Oak Class
Teacher: Mrs C Willsmer
PE days for Autumn term: Wednesday and Friday
The Year 4 Classroom
Homework will be handed out every Friday and should be completed and returned by Wednesday. Homework tasks are designed to reinforce what we have been learning in class and provide additional practice.
PE will take place on Wednesday and Friday. The lessons will focus on developing fitness and rugby. Please ensure your child comes to school in their PE kit, a plain tracksuit for colder days and appropriate footwear. Earrings should always be removed on PE days.
Regular reading at home is vital to your child’s progress. Please encourage children to read every day and record this in their reading record. We check reading records weekly every Monday, and any support you provide at home makes a significant difference.
An update on pupil progress will be provided through parent consultations the week beginning the 13th October.
Homework
Challenge and Aspiration Project
To engage and extend learning across all year groups, each topic is accompanied by a Challenge Question, several Project Options (consistently 3–4 choices per topic), and an outline of the higher level thinking skills involved.
Each project is designed to challenge pupils with creative, analytical tasks that promote higher-order thinking. The projects can be pursued independently at home (as optional challenges) or integrated in class for enrichment; teachers can provide feedback at school to support development. We also include cross-curricular subject links to highlight how each challenge connects to broader learning areas (e.g. Art, Computing, History, Science). Pupils are encouraged to choose one project per topic to explore in depth.
Challenge Question: Why do people (or animals) migrate from one place to another, and what can the story of migration in Brazil teach us about the causes and effects of movement?
Project Options (choose one):
1. Human Migration Story Map: Focus on a human migration related to Brazil. One example is the migration from rural areas (like the Amazon region or Nordeste) to big cities like São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. Draw a simple map of Brazil and illustrate this movement with arrows from a countryside area to a city. On one side of the map, list 2–3 push factors (reasons people leave rural areas – e.g. lack of jobs, drought in Northeast Brazil) and on the other side list 2–3 pull factors (reasons they move to the city – e.g. job opportunities, better schools). Write a short paragraph about one challenge migrants face when they arrive in the city (maybe living in crowded neighborhoods or missing home) and one benefit they seek (like education or income).
2. Wildlife Migration Case: Consider animal migration in Brazil. For example, the journey of Amazon river dolphins during seasons, or birds migrating within South America. Create a mini-poster on this: show the path of the animal’s migration on a map or diagram and explain why it migrates (seasons, breeding, food). Then connect it to human behaviour: Are there similarities in why animals and people migrate? Write 2 sentences comparing them (e.g. “Both people and animals migrate to find better conditions – people seek jobs or safety, animals seek food or breeding grounds.”).
3. Diary of a Migrant (Brazilian Child's Perspective): Write a short diary or letter from the perspective of a child who moved with their family from a small village in Brazil to a large city like São Paulo. Describe the journey (by bus? hours of travel?), your feelings leaving home, and your first impressions of the city. Mention differences (from open spaces to tall buildings, or climate differences if applicable). Explain one reason the family moved (perhaps to join a relative or for a job in a factory) and one hope the child has for their future in the new place.
Spellings to Learn in Year 4
Curriculum Overview Spring Term
oak curriculum overview spring 1.pdf
Recommended Reads for Year 4
sil y3 and 4 recommended reading list.pdf
Year 4 Parents Curriculum Meeting
year 4 welcome morning 2025.pdf
Multiplication Check Information for Parents
information for parents multiplication tables check.pdf
School Trips
In Year 4, we visit the Tower of London to find out more about Henry VIII in the Spring term. We also visit Chatham Green Wilderness Foundation in the Summer term.
