History Through our topics, by the end of the year, Year 4 will have learnt about . . .

• the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain.

• Britain's settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots.

• the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor.

• a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history - one study chosen from: early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; Mayan civilization c. AD 900; Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300.

 

 

Geography Through our topics, by the end of the year, Year 4 will have learnt to ...

• Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle.

• Describe and understand key aspects of human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water

• Locate the world's countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities.

• Name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time.

• Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night).

• Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America

• Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied.

• Use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world.

 

 

 

 

Design & Technology Through our topics, by the end of the year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

• Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques.

• Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups.

• Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design.

• Evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work.

• Understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world.

• Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately.

• Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.

   

Computing By the end of the year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . . • Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific

goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts.

• Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output.

• Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs.

• Understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.

• Use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are

selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content.

• Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.

• Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/ unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.

   

Art  

Through our topics, by the end of the year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

• Create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.

• Improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay].

• Find out about great artists, architects and designers in history.

 

Maths In maths, by the end of the year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

Number - Number and Place Value (Th, H, T, O) • Count in steps of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1000. • Find 1000 more or less than another number having

understood the place value of each digit of a four-digit number.

• Estimate and round numbers to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000. • Solve problems involving larger numbers and learn to read

Roman numerals to 100. • Order and compare numbers beyond 1000.

Number - Addition and Subtraction • Use column written methods to add and subtract numbers with

up to four digits. • Use their knowledge of addition as the opposite of subtraction

(inverse) to check calculations. • Complete two step addition and subtraction problems Number - Multiplication and Division • recall all their times tables up to 12 x 12, including the

division facts. • Multiply two and three digit numbers by a single digit number Number - Fractions • Look for equivalent fractions, e.g. 1/6 = 2/12 and 1/4 = 3/12

(simplifying where possible, e.g. 6/10 = 3/5) and solve problems involving fractions in order to calculate a quantity, e.g. 2/6 of 18 litres.

• Add fractions with the same denominator (lower number in the fraction) for example 3/8 + 2/8 = 5/8

• Recognise and write decimals of the following fractions: 1/4 (0.25), 1/2 (0.5) and 3/4 (0.75).

• Divide a one and two-digit number by 10 and 100, describing the digits as ones, tenths and hundredths.

• Round decimals with one decimal place to the nearest whole number and compare numbers with the same number of decimal places (up to two decimal places).

• Solve simple money and measure problems.

 

Maths In maths, by the end of the year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

Measurement • Convert between different units of measure, e.g. hours into

minutes, kilograms into grams. • Work out the perimeter (the distance around the shape) in both

cm and m. and find the area of a shape. • Estimate and compare different measures • Convert between analogue (clock with hands) and digital 12

and 24 clock e.g. quarter past 6 in the afternoon – 18:15.

Geometry - Properties of Shape • Look for lines of symmetry in shapes in different orientations

(different positions) and complete a shape or picture with one line of symmetry.

• Compare and name different quadrilaterals (four sided shapes with four straight sides including parallelograms, trapeziums and rhombuses) and triangles (including acute, obtuse, right angled, equilateral, isosceles and scalene).

• Spot and compare different angles using a protractor including acute angles (less than 90 degrees) and obtuse angles (more than 90 degrees).

Geometry - Position and Direction • Describe positions on a grid, e.g. (2,5) and (4,7). • Describe positions on a 2-D grid as co-ordinates in the first

quadrant (4P3a) • Describe movements between positions as translations of a

given unit to the left/right and up/down (4P2) • Plot specified points and draw sides to complete a given

polygon Statistics • Present data in bar charts and time graphs. • Interpret the data in different ways such as finding

differences, totalling and making comparisons.

Music Through our topics, by the end of the year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

• Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.

• Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the interrelated dimensions of music.

• Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory.

• Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians.

• Develop an understanding of the history of music

 

English In English, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

Reading Comprehension

• Listen to and discuss a variety of stories, non-fiction texts, poetry, plays and textbooks in order to understand that texts are structured in different ways and written for different purposes.

• Use a dictionary to understand meaning of words they don’t know.

• Write poems and plays to read aloud and perform using the correct intonation and volume.

• Check that their reading makes sense, asking questions, inferring character feelings, thoughts and actions and justifying with evidence, making predictions and summarising the main ideas within a section of text. Inference involves using the clues in the story or picture to make a good guess.

