Welcome to Year 4

In Year 4, we have three classes which are all named after influential Britons – (Tim) Peake, (Lewis) Hamilton and (Ellie) Simmonds.

Peake Class Teacher: Mr English

Hamilton Class Teacher: Miss Hooper

Simmonds Class Teacher: Miss Willows

Year 4 LSAs: Mrs Ashenford, Mrs Nolan and Mrs McMurran

Year 4 are based on the far side of the library in the junior school, providing a lovely view of either the school field or the Twitten Field. We enter and exit our classrooms through the outside doors.

Our classroom doors open at 8:45am each morning.  The children say their goodbyes on the playground and walk round into class once the bell has rung. Year 4 break times and lunchtimes are shared with Year 3; break time is 10:25 – 10:40am and lunchtime starts at 12:25pm.  In Year 4, we eat our lunch first then head outside for playtime until 1:10pm when afternoon lessons begin. Our school day ends at 3:15pm when we will bring the children out onto the junior playground to dismiss them.

Every day, you will need your bag, reading folder and reading record card, your drink bottle and your lunch (unless you are having school lunch). Don’t forget to bring your healthy snack for break time too!

Our topics in Year 4 are split into two main themes across the year:

Invaders and traders (history focus)

This topic runs for three half terms - from September through to February half term – and is split into three parts:

• The Romans
• The Anglo-Saxons
• The Vikings

Building on from the Year 3 topic on the Stone Age to Iron Age, we start the year discovering the journey the Romans took to invade and take over Britain.  The children take part in many exciting activities, including a visit to Bignor Roman Villa, which helps them to understand what it was like to be a Roman soldier settling in Britain, as well as what it was like to live under Roman rule. 

In the second and third half terms, we investigate other invaders beginning with the Anglo-Saxons and then the Vikings, discovering what impact these civilisations had on Britain and the changes they brought to the country.  

Sussex by the Sea – coasts and rivers

In the second half terms, we become geographers – exploring and investigating rivers and oceans. We start by learning about famous rivers from the different continents around the world. We use maps and atlases, as well as Google Earth to trace the journey of rives from their sources to their mouths.

We then narrow our focus to our locality, our local rivers, and go on a field trip to the River Adur to apply our geographical knowledge and see first hand all the features of coastal environments and coastal erosion. 

In Year 4, we aim to ensure that learning is exciting, memorable, practical and fun.  We want the children to enjoy and be enthused by their learning whilst also becoming increasingly confident and independent.  We encourage them to be active learners, questioning as they learn, and collaborating to support and challenge each other and thus improve their understanding.

Year 4 team

To see the planning for this year group, please click here.