Week 2 in Year 4

 

What an incredible start to 2025 Year 4 have had!

The children had a fantastic visit to London on Wednesday, and all the staff were full of praise for their  behaviour throughout the day. I have been so impressed with how well they have continued to focus and work hard for the rest of the week, despite such a busy midweek adventure. I imagine there will be some very tired children this weekend!

Looking Ahead to Next Week

We have even more exciting visits and activities planned to educate and inspire the children:

🔹 Monday – Performance Day Orientation Visit
This trip will give the children an opportunity to prepare for their upcoming performance. If you haven’t yet given your consent, please do so as soon as possible. The children will travel by coach and return in time for lunch. Please ensure your child brings a water bottle and a small snack for the morning.

🔹 Wednesday – Planetarium Visit
We are thrilled to be welcoming a mobile planetarium to school, which promises to be an unforgettable, out-of-this-world experience!

🔹 Thursday – Singing with Mrs Trevorrow
Year 4 will begin learning songs in preparation for a singing concert in March, held at Thomas Hardy School alongside other local first schools. More details will be shared soon.

Home Learning

📜 Shakespeare Performance – Learning Lines
Please continue to support your child in learning their lines. I have been so impressed by those who have already memorised them—it makes a huge difference! From Week 3 of term, I would like the children to rehearse without holding their scripts.

📚 Times Tables Booklets
Please return all times tables booklets on Monday. The children will receive their Week 2 booklet on Monday (13th), and the expectation is that they will complete it over the week before we mark it together in class. This week, they will be focusing on the 12 times table, using their knowledge of the 10 and 2 times tables to support their learning. If your child’s booklet doesn’t make it home, let me know, and I’ll provide another.

📝 Spellings
We have assessed the children’s spellings this week and will update their personal spelling lists as soon as they have been marked and uploaded. This week’s spellings are listed below. The children will receive a paper copy on Tuesday and are encouraged to practise using Spelling Shed whenever possible.

Thank you for your continued support—I look forward to another brilliant week ahead!

Upcoming dates:

Monday 13th Jan - Performance Orientation visit

Wednesday 15th Jan - Planetarium experience

Thursday 16th Jan - Year 4 parent information session 9am - 9.20am

Tuesday 4th February - Early parents' evening

Thursday 6th Feb - Late parents' evening

Wednesday 12th Feb - Shakespeare Performance Day

Friday 14th Feb - Last day of term

Monday 24th Feb - INSET

Tuesday 25th Feb - All children return to school

 

Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope you and your families had a joyful and restful holiday. The start of the spring term in Year 4 is always an exciting one, especially as we work towards the children's Shakespeare performance.

This year, the children also have the fantastic opportunity to visit London, where they will explore the Houses of Parliament and the Globe Theatre. This promises to be a memorable trip, rich in history and culture. The trip takes place this Wednesday, so if you haven’t yet completed the online trip confirmation form, please do so as soon as possible.

Home Learning

This term’s home learning will focus on Shakespeare and times tables. Each child will receive a Tempest script to keep at home. We encourage them to practise regularly to ensure they learn their lines thoroughly as part of their English home learning.

In addition, the children will be sent home with a times tables booklet every Monday, which should be returned the following Monday. These booklets will be marked in class during lesson time. Regular practice on Times Tables Rock Stars is also highly beneficial, as times tables will play a key role in the next seven maths units. Developing fluency in this area will significantly support their confidence and success in maths lessons.

PE and School Equipment

Children will need their full PE kits from Monday. We expect all children to change for PE. If you have any difficulties in providing a full kit, please speak to a member of the team—we’re happy to help.

From January, children may bring in their own pencil cases with pencils and writing pens. This is optional, as all necessary equipment will continue to be provided in class. If your child does bring personal stationery or clothing items, we strongly recommend that everything is clearly labelled to ensure lost items can be returned easily.

General Reminders

• Please ensure your child brings a healthy morning snack and a water bottle each day.
• As the weather remains cold, children should bring a labelled outer coat daily.
• If you have any of our spare emergency coats at home, we would be grateful if you could return them.

Wishing you all a happy, inspiring, and positively eventful 2025!

Kind regards,

The Year 4 Team

Merry Christmas and Thank you

 

As we come to the end of this first full term, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on how far the children have come. Myself, Mrs. Bernard, Mr Spracklen, Mrs March and Mrs Thomas have all remarked on the noticeable growth and maturity in the class. They are developing into wonderful buddies and role models, and we couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them.

On behalf of all the Year 4 staff, I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you for your ongoing support, kind words, and the thoughtful Christmas gifts. Your generosity is truly appreciated.

We wish you all a joyful, restful, and healthy holidays and look forward to an exciting Spring term full of more inspired to learn activities.  

