Year 4 at Heron Hill School
Back Row: Mrs Osborne, Mrs Wilson, Mrs Dodd-Hemingway.
Front Row: Miss Hildrew, Mrs Drayton, Mrs Lawson.
Welcome to Year 4 - we are passionate about creating a welcoming, safe and stimulating teaching environment
Year 4 Staff
Mrs Lawson (class teacher)
Miss Hildrew (class teacher)
Mrs Wilson (teaching assistant)
Mrs Drayton (teaching assistant)
Mrs Osborne (Planning, Preparation and Assessment - PPA)
Mrs Dodd-Hemingway (PPA)
Morning Routine
Please arrive in the playground 8.45 am at the earliest! Staff will appear and children need to line up in classes at the end of the playground. Parents, please stand back and allow children to be independent. Say goodbye and watch them line up from a distance. Please make sure that any payments (visits, donations etc) which you send in with your child or deposit in the secure box in the entrance hall, are in a labelled envelope.
At the End of the Day
Children will leave their classrooms, collect belongings and meet parents/carers on the yard. Please do not come into cloakrooms, they are already very congested. Please talk at home with your child about being tidy and hanging up coats on their peg.
Uniform
A full description of the school uniform is on the school website. Sweatshirts and cardigans, costing £9.00 each, are available to buy from the school office, as are bookbags, £4.50 and PE bags, £4.00.
PE Kits
All PE clothing and your child’s PE bag need to be labelled. Please remind children to look after their belongings. Full PE kits are required every Monday and Thursday and the children need to ensure they have them in school, every week. If your child does not have their PE kit with them, they will receive a reminder slip.
Pencil Cases
Please provide your child with a small pencil case containing a rubber, sharpener and coloured pencils. All of the children have been supplied with a pen, pencil, a ruler and highlighters to use in class, which stay in school. Do not provide felt tips or other highlighters.
Earrings
These should be removed for school in line with school and Cumbria County Council policy. Children who are unable to take earrings out will be unable to swim or take part in PE; please help us to avoid this situation occurring by remembering to remove earrings on the morning of PE days or send a box/container for children to put their earrings into.
Meeting with Staff
If you want to speak to a member of staff please use the main entrance, not the side entrances, as we need to know who is in the building in order to keep your child safe.
Lunch Boxes
These should be stacked on the shelf by the children as they arrive in the cloakroom. In warm weather, please place a cool pack in your child’s lunch box. Please ensure lunch boxes are labelled.
School Meals
Meals should be ordered on-line by 9.30 am on the day and can be booked up to 3 weeks in advance. Our school kitchen prepares the delicious hot meals on site, providing 3 meal choices each day, including a vegetarian option. Meals cost £2.50 per day. Please remember to cancel your child’s school meal by 9.30 am if they are unwell or you will be charged for the meal. Contact the school office if you have lost or forgotten your log-in details.
Morning Snack
Children in Year 4 do not get free fruit so your child may like a snack at break time. Please can you talk to your child about the importance of bringing in a healthy snack. This should be fresh fruit, vegetables or cheese. These should be taken into class at the beginning of the day so that children are not tempted to raid lunchboxes at break time.
Water
Please provide your child with a named water bottle every day. Research supports the need for water to refresh the brain. No juice please.
Milk
School milk is available on a daily basis at a cost of approximately 23p per day. If your child is not already registered in this scheme and would like to have milk please ask the office for further details.
Communication
Please let us know of any concerns or successes that happen by talking to a member of staff. Children are sometimes asked to relay messages and they do not always get them right. If you are unsure please ask.
Please inform the school, by telephone or e-mail before 9.30 am, if your child is unwell and will be absent. If you take your child out of school for medical or dental appointments, please provide evidence (show the office staff the text or letter), if available. Give at least 4 weeks’ notice, if possible, if you are taking your child out of school for a holiday; work will be provided for your child to complete during their absence.
Parent Consultation Evenings
To keep parents well informed of children’s progress, we will send home termly attainment and attitude to learning reports. These will be followed by parent consultation meetings to discuss the reports; the meetings will take place in November, February/March and July. If you have any concerns or issues about your child at any time, staff are always willing to meet with you. If this is not possible immediately, please telephone and make an appointment.
