Rowan

Welcome to Rowan Class 

Teacher: Miss Nicola Forbes
Other adults that work in our classroom:

Mrs Vicki Wager, Miss Emily Taylor, Mrs Amanda Deverill, Mrs Felicitiy Ssebugenyi

We are a Year 4 class at St James Church School.

Dates to remember this term:

Tuesday 4th February - Road Safety talks for KS2 

Wednesday 5th February - Rowan Class Bible Performance 

Thursday 6th February - Net/Wall Sports Festival for Year 4

Half term - Monday 17th February to Friday 21st February

Thursday 5th March - World Book Day - Vocabulary Parade

Tuesday 31st March - Easter Service at St James Church - 1:30pm start

During Year 4 the children will develop their ability and understanding in all areas of the curriculum. Engaging and motivating activities and strategies will be used to develop a positive classroom culture for writing, while in Maths, part of each lesson is devoted to mental maths and all the children are working towards increasing and improving their mental and written calculation strategies.

How you can help your child:

• Encourage mental maths skills such as adding and subtracting differing amounts.

• Rehearse times table facts and related division facts.

  (eg 3 x 9 = 27 so 27 ÷ 3 = 9)

• Give them experience of handling and identifying money, working out costs of items and change. When shopping work out which offers are cheaper and by how much. (eg 3 for 2 or 2 for £1)

• Talk about the books they are reading: What was their favourite bit? Did they have a favourite character? What do they think will happen next and why? Lots of discussion helps develop children’s language and understanding of the text.

Times tables 

Times tables are an essential part of every child's learning.  From this academic year, the Government have now introduced a times table check at the end of year 4. Times tables are practised daily in school and are tested on a Friday.  The children receive a special certificate when they pass each level. It is a national expectation that children know all their times tables by the end of the year. 

Any practice at home will really help to develop maths skills.  There are many website and apps to support learning in this area. Each child now has their own login details for Times Table Rockstar which is an interactive game that helps children with their times table recall. There will be various competitions in school to motivate the children.

Homework

Homework each week will comprise of reading, practising of times tables and spellings.  All homework needs to be completed in their home learning book which should be in school each day and is checked through weekly.  Please pop in to see me if you need any support with homework as it is an important part of your child's learning.

Reading

In Key Stage 2 all pupils have access to Accelerated Reader.  Each child is set a termly points target on Accelerated Reader and they earn points each time they pass a quiz at school.  Any support that can be given at home with reading is incredibly beneficial - reading together daily, discussing new vocabulary as well as making trips to the library all help. For those children that meet their reading target and complete all homework, a reading reward will take place at the end of the term.  

 Spellings 

The children learn a new spelling pattern each week. Children are tested on their spelling patterns each week but our focus is on learning the rule and understanding of the patterns. New spellings will go home on a Friday and will be tested the following Friday. 

Children also have their award spellings to work towards and they will be tested on these each half term and will be awarded a special certificate if they get them all correct.

Below are the spelling award word lists we use here at St James Church School.

It is expected that;

• by the end of Year 3 that children should be able to spell all of the Bronze Spelling words
• by the end of Year 4 that children should be able to spell all of the Silver Spelling words
• by the end of Year 5 that children should be able to spell all of the Gold Spelling words
• by the end of Year 6 that children should be able to spell all of the Platinum Spelling words

PE and Forest School 

This half term we will have Forest School on the following dates:

8th Jan

22nd Jan

5th Feb

We will also have PE on the following dates:

27th Jan

10th Feb

Please ensure you child has a change of clothes for Forest School that you do not mind getting muddy, a coat and a spare pair of shoes (preferably wellies). Please ensure they have their full PE kit in for these lessons.

If they do not have the appropriate clothing/kit/shoes they will not be able to take part in Forest School or PE.

Take a look at what we have been getting up to in Rowan Class

Last Years Class Web Page (2018-2019)

below

Spring Term Learning Expedition 

Our learning expedition this term is.....Marvellous Minds!

8.11.18

We had a Red Cross RE Day.

We found out about our school being a Red Cross Hospital in WW1 and looked at notes and drawings people left in an autograph book when they were being treated here. We then wrote letters and diary entries from soldiers/nurses about some of the pictures in the autograph book on tea stained paper. 

Autumn Term 2018 Learning Exhibition

This term our Learning Exhibition topic is 'Crazy Carnival' 

2017-2018