Durham Cathedral Service for Years 4 and 5

As part of the 50th anniversary of the Christingle, children from Years 4 and 5 in our school have been invited to attend a special celebration service in Durham Cathedral on Wednesday 30th January 2019. There will be about 1,000 children from all over the North East attending the event. For more information click on the link.

Christingle letter Year 4 and Year 5 – Durham Cathedral

Times Table

As you may be aware, as part of the Year 4 Maths curriculum, all children in Year 4 are expected to know, by heart, all the Times Table facts up to 12×12.

From June 2020, all Year 4 children nationally will take part in an online Times Table Assessment.  In preparation for this, we are taking part in a pilot for this assessment and this will take place with our current Year 4 children in June 2019.  The test will be done online, in test conditions, with a 6-second gap to answer each question.  We do not know which questions will be asked, so children need to know all multiplication facts confidently.

In our maths lessons since September, we have been learning and practising all our times table facts from 1×1 up to 12×12.  To help with their learning in this specific area, there are a number of websites which you can help your child learn their times tables:

Times Tables (your child has already set up an account for this site where they get awards and certificates)

Top Marks

Maths Games

… and many others!   For additional online games and other sites, just Google Times Tables.

Spring 1

On Thursday 8th February, our Year 4 children led their first Eucharist Service at St. John’s C of E Church in Shildon.  They had previously taken part in four Eucharist preparation sessions led by Canon Revd. David Tomlinson.  The service focused on the importance of the Eucharist and how we are all part of God’s family.  We considered that ‘All of God is Everywhere’ like Abram and Sarai from the Old Testament, and reminded each other that God’s love is powerful enough to break every chain in our lives.

We all felt so special as we received Communion for the first time – a truly treasured time for us all to share with our class, school and church family.  A big well done to everyone involved!

Year 4 Amazing Aztec Homework

During the past four weeks, our Year 4 children have been doing their own learning about The Aztecs from South America. This has been linked to our class topic of Rainforests.  The children were given the independent homework task of writing, drawing or making something to do with the Aztec people.  As you can see, their efforts are fantastic. Well done to you all … and thanks to people at home for their help too!

Autumn Term 2017

Year 4 made a great start to their swimming lessons on Wednesday. Everyone tried their best and their attitude and behaviour was excellent. Well done!

End of School Year 4 Mini Book

In Year 4 we finished our year by writing our end of school Year book.  Here are some quotes Year 4 has written:

My proudest achievement …

“Of this year was getting my pen licence.”

“Being top of the class in reading.”

“Achieving 20/20 in my final Maths assessment.”

“Was getting my poem published in a book.”

“Was learning how to ride my bike with Marcus.”

“Is my improvement in my handwriting.”

“Was for my improvement in spelling.”

My best memory of Year 4 was …

“The Chocolate story in York.  We got to taste chocolate and we made our own lolly.”

“Staying in the Wheatlands Lodge in York.”

“Sports Week because I did so well in all the events.”

“When we did the flag challenge and I was the best.”

“When Lisa tortured Mr Dent with cotton wool.”

“When Elfus the Elf hid in the Christmas Cracker.”

“When I did a rap in a play.”

“”When I enjoyed learning facts about the Romans.”
“When Amber wrote about the traffic lights from York.”

“When I pull my football socks right up because I know Lisa hates it! Ha ha.”

“When Elfus put glitter on Mr Kay’s chair.”

I will miss from this year…

“The teachers … the Romans … Mr Kay because I like him – he’s a mindblowing teacher – you’re the best! … learning from the teachers … Mr Kay because he likes Star Wars … Mr Dent, Mr and Lisa because they are the best … being taught by Mr Kay because he is unique – the teachers bond together like a family … the teachers and Elfus the Elf – where is he now? … Lisa, Mr Dent and Mr because they are lovely teachers … Mr Kay, Lisa and Mr Dent – Mr Kay is the best teacher in the world! … Mrs Hughes, Lisa, Mr Kay and Dent – I will miss them so much … Mr Kay and Lisa – you’re the best! … awesome Science lessons … Mr Kay, Lisa, Mr Dent, Mrs Davey and Mrs Hughes because they’re the best … Mrs Davey because she has helped me with my handwriting … all the teachers because no-one can beat them! … we will miss all the teachers …

I have changed this year because …

“my attitude has improved.”

