Year 4 Curriculum

Year 4 Curriculum

Subject Leader – Kirstie Orton

“The value of English in the curriculum? What can I say? Without English, nothing. And without good English, nothing very well.” (Anne Fine, Author)

We put maximum priority on children’s ability to read, write and communicate effectively as these skills are the gateway to life. Reading with children at KS2 is primarily done through group work called Guided Reading where children’s reading comprehension skills are developed and assessed as well as whole class work. Children who are still in the earlier stages of developing reading and writing skills attend phonics groups. English Literacy teaching follows the principles of the National Literacy Framework and is taught increasingly as part of our cross-curricular Learning Journeys. We aim to give children the confidence, opportunity, encouragement, support and skills in a range of situations and for a range of purposes.  There is an emphasis on the development of speaking, listening and responding, group discussion, interaction, and drama.

Spoken Language

(The objectives for Spoken Language are common across Key Stages 1 and 2 (Years 1-6))

  • listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
  • ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
  • use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
  • articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
  • give well-structured descriptions, explanations & and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings.
  • maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
  • use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
  • speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
  • participate in discussions, presentations, performances, roleplay/improvisations and debates
  • gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
  • consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
  • select and use appropriate registers for effective communication

Reading

(The objectives for Reading are common across Years 3 and 4)

Word Reading

Our children will be taught to:

  • apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (etymology and morphology), both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words they meet
  • read further exception words, noting the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound, and where these occur in the word.

Comprehension

Our children will be taught to:

  • develop positive attitudes to reading, and an understanding of what they read, by:
  • listening to and discussing a wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks
  • reading books that are structured in different ways and reading for a range of purposes
  • using dictionaries to check the meaning of words that they have read
  • increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including fairy stories, myths and legends, and retelling some of these orally
  • identifying themes and conventions in a wide range of books
  • preparing poems and play scripts to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action
  • discussing words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination
  • recognising some different forms of poetry [for example, free verse, narrative poetry]
  • understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by
  • checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context
  • asking questions to improve their understanding of a text
  • drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence
  • predicting what might happen from details stated and implied
  • identifying main ideas drawn from more than 1 paragraph and summarising these
  • identifying how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning
  • retrieve and record information from non-fiction
  • participate in discussion about both books that are read to them and those they can read for themselves, taking turns and listening to what others say.

Writing

(The objectives for Reading are common across Years 3 and 4)

Spelling

Our children will be taught to:

  • use further prefixes and suffixes and understand how to add them
  • spell further homophones
  • spell words that are often misspelt
  • place the possessive apostrophe accurately in words with regular plurals [for example, girls’, boys’] and in words with irregular plurals [for example, children’s]
  • use the first 2 or 3 letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary
  • write from memory simple sentences, dictated by the teacher, that include words and punctuation taught so far.

Handwriting and Presentation

Our children will be taught to:

  • use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined
  • increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting [for example, by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch].

Composition

Our children will be taught to:

  • Plan their writing by:
  • discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write in order to understand and learn from its structure, vocabulary and grammar
  • discussing and recording ideas
  • Draft and write by:
  • composing and rehearsing sentences orally (including dialogue), progressively building a varied and rich vocabulary and an increasing range of sentence structures
  • organising paragraphs around a theme
  • in narratives, creating settings, characters and plot
  • in non-narrative material, using simple organisational devices [for example, headings and sub-headings]
  • Evaluate and edit by:
  • assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing and suggesting improvements
  • proposing changes to grammar and vocabulary to improve consistency, including the accurate use of pronouns in sentences
  • proofread for spelling and punctuation errors
  • read their own writing aloud, to a group or the whole class, using appropriate intonation and controlling the tone and volume so that the meaning is clear.

Vocabulary, grammar & punctuation

Our children will be taught to:

  • extend the range of sentences with more than one clause by using a wider range of conjunctions, including when, if, because, although
  • use the present perfect form of verbs in contrast to the past tense
  • choose nouns or pronouns appropriately for clarity and cohesion and to avoid repetition
  • use conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions to express time and cause
  • use fronted adverbials
  • learn grammar appropriate for years 3 and 4

Indicate grammatical and other features by:

  • using commas after fronted adverbials
  • indicating possession by using the possessive apostrophe with singular and plural nouns
  • using and punctuating direct speech
  • use and understand grammatical terminology accurately and appropriately in discussing their writing and reading.