Reading
In school, your child will receive weekly reading comprehension sessions. They will also be given individual reading books to read independently and share with parents/carers. Whatever the ability of your child, shared reading continues to be an enjoyable activity, as does hearing a book read to them that is too difficult for them to read independently.
The expectation in Year 4 is that your child will read 5 times each week and complete a weekly reading challenge; please ensure that these activities are recorded in their home-school book; the children can do this themselves. We will be awarding house points for those who achieve this target. Since reading is such an important skill and we are all aware of the benefit of regular practice, the school has recently introduced a reading club on Tuesday lunchtimes when any child who has not achieved their reading target will have the opportunity to catch up.
We encourage the children to be independent in changing their books regularly; please help by reminding them to do so.
Spellings
Children will be given a set of spellings which they will be tested on each Monday, as well as learning the statutory spellings for the year.
300 High Frequency Words
I Mr Mrs I’ll I’m I’ve the and a to said in he of it was you they on she is for at his but that with all we can are up had my her what there out this have went be like some so not then were go little as no mum one them do me down dad big when it’s see very look don’t come will into back from him get just now came oh about got their people your put could house old too by day made time if help called here off asked saw make an water away good want over how did man going where would or took school think home who didn’t ran
know bear can’t again cat long things new after wanted eat our two has yes play take dog well find more round tree magic us other food fox way been stop must red door right sea these began boy never next first work lots need that’s baby fish gave mouse bed may still found live say soon night small car three head king town around every garden fast only many let’s much told another great why cried keep room last jumped because even am before gran clothes tell key fun place
mother sat boat window sleep feet queen each book its green let girl which inside run any under hat snow air trees bad tea top eyes fell friends box dark end than best better hot sun ever miss most cold park lived birds duck wish eggs once across looked narrator thought through morning different suddenly something everyone grandad animals laughed couldn’t there’s looking children shouted gone hard floppy
really please thing stopped horse rabbit white coming he’s liked giant looks use along plants dragon pulled we’re fly grow wind river like old wanted still sleep across
Mathletics
The school has subscribed to Mathletics for Years 4, 5 and 6. This is a fantastic resource and evidence demonstrates that regular use leads to significant improvements in children’s mental agility. All children have been given an individual login and password which is kept in their homework diaries. Mathletics is fun to use and very informative – topics covered within class are accessible on the site together with help and advice sections. We strongly recommend regular use at home. As the term progresses, focussed Mathletics homework activities will be set, usually each Friday. We will run Mathletics competitions during the year to encourage pupils to practise and develop their mental and arithmetic skills. Children who do not have access to a PC are welcome to attend the homework club on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday lunchtimes to complete Mathletics homework tasks.s.
Learn Its
‘Learn Its’ are addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts that children need to know by heart and be able to recall instantly. Your child should be able to tell you which ‘Learn Its’ they are working on so that you can support at home with these. They will be tested on Fridays with the outcome recorded in pupils’ home-school books. It is also useful if you note in the home-school book when your child practises their ‘Learn Its’ at home. Children will be given a new set each half term.
Home Learning
Swimming
Please provide a colourful towel. A full costume is required for girls and swimming trunks (not baggy shorts) for boys. Everything needs to be named. We will need helpers please, but remember, if helping, we like to give you a poolside group. Only parents with a DBS check and with class teachers’ support can go into changing rooms; this is to safeguard your child. (If helpers come regularly, we will pay for DBS checks.)
Independence
The children will be encouraged to take much more responsibility for organising themselves and looking after their belongings. We want them to take great pride in everything they do, showing resourcefulness and maturity in their conduct, approach to learning and ability to take responsibility.
The expectation at the start of Year 4 is that pupils will be accompanied to and from school by a responsible adult. Please inform us if your child is not going to be collected by their parent/the usual adult at any point. Also, please discuss with your child’s class teacher if you are considering allowing your child to begin to travel to and from school unaccompanied by an adult.
