Dear Parents/Guardians,

I hope this letter finds you well and ready for the excitement that the summer term brings. Thankfully the weather is a little more seasonal at present! As we embark on this new term of our academic journey, I wanted to take a moment to share some important updates and reminders with you. We have really enjoyed welcoming Year 4 back into the classroom and they have already worked hard and shown they are eager and ready to learn during this first week.

Our Summer 1 Geography project is ‘The Mediterranean’. We will take a ‘zoom lens’ approach to studying the Mediterranean region within Europe. We have started by looking at the continent of Europe and will move to learning about the everyday life in the historic city of Bologna, Italy. Children have already been sharing some of their experiences of travelling in Europe (both in the UK and further afield). If your family have visited the Mediterranean countries and you have any photos to share please send them via dojo or email for us to share.

In English, we have begun with a unit focussed on discussion texts. We have been researching and discussing the pros and cons of zoos. We will continue to discuss this topic while look at the structure and grammar of discussion texts before children apply their learning to compose their own discussion text. Later in the term we shall be learning about the features and writing our own play scripts.

We continue to have daily reading lessons in class and are reading ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Shakespeare Story’ by Andrew Matthews and Tony Ross. During these sessions we are focussing on our understanding of the text as well as our reading fluency. Daily spelling sessions will continue. In maths, we have started the term learning about length and perimeter and will move our learning onto Fractions in the coming weeks.

Please see the project map for more details of the curriculum this term.

At home it would be excellent if children can continue to read regularly. Reading is a fundamental skill that forms the cornerstone of your child's education. It not only opens doors to new worlds and experiences but also enhances vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. As we enter the summer term, I want to emphasize the importance of regular reading habits. Encourage your child to read for pleasure, explore different genres, and discuss what they've read with you. We will be supporting children’s book choices and quizzing over the term.

In Year 4, mastering times tables up to 12x12 is a key milestone in your child's mathematical development. We will be dedicating time in class to practice and reinforce these essential skills, but your support at home is invaluable. Encourage your child to practice their times tables regularly, using fun games/quizzes, flashcards, or online games such as Times tables rock stars/Hit the button/tables tennis. By working together, we can ensure your child's success in mathematics and beyond. We are beginning to ensure children are more confident at the online tables games to ensure they are prepared for the Multiplication Tables Check in June which is a statutory requirement for all year 4s.

Reminders

• · PE days are Monday and Friday
• · Outdoor learning is on Monday
• · Please ensure children have coats/sun hats/sun cream as appropriate Key Dates
• · 6 th May – Bank holiday
• · 22nd May – Open classrooms 2.45-3.15pm (approx.) – an opportunity to come into class and see the learning from the term.

Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or feedback you may have. Please use dojo or email shunter@stoke-climsland.cornwall.sch.uk to contact the team.

Many thanks for your continued partnership with the school.

Kind regards,

Mrs Hunter and the Year 4 team