• Refer back to the text so they can find the answer to a question.

Spelling

• Use a wide range of prefixes (a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning) such as in-, re-, sub-, dis- and mis- and suffixes (a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning) such as –ation and –ous.

• Spell a wider range of homophones (words which sound the same but are spelt differently such as hear/here, some/sum).

• Place the possessive apostrophe in the right place (e.g. the lady’s bag, Lewis’ jumper).

Handwriting

• Work on joining letters together so that they are always joining up their handwriting. Emphasis will be on the quality and consistency of the handwriting.

 

 

 

English In English, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

Writing - Composition

• Plan their writing in note form. • Draft and write – practise planning the sentences in their heads

before writing them down, consciously including an interesting range of vocabulary.

• Write in paragraphs and structure content well including all the necessary features of that writing style.

• Evaluate and edit – regularly assess the effectiveness of their own and other’s writing, suggest improvements and proof read for grammar, spelling or punctuation errors.

• How to use intonation when reading their writing out loud and vary the volume so what they are reading is clearly heard.

Writing - Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation

• Use Standard English in their writing correctly. • Describe nouns with additional adjectives and prepositional

phrases (telling of where, when, or why things happen). • Use adverbial phrases to begin sentences. These act like

adverbs telling you when, where, how or how often something happens and are always followed by a comma, e.g. ‘At school,…’, ‘Slowly,...’ and ‘Later that evening,...’.

• Use paragraphs accurately (begin a new paragraph when introducing a new character, section of a story or new information) and secure the punctuating of direct speech correctly (including an appropriate piece of punctuation before closing the speech marks).

• Use more of a variety of tenses in their writing, such as the present perfect form rather than just the past tense. The present perfect is simply formed using the past tense of the verb ‘to have’, e.g. He has been living there since 2008, They’ve finished their work and She’s gone on her own to the concert.

• Use a greater range of vocabulary, including a wider range of conjunctions to join sentences – when, if, although, however.

RE Through the RE topics this year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . . Topic 1: People • Retell some of the stories from scripture about Jesus’ family. • Describe some ways in which characters in the Bible lived out their

lives. • Make links between these stories and what people believe about God

and Jesus. • Give reasons for certain actions by believers. • Describe and show understanding of the roots of Jesus’ human family

and what Christians believe about how God leads and guides his people.

• Show understanding of how religious belief shape life, using the example of Biblical characters.

Topic 2: Belonging • Retell some special stories about religious events and people. • Use religious words and phrases to describe what it means to be

called. • Describe some ways in which people are called to live a Christian life. • Make links between scripture and the call to holiness. • Use a developing religious vocabulary to give reasons for the

actions and symbols used at Confirmation. • Give reasons why Christians respond to God’s call. • Use religious terms to show an understanding of Confirmation and

Baptism.

Topic 3: Loving • Retell the story of the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Wise Men. • Use religious words and phrases to describe some of the religious

actions and symbols which help Christians prepare during Advent for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

• Make links between scripture texts and the belief that God sent Jesus to earth as the long awaited Messiah.

• Use a developing religious vocabulary to give reasons for the religious actions and symbols connected with the liturgical season of Advent and Christmas.    

 

 

     

 

RE

Through the RE topics this year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

Topic 4: Community

• Retell the story of the call of the apostles and describe some of the advice St. Paul gives us about being loving members of a community.

• Use religious words and phrases to describe the actions and symbols within a funeral Mass.

• Describe some ways in which some people serve their parish community.

• Make links between the call of the apostles and God’s call to people to serve him today.

• Use a developing religious vocabulary to give reasons for the actions and symbols used within a funeral Mass.

• Give reasons why people give service to the parish community through various ministries.

Topic 5: Giving and Receiving • Describe what happens during the Introductory Rite. • Describe what a person might do if they follow Jesus’ advice and

ways in which peace is lived out by believers. • Make links between scripture and an understanding of the Eucharist. • Use a developing religious vocabulary to give reasons for religious

action and symbols used in the celebration of the Eucharist. • Give reasons why Christians attend the celebration of the Eucharist. • Compare their own and other people’s ideas about questions related to

the Communion rite. • Describe and show an understanding of Communion, making links

between the Communion Rite and beliefs, ideas, feelings and experiences.

• Show an understanding of how belief in the Eucharist shapes life. • Engage with and respond to the question; ‘why do Catholics receive

Holy Communion?’ in the light of religious teaching.