Subject Leader – Clare Morris

“Maths is a truly global language. With it, we convey ideas to each other that words can’t handle…” (Professor Alison Wolf)

Children participate in daily Maths lessons and as part of other subject areas within our Learning Journey themes. As a result, they have the opportunity to use and apply their skills both within maths lessons and across wider curriculum areas. Teaching and learning in Maths follows the New National Curriculum for Mathematics. There is now a greater emphasis on the teaching of number with fluency across the four operations of Mathematics (Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division).

As part of the daily maths lesson, children regularly practise strategies for mental calculations, including multiplication tables and other number facts. Children are expected to practice maths “fast facts” at home as part of their homework tasks.

Number & Place Value

Our children will be taught to:

  • count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1,000
  • find 1,000 more or less than a given number
  • count backwards through 0 to include negative numbers
  • recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number (1,000s, 100s, 10s and 1s)
  • order and compare numbers beyond 1,000
  • identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations
  • round any number to the nearest 10, 100 or 1,000
  • solve number and practical problems that involve all of the above and with increasingly large positive numbers
  • read Roman numerals to 100 (I to C) and know that over time, the numeral system changed to include the concept of 0 and place value.

Addition & Subtraction

Our children will be taught to:

  • add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction where appropriate
  • estimate and use inverse operations to check answers to a calculation
  • solve addition and subtraction two-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why.

Multiplication & Division

Our children will be taught to:

  • recall multiplication and division facts for multiplication tables up to 12 × 12
  • use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including: multiplying by 0 and 1; dividing by 1; multiplying together 3 numbers
  • recognise and use factor pairs and commutativity in mental calculations
  • multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number using formal written layout
  • solve problems involving multiplying and adding, including using the distributive law to multiply two digit numbers by 1 digit, integer scaling problems and harder correspondence problems such as n objects are connected to m objects.

Fractions (including decimals)

Our children will be taught to:

  • recognise and show, using diagrams, families of common equivalent fractions
  • count up and down in hundredths; recognise that hundredths arise when dividing an object by a 100 and dividing tenths by 10.
  • solve problems involving increasingly harder fractions to calculate quantities, and fractions to divide quantities, including non-unit fractions where the answer is a whole number
  • add and subtract fractions with the same denominator
  • recognise and write decimal equivalents of any number of tenths or hundredths
  • recognise and write decimal equivalents to ¼; ½; ¾
  • find the effect of dividing a one- or two-digit number by 10 and 100, identifying the value of the digits in the answer as ones, tenths and hundredths
  • round decimals with 1 decimal place to the nearest whole number
  • compare numbers with the same number of decimal places up to 2 decimal places
  • solve simple measure and money problems involving fractions and decimals to 2 decimal places.

Measurement

Our children will be taught to:

  • convert between different units of measure [for example, kilometre to metre; hour to minute]
  • measure and calculate the perimeter of a rectilinear figure (including squares) in centimetres and metres
  • find the area of rectilinear shapes by counting squares
  • estimate, compare and calculate different measures, including money in pounds and pence
  • read, write and convert time between analogue and digital 12 and 24-hour clocks
  • solve problems involving converting from hours to minutes, minutes to seconds, years to months, weeks to days

Properties of Shape

Our children will be taught to:

  • compare and classify geometric shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties and sizes
  • identify acute and obtuse angles and compare and order angles up to 2 right angles by size
  • identify lines of symmetry in 2-D shapes presented in different orientations
  • complete a simple symmetric figure with respect to a specific line of symmetry.

Position & Direction

Our children will be taught to:

  • describe positions on a 2-D grid as coordinates in the first quadrant
  • describe movements between positions as translations of a given unit to the left/right and up/down
  • plot specified points and draw sides to complete a given polygon.

Statistics

Our children will be taught to:

  • interpret and present discrete and continuous data using appropriate graphical methods, including bar charts and time graphs
  • solve comparison, sum and difference problems using information presented in bar charts, pictograms, tables and other graphs.

