Welcome to Year 4

In Year 4, we are incredibly fortunate to be situated next to the orchard, with direct access to this beautiful outdoor space from our classrooms. We make full use of the wonderful natural environment surrounding the school to enhance teaching and learning, enabling pupils to spend as much time as possible outdoors while remaining active and fully engaged in their education.

All subjects are taught in mixed-ability groups, with appropriate differentiation to support every learner, alongside opportunities for stretch and challenge in each lesson. We regularly incorporate Higher Order Thinking (HOT) questions into our teaching, helping to deepen and consolidate the children’s understanding across the curriculum. We also have two Key Stage Two Teaching Assistants who regularly come into class to support learning. 

Pupils remain with their class teacher for most of the day, with the exception of specialist subjects including P.E. and Games, Music, and LAMDA. A particular highlight of Year 4 is that each child begins to learn a brass instrument – an exciting step in their musical journey.

There are many opportunities throughout the year for the two Year 4 classes to collaborate and perform together. These experiences give pupils the chance to interact with all their peers, helping them to build strong inter-personal skills and develop strategies for working in different group settings. Such opportunities are an important part of their personal and social development.

A real highlight of the Year 4 calendar is our one-night Bushcraft Residential at Penshurst Place. During this trip, the children camp overnight in beautiful woodland surroundings and enjoy a variety of Bushcraft activities and team building games – a memorable experience that builds confidence and independence.

Our curriculum is fully topic-based, with each half term focused on a different geographical or historical theme. Wherever possible, we introduce topics with an exciting educational experience, such as a workshop with Wessex Rivers Trust followed by a field trip to the River Meon. These topics also inform and enrich our English work, making writing purposeful, creative, and engaging for the children.

To support their learning at home, pupils are expected to read aloud to an adult each evening and spend time practising their times tables and learning their weekly spellings.