Following the first half term, the focus will shift to developing problem-solving skills and precision. Children will continue with OAA, this time focusing on problem-solving activities where they will work in groups to complete more complex challenges, encouraging critical thinking and collaboration. The children will also be introduced to golf, where they will practise control, accuracy and concentration through individual and small group activities. These experiences help children to develop patience, focus and independence while applying their physical skills in different contexts.

We will then move on to Changing Me in the second half of the term. During this unit, children will be discussing and focusing on personal characteristics and how people grow and change. They will learn about aspects of parenthood, as well as changes that happen during puberty, including menstruation, in an age-appropriate way. Children will also explore how to manage and accept change, and prepare for their transition to Year 5, building confidence and a positive mindset for the next stage of their learning.

RE: This term the children will be learning about Judaism, focusing on the key question: How does celebrating Shavuot help Jewish children feel closer to God?

Children will be exploring the festival of Shavuot and why it is important in the Jewish faith. They will learn about how it celebrates the giving of the Torah and how families mark this special time through traditions, food and worship. An example activity will be exploring and discussing Shavuot traditions, such as special foods or synagogue practices, and explaining their significance. Children will be successful in their learning by understanding the meaning behind these celebrations, using key vocabulary, and making links between beliefs and how they are expressed in daily life.

We will also be learning about Judaism in the second half of the term, focusing on the key question: How do Jewish beliefs, teachings and stories impact on daily life? Children will explore how key teachings, stories and rules guide the way Jewish people live. They will look at examples such as stories from the Torah and how these influence choices and actions. An example activity will be retelling a key story and explaining the lesson it teaches. Children will be successful by making connections between beliefs and behaviour, explaining ideas clearly, and reflecting on how these teachings shape everyday life.

To support your child at home please can you:

• Talk to your child about their feelings, friendships and any changes they may be experiencing, encouraging open and honest conversations

• Discuss different beliefs, traditions and celebrations, helping your child to understand and respect other people’s viewpoints

• Encourage your child to reflect on their learning by asking questions and talking about how their ideas and understanding are developing

Later in the term, the Year 4 children will be comparing Baghdad in 900 CE to Viking Britain, focusing on the question: How different was Baghdad to Britain in 900 CE? Children will investigate the differences in lifestyle, knowledge, technology and daily life between the two societies. They will take part in comparison activities, discussions and use evidence to form their own ideas. Children will build on this knowledge to help them complete their composite task of writing a comparison explaining the key differences and similarities between Baghdad and Viking Britain.

To support your child at home please can you:

• Encourage your child to read or watch age-appropriate materials about Vikings or early Islamic civilisation

• Talk about how life today compares to the past, helping your child make connections

• Practise discussing and explaining ideas clearly, encouraging your child to give reasons for their thoughts

Alongside Holes by Louis Sachar, children will also explore a range of carefully selected shorter texts to deepen their understanding of the novel. These will include extracts linked to themes such as friendship, resilience, and justice, as well as non-fiction texts about topics like deserts and survival. Exploring these additional texts will help children to build important background knowledge, make connections between different types of writing, and develop a richer understanding of the themes within the story.

Children will also have opportunities to read poetry and short extracts that focus on similar emotions and experiences faced by the characters. This will support them in comparing texts, discussing author choices, and developing their inference skills. By engaging with a variety of texts, children will become more confident, thoughtful readers who are able to explain their ideas clearly and make meaningful links in their reading.

• Encourage your child to read regularly and ask them questions about what they have read to develop their understanding.

• Discuss new or unfamiliar vocabulary from their reading and help them to use these words in their own sentences.

• Ask your child to explain their thoughts about characters and events, encouraging them to give reasons for their opinions using evidence from the text.

The children will then move onto mental calculations and converting measurements and money in the second half of the term. In this unit, children will build their fluency in solving calculations efficiently in their heads and develop their understanding of different units of measure. To be successful, they will need to recall key number facts quickly, apply their knowledge to solve real-life problems, and confidently convert between units such as length, mass, and money.

There will also be a strong focus on multiplication throughout the term, as children will be preparing for the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC), which will take place during the first two weeks of June. Developing quick and accurate recall of times tables up to 12 × 12 will be essential for their success.

