Athelhampton House

 Hello Year Four Families

On Wednesday we had a wonderful trip to Athelhampton House and Gardens. The children learnt so much about Tudor times and what it was like to live and work at Athelhampton House. The children visited a range of different rooms in the house and learnt about what happened in each room, from the kitchen to the King's bedroom. In the Great Hall the children got to investigate, ask questions and find out about lots of different replica Tudor artefacts. They were fascinated by the interesting facts that they learnt about each object. We hope they came home with lots of facts to share with you too. 

Thank you to our parent volunteers for their help.

The Year Four Team

Creating Letters with 2Logo

Today, our Year 4 pupils explored the world of programming through 2Logo, part of the Purple Mash Computing Scheme of Work. In Lesson 2 of Unit 4.5, we focused on using Logo commands to create letters of the alphabet. This was a fantastic way to develop coding skills while reinforcing spatial awareness, logical thinking and problem-solving.

What We Learnt

During the lesson, pupils used a range of Logo commands, including:

• FD (Forward) and BK (Backward) to control movement.

• RT (Right Turn) and LT (Left Turn) to adjust angles.

• PU (Pen Up) and PD (Pen Down) to control drawing.

The challenge was to program the turtle to form letters, experimenting with different angles and lengths to create shapes accurately. Pupils quickly discovered that some letters were easier than others – straight-line letters like L, T, and E were more straightforward, while letters with diagonal or curved elements, like A, K, and R, required more precision.

Next Steps

In our next lesson, we’ll be expanding on this knowledge by creating more complex shapes using procedures. Pupils will learn how to save and reuse their commands to build more efficient code – an important step in developing computational thinking.

Final Thoughts

This lesson was a brilliant way to apply mathematical concepts like angles and measurement in a practical coding task. Pupils demonstrated resilience and problem-solving skills and we’re excited to see how they progress in their next computing challenge!

 

Our assembly, dates and homelearning

Hello everyone,

I can’t believe how quickly this half-term is flying by—Easter will be here before we know it!

This week, we have welcomed Mrs. Aplin, a trainee teacher, to Year 4. She will be with us until early July and brings a wealth of experience, having previously worked as a teaching assistant at Westfield School. Mrs. Aplin embraces the Therapeutic Thinking approach, and we’re confident the children will love learning with her. As part of her training, she will gradually take on more teaching responsibilities. You’ll often see her at the front door in the mornings, so please feel free to share any general queries or low-level concerns with her. Of course, if you need to speak to me or another member of the team, we are always happy to help.

Comic Relief & Our Class Assembly – Friday

This Friday is Red Nose Day—and also our class assembly! Children are encouraged to come to school in red non-uniform, and if you’re able, donations for Comic Relief would be much appreciated.

Assembly Costumes:

• TV presenters – If possible, something smart to change into would be great, but no worries if not.
• Gladiators – Please wear sportswear; we will provide T-shirts.
• Contenders – Sportswear would be ideal, but school PE kits are absolutely fine if that’s easier.

Home Learning & Spellings

Home learning continues to be set on Fridays:

• This week's home learning (due this Friday) – link here 
• Next week's home learning (designs due 21st, collage items due 27th) – Link here

Spellings for this and next week can be found at the end of this email.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Kind regards,
The Year 4 Team xx

Upcoming dates

FRIDAY - (21/03/25) - RED NOSE DAY 2025

FRIDAY - (21/03/25) - 15:00 - Year Four Class Assembly

SATURDAY - (22/03/25) - POWSA EASTER BINGO

WEDNESDAY - (26/03/25) - Year Four Class Trip

WEDNESDAY - (2/04/25) - Year Four Farm trip

MONDAY - (07/04/25) - EASTER HOLIDAYS BEGIN

TUESDAY - (22/04/25) - ALL CHILDREN RETURN

FRIDAY - (25/04/25) - SPRINGFEST 2025  

This week's spellings:

Next week's spellings:

Exploring 2Logo

Today, our Year 4 pupils embarked on an exciting journey into the world of programming with 2Logo!

The lesson focused on understanding the structure of the language and learning how to input simple instructions to create shapes.

Learning Objectives:

• To learn the structure of the language of 2Logo.

• To input simple instructions in 2Logo.

Success Criteria:

• Pupils can identify common 2Logo commands and understand their functions.

• Pupils can follow simple 2Logo instructions to create shapes on paper.