Kindest regards,

The year 4 team. xxx

Christmas Performance Clothes & Pencil Cases

 

Hello everyone,
Just a quick update to let you know that the children will need to wear a Christmas jumper (if you have one) for the Christmas performances next week. As I explained to the children, they should still come to school in uniform but have their jumper to change into on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday next week.  If your child doesn't have a Christmas jumper they are welcome to wear a Christmas hat and or tinsel to decorate themselves. 

Secondly, next term the children are welcome to start bringing their own pencil cases into school. Ideally any new pencil cases should fit inside your child's trays and not be so busy that they are a distraction. Please be aware that this is optional and we will always provide all stationary your child needs for school.        

Year 4 Carol Concert readers

 

Next Wednesday (18th December), it will the Prince of Wales yearly Christmas carol concert. If your child attended our preschool or were with us in reception you may remember when they dressed up as characters from the nativity. 

For their last Carol concert with the Prince of Wales school, Year 4 are invited back to read passages that tell the nativity story. 

Mr Spracklen will be speaking to the children about the concert this afternoon and are encouraged to talk to you this evening about their availability next Wednesday.     

If your child would like to be involved they will need to be free between 4.45 - 6pm next Wednesday. I will collect names of those that are interested tomorrow. 

Kind regards,

Ms Browne 

 

What a busy week

 

Hello everyone,

What a busy week the children have had this week! On Monday, the children were all very excited to receive their books that they had written with the wonderful team from the Bank of Dreams and Nightmares. These were specially delivered by PCSO Jane Goodwin and Ed from the Bank of Dreams and Nightmares after they were taken as 'evidence' during our Inspired writing week. 

Well done to those year 4 children that represented the school on Thursday's Abbeyfield Christmas Carol Concert. The children sang beautifully and we are all so very proud of them. 

On Friday, the children learnt about the work of Jeff Koons, a successful sculptor who is famous for creating fun balloon inspired sculptures. The children had a go at making their own balloon dogs working in small groups. They were warned that working with balloons can be very tricky and that it was a great opportunity for the children to develop team work and resilience. They thoroughly enjoyed the activity and we will try to find another opportunity for them to individually have a go nearer Christmas.      

The children have now been given their roles for our Shakespeare play the Tempest. I hope to have finished adapting the script this weekend and aim to give the children their own script by the end of next week. This year, we are delighted to be working with Lauren from Razzmatazz on Friday afternoons, who is bringing her expertise to help us develop dance and musical additions to the play. Lauren started teaching the children a routine on Friday and Mrs Bernard and I were so impressed by what the children achieved in a relatively short space of time. We are so excited to watch the children grow into confident performers over the next few months. 

I will let you know what the costumes are likely to be at the beginning of next term, but usually we do ask that all children have black leggings of black tracksuit bottoms and black trainers or plimsolls. 

Tickets for the performance at the Weymouth Pavilion are now available. Click here for the link to book.  

Home learning

Apologies that Home learning was late this week. We are asking the children to come up with their own Christmas inspired Maths problems. Hopefully we will use some of the children's problems in our maths lessons next week.  The children were given a paper copy or electronic ones can be found here.  

Upcoming dates

Sunday 8th December - POWSA Christmas Fair, 2 - 5pm

Thursday 12th Dec - Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day. 

Thursday 12th Dec - Last swimming session. 

Tuesday 17th Dec - KS2 Christmas performance 10.30am

Wednesday 18th Dec - Pantomime Day and Whole School Carol service 5 - 6pm 

Thursday 19th Dec - KS2 Christmas performance 10.30am 

Friday 20th Dec - Last Day of term and Christmas Packed Lunch Day

Monday 6th January - All Children Back to school

Wednesday 8th Jan - Class trip

Monday 13th Jan - Shakespeare orientation trip

Wednesday 12th Feb - Shakespeare by the sea performance Day

17th - 21st Feb - Half Term

Monday 24th Feb - INSET

Tuesday 25th Feb - All Children back to school

Monday 17th March - Local schools year 4 singing concert 6.30 - 7.30pm  (Details to follow) 

Kind regards,

The Year 4 team 

 

Artists in Residence

 Hello Year Four Families

On Wednesday we had a trip to the Jubilee Hall in Poundbury to see our art work displayed alongside lots of other local artists in the 'A Hive of Creativity Winter Exhibition. . The children had a really good look around, choosing their favourite 2D and 3D piece of art. It was clear to see that the children really enjoyed the experience and really immersed themselves in the experience. We saw one of our pupils mum's work as well as former pupil Lucas Greenfield who just happened to be a buddy to one of the current Y4 pupils!

A big thank you to Lizzie and Barbara from the team at "Art in Poundbury' for giving the children this opportunity to becomes artists in residence.

The Year Four Team