Happy Half term, Home learning and notices for next term

 

Hello everyone,

What an amazing last day of term! I was so proud of each and every member of the class. After a term of learning, they really impressed Miss Johnson and year 3 with their knowledge of the Romans. The items that they made in Art and Design and Technology (and at home for some) were fantastic and it was obvious that year 3 were very impressed. 

I'd like to thank all parents and carers for your support in helping to dress your children as Romans for the day and for helping to make the day a success. A special thank you to Harry C's family that provided bread for the bread stall. Bread was provided for free to needy citizens in ancient Rome and the children were very keen to experience this for themselves.  

    

After being educated about the Roman buildings and marvelling at the impressive colosseums made by the children, year 3 and 4 watched a gladiator display as a grand finale to our Romans Day. 

Home learning

Here is the home learning sheet that went home today. All children have also been sent home with a home learning book (we replaced some that had gone missing). Home learning books should be returned weekly, even if your child hasn't completed their learning. In preparation for middle school, next term, parents and carers will be given the option for Prince of Wales to increase accountability for home learning to assist with the transition to year 5. 

PSHE next term

Your child should also have come home with a letter detailing the PSHE that will be taught next term. If this letter didn't make it home you can view it here.  

Hooke Court preparations

When we come back to school after half term, we will only have one full school week and two days before we go to Hooke Court. Children were sent home with a Hooke Court kit list a few weeks ago but here is an electronic copy to help you with your preparations. Mr Spracklen explained to the children that they will not need a disposable camera as plenty of photos will be taken and he will share photos with families directly. Children also do not need to bring a historical costume or money.

We hope you have a lovely half term and we look forward to seeing you and your children next term for their final seven week at the Prince of Wales School.

Please get in touch if you have any questions or comments.

Kind regards,

Ms Browne and the Year 4 team.    

   

Dress like a Roman

 

Tomorrow, (Friday 28th) is our Roman Market day. 

Please could all children come to school either dressed like a Roman or in plain clothes. 

If your child is not dressed as a Roman, clothes without logos that are muted colours (brown, beige, white) would be ideal whenever possible please.  

Thank you,

Ms Browne & the year 4 team

The Romans are coming (and bikeability summer holiday courses)

 

Hello everyone,

I hope you have managed to stay dry this week. Incredibly, it didn't rain on us walking to swimming which I think is a first.  

Next week promises to be a busy one:

On Monday, Treehouse theatre will be running their play in a day, the Romans are coming. Please could children arrive to school promptly as the session starts at 9am sharp. The day will finish slightly later at 3.30pm.

On Wednesday and Thursday the children will be doing some Art and DT sessions to prepare for our Romans day on Friday. 

On Friday the children are invited to dress up in a Roman costume and will be teaching year 3, Miss Johnson and the year 3 team about the Romans. 

For this week's home learning the children have some practice activities (reading, timetables and a multiplication and division worksheet) and are also invited to prepare what they will say on to the year 3 class on Friday. 

A Hooke Court kit list was sent home with children today. although if yours didn't make it home you can view it here.  

Finally, I know there were some parents were interested in additional bikeability sessions (level 2). A combined level 1 & 2 is available from year 5 onwards. However, there is a summer holidays bikeability course that will be run at St Osmunds school. Please see this flier for more information.   

As ever, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please get in touch. 

Kind regards,

Ms Browne & the year 4 team

The one about Dressing up, Dates and DMS class choices

 

Hello Everyone,

It's been another busy week for year 4, where the children have impressed me with their descriptive writing, research skills, jewellery making and their incredible Samba drum playing.  

Next week, the children will do their big write, based on the historical fiction we are currently reading in class - the Empire's End. They will also continue planning what and how they would like to teach year 3 on our Romans' day. The class have been informally asked to continue thinking about and researching the Romans' over the weekend as on Tuesday they will finalise their plans for our D & T days in the last week of term.

On our Romans Day, children will be invited to dress us as a Roman. There are several DIY ideas online, although if you have any concerns about how you will do this please contact a member of the team.

Dates for your Diary

Saturday 14th May         - Community Makeover Day (10am - 4pm)

Friday 21st May             - Hooke Court Information session (2.30pm vis Zoom)

Monday 24th May         - Romans play in a day

Friday 28th May            - Romans Day (dress up as a Roman)

HALF TERM

16th - 18th June             - Hooke Court Residential 

W/b 28th June                - Inclusive Sports week

1st July                           - Transfer Day (tbc)

8th July                           - KS2 Sports Day

14th & 15th July             - Roundhouse sleep overs

23rd July                         - Leavers Assembly 

Please note that following a review of risks and priorities we have decided to cancel our trip to Nothe Fort. 

Home Learning

This week the children have been given their weekly spellings to practice and some maths questions multiplying 3-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers. Wherever possible it would also be beneficial if the children continued practicing times tables and reading daily. 

Dorchester Middle School class choices

Children that are going to DMS in September have been given a form to complete listing the children they would like to be in a class with, where possible. I have encouraged the children to discuss their choices with parents and carers and explained that I cannot guarantee that children will be in a class with children on their list.   

