Year 4

WELCOME TO THE YEAR 4 PAGE

SUMMER TERM 2024

We are delighted to welcome our Year 4 pupils and their parents/carers to the 2023-2024 school year.

Year 4, you will be continuing your learning journey at Lionel Primary School by taking part in a variety of exciting topics and activities this term.

Parents and Carers: We have included above, the key words list and our Year 4 Curriculum Overview, to let you know what we are covering in each subject this half-term and what you can do at home to help further your child’s development. 

Outlined below, is lots of useful information. Please take a look.

• Each day, pupils should bring with them their reading record book, a water bottle (which can be re-filled in school) and, if possible, a mid-morning snack. As part of a healthy life-style, may we encourage pupils to drink water and eat fruit, rather than consume sugary drinks or snacks.  

• Pupils should be dressed in their school uniform, with black shoes (see our school uniform policy on the school website for detailed information). If your child has long hair, it must be tied back before coming to school. In the winter months, your child will need a coat, hat, scarf and gloves. In the summer months, please apply sun-screen before school and provide your child with a sun hat. Please label all items of school clothing with your child's name.     

• Pupils need to wear their P.E. kit to school on their P.E. days. This consists of: a white school P.E. T-shirt, navy blue shorts, plimsoles or trainers. During the winter months, plain navy-blue jogging bottoms may be worn. Please ensure that all items belonging to your child, fit them and are labelled with their name. P.E. days are as follows:                                                             
• Willow Class: Mondays and Thursdays
• Spruce Class: Wednesdays and Thursdays
• Poplar Class: Wednesday 17th April and Wednesday 17th July and every Friday
• Sports Day (Date to be confirmed)                                                                                                                                                                       
• If your child has a medical condition, please let us know.   

• Swimming lessons will take place at Brentford Leisure Centre with trained instructors. The whole class, accompanied by three adults, will walk to the venue. Willow and Spruce classes have completed their term of swimming. Poplar Class will be swimming during the summer term. (See separate letter with dates, sent via parent mail.)

• On swimming days, pupils need to bring in a swimming costume (no bikinis) / swimming trunks (no long shorts), a towel and a swimming cap in a large bag/ruck sack. Swimming goggles are optional. A spare carrier bag and pair of socks would be advisable too. No jewellery or watches must be worn. Religious wrist bands should be covered with a sweat band if they can't be removed.             

• Reading for pleasure and to support learning is vitally important and a key factor in improving the life chances of all children.  Pupils can choose up to three reading books each week from school. Books are changed once a week on Fridays. Pupils should bring their books and completed/signed Reading Record Book in to school on Fridays. Pupils can read 1-3 books or more, during the week. These can be picture books, book-band books, fiction paper-backs, magazines, non-fiction or poetry books. If these include their own home and public library books, this needs to be indicated in their reading record. Some longer books may require reading over 2-3 weeks. Your child still needs to bring their book in and let us know this and that they wish to hold on to the book to complete it. Reading Record Books should be available each day in school, so that staff can use them too, for recording in.   

• Pupils will also visit our fantastic, newly opened school library, where a book can be chosen to take home and changed every two weeks. All school books must be looked after and returned when requested.   

• You can also check out the 'Reading for Pleasure' tab on our school website for lots of exciting book suggestions. 

• We would also encourage you to enable your child to belong to their local library where they can select more books to enjoy and research from. 

• Please encourage a love of books by reading with and to your child and listening to them read. Ask them to tell you what they are reading about. Asking ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions will also aid their understanding. Your child should be reading at home for at least 10-20 minutes every day and they must complete their reading record book at least three times during the week. Please could you sign this.          

• Homework is set every Friday. Access to a suitable study area and equipment (table, chair, internet-enabled device, pencil, sharpener, rubber, colours, paper) is recommended for all pupils, for notes, research and working out. Pupils must read their book, practise their spellings and their times tables every day. The weekly spelling list and learning strategies can be accessed via Google Classroom, using your child's log-in details. A times table quiz will also be placed on Google Classroom every Friday, to be completed by 08:30 a.m. the following Wednesday, at the latest. This should be completed to a good standard (above half-marks). Please support your child to complete their homework each day. Pupils should use a dictionary (supplied online via Google Classroom) to look up the meaning of unknown words. Some pupils may also be given extra handwriting sheets to practise on at home.         

• If your child has not completed part or all of the week’s homework or not completed it to a good enough standard, we will re-issue the homework with the expectation that it must be completed as soon as possible. (Paper copies may be given for this.)

• The times table quiz is marked and returned via Google Classroom. The weekly spelling and times table checks are carried out in school every Thursday, with the expectation that if your child receives half marks or less, they re-learn the errors at the weekend and are re-checked on Monday. Weekly spelling and times table scores can be found inside your child's Reading Record Book.

• For further details about homework and web-links for additional optional homework, please see below.                  

• During Year 4, pupils will practise and learn all their times tables to x12. This is required in order to be successful with various maths topics. During the Autumn Term, pupils will learn the times tables to x12 in order and recall them at random. During the Spring Term, pupils will learn the division opposites for the times tables to x12 in order and recall them at random. During the Summer Term, pupils will build up their speed to recall their times tables at random, within 6 seconds, ready for the Year 4 National Multiplication Times Table Check which takes place in June. Please support your child in practising and recalling their times tables at speed - strategies for this can be found on Google Classroom.                                                                                                 
• Our expectations for this year are that the pupils work hard and try their best with their learning and presentation; show good listening and concentration skills and contribute sensibly to class activities and discussions; behave well and are kind and friendly. Pupils should not disturb teaching, their own learning or the learning of others. Pupils are expected to work silently during independent tasks so that they can focus. Pupils are also expected to share ideas and work with a partner/group at times. Pupils will engage in a variety of visual, practical, interactive, recorded and creative activities throughout the year. Reading across the curriculum will be a core part of learning too. To ensure there are no gaps in your child's learning, good punctuality and attendance are vital.

Our school rules are:    WE ARE READY.     WE ARE RESPECTFUL.     WE ARE SAFE. 

• If you have any queries, please speak to us as soon as conveniently possible. You can contact us via our email address: year4@lionel.hounslow.sch.uk or office@lionel.hounslow.sch.uk

A positive and mutually supportive partnership between home and school is vital in helping your child achieve to the best of their ability.

We all want the pupils to do well academically and socially.

Thank you for your support with your child’s learning.

Together, we aim to create a happy and successful year. 

With best wishes, from the Year 4 staff:

Willow Class: Miss. Khanna (Year Group Leader)

Spruce Class: Miss. McGovern

Poplar Class: Miss. Hays-Wheeler

Additional staff: Mr. Kavanagh, Ms. Martin, Mr. Parker

KEY DATES:

• Return to school: Monday 15th April 2024
• Friday 26th April: Author Visit in school : Sophy Henn
• Tuesday 30th April: Willow Class trip (a.m.) to The National Archives - Tudor topic
• Thursday 2nd May: Spruce Class trip (a.m.) to The National Archives - Tudor topic
• Monday 6th May: Bank Holiday
• Wednesday 8th May: Poplar Class trip (a.m.) to The National Archives - Tudor topic
• Monday 27th May - Friday 31st May: Half-Term
• Monday 3rd June: Inset Day - School closed
• Week beginning Tuesday 4th June: Year 4 National Multiplication Check begins
• Tuesday 11th June: Year 4 trip to the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith for the Children's Literature Festival to see the author Cressida Cowell
• Friday 5th July: Summer Fair (after school)
• Wednesday 24th July: Term ends at 1:30 p.m.

Museums to visit - to further your learning and interests

Links to websites for further learning, homework and fun