Welcome to Year 4 - Sycamore

Mr Mali

Learning Update

Maths: In Year 4, children have been developing a strong understanding of fractions and have become increasingly confident in working flexibly with them. They have practised converting improper fractions into mixed numbers and changing mixed numbers back into improper fractions, using their knowledge of multiplication and division to support their reasoning. The children have also explored equivalent fractions, learning to recognise and generate them by scaling numerators and denominators, and have used number lines to represent and compare fractions, understanding that equivalent fractions sit in the same position. Their growing confidence and secure number skills have enabled them to order, compare, and simplify fractions more independently and accurately as they prepare to move on to more challenging problems in the coming half term.

Literacy: Year 4 have been thoroughly enjoying their work on Frindleswylde by Natalie O’Hara, using the imaginative story as inspiration for their own writing. The children have explored the characters, setting, and themes of the book, discussing how the author builds tension and atmosphere throughout the adventure. Drawing on this, pupils have been developing their narrative writing skills, focusing on expanded noun phrases to add detail and carefully chosen adverbials to describe when, where, and how events happen. They have also worked hard to include engaging, well-punctuated speech to bring their characters to life and show their thoughts and feelings. To support the organisation and quality of their writing, children have been using editing tools such as ‘SMILIES’ to check for key features and improve their work. It has been wonderful to see their creativity flourish as they immerse themselves in the world of Frindleswylde and grow in confidence as writers.

Science: Year 4 are coming to the end of their learning about states of matter, where they have explored the properties of solids, liquids, and gases through a range of fun, practical experiments. The children investigated changes of state such as melting, freezing, and evaporation, observing what happens when materials are heated or cooled. They used scientific vocabulary to describe what they noticed and carefully recorded their results. Next, the children will begin a new science topic on grouping and classifying living things. During this unit, they will learn how scientists sort plants and animals into different groups based on their features. They will explore the similarities and differences between living things and begin using simple classification keys to help identify and group different species.

Geography: In Year 4, children are moving on to explore the topic of mountains, both in the UK and around the world. They will learn about famous mountain ranges and discover where they are located on a map. The children will also identify and describe key features of mountains, such as peaks, slopes, ridges, and valleys, and learn how mountains are formed over time. As part of their learning, they will look at examples such as Ben Nevis in Scotland and the Himalayas in Asia. They will also explore how mountains are used by people for activities such as farming, tourism, and climbing. This topic will help pupils develop their geographical knowledge while learning about some of the world’s most impressive landscapes.

Computing: In Year 4, children will be beginning a new computing topic on animation. They will learn how animations are created by designing and drawing a series of still frames which, when played in sequence, create the illusion of movement. Pupils will plan their own simple animations, carefully thinking about how each frame changes to show movement or action. They will use digital tools to create and edit their designs, developing creativity alongside their computing skills. Throughout this topic, children will also test and improve their animations, learning how small changes can make their sequences smoother and clearer. This unit will help build their understanding of how animation works while encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and careful planning.

Looking ahead:

• Literacy: Completing their own sequel story on the book of Frindleswylde, focusing on planning, structuring, and editing using writing techniques they have picked up across Year 4 so far.
• Maths: Continuing with the topic of fractions, moving on afterwards to decimals. Again, making sure Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) exposure is incorporated in some aspect of the day.
• R.E.: Christianity and the Holy Week of Easter, learning about Christianity and the events of Holy Week, exploring why Easter is important to Christians.
• P.E.: Handball with Mrs Bell and Stevenage, and OAA (Outdoor Adventure Activities) with Mrs Bissmire.

Spring Term 2025

Click on the links below to see what the children in Year 4 will be learning in the Spring Term.