As ever, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please get in touch with me or a member of the year 4 team.

Have a lovely weekend,

Ms Browne & the Year 4 team. x     

Mathletics and TTRS April Update

 Well, what a whirlwind April was!  Blink and you might have missed it, but well done to those of you who managed to find time to work on your Maths using Mathletics and Times Table Rockstars.

This month in TTRS we would like to say a special well done to:

Jacob A and Gracie for upgrading their Rock Star Status.

Also a massive Rock on to:

Gracie, Alfie, William F, Joel, William T, Jacob H, George W and Logan for being our most improved players.

ROCK ON EVERYONE!!

In Mathletics we had a massive 50 certificates earned in April which shows amazing participation.

We have some very special silver awards going to:

Hollie B, Anna C, Asimina, Vasilis, Charlotte J, Alexander P, Olivia P and Mia P

In our next monthly update we will bring more news on how we got on with World Maths Day.  Your costumes were fantastic!

Friday 7th May 2021

 

Hello everyone,

I hope you have had a good week. It was a short one but it feels like we managed to cover a lot in year 4. The children continued their science topic on sound with Ms Williams on Thursday and they are clearly gaining great knowledge on the topic as they impressed our DASP music teaching during our Samba drums lesson this afternoon. 

Thank you to everyone that managed to put together a maths themed fancy dress for Wednesday's World Maths Day. 

The class are all doing well during swimming and it is lovely to see them back in the water and having fun. Please remember to send all children into school with a coat everyday but especially on Wednesdays. The forecast was dry this Wednesday but the heavens opened and we all got very wet.

The children wrote a balanced argument this week as to whether Dorset council should spend money preserving the Dorchester Roman Townhouse. This was an ambitious writing project but the children rose to the challenge and impressed me with their well thought out arguments. 

During our guided reading we have been looking at a historical fiction set in Roman times. We have enjoyed some engaging discussions trying to understand the motives and thoughts of the characters as they travel to Rome and then Britain across the Roman Empire. 

In maths, we have continued looking at multiplication but have turned our attention to written methods today. We are one lesson behind where I thought we would be when I planned their maths home learning and so some children may find the home learning challenging. I have recorded a video taking them through the first few questions which you can find here. Alternatively, you may want to wait until Monday evening to start the maths home learning, following another whole class maths lesson. The children also have spellings to practice and I also recommend Times tables Rockstars and 15 minutes of reading per day. 

Bikeability
Thank you for your interest in bikeability. I now have more interested families than I have places and so I spoke to the children about their current cycling ability and have prioritised those children that reported they have the least experience. Of the remaining places I will draw names out of hats. I have requested a second bikeability session later in the year if possible. 

As ever please get in touch if you have any questions, comments or concerns, 

I hope you have a lovely weekend.          

Ms Browne & the year 4 team. xx

The Maths dress up, Dates for your Diary and Home learning edition

 

Hello everyone,

I hope you are looking forward to a long bank holiday weekend. 

This week:
This week we have been continuing working on multiplication and division (so please keep that times tables rockstars practice happening). We have also been exploring how sounds are made and have been learning more about Romans in Dorchester with our Roman walking tour on Thursday led by archeologist Steve Wallis. On Friday the children also enjoyed a drums session which you should have received a letter explaining in book bags on Friday. 

Date for your diary:

Thank you to those people that were able to attend the parents information session on Friday morning. The main items we discussed were upcoming activities including Hooke Court and a discussion about Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) which is timetabled for next term. More details will follow online shortly. We also briefly discussed middle school transition which is planned for 1st July subject to covid restrictions.   

Here are a list of upcoming dates:

5th May                   - World Maths Day (maths non school uniform, see below)

13th May - Bikeability (please return forms ASAP if you would like your child to participate)

24th May - Treehouse Theatre Play in a day

w/b 24th May - PSHE Week

28th May - Roman celebration day (get last year's Roman costumes or sheet for togas ready)

31st May - Half term

16 - 18th June - Hooke Court

22nd June - Nothe Fort

w/b 28th June - Inclusive sports week 

1st July - Provisional Transfer day

8th July - KS2 Sports day

w/b 12th July - Arts & Wellbeing week

14th & 15Th July - Roundhouse sleepovers 

23rd July - Leavers Assembly 

World Maths Day

Wednesday 5th May is World Maths Day. To celebrate the day we are having a non school uniform with the theme of maths. Consent forms were sent out on Friday to seek consent for your child's photograph and feedback to used to in media related World Maths Day from 3P learning the creators of Mathletics. Please return any signed consent forms by Tuesday please.

Homelearning

For this week's home learning please can the children:

• Complete the times tables worksheet (hard copy sent home).
• Practice their spellings (hard copy sent home).
• Design a Royal Mail heroes stamp (hard copy sent home).
• Daily reading.
• Mathletics at home. 

 As ever please come and talk to any of us in Year 4 if you have any questions or concerns.

Kind regards,

Ms Browne & Ms Williams and the year 4 team.