Herne Bay Junior School
"One chance, let's get it right"
  • Compassion

  • Courage

  • Hope

  • Integrity

  • Justice

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  • Responsibility

  • Wisdom

Year 4

2023/24

Terms 1 and 2

Ancient Egyptians!

Throughout terms 1 and 2, our topic is ‘Ancient Worlds'. We will welcome Mr Egypt all the way from Luxor in Egypt to introduce our topic and will find out lots of first-hand knowledge about the Ancient Egyptians! During this topic, we will be exploring Ancient Egypt and Ancient Sumer. We will be learning how these cultures were influenced by great rivers, creating River Nile models and flooding them to replicate what happened. We will be learning how the Ancient Egyptians preserved their dead through mummification and we might even have a go at mummifying an orange! Will they survive 4000 years or will they rot over the holidays? Watch this space! In Topic lessons, we will research what daily life was like in the ancient world and draw comparisons between Ancient Sumerians and Egyptians! During Art, we will make Egyptian headdress artwork and learn about colour theory by studying the colour wheel and learn to mix colours. During Science lessons, the children will learn about the digestive system, teeth and bodily functions.

Terms 3 and 4 

In Terms 3 and 4, the children will be engaging in our Geography topic 'Misty Moutain, Winding River'. The children will be exploring how rivers and mountains are formed, their characteristics and will study mountain ranges around the world. In Science, the children will be exploring States of Matter. The children will learn about solids, liquids and gases and their characteristic properties. They will observe how materials change state as they are heated and cooled, and learn key terminology associated with these processes. In Art, we will be exploring the techniques that artists use when composing landscape images, such as colour and atmosphere. We will take inspiration for our artwork with a trip to Herne Bay beach to take photographs of the landscape. At the end of Term 4, the children will make water-based board games. 

Terms 5 and 6

Invasion

The Year 4 History topic is Invasion. The children will explore what life was like during Anglo-Saxon England and go on to learn about the Viking invasions. Through this topic, the children will gain an understanding of these critical periods of British history and discover how we know about the past. 

 

Year 4 Spelling Cards - PLEASE SEE SIDE TAB

 

Homework - PLEASE SEE SIDE TAB

Homework at Herne Bay Junior School

Opinion is often divided on homework. Our intention is that the homework we set is effective and, importantly, manageable for all. We are very aware of the increased expectations as the children move from the Infant School to the Junior School and beyond. Research from the Institute of Education carried out several years ago found that homework can often cause friction at home.

The analysis, which examined seventy-five years’ worth of studies into homework, concluded that schools needed to focus more on the purpose and quality of homework, and not the amount. With this in mind and with the introduction of the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) in Year 4, which will check whether the children can understand and recall all times tables up to 12 x 12, we want to make this a key focus.

This knowledge is key to securing success as they move through their Maths careers. Without a secure understanding of these facts, concepts that are developed in Years 5 and 6, will not embed fully and therefore cannot be built upon further when they reach secondary school. 

Therefore, practising the multiplication tables is a key part of the homework we set weekly. In addition, we consider it important that every child reads widely, can spell words from the statutory and high frequency word list with confidence and we greatly value the wonderful Home Learning Projects that parents complete with their children at home.

Every child will receive a sheet outlining the expectations for the current term in their particular Year Group.  Should you have any queries please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your child’s class teacher.

 

Please click here for some ideas and games to try.

Homework Expectation 23/24

Home Learning Project

There will be three Home Learning Projects set over the course of the academic year and the Projects will be based on the topic being studied over two terms. These will be shared at open mornings where parents and children can celebrate the work created at home.

Three times a year

Maths

Each week multiplication tables will be set to practise the current week's tables focus.

Weekly

Spelling

Children will be given a set of spellings to focus on for the week. The list will include words that fit a given spelling rule and/or words from the statutory list linked to their year group. The children will be tested on these spellings weekly. 

Weekly

Reading

Children MUST read independently or with an adult.  The reading diary needs signing three times a week so we know children are reading.

Three times a week as a minimum

Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS) – Years 5 & 6 only

Exercises in the GPS book will be sent home weekly in preparation for the KS2 GPS tests in Year 6.

Once a week on a Friday

 

YEAR 4 PE DAY - TUESDAY