• Pupils can use 2Logo commands to generate shapes digitally.

To kick off the lesson, we introduced the basic commands of 2Logo, such as FD (forward), BK (backward), RT (right turn), and LT (left turn). Pupils explored how these commands could be combined to create different shapes and patterns.

Next, we engaged in a practical, hands-on activity where pupils followed a set of Logo commands on paper to draw simple shapes. This step helped them visualise the connection between instructions and output, reinforcing their understanding before moving to the computers.

Finally, the pupils applied their knowledge by using 2Logo on-screen, inputting commands to create digital shapes. They experimented with different sequences, refining their skills in problem-solving and logical thinking.

The pupils were enthusiastic and engaged throughout the lesson, demonstrating fantastic perseverance and curiosity. We look forward to building on these skills in future lessons as we continue our programming journey!

Understanding Malware and Computer Viruses

In today’s Year Four Computing lesson, Mr. Spracklen guided the class through an important topic in the world of technology: the risks and benefits of installing software, including apps. Our young learners were introduced to the concepts of malware and computer viruses and explored how they can protect themselves online.

What We Learned

We started with an engaging discussion about malware, which refers to software designed to harm, disrupt, or gain unauthorised access to a computer system. The class then focused on understanding what a computer virus is: a type of malware that spreads by attaching itself to other software, causing damage or disruption to the system.

Students were particularly fascinated by the fact that a computer virus can replicate itself and spread without the user’s knowledge. They also learned how important it is to stay cautious when downloading software, especially from untrusted or unfamiliar sources.

E-Safety Posters: Putting Knowledge into Action

To wrap up the lesson, the class put their new knowledge into practice by creating e-safety posters using Google Slides. The students worked hard to design vibrant and informative posters to raise awareness about the risks of installing malicious software and how to stay safe online.

Each student had their own creative take on the topic, combining bright visuals and key messages. Some of the posters featured helpful reminders like “Think before you click” and “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!”—perfect advice for keeping devices safe from harm.

Success Achieved

By the end of the lesson, our Year Four pupils had successfully met the Success Criteria:

• They could identify the risks of installing both free and paid-for software.
• They learned that malware is harmful software designed to cause damage or steal information.
• They understood what a computer virus is and how it spreads.

This lesson was an excellent opportunity for students to apply their e-safety knowledge in a fun and creative way, while also learning vital skills to help protect themselves in the digital world.

Home learning and Diary dates

Hello everyone,

The children had a fabulous time on our DT trip to Wagamamas on Tuesday. They  did a great job making their own food, using chopsticks and trying new foods. This week's home learning is food technology inspired. We would like the children to either make or prepare some food at home or to think about all the jobs and careers that are involved in us being able to eat a meal in a restaurant. Paper copies will be given on Friday but an electronic copy can be found here. 

World Book Day 

It is world book day tomorrow (Thursday) where children are invited to come in dressed as a character from a book. 

Thank you so much to those parents and grandparents that have volunteered to be a mystery reader - it has been such a shame that there has been a clash of days when people are available. If you are keen to come at another time please email me and I can try to arrange it another time.  

Spellings

I am trying to ensure that home learning and spellings tests are due every Friday together with completed reading records in an attempt to give the children just one day to remember to bring everything in. Hard copied will be sent home this Friday but the spellings are copied at the end of this blog.   

    

Upcoming dates 

THURSDAY - (06/03/25) - WORLD BOOK DAY 2025

FRIDAY - (14/03/25) - POWSA Non-School Uniform Day (Easter Bingo Donations)

MONDAY - (17/03/25) - 18:00 - Y4 Singing Concert at The Thomas Hardye School

FRIDAY - (21/03/25) - RED NOSE DAY 2025

FRIDAY - (21/03/25) - 15:00 - Year Four Class Assembly

SATURDAY - (22/03/25) - POWSA EASTER BINGO

WEDNESDAY - (2/04/25) - Year 4 farm trip

FRIDAY - (4/04/25) - Last day of term

Unit 4.2 - Online Safety

 

Today, in Year Four Computing we learnt about online safety and how to avoid identity theft. We discussed digital footprints and what kind of information is safe to share online.

We also learnt about phishing and how to identify spam emails. We talked about the SMART rules and how they can help us stay safe online.

We reviewed what a digital footprint is and whether it is good or bad.