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Please note our last Open Day is Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 10.00am - Remember to book your space with the school office.

Learning in Diamond Class

Summer 1

Maths

At St Mary Cray Primary Academy we follow Maths Mastery. As part of this all aspects of maths will first be taught using concrete materials, then progressing onto pictorials and finally using abstract methods. This has been shown to be a fantastic method of building solid and secure mathematical understanding. Once this understanding is secure, children learn how to problem solve and reason.

In Summer 1 we will cover decimals in more depth than in Autumn 1. Pupils will move on from looking at place value in decimals and begin to add and subtract numbers involving decimals. Pupils will also be looking at problem solving and word problems around the themes of money and time. 

English

In English our chosen texts for this term are 'Oliver and the Sea-Wigs' and 'The Mousehole Cat'.

Children will be writing for a range purposes, including setting descriptions, a debate on plastic and a focus on persuasive writing. They will be taught to include a range of features, including;

  • Conjunctions
  • Prepositions
  • Writing in paragraphs
  • Expanded noun phrases
  • Fronted adverbials
  • Describe settings/character
  • Punctuating speech
  • Possessive apostrophes
  • Prefix/suffix
  • Self-editing work to make better vocabulary choices
  • Writing for different purposes
  • Varying sentence structures

The best way to support your child with their writing is to encourage them to read at home and to practise spelling the Year 4 Common Exception Words, along with their Clued up spelling sets.

Reading

In Year 4, reading is taught daily through during our guided reading session. The week begins with a whole class session diving into a specific text for the week. For the remainder of the session, groups of children work both with their teacher and independently to improve their vocabulary, inference and comprehension skills. Other children attend the Fresh Start literacy group to improve their confidence in literacy to apply to the classroom environment.

Each child is issued with a home reading journal and a Big Cat book, which should be read, signed off, and returned to school daily. Home reading is a hugely beneficial way of supporting your child's learning across the curriculum.

Science

Our topic is Animals including humans.  We will look at and discuss:

  • The digestion system, its parts and the digestion journey
  • Teeth and their functions
  • Food chains, producers and consumers

Geography

In Geography this term we will be studying Cities and Populations. We will be looking at:

  • How population changes
  • Urbanisation and immigration
  • Settlement locations and their organisation
  • How large cities change across the world

RE and PSHE

In RE, our topic is Buddhism. We will be covering:

  • What is the best way for a Buddhist to lead a good life?

  • Do religious people lead better lives?

  • Do all religious beliefs influence people to behave well towards other? 

In PSHE, we will be covering relationships. We will be having discussions around: 

  • Jealousy

  • Love and loss

  • Memories of loved ones

  • Getting on and falling out

  • Girlfriends and boyfriends

  • Showing appreciation to people and animals