Year 4 is an exciting and important year filled with challenge, discovery and new opportunities. Children continue to develop their independence and resilience while deepening their knowledge and understanding across the curriculum.
Throughout the year, pupils are encouraged to take greater responsibility for their learning, think critically, ask thoughtful questions and engage confidently with new and increasingly complex ideas both inside and outside the classroom.
Year 4 is an exciting and important year filled with challenge, discovery and new opportunities. Children continue to develop their independence and resilience while deepening their knowledge and understanding across the curriculum.
Meet the team
- Class teacher: Miss Cotton
- Class teacher: Miss Mohammad
Our team works closely with families to ensure every child feels supported, valued and successful throughout the year.
What we learn
Year 4 builds on the foundations of Lower Key Stage 2, with a strong focus on increasing fluency, depth of understanding and independence across all areas of learning.
Throughout the year, children develop:
- Greater fluency and comprehension in reading
- Confidence and accuracy in writing for a range of purposes
- Secure mathematical fluency and reasoning skills
- Scientific enquiry and investigative thinking
- Deeper historical and geographical understanding
- Increasingly sophisticated use of subject-specific vocabulary
- Independence, resilience and confidence as learners
Learning in each subject is carefully sequenced and often structured around enquiry questions that encourage pupils to think critically, make connections and explain their reasoning with increasing precision.
Children’s learning is enriched through high-quality texts, practical experiences and carefully planned visits that bring the curriculum to life.
Reading
Reading continues to play a central role in Year 4 and underpins success across the wider curriculum.
Children read increasingly challenging texts and develop their ability to retrieve information, infer meaning, explore vocabulary and explain their thinking using evidence from the text. Vocabulary development is a key focus, supporting pupils to become confident, articulate and reflective readers.
Children are encouraged to take part in our reading challenge, where regular reading is celebrated and achievements are recognised throughout the year.
Home learning
Children are supported to develop strong independent learning habits and take increasing responsibility for their own progress.
Year 4 pupils have access to:
- Oxford Owl
- Mathletics
- EdShed
- Times Tables Rock Stars
- Code.org
Login details can be found in reading records.
Multiplication tables check
During Year 4, children complete the national Multiplication Tables Check (MTC).
This statutory assessment measures fluency in recalling multiplication facts up to 12 × 12 and supports preparation for future mathematical learning.
Throughout the year, pupils build fluency through daily practice, games, structured teaching and home learning activities. Our aim is for every child to develop confidence, accuracy and rapid recall in a positive and supportive environment.
Sailing
A distinctive feature of Year 4 is weekly sailing sessions at our local sailing centre.
Set within our unique location on the Isle of Dogs, these sessions provide pupils with the opportunity to develop practical sailing skills while building teamwork, communication and problem-solving abilities.
For many children, sailing is a new and challenging experience that helps them develop resilience, independence and self-belief in a real-world context beyond the classroom.
Residential experience – Peak District
A key highlight of Year 4 is the residential visit to the Peak District.
This extended residential experience provides pupils with the opportunity to take part in a wide range of outdoor and adventurous activities designed to develop confidence, independence, resilience and teamwork.
Building on earlier residential experiences, children are encouraged to challenge themselves in new environments, work collaboratively with others and develop a strong sense of achievement and self-belief.
The residential plays an important role in pupils’ personal development and is often remembered as a defining experience of their primary school journey.
Trips, visits and enrichment
Learning is enriched through a carefully planned range of visits, visitors and real-world experiences that deepen understanding and broaden horizons.
Year 4 experiences may include:
- Sailing sessions
- Peak District residential
- Curriculum-linked science, history and geography visits
- Cultural experiences across London
- Workshops and visitors that enhance classroom learning
These opportunities are carefully selected to strengthen curriculum learning while building cultural capital and curiosity about the wider world.
A typical week
Children experience a broad and balanced curriculum each week, including:
- English
- Mathematics
- Reading
- Science
- History and Geography
- Art and Design Technology
- Computing
- Religious Education
- Music
- Physical Education
- Spanish
- Personal Development (PSHE)
Alongside classroom learning, pupils benefit from assemblies, enrichment opportunities, visits and whole-school experiences throughout the year.
Supporting learning at home
Families are encouraged to:
- Read regularly with their child
- Practise multiplication facts frequently
- Use Times Tables Rock Stars regularly
- Engage with online learning platforms
- Support independence and responsibility
- Maintain good attendance and punctuality
Together, we help children develop confidence, resilience and a positive attitude towards learning as they move further through Key Stage 2.