“I have improved in my Maths.”

“I have become a good learner.”

“I have got better in my Maths.”

“I have got better in my English.”

“I have got better in Art.”

“I have got better at computers.”

“I have met people I will never forget.  They sparked me up even more!”
“I now believe in myself that I can do things.”

“I have got better in my handwriting.”

“I have become smarter in SPaG especially.”

“I have improved my writing, reading and speaking.”

“I have become even more of a nerd!”

“I have become more confident.”

“I have changed my handwriting because now I join really neat.”

“I have improved my behaviour and attitude to learning.”

“Mr Kay is an excellent teacher.”

“I have improved my handwriting in a phenomenal way.”

“My handwriting has improved.”

Year 4 RE – The Christian Church

Our Year 4 RE topic for the Summer half term is the Christian Church.  We have been learning how church buildings do not make the Church, but each believing Christian is a part of Christ’s Body – the Church.  Over the past five weeks, we have been looking at how different Christians of many denominations practise their faith.  In Shildon we visited two contrasting church buildings – St. John’s C of E Church and Shildon Methodist Church.  We spoke to Revd. David Tomlinson from St. John’s and Revd. Andy Bryer from the Methodist Church.  Year 4 thought about and discussed the similarities and differences between the two buildings and we talked about how they worship.  Our children asked some very thought-provoking and challenging questions.

Year 3 & 4 Tennis Coaching by Gareth Hamblin (Schools Sports’ Partnership)

For the first half of summer term 2017, Year 3 and 4 have taken part in tennis coaching by Gareth Hamblin from the Schools’ Sports Partnership.  We have all developed our skills of catching, serving and returning the ball over a net.  In the coming weeks we are hoping to send a team of Year 3 and 4 children to the Tennis Festival.  Good luck to everyone who’s involved!

Adam Bushnell – Children’s Author

On Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th March, Year 4 was joined by the amazing children’s author Adam Bushnell.  After two inspirational writing sessions, the children produced a fantastic narrative piece of writing including: Spanish Conquistadors, rainforests and animal transmogrification (completely changing from one creature into another)!  Thank you Adam, we enjoyed our time with you so much!  Please come back and see us soon!

Year 4 First Eucharist Service

On Thursday 9th February, Year 4 led and took part in their first Eucharist Service at St. John’s Church at 1:30pm.  Every child took part in some way by reading, acting, singing and reading their own prayers.  The service was a very special reminder that we are all important and special to God and that He loves us with an everlasting love, too amazing to understand fully.  A big thank you to all parents, carers, friends and family who came to support us.

Year 4 Eucharist Preparation Sessions

During January and February, Year 4 was joined by Revd. David to prepare us for taking our first Eucharist in Church on Thursday 9th February.  We believe that taking Communion is an essential part of becoming a Christian – celebrating and remembering the sacrifice Jesus made for all mankind, and the love and forgiveness He shows to us on a daily basis.

Year 4 thought about how ‘all of God was everywhere’ and how God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to make a way to God the Father.  We are all part of the Body of Christ and we are all part of the worldwide Christian Church, worshipping in in our small town of Shildon.

Year 4 Family Cooking Sessions

In January, all our Year 4 children took part in Family Cooking Sessions taking place over 4 weeks.  Each child was joined by a parent or family member from home to help them prepare, cook or bake delicious healthy food.  Led by Sarah McAllister, a local nutritional educationalist, these sessions were enjoyed by all adults and children.  We all learnt so much, as well as being able to work together to achieve some lovely food.  Thank you to Sarah for helping us!

Year 4 & 6 Christmas Music Concert

As a special treat for our parents and relatives, Year 4 and 6 performed a Christmas Music concert on Thursday 15th December.  The audience was treated to fantastic recorder playing from Year 4 and high quality brass playing from our Year 6 children.  They also entertained by singing a variety of Christmas tunes allowing the audience to join in!