class.

French stars : Grace, James and India

PE stars Abi and Harriet for fantastic effort with relay!

Notices

Thanks for your flu replies. Please now bring the Holy Communion forms back as soon as possible.

Have a lovely weekend! God bless,

Mrs Lyons, Miss Edmondson, Mrs Mather and Miss Forster.

Year 4 blog for week ending 25th September. 'Mighty oaks from little acorns grow!'

We have had such a busy and exciting week. On Monday we did a dandelion dance! We used our recital from last week and put it to music and movement in groups! Super! In the afternoon, we went outside to play recorders and children played their first tune!!

On Tuesday we had a brilliant time learning all about different ways seeds disperse. We explored lots of seed pods Mrs Lyons had collected and thought about how they release their seeds. Then children used Book Creator to make a book all about seeds. The rest of the week has seen them writing explanation texts about all the different methods of seed dispersal. There is some AMAZING writing already. They sound like mini David Attenboroughs! Why not go and have a look in the woods and see what seed pods you can find!

On Wednesday we started our Geography topic of plants around the world and looked at atlases. We made books on the i-pads to show unusual plants from around the globe. On Thursday we learned the story of Abraham from the Old testament. All mixed in with some super maths work partitioning 4 digit numbers in different ways!

Let’s celebrate!

This week, our French star went to Jacob O for excellent listening and responding.

We have 3 certificates. (Mrs Lyons could not just choose two!)

A roger robin certificate went to Hollie-Rose for being a kind friend and a role model in class.

John-Joseph received a Lizzie Ladybird certificate for improving so much each day because he listens to the teacher’s feedback.

Olivia receieved a Bobby Bee certificate because she always listens and loves to get better. She beeeelieves she can!

Notices

Please bring your flu forms back as soon as possible.

Don’t forget recorders on Monday! Please make sure they have been sterilised and they are in their case.

Also, please supply children with a pack of tissues regularly so they can keep them in their pencil case.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Mrs Lyons, Mrs Mather, Miss Edmondson and Miss Forster.

Year 4 blog: All the Flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.

Week ending 18th September

This week has seen glorious sunshine and a whole class of eager children too! Everybody has loved their English lessons this week as we learned all about the language of explanation. WE studied dandelion clocks and read poetry about them We then listened to the wonderful Sir David Attenborough explaining all about the seed dispersal of dandelions. We have learnt this off by heart so that the language of explanation is imprinted in our minds! See video below!

After this, we imagined what it would be like to be one of the seeds on a dandelion, journeying away from the mother plant. Children have written some beautiful recounts of this occurring.

We have dived into our maths this week to grasp an understanding of 4 digit numbers now we are in year 4. We are doing very well! We have also learned about the structure of the Bible in RE and children had a great quiz where they looked up bible references to find the animal named in the verse. We also began French lessons this week.

RHE focus

This week, we have looked at managing our angry feelings. We have had a good conversation about losing our tempers and which part of the brain takes over when this happens. We have learned that we need to get back into our ‘thinking brain’ in order to regain control from our ‘animal brain.’

We have also looked at the story of Concentrate Cooper Crab, which gives us strategies to help us focus and manage distractions around us like Cooper.

Let’s Celebrate!

This week, I tried to stick to two certificates but ended up with three!

Jacob O received a Bobby Bee certificate for sheer enthusiasm and always being ready to learn.

Lena received a Tommy Turtle certificate for always having a go and being willing to risk making mistakes in order to learn

Amber received a Lizzie Ladybird certificate for striving to improve by always participating fully in lessons and listening so carefully.

Lena also met her reading target this week! Well done!

James received his pen licence too!

Notices

On Monday, children will be bringing home recorders to practise!

These need to be brought into school every Monday - (pop it on your planner!)

Please could you sterilise them each Sunday night in a little Milton and water before they come into school. There will be recorder homework each week on a site called Charanga (starting from next week)

I will be sending homework book homework this week.

Have a lovely weekend with your little flowers!

God bless,

Mrs Lyons, Mrs Mather, Miss Edmondson and Miss Forster

Year 4 Blog: "Forget yesterday - it has already forgotten you. Instead open your eyes and heart to a truly precious gift - today."