Mrs Lawson (class teacher)
Miss Hildrew (class teacher)
Mrs Wilson (teaching assistant)
Mrs Drayton (teaching assistant)
Mrs Osborne (Planning, Preparation and Assessment - PPA)
Mrs Dodd-Hemingway (PPA)
Morning Routine
Please arrive in the playground 8.45 am at the earliest! Staff will appear and children need to line up in classes at the end of the playground. Parents, please stand back and allow children to be independent. Say goodbye and watch them line up from a distance. Please make sure that any payments (visits, donations etc) which you send in with your child or deposit in the secure box in the entrance hall, are in a labelled envelope.
At the End of the Day
Children will leave their classrooms, collect belongings and meet parents/carers on the yard. Please do not come into cloakrooms, they are already very congested. Please talk at home with your child about being tidy and hanging up coats on their peg.
Uniform
A full description of the school uniform is on the school website. Sweatshirts and cardigans, costing £9.00 each, are available to buy from the school office, as are bookbags, £4.50 and PE bags, £4.00.
PE Kits
All PE clothing and your child’s PE bag need to be labelled. Please remind children to look after their belongings. Full PE kits are required every Monday and Thursday and the children need to ensure they have them in school, every week. If your child does not have their PE kit with them, they will receive a reminder slip.
Pencil Cases
Please provide your child with a small pencil case containing a rubber, sharpener and coloured pencils. All of the children have been supplied with a pen, pencil, a ruler and highlighters to use in class, which stay in school. Do not provide felt tips or other highlighters.
Earrings
These should be removed for school in line with school and Cumbria County Council policy. Children who are unable to take earrings out will be unable to swim or take part in PE; please help us to avoid this situation occurring by remembering to remove earrings on the morning of PE days or send a box/container for children to put their earrings into.
Meeting with Staff
If you want to speak to a member of staff please use the main entrance, not the side entrances, as we need to know who is in the building in order to keep your child safe.
Lunch Boxes
These should be stacked on the shelf by the children as they arrive in the cloakroom. In warm weather, please place a cool pack in your child’s lunch box. Please ensure lunch boxes are labelled.
School Meals
Meals should be ordered on-line by 9.30 am on the day and can be booked up to 3 weeks in advance. Our school kitchen prepares the delicious hot meals on site, providing 3 meal choices each day, including a vegetarian option. Meals cost £2.50 per day. Please remember to cancel your child’s school meal by 9.30 am if they are unwell or you will be charged for the meal. Contact the school office if you have lost or forgotten your log-in details.
Morning Snack
Children in Year 4 do not get free fruit so your child may like a snack at break time. Please can you talk to your child about the importance of bringing in a healthy snack. This should be fresh fruit, vegetables or cheese. These should be taken into class at the beginning of the day so that children are not tempted to raid lunchboxes at break time.
Water
Please provide your child with a named water bottle every day. Research supports the need for water to refresh the brain. No juice please.
Milk
School milk is available on a daily basis at a cost of approximately 23p per day. If your child is not already registered in this scheme and would like to have milk please ask the office for further details.
Communication
Please let us know of any concerns or successes that happen by talking to a member of staff. Children are sometimes asked to relay messages and they do not always get them right. If you are unsure please ask.
Please inform the school, by telephone or e-mail before 9.30 am, if your child is unwell and will be absent. If you take your child out of school for medical or dental appointments, please provide evidence (show the office staff the text or letter), if available. Give at least 4 weeks’ notice, if possible, if you are taking your child out of school for a holiday; work will be provided for your child to complete during their absence.
Parent Consultation Evenings
To keep parents well informed of children’s progress, we will send home termly attainment and attitude to learning reports. These will be followed by parent consultation meetings to discuss the reports; the meetings will take place in November, February/March and July. If you have any concerns or issues about your child at any time, staff are always willing to meet with you. If this is not possible immediately, please telephone and make an appointment.
Reading
In school, your child will receive weekly reading comprehension sessions. They will also be given individual reading books to read independently and share with parents/carers. Whatever the ability of your child, shared reading continues to be an enjoyable activity, as does hearing a book read to them that is too difficult for them to read independently.
The expectation in Year 4 is that your child will read 5 times each week and complete a weekly reading challenge; please ensure that these activities are recorded in their home-school book; the children can do this themselves. We will be awarding house points for those who achieve this target. Since reading is such an important skill and we are all aware of the benefit of regular practice, the school has recently introduced a reading club on Tuesday lunchtimes when any child who has not achieved their reading target will have the opportunity to catch up.
We encourage the children to be independent in changing their books regularly; please help by reminding them to do so.
Spellings
Children will be given a set of spellings which they will be tested on each Monday, as well as learning the statutory spellings for the year.
300 High Frequency Words
I Mr Mrs I’ll I’m I’ve the and a to said in he of it was you they on she is for at his but that with all we can are up had my her what there out this have went be like some so not then were go little as no mum one them do me down dad big when it’s see very look don’t come will into back from him get just now came oh about got their people your put could house old too by day made time if help called here off asked saw make an water away good want over how did man going where would or took school think home who didn’t ran
know bear can’t again cat long things new after wanted eat our two has yes play take dog well find more round tree magic us other food fox way been stop must red door right sea these began boy never next first work lots need that’s baby fish gave mouse bed may still found live say soon night small car three head king town around every garden fast only many let’s much told another great why cried keep room last jumped because even am before gran clothes tell key fun place
mother sat boat window sleep feet queen each book its green let girl which inside run any under hat snow air trees bad tea top eyes fell friends box dark end than best better hot sun ever miss most cold park lived birds duck wish eggs once across looked narrator thought through morning different suddenly something everyone grandad animals laughed couldn’t there’s looking children shouted gone hard floppy
really please thing stopped horse rabbit white coming he’s liked giant looks use along plants dragon pulled we’re fly grow wind river like old wanted still sleep across
Mathletics
The school has subscribed to Mathletics for Years 4, 5 and 6. This is a fantastic resource and evidence demonstrates that regular use leads to significant improvements in children’s mental agility. All children have been given an individual login and password which is kept in their homework diaries. Mathletics is fun to use and very informative – topics covered within class are accessible on the site together with help and advice sections. We strongly recommend regular use at home. As the term progresses, focussed Mathletics homework activities will be set, usually each Friday. We will run Mathletics competitions during the year to encourage pupils to practise and develop their mental and arithmetic skills. Children who do not have access to a PC are welcome to attend the homework club on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday lunchtimes to complete Mathletics homework tasks.s.
Learn Its
‘Learn Its’ are addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts that children need to know by heart and be able to recall instantly. Your child should be able to tell you which ‘Learn Its’ they are working on so that you can support at home with these. They will be tested on Fridays with the outcome recorded in pupils’ home-school books. It is also useful if you note in the home-school book when your child practises their ‘Learn Its’ at home. Children will be given a new set each half term.
Home Learning
- Every half term, we will be setting a creative topic project linked to our curriculum. Your child will be able to use any media, for example: poems, stories, illustrations, internet research, craft, collage, photographs, reports of visits etc. We will explain to the children how to approach this work creatively. We hope the children will feel able to make their own choices about what they want to do, however they will need support from you to complete their task.
- ‘Learn Its’ are addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts that children need to know by heart and be able to recall instantly. Your child should be able to tell you which Learn Its they are working on so that you can support at home with these.
- Weekly spellings will be put into home-school books for the children to practise.
Swimming
Please provide a colourful towel. A full costume is required for girls and swimming trunks (not baggy shorts) for boys. Everything needs to be named. We will need helpers please, but remember, if helping, we like to give you a poolside group. Only parents with a DBS check and with class teachers’ support can go into changing rooms; this is to safeguard your child. (If helpers come regularly, we will pay for DBS checks.)
Independence
The children will be encouraged to take much more responsibility for organising themselves and looking after their belongings. We want them to take great pride in everything they do, showing resourcefulness and maturity in their conduct, approach to learning and ability to take responsibility.
The expectation at the start of Year 4 is that pupils will be accompanied to and from school by a responsible adult. Please inform us if your child is not going to be collected by their parent/the usual adult at any point. Also, please discuss with your child’s class teacher if you are considering allowing your child to begin to travel to and from school unaccompanied by an adult.
