Staincliffe CE Junior School

Year 4

Year 3/4 Phase Leader - Mrs Hemingway (3HE)

Teachers - Mrs Ward (4W) & Miss Ritchie (4R)

Y3 & Y4 Teaching Assistants - 
Mrs Mayet, Mrs Hussain, Ms Khot, Miss Jubb, Mrs Akroyd, Mrs Zareef, Mrs Shaikh, Mrs Patel, Mrs Jasat 

Below is the AUTUMN TERM overview - this covers everything that your child will be working on throughout the autumn term in Year 4. 

For the full year overview of all subjects covered across this year group, please click on the Long Term Plan link below:

Year 4 Long Term Plan 2026-2027

PARENTS' OVERVIEW - AUTUMN TERM 2026/27 (downloadable doc)

AUTUMN TERM 2026

Maths

In Year 4, we follow a progressive approach ensuring the children get experience of mathematical concepts in blocks of a week or two weeks. They then revisit these concepts over the year to ensure they have mastered previous knowledge and understanding that has been taught.  We encourage the children to be independent learners in maths and they utilise their Maths Toolkit to support their learning when required.

During the Autumn term the children will learn about: Number, place value and rounding, Mental addition and subtraction & baseline assessments, Multiplication grid method, Division, Geometry: properties of shapes, Geometry coordinates, Measures, fractions, time, data handling, number and place value and rounding will all be covered.

Times Table Rock Stars

This year your child will take their multiplication check. This is a timed test similar to TT Rockstars so we highly encourage the children to practise their times tables and challenge themselves on TT Rockstars as often as possible. Your child will be given a username and password for access to the app called ‘Times Table Rock stars’ which can be accessed by any mobile device e.g. Phone, tablet and laptop. Through this app, the children have a great opportunity to learn their times tables in a fun interactive way.

Literacy

In Literacy, over the Autumn Term, Year 4 will be looking at a variety of fiction texts.

For the first few weeks the children will be looking at the Ice Palace by Robert Swindells. As part of the analysing of the text, the children will develop empathy with the characters, they will be writing a range of different pieces including: a letter, narrative and a character description. Later in the term we will be reading and completing work based on George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl – a popular children’s (and adults) author. I wonder what the children will decide to put in their medicines?

The focus will be on narrative writing using empathy and the children will be introduced to and encouraged to use subordinate clauses.

PE Physical Education

During autumn term, Year 4 children will be developing their personal and social skills in their PE lessons. Personal -the children will be developing balancing and coordination as part of their lessons. In the lessons there are choices to be made, easy, hard or harder – Which will your child choose? During autumn term 2, children will be encouraged to develop their social skills as part of their PE lessons. They will be developing seated balances in pairs and accuracy in jumping and landing. When demonstrating, the children will be asked to observe carefully the sequences shown and offer support in improving their techniques. This will require high level listening skills.

PE Days: Wednesdays

Children need to come to school in uniform and bring in their PE kits.

Science

Our first year 4 topic in science during the first half of the autumn term will be concerned with ‘Animals Including Humans’.

Our Science lessons will look at different parts of the human body, what impact food and drink can have on the body and animal food chains. We will then move on to looking at states of matter where children will compare and group materials together according to whether they are solids, liquids or gases. They will conduct experiments to observe how materials can change state when heated or cooled.

Music

Year 4 will be taking part in the School Nativity this year and their music lessons will focus on singing, listening, improvising and composing as well as playing musical percussion instruments linked to the Nativity songs. The unit will culminate in the performance of their songs to the whole school, parents and carers.

MFL Modern Foreign Language (French)

In French this half term the children will be learning the days of the week, dates and seasons through maths, songs, surveys and the research of French festivals finishing with a birthday celebration.

Computing

In the first term the children will be learning about unpacking hardware and software. This unit allows children to further their understanding of technology and computer systems in relation to their hardware and software. Children will understand the role of hardware, the role of software and how they interact together to complete tasks.

Animation - This unit introduces children to animation and the common techniques used by animators. Children will use traditional animation methods and compare these methods with using animation software (2Animate). Children will learn techniques, such as onion skinning, ending with the production of their own digital 2D animation.