 

   

   

RE

Through the RE topics this year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

Topic 6: Self Discipline • Retell some of the religious stories of Holy Thursday, Good Friday

and Easter. • Use religious vocabulary to describe some religious actions and

symbols of Lent and Holy Week. • Describe some ways in which Christians try to be self-disciplined in

Lent. • Make links between religious stories of Holy Thursday, Good Friday

and Easter and Christian beliefs. • Use a developing religious vocabulary to give reasons for religious

actions and symbols connected to Lent and Holy Week. • Give reasons why Christians try to be self disciplined in Lent. • Describe and show an understanding of scripture, beliefs, ideas,

feelings and experiences, making links between them. • Use religious terms to show an understanding of the different

liturgies of Holy Week. • Show an understanding of how religious belief concerning the events

of Lent and Holy Week shape life.

Topic 7: New Life

• Retell some special stories about the religious event and people connected with Pentecost.

• Use religious words and phrases to describe the events of Pentecost. • Describe some ways in which the apostles spread the Good News

through the power of the Holy Spirit. • Give reasons why the apostles spread the Good News and the

reasons for the actions of Peter, John and Paul. • Make links between the Pentecost story and the Christian belief in the

new life of the Easter message through the power of the Holy Spirit. • Show an understanding of how the belief in the Good News and the

coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost shapes the lives of Christians today.

   

   

RE

Through the RE topics this year, Year 4 will have learnt to . . .

Topic 8: Building Bridges • Use religious words and phrases to describe some religious

actions and symbols used in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. • Use a developing religious vocabulary to give reasons for

religious actions used in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. • Give reasons why believers ask forgiveness of others and

forgive those who have hurt them. • Make links to show how feelings and beliefs about reconciliation

affect their behaviour and that of others. • Describe and show understanding of scripture, beliefs, ideas,

feelings and experience of reconciliation, mercy and forgiveness, making links between them.

• Show an understanding of how religious belief in reconciliation, mercy and forgiveness shapes life.

• Engage with and respond to questions of life in the light of religious teaching about reconciliation, mercy and forgiveness.

Topic 9: God’s People • Ask and respond to questions about their own and others’

experiences and feelings of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

• Ask questions about what they and others wonder about ordinary people doing extraordinary things and realise that some of these questions are difficult to answer.

• Make links to show how feelings and beliefs affect their behaviour and that of others, using the example of Eric or other examples.

• Compare their own and other people’s ideas about the question of what makes a person do extraordinary things and find it is difficult to answer.

• Show how their own and others’ decisions about actions in life are informed by beliefs and values.

   

   

PSHE Through our PSHE topics, Year 4 will have learnt . . .

Health and Wellbeing • What positively and negatively affects their physical, mental and

emotional health (including the media). • How to make informed choices (including recognising that choices

can have positive, neutral and negative consequences) and to begin to understand the concept of a ‘balanced lifestyle’.

• To recognise opportunities to make their own choices about food, what might influence their choices and the benefits of eating a balanced diet.

• To recognise how images in the media do not always reflect reality and can affect how people feel about themselves.

• To reflect on and celebrate their achievements, identify their strengths, areas for improvement, set high aspirations and goals.

• To deepen their understanding of good and not so good feelings, to extend their vocabulary to enable them to explain both the range and intensity of their feelings to others.

• To recognise that they may experience conflicting emotions and when they might need to listen to their emotions or overcome them.

• About change, including transitions (between Key Stages and schools).

• To differentiate between the terms, ‘risk’, ‘danger’ and ‘hazard’. • To deepen their understanding of risk by recognising, predicting and • assessing risks in different situations and deciding how to manage

them responsibly. • To recognise their increasing independence brings increased

responsibility to keep themselves and others safe • To recognise when and how to ask for help and use basic

techniques for resisting pressure to do something dangerous, unhealthy, that makes them uncomfortable, anxious or that they believe to be wrong.

• The school rules about health and safety, basic emergency aid procedures, where and how to get help.

• About taking care of their body, understanding that they have autonomy

• Strategies for keeping physically and emotionally safe. • The importance of protecting personal information, including

passwords, addresses and the distribution of images of themselves and others.

• About people who are responsible for helping them stay healthy and safe and ways that they can help these people.