Well our second week in year four has been jam packed with exciting learning! This week we have become scientists and we have carried out experiments to find out exactly what a plant needs to grow well. We also looked closely at seeds and discovered what happens when a seed germinates. We looked at seedlings too and even dug them out of their pots to see what they looked like!

in other exciting news: After thinking about why we need to be able to read and write we identified lots of different text types - like persuasive letters, non-fiction, instructions and fairy tales. We have now begun studying and reading explanation texts and next week we will be learning one off by heart!

We have also been working SO hard in maths to master a new skill - rounding numbers. Children have really tried hard with this with lots of success.

RHE

This week we have read a story, “Be Grateful Gabriella Goat,’ where we learned what it truly means to be grateful. Children have made gratitude necklaces and brought them home - each part of it is something they are grateful for. They said some lovely things about being thankful for all you do for them! We now take part in the Examen at the end of each day- which allows children to look back and reflect on what they are thanful for that day and also what they may be sorry for. They talk to God and look forward to the next new day.

This week, we have also reflected on how to Recognise our feelings. We made up our own dance to reflect this in PE. Children learned that we can have different strengths of feelings and when we can identify them, they are easier to manage.

Another very powerful part of our week was making our ‘Becoming Me,’ books. These books were about aspiration - to be the person you want to be in Year 4. Children thought carefully about who they are and also what qualities they would like to have. They then found a powerful quote which would help them. One of our mottos is ‘I CAN DO HARD THINGS!’

Finally, today we thought about the amazing growing and developing power of our brain - and learned what Growth Mindset thinking is.

Let’s Celebrate!

Today the class voted on our class councillors who will lead our class council sessions. They are Jayden and India! What role models you will be.

Our PE champions were Jayden and Stephanie.

Again - I had to give out 4 certificates this week (I must rein myself in next week!)

Abi received a LIzzie Ladybird certificate for always listening to feedback and striving to improve.

Jess received a Bobby Bee certificate for brimming with enthusiasm

Asher received a Cooper Crab certificate for excellent focus and…

Isabella received a Sadie Spider certificate for always trying so hard and giving everything her best effort - she has met her reading target too!!

Year 4 received Star table at lunchtime too. I am very proud of you.

Notices

Please could children bring their own packet of tissues into school if they have a cold. They can keep them in their pencil case - they could also have a pack in their pocket for when outside.

I have sent an email out to fill in your child’s medical form online this year. Please do this at the earliest opportunity so I am aware of any issues.

Children are not allowed to bring in anything from home other than water bottles, lunch boxes and school reading books. Some children have been bringing in Plasticine to squeeze - this is against the rules for safety reasons.

I trust you have all received your children’s letters about Reconciliation and Holy Communion. I look forward to carrrying out the sessions in class with them this half term.

Have a lovely weekend - the weather forecast says SUN!

God bless, Mrs Lyons, Mrs Mather, Miss Edmondson and Miss Forster.

'Feel the Fear and do it anyway!' (Elizabeth Gilbert)

I am so proud of every child in the class this week. They have had a great start to year 4 and although there have been worries, we have all practised ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway.’ The children have all demonstrated such mature behaviour and have settled in so well. They have been so sensible following all health guidelines and are getting used to the new normal! They have also been brilliant at looking after their own belongings this week!

The beginning of the week saw us thinking carefully about how we feel about coming back to school and acknowledging that we are experiencing a historical event. We reflected on our lock down experiences and made a jigsaw piece to record this which will go with everyone else’s jigsaw pieces in the whole school - to bring us back together!

We have spent lots of time this week talking about how to treat each other and reflecting on our school mission statement ‘You are Precious in my Eyes.’ Children have learned all about rights, responsibilities and consequences and we identified 3 key rights which we all deserve in our class.

We then have collectively formed our class ‘responsibilities’ to reflect these rights. We also outlined how to work well with a partner and be co-operative. We had a lesson all about courage and strength. We looked at examples of strength shown by others in lockdown and we discussed not being afraid of ‘having a go’ with your work in class.

Later in the week, we had a beautiful lesson all about hope - it was empowering and children were excellent at explaining what they thought hope is. We listened to hopeful music and made hopeful images to remind us that we will never give up hope - each day is a new beginning. Year 4 is a new beginning.

Amongst all this, we had a little maths quiz and completed our Star reader test. We also started our new topic in Science- plants. Children asked so many interesting questions! In RE, children showed awe and wonder in God’s creation and wrote lovely prayers. We have also kick started our maths with Roman numerals!