Subject Leader – Teresa Bowcher

“Science is an integral part of modern culture. It stretches the imagination and creativity of young people. Its challenges are quite enormous.” (Professor Malcolm Longair)

In Science, children learn about a wider range of living things, materials and phenomena. They begin to make links between ideas and to explain things using simple models and theories. They apply their knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas to familiar phenomena, everyday things and their personal health. They begin to think about the positive and negative effects of scientific and technological developments on the environment and in other contexts. Children develop their investigation skills through different practical activities, working increasingly systematically, evaluating and communicating their findings in different forms. Science is often included with the Learning Journeys and may be the lead subject for the theme.

Working Scientifically

During years 3 and 4, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

  • asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them
  • setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests
  • making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers
  • gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions
  • recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables
  • reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions
  • using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions
  • identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes
  • using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.

All Living Things

Our children will be taught to:

  • recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways
  • explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment
  • recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.

Animals including humans

Our children will be taught to:

  • describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the digestive system in humans
  • identify the different types of teeth in humans and their simple functions
  • construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey.

States of Matter

Our children will be taught to:

  • compare and group materials together, according to whether they are solids, liquids or gases
  • observe that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and measure or research the temperature at which this happens in degrees Celsius (°C)
  • identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle and associate the rate of evaporation with temperature.

Sound

Our children will be taught to:

  • identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear
  • find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it
  • find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it
  • recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases.

Electricity

Our children will be taught to:

  • identify common appliances that run on electricity
  • construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers
  • identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery
  • recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit
  • recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors.

Music

Subject Leader – Lorraine Maxwell

The National Curriculum for Music in Years 3 to 6.

Our children will be taught to:

play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression

improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the interrelated dimensions of music

listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory

use and understand staff and other musical notations

appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians

develop an understanding of the history of music.

Art & Design

Subject Leader – Rebecca James

The National Curriculum for Art & Design in Years 3 to 6.

Our children will be taught to:

to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas

to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]

about great artists, architects and designers in history. History

History

Subject Leader – Luke Archer

Examples in italics are not statutory.

Pre-Roman Britain

Our children will be taught about changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age

This could include:

late Neolithic hunter-gatherers and early farmers, for example, Skara Brae

Bronze Age religion, technology and travel, for example, Stonehenge

Iron Age hill forts: tribal kingdoms, farming, art and culture

Roman Britain

Our children will be taught about the Roman empire and its impact on Britain

This could include:

Julius Caesar’s attempted invasion in 55-54 BC

the Roman Empire by AD 42 and the power of its army

successful invasion by Claudius and conquest, including Hadrian’s Wall

British resistance, for example, Boudica

“Romanisation” of Britain: sites such as Caerwent and the impact of technology, culture and beliefs, including early Christianity

Anglo-Saxons & Scots

Our children will be taught about Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots

This could include:

Roman withdrawal from Britain in c. AD 410 and the fall of the western Roman Empire

Scots invasions from Ireland to north Britain (now Scotland)

Anglo-Saxon invasions, settlements and kingdoms: place names and village life

Anglo-Saxon art and culture

Christian conversion – Canterbury, Iona and Lindisfarne

Anglo-Saxons & Vikings

Our children will be taught about the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor

This could include:

Viking raids and invasion

resistance by Alfred the Great and Athelstan, first king of England

further Viking invasions and Danegeld

Anglo-Saxon laws and justice

Edward the Confessor and his death in 1066

Local History

Our children will be taught about an aspect of local history

For example:

a depth study linked to one of the British areas of study listed above

a study over time tracing how several aspects of national history are reflected in the locality (this can go beyond 1066)

a study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality.

Extended chronological study

Our children will be taught a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

For example:

the changing power of monarchs using case studies such as John, Anne and Victoria

changes in an aspect of social history, such as crime and punishment from the Anglo-Saxons to the present or leisure and entertainment in the 20th Century

the legacy of Greek or Roman culture (art, architecture or literature) on later periods in British history, including the present day

a significant turning point in British history, for example, the first railways or the Battle of Britain

Anient Civilizations

Our children will be taught about the achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of one of the following:

Ancient Sumer;

The Indus Valley;

Ancient Egypt; or

The Shang Dynasty of Ancient China

Ancient Greece

Our children will be taught a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world

Non-European Study

Our children will be taught about a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – one study chosen from:

early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900;

Mayan civilization c. AD 900; or

Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300

Geography

Subject Leader – Luke Archer

Locational Knowledge

Our children will be taught to:

locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities

name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time

identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)

Place Knowledge

Our children will be taught to:

understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region in North or South America

Human and Physical Geography

Our children will be taught to:

describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle

describe and understand key aspects of human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water

Geographical Skills and Fieldwork

Our children will be taught to:

use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied

use the 8 points of a compass, 4 and 6-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world

use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.

Computing

Subject Leader – Rhianna Rodwell

Our children will be taught to:

design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts

use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output

use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs

understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world-wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration

use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content

select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.

use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact

Design & Technology

Subject Leader – Rebecca James

Design

Our children will be taught to:

use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups

generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design

Make

Our children will be taught to:

select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately

select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities

Evaluate

Our children will be taught to:

investigate and analyse a range of existing products

evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work

understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world

Technological Knowledge

Our children will be taught to:

apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures

understand and use mechanical systems [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages] in their products

understand and use electrical systems [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors] in their products

apply their understanding of computing to programme, monitor and control their products.

Cooking & Nutrition

Our children will be taught to:

understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet

cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they are able to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet

become competent in a range of cooking techniques [for example, selecting and preparing ingredients; using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in different ways; using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients; adapting and using their own recipes]

understand the source, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients

Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE)

Subject Leader – Catherine Cullen

At St Michael’s we place huge store in developing children’s personal wellbeing and self-esteem in order to help them develop as whole individuals. Through specific PSHE teaching and input via assemblies, social groups, and where necessary 1:1 work with specialist staff, children develop emotionally, socially and spiritually. As of September 2018 a new scheme of work was implemented using guidance from the PSHE Association. Children are given the opportunity to discuss and consider issues surrounding personal safety, health and hygiene, relationships and friendships (including bullying), financial responsibilities, the effects of alcohol and drugs and how to lead active and responsible lives as citizens both nationally and globally.

In the summer term, children also receive sex and relationships education, and parents have full access to the materials used prior to lessons taking place. The material used is taught at an appropriate level in all years and all teaching is carried out sensitively within the context of caring responsibility and with due regard to the value of family life.

We are fortunate to be able to share the expertise of visitors to the school with our children. Recent workshops have been delivered by the Fire Service, NSPCC and the School Nursing Team.

This year, Autumn Term, our core theme will be Health and Wellbeing, including healthy lifestyles, keeping safe and growing and changing. Spring Term’s core theme will be Relationships. This will include healthy relationships, feelings and emotions and valuing difference. Summer Term’s core theme will be Living in the Wider World. Including rights and responsibilities, taking care of the environment and money.

Physical Education (PE)

Subject Leader – Victoria Marlow

Sport & Games

Our children will be taught to:

use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination

play competitive games [for example, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], modified where appropriate, and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending

develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example through athletics and gymnastics]

perform dances using a range of movement patterns

take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team

compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.

Swimming and water safety

Our children will be taught to:

All schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2. In particular, pupils should be taught to:

swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres

use a range of strokes [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke] effectively

perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

Spanish

Subject Leader – Maria De La Pena

The National Curriculum for Foreign Languages in Years 3 to 6.

Note that the curriculum aims state that: Teaching may be of any modern or ancient foreign language and should focus on enabling pupils to make substantial progress in one language. At St. Michael’s Junior School, we focus on Spanish.

Listening & Comprehension

Our children will be taught to:

listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding

explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words

Speaking

Our children will be taught to:

engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help*

speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures

develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases*

present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences*

Reading & Comprehension

Our children will be taught to:

read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing

appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language

broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary

Writing

Our children will be taught to:

write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly

describe people, places, things and actions orally* and in writing

understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English.

(*Not ancient languages)

Religious Eduction (RE)

Subject Leader – Harriet Stevens

Click here for details on Religious Education at St. Michael’s.