Hello everyone

This week's blog is going to be filled with photos as we've been so busy! In English, we have started our new text based on the legend 'Beowulf'. We are reading a version of this Anglo-Saxon tale by Chris Riddell called 'The Monster Slayer'. The children were captivated when we read the story and then thoroughly enjoyed acting out the main plot points. Have a look at the photos below. In Maths, we've completed a short unit on 'Area' and have learnt how to calculate area, draw rectilinear shapes with given areas and compare shapes with different areas. We had a super afternoon on Tuesday out at Forest School and spent the time foraging for natural materials to make dyes and having a go at the rope course which Miss Prince set up. On the theme of being active, the children all put excellent effort into Gymnastics this week too. On Monday, we took part in a virtual 'Healthcare Careers PSHE Session' during which the children had the opportunity to find out and ask questions about 3 different careers in healthcare: Occupational Therapy, Clinical Pharmacy and Radiography. In History, we learnt all about what the Anglo-Saxons believed.

As always, please continue to spend some time each day at home reading, practising spellings and times tables. I sent home information about the Year 4 Multiplication Check this week so please have a read and get in touch with me if you have any questions. This is a great website for practising: Multiplication Tables Check - Mathsframe

Have a lovely weekend everybody.

​Miss Radbourne

It's the end of another week and, despite being cold, what a lovely one it's been!

This week, a number of the children found themselves in the 'learning pit' during Maths. We were learning how to use short multiplication and two different methods for division. Although it was tricky, everyone was able to climb out of the pit and make progress in their understanding! Some children used manipulatives to help them, others worked with each other and some were supported in a guided working group with an adult. Well done, Ash Class, for your hard work.

In English, the children enjoyed researching their chosen inventor and writing their 'Inventor's Portfolio'. They used some of the features we have learning about (such as fronted adverbials and expanded noun phrases) to enable them to include lots of information in a relatively short piece of writing.

Do you know the difference between an asteroid, comet, meteor and meteorite? Ash Class can explain it to you. What was everyday life like for the Anglo-Saxons? What did they eat? What jobs did they do? What were their houses like? More things that we have learnt this week! On top of this, we've made sure we've kept active in our Real PE session with myself and gymnastics with SAINTS. 

Does your child take part in a club? We have a great variety of clubs happening this term so please do book spaces onto these.

Next week, we will have both indoor PE and Forest School on Tuesday. Please could children wear PE kits to school but bring their Forest School clothes to change into.

Have a great weekend!

​Miss Radbourne

Hello everyone and happy Friday! 

We've reached the end of our first full week back in school of the new year and it's been great. A particular highlight this week was our first Forest School session. Miss Prince visited us before we went outside to explain the rules of Forest School and what our first session would entail. Following this, suitably armed against the mud with our waterproof gear, we went outside for a full afternoon of fun, teamwork and outdoor learning. Alongside the key personal skills which children will develop during Forest School, we are also linking it with our Anglo-Saxon topic in History to provide enrichment activities. As such, this week was based around what it would feel like to be a settler and invader. The children began by working in teams to build dens, considering where a good defensive site might be located. They then played several rounds of 'Capture the Flag' where they had to invade other groups' territories and steal their treasure. We were lucky that the weather stayed dry and I think a great afternoon was had by all. Our next session will be in 2 weeks' time. For this, could I ask a favour? Please could you keep any onion skins you might use over the next week or so? We are hoping to use these to make our own dyes. Thanks!

We have been busy in our other curriculum areas too. In English, we've started our new text 'How to Invent' and had a focus on recapping key grammar knowledge this week, including what makes a sentence, different types of clauses and different types of sentences. In Maths, we've carried on with Multiplication and Division and learnt how to multiply three numbers together as well as practising different methods of mental multiplication. History was our first lesson in our unit 'Anglo-Saxons and Scots', where we discovered why that era is known as the 'Dark Ages' and how we actually know about life in Britain at that time. In Science, we explored the difference between Solar and Lunar eclipses. The children are enjoying our new Computing unit, 'Repetition in Shapes' where they are learning different commands for programming. Finally, we have now started our Gymnastics unit for our SAINTS PE lessons. On Tuesday next week, we will have our extra PE lesson (lead by me) so please can children wear PE kit to school as normal. No Forest School next week.

Spellings this week are homophones:
cereal, serial, check, cheque, through, threw, draft, draught, stares, stairs

Please keep reading every day at home and recording this in reading diaries, as well as learning times tables. I'm pleased to hear that lots of children are now regularly practising at home for the Year 4 Multiplication Check at home.

That's it from me for this week so have a lovely weekend.

Miss Radbourne

Happy New Year! 

I hope you all had a relaxing and peaceful Christmas break. It was lovely to welcome to children back to the classroom on Wednesday and they all settled back into our normal routines really quickly. 

We've had a few timetable changes for this term which I'd like to make you aware of. On a Tuesday, we will be alternating weekly between Forest School and another PE session (indoors). As such, the children will either need to come to school wearing uniform but bring their Forest School clothes to change into, or they will need to wear PE kit to school (as they do on a Thursday). I will make sure you are aware which week we are doing what! 

We've kicked off our new units of learning and are in full swing now. We are looking at a book called 'How to Invent' in English and will be writing an Inventor Portfolio over the next couple of weeks. We are continuing with Multiplication and Division in Maths, learning how to use the formal written method short multiplication. On this note, the Year 4 Times Table Check creeps closer every day so please do spend some time practising for this at home. Children need to be secure with their times tables up to 12 x 12. In History, our topic for this half of term is the Anglo-Saxons. This leads on nicely from our previous unit on the Romans as the Anglo-Saxons settled in Britain directly afterwards. We are spending more time in Science learning about Space, diving deeper into space if you like! 

Today, I have sent home weekly spellings to be learnt along with the homework grid. Please hand homework in every 2 weeks (the dates are on the sheet). Children only need to choose 1 activity to do every fortnight. As always, please also keep reading at home and filling in the reading diary alongside. 

I hope the weather isn't quite so rainy this weekend! Have a lovely one.