PSHE Through our PSHE topics, Year 4 will have learnt . . .

Relationships • To recognise and respond appropriately to a wider range of

feelings in others.

• To recognise what constitutes a positive, healthy relationship and develop the skills to form and maintain positive and healthy relationships.

• To be aware of different types of relationship, including those between acquaintances, friends, relatives and families,

• That their actions affect themselves and others.

• The concept of ‘keeping something confidential or secret’, when we should or should not agree to this and when it is right to ‘break a confidence’ or ‘share a secret’.

• To listen and respond respectfully to a wide range of people, to feel confident to raise their own concerns, to recognise and care about other people's feelings and to try to see, respect and if necessary constructively challenge their points of view.

• To work collaboratively towards shared goals.

• To develop strategies to resolve disputes and conflict through negotiation and appropriate compromise and to give rich and constructive feedback and support to benefit others as well as themselves.

• That differences and similarities between people arise from a number of factors, including family, cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability.

• To realise the nature and consequences of discrimination, teasing, bullying and aggressive behaviours (including cyber bullying, use of prejudice-based language, how to respond and ask for help).

• To recognise and challenge stereotypes.

 

  French Through out topics this year, Year 4 will have learnt. . .

Unit 1 – Going to school • Verbs that help learners describe their daily routine and include: to get

up, to brush (hair/teeth), to shower, to get dressed, to eat, to pack (a bag), to walk, to go, to catch (the bus/train), to learn, to prefer, to like.

• The reflexive pronoun myself and compare it to the first person subject pronoun I.

• Some basic prepositions of place. • The simple conjunction because in order to develop more complex

sentences which include a clause expressing a reason or an explanation.

Unit 2 – Going to work • How to talk about jobs and professions. • To use the verbs to work (in) and to be. • Nouns which change their endings to indicate masculine or feminine. • Verbs introduced including: to earn (money), to save, to buy, to spend

(money), to wake up, to go to bed, to go to sleep. • Numbers 21-30 and time phrases.

Unit 3 – Around the world • Countries around the world. • New verbs including: to come from, to fly, to sleep.

Unit 4 – Healthy lifestyle • Verbs which help them talk about sports and being outside including:

to ride (a bicycle), to go for a walk, to jog, to explore, to run. • To express likes and dislikes about their food and eating preferences.

Comparatives and superlatives to express their likes, dislikes and preferences.

Unit 5 – Clothes and shopping • Changes to adjective endings to reflect masculine, feminine or plural. • New verbs including: to get undressed, to wear, to try on, to hang up

(clothes), to fold, to put away.

Unit 6 – Weather • Question formats using the pronoun what. • To answer questions about weather conditions and temperatures. • More numbers (31-40).  

Science Through our topics, by the end of the year, year 4 will have learnt to . . .

Animals (Including Humans) • Describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the digestive

system in humans. • Identify the different types of teeth in humans and their simple

functions. • Construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying

producers, predators and prey. Electricity • Identify common appliances that run on electricity. • Construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming

its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers. • Identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit,

based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery.

• Recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit.

• Recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors.

Living Things and their Habitats • Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways. • Explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and

name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment.

• Recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.

Sound • Identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with

something vibrating. Recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear.

• Find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it.

• Find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it.

• Recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases.

Science

Through our topics, by the end of the year, year 4 will have learnt to . . .

States of Matter • Compare and group materials together, according to whether

they are solids, liquids or gases. Observe that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and measure or research the temperature at which this happens in degrees Celsius (°C).

• Identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle and associate the rate of evaporation with temperature.

Working Scientifically • Ask relevant questions and using different types of scientific

enquiries to answer them. • Set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests. • Make systematic and careful observations and, where

appropriate, take accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers.

• Gather, record, classify and present data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions.

• Record findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables.

• Report on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions.

• Use results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions.

• Identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes.

• Use straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings

PE Pupils should continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They should enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

Pupils will be taught to: § use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in

combination § play competitive games, modified where appropriate [for example,

badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending

§ develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example, through athletics and gymnastics]

§ perform dances using a range of movement patterns § take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both

individually and within a team § compare their performances with

previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.  

Swimming and water safety Pupils will be taught to: § swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of

at least 25 metres § use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl,

backstroke and breaststroke] • perform safe self-rescue in different

water-based situations.