Let’s Celebrate!

This week I had to give out 4 certificates!

A Roger Robin certificate has gone to Kai for being so kind, gentle and mature this week.

James received a Sadie Spider certificate for being so hardworking and pushing himself.

Evie received a Tommy Turtle certificate for having a good go at things and showing courage

Stephanie received a Cooper Crab certificate for showing excellent focus in all she did.

I honestly could have continued writing certificates because everyone has achieved in different ways this week. A massive well done to all of you for your first week back in school. I know I am going to LOVE teaching you!

Also this week, just over half the class have been presented with their pen licences! They have ‘solemnly sworn’ to always write in joined up handwriting in Year 4. We will be practising handwriting every day so it should not be long before more children receive theirs.

Notices

The link below shows you which day your child’s outside PE day is. It will be Wednesday or Thursday. All other days are school uniform please. Children do look very smart!

Homework

Homework is up for this week under ‘Learn from Home'.’ Please could you help your child take responsibility for this and bring in each Thursday. I will only send their actual homework book home every fortnight. On alternate weeks it will just be online learning.

Reading

Every child should come home with their reading books and a little reading log. This shows you what their ZPD reading level is and their points target for the half term. Please encourage them to read each night and try and hear them read often. I have given them a target reading time each day. They read for 30 minutes each day at school - so this is included - unless they do Nessy learning - in which case they read for 15 mins in the school day and so need to read more at home. THey also must continue with their Nessy learning at home.

Children now have Blue interest level reading books which have more grown up themes. They will be able to quiz at school as normal.

Books brought back from home will be quarantined for 72 hours before being given to others.

Birthday sweets

Unfortunately, children will not be able to give these out at school for the foreseeable future due to Covid circumstances. Sad I know, but we will definitely make their birthday jolly at school in other ways!!

Finally, here are some photos of our first week in Year 4.

Have a lovely, restful weekend and please feel very proud of those precious children of yours! They have worked their socks off!

Mrs Lyons, Mrs Mather, Miss Forster and Miss Edmondson

Welcome to Year 4 - a new beginning!

We can’t wait to welcome you ack on Tuesday. Please watch the video below together to find out about procedures and other information. There are a couple of parent tasks to do too!

'The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.' (Theodore Roosevelt)

Well Year 4, we have delved into the Viking world this week, with tales of gods and goddesses, treachery, love, betrayal and heroism. You have participated so well and I am very proud of you.

Poor Clayton this week has broken an ankle and James has re-broken his arm! I know you will join me in sending our love to them and quick recovery.

Next week, I am handing you over to your new teacher for the week. Please join in with all tasks if you can and have a lovely, different week! You will be back with me for the final week to celebrate all we’ve achieved this year - even in lockdown!

Here is a lovely video of your hard work this week.

'Adventure is worthwhile in itself!' (Amelia Earheart)

This week you have been reading about all the adventures of Viking gods, goddesses and others in the Norse Cosmos! Theyhave had lots of exciting adventures - as have you in the past few weeks. Again, you have worked so hard this week to achieve well.

I have been working with some Year 4 children in school in the last few weeks and I am SO proud of how focused, mature and determined they have been in all they have done. I have seen your super work too and I am sure, you like them will be ready for the upper juniors in September. Have a look below at some super highlights from our week.

There are only three weeks left of Year 4!!!!! Next week, we will continue to explore the Viking world with Mrs Lyons. But the week after, will be a week with your new teacher online! She will be taking over to do online learning all week. Exciting stuff.

Then the final week will be back with Mrs Lyons, to think of all the things you have achieved this year.

Have a lovely weekend everyone. Mrs Lyons is off to get her new kitten this weekend! His name is Thor!

Year 4 highlights for week ending 19th June!

Wow Year 4 - what a great week you have had! Look at all this wonderful learning and participation from so many of you. Enjoy watching your friends!

You have been brilliant in sports day this week - I wonder who will take the win??

As Miss Hornby has said in her blog, the teachers will be in school full time from next week so we won’t be as contactable. I will do my best to get back to your emails as quickly as I can, but please be patient with me.

Have a lovely weekend all of you and really well done for a fantastic week.

Next week….. Viking myths!! We will see what Thor, Loki and Odin get up to!!