Curriculum Newsletter: Year 4L Ladybridge Primary School

Year 4 Curriculum Information 2014 –2015 Please keep this booklet for future reference

Class Teacher—Mrs. S. Tomlinson

Teaching Assistant— Mrs. M. Asghar

Parents guide to the new National Curriculum Every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which: promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

The national curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge around which our teachers develop exciting and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum. Fundamentally, the national curriculum sets out what your child is supposed to learn and when. A new version will be introduced in September 2014.

Why the changes?

The current Government's view was that the old curriculum wasn't sufficiently challenging. They have developed the new one partly by comparing England's curriculum to those in other countries. The idea is for children to "go further...at an earlier age" and it's clear that expectations are considerably higher for any given year group. Whilst some of the content is totally new, existing topics will be introduced a year or two earlier than would currently be the case for most children.

Does the new curriculum cover subjects beyond Maths and English?

The new curriculum, like the old curriculum, encompasses other subjects too – from Science and RE to History and Geography. What's different is the content. Changes include more programming within ICT/ computing and compulsory cookery lessons.

On the following pages we have provided a summary of the programmes of study for each key stage so that you are aware of what your child has to learn during key stage one and key stage two.

Key Stage One

Ages 5 – 7

Years 1 and 2

Key Stage Two

Ages 7 - 11

Years 3, 4, 5 and 6

The curriculum map outlines how your child’s class teacher has personalised the programmes of study for each national curriculum subject. This booklet also contains important information regarding homework, spellings, reading, PE and your child’s class assembly date so please keep this booklet in a safe place for future reference.

If you want to keep up to date with what is happening with our curriculum, please keep viewing our school website: www.ladybridgeprimaryschool.co.uk the site works best on 'Google chrome'.

Any questions regarding the new curriculum should be discussed with your child’s class teacher.

Curriculum Map Term Whole School Events

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Halloween Disco, Christmas Fair, Talent Show, Easter Egg Bingo Summer Fair, Bollywood Bonanza, Sports Day, Talent Show

Theme days/ Weeks

Super learning day

Industry Week

John Rylands Library

Jorvik or Tatton Park

e.g. Industry week Inspirational visits /visitors

Winter Watch

for Vikings Bright Spark Electricity

English

Mathematics

Traditional Tales – Myths

Story settings

Stories with a Theme

Report writing, linked to Anglo-Saxon study

Writing / performing a play

Discussion - debate

Persuasive writing

Explanations texts

Poetry - Narrative

Poetry- Tanka, haiku, kennings

Poetry – the work of a well-known poet

Place value,including in +/- Place value, fractions and decimals Time and data handling

Place value +,-,x,÷, in real life contexts Area and perimeter Fractions decimals and length Time and graphs

Shape, symmetry and angles X, ÷ and fractions

Negative numbers +,-,x,÷, also in money Measurement Time, timetables and coordinates

Science

Art amd Design

Geography

States of Matter

Living Things and their Habitats

Electricity Sound On the Move

Textiles – weaving

Mouldable materials

(liked to Anglo-Saxons)

River Landscapes

Electrical and Mechanical Devices – Designing a Game

Settlements

Rivers and their features

Europe

Major rivers in Europe

Animals including Humans

Mapwork

Viking Settlement Eight point compass Digital mapping

History

Computing

Anglo-Saxon Invasion and settlements

Anglo-Saxons: Christianity – Life in Monasteries

Life Website skills

Branching Databases

eSafety

Making Simple Games

Viking Invasions King Alfred

Music and Sound

Multimedia and Word Processing/ Graphics Languages:

Ca pousse!

L’argent de poche

Vive le sport!