To support your child at home please can you:

• Practise times tables regularly to build speed and confidence for the MTC

• Encourage your child to apply maths in real-life situations, such as handling money or measuring ingredients

• Support your child in practising quick mental maths strategies, such as number bonds and doubling/halving

As part of this unit, children will carry out a comparative test investigating how long it takes for different solids to melt. They will learn how to set up a fair test, make predictions, record their results clearly, and draw conclusions based on what they find. This will help them to develop important scientific enquiry skills, including measuring, observing over time, and interpreting results.

To support your child at home please can you:

• Discuss everyday examples of solids, liquids and gases and any changes you observe (e.g. ice melting or water freezing).

• Encourage your child to use scientific vocabulary when explaining what they notice.

• Carry out simple investigations at home, such as observing how different materials change when heated or cooled.

The children will then continue developing this topic in the second half of the term, building on Los pasatiempos con familia. They will focus on answering the key question ¿Qué haces? (What do you do?) in more detail, giving reasons for their opinions using porque es or porque son with adjectives. They will also continue to develop their phonics, focusing on sounds such as que, qui and ki. To be successful, children will need to speak more confidently, extend their sentences, and apply their knowledge in short conversations. An example activity will be taking part in a simple role-play conversation about hobbies and preferences with a partner.

To support your child at home please can you:

• Practise saying simple phrases such as me gusta, no me gusta and me encanta

• Encourage your child to answer the question ¿Qué haces? using a short sentence

• Practise key words together such as jugar (to play), leer (to read), and ver la tele (to watch TV)

The parent newsletter is sent out, via email, on Mondays. Please read this every week for the most recent updates on events.

The week commencing 1st June 2026 is the 2 week window for the Year 4 Multiplication Check. Please ensure your child is in everyday.

Summer Term 2026

• Term starts:
  Monday 13 April – Friday 22 May 2026

• Half-term holiday:
  Monday 25 May – Friday 29 May 2026

• Return to school:
  Monday 1 June – Wednesday 22 July 2026

The children will then move onto The Gas Mask (Talk for Writing), which is a portal story set during World War II. In this narrative unit, children will learn how to create engaging stories where a character is transported to another time or place. To be successful, they will need to develop descriptive language, build atmosphere, and structure their stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end. At the end of the term, children will also explore poetry through Television by Roald Dahl, focusing on performance, expression, and understanding the poet’s message.

To support your child at home please can you:

• Encourage your child to read a range of non-fiction and fiction texts regularly and discuss what they have learned

• Ask your child to orally rehearse texts that they are learning.

• Support your child in using ambitious vocabulary when speaking and writing, especially when describing settings or events

Art: In the Summer Term in Year 4, children will be exploring the topic Fabric of Nature through craft and design. Using the flora and fauna of tropical rainforests as inspiration, they will develop their drawing skills through experimentation and textile-based techniques to create a repeating pattern suitable for fabric. To be successful, children will need to show increasing control in their drawing and painting, consider proportion and composition, and begin to develop their own artistic style. They will also explore combining different materials to create interesting effects. An example activity will be designing and creating their own repeated pattern inspired by rainforest plants and animals.

DT: In the Summer Term in Year 4, children will be learning about mechanical systems by designing and making their own mechanical cars. They will explore different methods of movement, including creating a car with a working slingshot mechanism. To be successful, children will need to follow safety instructions carefully, measure accurately using rulers, and select appropriate tools and materials for each stage of their design. They will also develop their practical skills, including cutting materials and assembling parts, sometimes using tools such as scissors and (with close supervision) a hot glue gun.

To support your child at home please can you:

• You could listen to Classic fm or Radio 3 and listen to examples of piano music.

• Talk about how everyday objects move and what mechanisms they use.

• Explore patterns in everyday items (e.g. fabrics, wallpapers) and discuss repeating designs.

We were also pleased to welcome parents in for the MTC meeting, where they learned more about the Multiplication Tables Check taking place this coming term. The session provided a great opportunity to share how the children are preparing and how families can support their learning at home.

It has been a busy and engaging term, and we are incredibly proud of all that the children have achieved. We are looking forward to another fantastic term ahead and can’t wait to see what Year 4 will accomplish next!