Year 4 activities and events

 

Hello everyone,

I hope you and your child have settled back into the final term of Year 4. It’s been a whirlwind start—with OFSTED in the first week and the children completing their Multiplication Tables Check this week. Understandably, it’s felt quite assessment-heavy. And while assessments certainly have their place, more than anything, I want the children in my care to have a positive sense of self-worth. I want them to know, deep down, that they are enough—just as they are.

Some children found the multiplication check challenging, and I reassured them as best I could. Knowing your times tables is undoubtedly useful, but it doesn’t make you a better or worse person. Our value isn’t measured by speed or scores.

At POW, our therapeutic thinking approach underpins everything we do. We are committed to nurturing intrinsic motivation in our children—a drive that comes from within, not from external praise or rewards. We want our learners to take joy in the process of learning, in giving things a go, and in meeting challenges head-on.

Of course, it feels amazing when we succeed at something, but just as importantly, we want our children to feel good about themselves for trying, for growing, and simply for being. That self-belief is something we hope will stay with them far beyond Year 4.

Leavers’ Speeches

Towards the end of next week, the children will begin drafting their individual speeches, which will be pre-recorded and shared as part of our Year 4 Leavers’ Assemblies. We’ll be encouraging them to reflect on their time at POW, celebrating their memories, friendships and achievements. Depending on how the writing progresses, we hope to send the speeches home for practice next weekend, ahead of the recording sessions with Mr Spracklen.

Consent Letters

Please could any outstanding consent forms for the Year 4 Special Activity and Leavers’ Assemblies be returned as soon as possible? This week, I’ll be speaking with the children to explain what to expect from both the assembly and the special activity. If you or your child have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via email. Chances are, if you’re wondering something, other families may be too—and I’ll be happy to share the answers with the children when we speak.

This Week’s Home Learning

In preparation for our new science topic, the children have been asked to observe and make a note of any living things they spot from three of the five kingdoms: animals, fungi, and plants.

Below are the children's spellings for the week. In addition to these, I also encourage the children to either continue practising the year 3/4 words or their personal spelling lists on Spelling Shed. 

 

Reading Journals

Thank you to the children and families who are consistently returning reading journals each Friday. Regular reading is an effective way to support your child’s progress in reading, writing and spelling. Reading journals are also an expectation at middle school, so developing this habit now can really help ease the transition. As a current Year 5 parent myself, I’d highly recommend getting into the routine early—it’s one less thing to adjust to later on.

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

Kind regards,

Ms Browne and the Year 4 Team