Logo - This unit introduces children to Logo programming, focusing on developing their understanding of basic commands and programming concepts. Children will learn to create shapes and letters using instructions that contain advanced features such as procedures.

PSHE Personal Social Health Economic Education

In the Autumn Term 1 the children will be looking at ‘Being me in my world’.

In this Puzzle, children explore what it means to be part of a class team, reflecting on inclusion, friendship and how their actions affect others. They learn about roles in school and how to contribute to their community. Across the six Pieces, children explore rights, responsibilities and democracy, including how to share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas. They consider how rewards and consequences influence behaviour and practise empathy. By the end of the Puzzle, children understand how responsible choices and participation benefit their school community, with the Learning Charter as the shared outcome.

In the Autumn Term 2 the children will be looking at ‘Celebrating Difference’.

In this Puzzle, children explore how first impressions and appearance can influence assumptions, learning to accept others for who they are and question their own judgements. They develop a deeper understanding of bullying, including the roles of bystanders and witnesses, and practice how to seek help and solve problems safely. Protected characteristics are introduced including age, disability, race and sex. Across the six Pieces, children reflect on what makes them special and unique, learn to value physical differences, and practice kindness, respect and empathy. They explore how opinions can change when people get to know one another.

RE Religious Education

Over the Autumn term, in year 4, the children will be exploring the big question:

How do Jews use stories to remember God’s covenant?

This unit focuses on what it is like to be Jewish: exploring the covenant with God; exploring beliefs about God; about how ideas of God are expressed in stories, celebration, ritual and action; about Moses as a key leader in the Jewish tradition; about the Torah as sacred text; about the great festivals of Pesach, and the weekly celebration of Shabbat, illustrating how Jewish people try to live. This unit gives the children opportunities to explore how religious texts can be a source for learning and for beliefs.

We will also be preparing our year 4 Nativity to perform at the end of Autumn term.

Art and Design

During the autumn term the children will be looking at drawing: power prints. Using mechanical engravings as a starting point, pupils develop an awareness of proportion, composition and pattern in drawing and combine media for effect when developing a drawing into a print.

DT Design Technology

During the autumn term, the children will use a range of materials to make a book sleeve. They will look at different fastenings to ensure their design is secure and will practice running stich. They will use applique to design details to make sure the product is appealing to its target audience.

Geography

In this unit the children will be trying to answer our big question:

Why are rainforests important to us?

Throughout this unit children will describe tropical rainforests and why they are important. They will also begin to understand the threats to the Amazon.

History

Our History topic for the term is ‘How hard was it to invade and settle in Britain?’  Children will learn about Anglo Saxon invaders and settlers and the mystery of Sutton Hoo. They will discover why places are named like they are and look at what life was like in Anglo Saxon times including food, clothing and houses.

Spelling

We follow the spelling patterns from Spelling Shed.

The children can then use the website to practice their weekly spellings choosing the level of support they need. Each child in Year 4 has a copy of the spelling lists in their school book bag.

Children who are having phonics teaching will get spellings from their phonic phase.

We will also cover the spellings from the Statutory Year 3 / 4 list.

Homework

Every week on Friday (due in the following Tuesday) Year 4 children will be given a maths activity, either linked to their learning that week or revisiting a previously taught skill.

They will also be expected to:

• read their reading book and get their reading record signed x3 weekly
• Play on TT Rockstars and Spelling Shed games.
• Learn their times tables up to 12 x 12
• Learn their weekly spellings (each week has a different list focus that the children have been practising in school that week)

Each term Year 4 children will:

• be set their black book homework tasks. They need to be as creative as possible so it could include art work, writing, computer presentations, 3D models, posters etc. It is hoped an adult at home will work collaboratively with the child and help them with their learning and presentation. When this happens the work is often simply stunning!

Black book homework

This is your chance to show off what you can do now you are in Year 4!  Choose at least 3 activities from the list below to complete over the autumn term and during the half term holidays (due in on Monday 7^th December 2026)

You are going to share all your homework with your class mates and teacher. It could include art work, writing, computer presentations (printed out), 3D models, posters, photographs etc. You will have to explain to the class what you have done.

Homework for research to be completed in Black Books: