Year 4 Parents Information Session

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Year 4 Parents Information Session
Courthouse Junior School

• Mrs Learmont and Mrs Paldi 4LP
• Mrs Fitzpatrick 4F
• Miss Hine and Miss Windle 4W
• Mrs Wadsworth English, Maths and Science

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General Information

• Winter Uniform School jumper, white
  shirt/blouse, grey skirt or trousers, green tie,
  black supportive school shoes, black or grey
  tights or socks.
• P.E kit School white polo shirt (with House
  colour), plain black cotton shorts, plain black
  tracksuit bottoms (with elasticated waist and
  ankles), School hooded sweatshirt or plain black
  jumper and trainers/plimsolls.
• Small studs may be worn and a wrist watch. Both
  will need to be removed for Games and PE (please
  note that your child will not be able to go
  swimming with earrings in). Hair must be tied
  back.
• Please ensure that the office has up-to-date
  emergency contact information and medical
  information and please ensure that any
  medications are in date.

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The New National Curriculum

• In place from September 2014.
• Schools have been preparing for the new
  curriculum for the past couple of years.
• Courthouse has devised new schemes of work to
  cover and link all objectives in the new
  curriculum, these can be found on the website.
• The National Curriculum defines the programmes of
  study for key subjects in maintained/ state
  primary and secondary schools in England
  (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their
  own equivalents). Fundamentally, it sets out what
  your child is supposed to learn and when.
• The main aim is to raise standards.
• Although the new curriculum is intended to be
  more challenging, the content is actually slimmer
  than the current curriculum, focusing on
  essential core subject knowledge and skills such
  as essay writing and computer programming.

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Homework Diaries

• Every child has been given a homework diary to
  form an easy communication path between home and
  school.
• Homework will be recorded, along with other
  information (spelling scores, table test results
  etc.).
• A timetable should be found on the inside cover.
• Please sign your childs homework diaries when
  they have completed their homework and it is
  ready to hand in.
• Please try to cover your childs diary to ensure
  they last the whole year (wrapping paper or
  sticky-back plastic).

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Homework

• Reading should happen daily, out loud to an adult
  (we will endeavour to hear the children read as
  much as possible in school too).
• English and Maths homework will be handed out on
  Thursdays and needs to be completed and handed in
  by the following Tuesday.
• The children will be required to learn a set of
  spellings and times tables every week ready for
  their spelling and tables test on a Friday.

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English

• English lessons happen daily, in the morning,
  with extended lessons on a Monday, Thursday and
  Friday to allow the children to participate in
  Guided reading sessions.
• This term we will study
• Poetry Creating images (similes metaphors)
• Recount Newspaper articles
• Stories with a historical setting Pompeii
• For all of these units, we will look at the
  relevant features, form and style associated with
  the different writing styles.
• Spellings will be taken from and follow the new
  English National Curriculum and the Alpha to
  Omega scheme.
• We will be sending home a list of words that the
  children are expected to be able to read and
  spell by the end of year 4.

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Maths

• Maths lessons happen daily, in the morning
  sessions.
• During this term, we will cover
• Counting, partitioning and calculating
• Securing number facts, understanding shape
• Handling data and measures
• Calculating, measuring and understanding shape
• Securing number facts, relationships and
  calculating
• We will use the Courthouse Calculation Policy
  to teach age and ability appropriate methods for
  calculating. This can be found on the website.
• There will be a maths evening workshop in October
  that will include demonstrations on the methods
  for calculations used at Courthouse.

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Science

• This term we will cover three units
• Biology (animals, including humans)
• Skeletons - the children will learn that humans
  and some other animals have skeletons and muscles
  for support, protection and movement.
• Digestive system the children will learn about
  the functions of the basic parts of the digestive
  system in humans. They will also construct food
  chains and identify producers, predators and
  prey.
• Physics
• Electricity the children will learn about
  electrical safety and will investigate circuits,
  conductors and insulators.

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Science

• Nature Journals
• The children will also be observing the changing
  seasons using our new Nature Journals. Each
  class has adopted a different tree in the school
  grounds, which the children will observe and
  study on a regular basis.
• Thank you to Mrs Cooke who has helped Mrs
  Wadsworth to develop this scheme of work.

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Revolutionary Romans

• The children will learn about the founding of
  Rome and how the Roman Empire expanded due to
  many successful invasions of surrounding
  countries.
• The children will research life in Roman times
  and how Britain changed as a result of the Roman
  Invasion of Britain.
• Significant people in history will also be
  studied including Julius Caesar, Claudius and
  Boudicca.
• Enquiry skills of making observations and finding
  answers to questions about the past will be
  developed and built upon.

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The Arts

• Our art work will be linked to the Romans, the
  children will investigate Roman art styles such
  as mosaics and statues.
• In music we will be learning to sing Roman songs
  and creating musical accompaniments to these
  songs.
• We will turn into Roman soldiers during our dance
  lessons as we learn to move to music, creating
  different shapes and sequences based on soldiers.

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French

• French will be taught on a weekly basis and aims
  to provide an appropriate balance of spoken and
  written language.
• The children will be taught basic vocabulary and
  phrases and then will focus on using this to
  communicate orally and in written form.
• The children will also learn some French songs so
  listen out for these!

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PSHE RE

• These lessons will happen on alternative weeks.
• In PSHE, we will look at New Beginnings, which
  explores the childrens understanding of feeling
  valued as a person, in the class, school and
  wider community. We will then move onto Getting
  on Falling Out, where we will look at how to
  deal with incidents, how to read emotions and
  understand that people interpret things
  differently.
• In RE, we will be studying Festivals of Light,
  where we will look at Diwali, Hanukah and
  Christmas. The children will learn about the
  origins of these festivals, why they are
  celebrated and how it is customary to celebrate.

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P.E Games

• Please ensure that your child has the correct
  kit for each lesson. P.E (indoor) is on Monday
  and Games (outdoor-trainers needed) is on
  Thursday.
• In PE we will be developing and improving our
  skills in dance (linked to our Romans topic) and
  gymnastics where we will be learning various
  different balances.
• In Games the children will be taught by
  professional sports coaches, supported by the
  class teachers and LSAs. The children will be
  learning to play Tag Rugby and Netball.

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Important Dates

• Parents Consultation Meetings
• 30/9/14 5.30pm-8pm
• 2/10/14 3.30pm-6pm
• Maths Workshop
• 20/10/14 3.30pm-4.30pm
• October Holiday
• 27/10/14-31/10/14
• Visit to Maidenhead Synagogue
• 14/11/14
• Visit to St Peters Church
• Late November/December
• Pantomime
• December
• Class Christmas Parties
• 17/12/14
• End of term
• 19/12/14

Class Assemblies 4F 22/10/14 4LP 5/11/14 4W
10/12/14
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Our Plea

• Are you able to come and help in Year 4?
• We would love people who are willing to
• Hear children read
• Assist during art lessons
• Assist during games lessons
• Photocopy and collate work
• Back work for display
• Talk to the children about relevant subjects we
  are learning about
• Whether it be for an hour or more, every little
  helps!!

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Please feel free to come and ask us any questions
you may have.