French

(Growing Things)

(Pocket money)

(Our sporting lives)

On y ava

Le Carnival des animaux

(All Aboard)

Raconte-moi une histoire (Tell me a story)

African Drumming

African Drumming

African Drumming

Djembe

Djembe

Djembe

Physical Education

Invasion Games

Gymnastics

Striking and Fielding – Cricket

Dance

Net and wall Games

Religious Education

Christianity

Music

Celebrations and Symbols Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Lent

Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education

Emotions – Behaviour and Goals

(Carnival of the animals)

Athletics

Judaism – Stories and Be- Islam – Belonging/ Journey of longing/ Journey of Life Life Celebrations Islam – Stories, death of the Prophet Environmental awareness – protection

Physical well-being Medicine and ‘drug’ awareness

The following pages are a summary of the programmes of study for the following subjects: English Maths Science History Geography Computing Music Art and Design PE (Physical Education) RE (Religious Education) Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) If you would like more information regarding the new National Curriculum then please visit the following website: Curriculumwww.gov.uk/government/collections/nationalcurriculum

English

The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:  read easily, fluently and with good understanding  develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information  acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language  appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage  write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences  use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas  are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

Maths The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils: 

become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.



reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language



can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and nonroutine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions

Science Pupils are taught to:  



develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

History Pupils are taught about: 

changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age



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 local history study

Geography Pupils are taught to: Locational knowledge 

Locational knowledge



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)

Place knowledge 

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

Human and physical geography describe and understand key aspects of: 

physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle



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

Geographical skills and fieldwork 

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



use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.

Computing Pupils are taught 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.

Music Pupils should be taught to sing and play musically with increasing confidence and control. They should develop an understanding of musical composition, organising and manipulating ideas within musical structures and reproducing sounds from aural memory.

Pupils should be taught 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 inter-related dimensions of music  listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory  use and understand staff and other musical notations  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 

Languages Pupils are taught to: 

listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding



explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words



engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help*



speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures



develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases*



present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences*



read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing



appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language



broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary



write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly



describe people, places, things and actions orally* and in writing



understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English.

Art and Design Pupils are taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.

Pupils are taught: 

to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas



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



about great artists, architects and designers in history.

Physical Education Pupils are 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.

Religious Education

Pupils are taught to: 

explore different beliefs and cultures through the Bolton agreed syllabus



respect others and their choices



explore beliefs and practices of different religions and share ideas and opinions from the children.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)

Core Theme 1. Health and wellbeing Pupils are taught: 

what is meant by a healthy lifestyle



how to maintain physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing



how to manage risks to physical and emotional health and wellbeing



ways of keeping physically and emotionally safe



about managing change, such as puberty, transition and loss



how to make informed choices about health and wellbeing and to recognise sources of help with this



how to respond in an emergency



to identify different influences on health and wellbeing

Core Theme 2: Relationships Pupils are taught: 

how to develop and maintain a variety of healthy relationships, within a range of social/cultural contexts



how to recognise and manage emotions within a range of relationships



how to recognise risky or negative relationships including all forms of bullying and abuse



how to respond to risky or negative relationships and ask for help



how to respect equality and diversity in relationships

Core Theme 3: Living in the wider world – Economic wellbeing and being a responsible citizen Pupils are taught: 

about respect for self and others and the importance of responsible behaviours and actions



about rights and responsibilities as members of families, other groups and ultimately as citizens



about different groups and communities



to respect equality and to be a productive member of a diverse community



about the importance of respecting and protecting the environment



about where money comes from, keeping it safe and the importance of managing it effectively



how money plays an important part in people’s lives



a basic understanding of enterprise.

Organisational Information Homework: This will be given out on Friday, to be returned on the following Thursday, when the homework will be stuck into our class books.

Spellings: A new Spelling Programme is to be introduced during the Autumn term, with daily spelling lessons in class. We will work on the new National Curriculum Year 3 / 4 Spelling List. Spellings will also form a part of our weekly homework tasks.

Reading: Reading Books for all readers are to be read and changed as often as possible.

They can be changed in the Pre-School time from 8:50am or at 11:20am. All books should be written down, by the child, on the day that it is taken out (in their Planner) and signed or initialled by the parent when they have read it, before the book can be changed. Children of a level 3C and above will be considered a ‘Free Reader’ but will be encouraged to find books at an appropriate level to ensure that they are reading for enjoyment. Their reading will be monitored through weekly Guided/ Reciprocal Reading sessions - All children will start the year choosing books from a structured reading scheme, at their current level. Their reading will be monitored through weekly Guided/ Reciprocal Reading and individual reading sessions.

PE: This will take place on Thursday afternoons. Children should have their P.E. kit in school at all times as further sessions may take place on other days in the school week, as the curriculum allows.

Class Assembly Date: 22nd April 2015