Spring-2-Year-4-Curriculum (ID 1144)

• English
  English

  This half term in English, children will immerse themselves in Shakespeare’s Hamlet as part of the Children’s Shakespeare Festival 2026. Through drama, storytelling and performance, they will explore the setting of Elsinore, the tensions within the royal family and the key themes of grief, loyalty, power and truth. Pupils will step into role to understand characters’ motivations, speak and perform Shakespeare’s language, and reflect on important moments in the narrative. Alongside this, they will complete a range of writing tasks, including diary entries, journal responses and newspaper-style reports linked to The Kronborg Chronicle, developing both creative and non-fiction writing skills within a rich literary context.

• Maths
  Maths

  This half term in Maths, children will continue to develop their understanding of fractions before moving on to decimals. They will learn to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator, including where answers are greater than one, and practise finding fractions of amounts using their knowledge of multiplication and division. Building on this, pupils will be introduced to decimals as another way of representing fractions, learning about the decimal point and the tenths and hundredths columns. They will count in tenths and hundredths, identify the value of digits in decimal numbers and divide numbers by 10 and 100, applying their understanding with increasing accuracy and confidence.

• Science
  Science

  In science, we will be learning to:

  • Understand that living things can be grouped in different ways, based on their features and characteristics.

  • Explore how scientists use simple classification keys (step-by-step questions) to sort, identify and name a variety of plants and animals in our local area and beyond.

  • Learn that environments can change over time, and begin to understand how these changes can sometimes create challenges or dangers for living things.

• Geography
  Geography

  This half term in Geography, Year 4 will learning all about the water cycle. In particular, they will be able to

  • understand why rivers are important and the role they play in the water cycle. They will learn what a drainage basin is and understand that it is the area of land where all surface water drains into a river, often ending at the river mouth.

    Children will be able to explain the different stages of the water cycle and will understand how human activity can impact the water cycle and the environment.

• Design and Technology
  Design and Technology

  This half term in Design and Technology, children will be working in Textiles with a focus on fastenings

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  . They will begin by exploring and evaluating different types of fastenings, identifying their features as well as their advantages and disadvantages. Using this knowledge, pupils will write their own design criteria and design a book sleeve that meets a clear purpose. They will create and test a paper template before carefully preparing fabric and assembling their final product using stitching techniques they are confident with. Throughout the unit, children will develop their understanding of fabric, templates and stitching, building practical skills alongside thoughtful design decisions.

• RE
  RE

  This half term in RE, children will explore the question: Why do Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’? Through studying key Bible passages from the events of Holy Week, pupils will deepen their understanding of the Christian concept of salvation and how it fits into the ‘big story’ of the Bible. They will revisit the main events of Palm Sunday, Jesus’ trial, crucifixion and resurrection, considering how people at the time may have felt and why these events are so significant for Christians. Children will examine religious artwork, reflect on emotions and beliefs, and discuss why Christians believe Jesus’ death and resurrection bring forgiveness and restore relationships with God. By the end of the unit, pupils will be able to explain why Good Friday is considered ‘good’ by Christians and make thoughtful links between the Easter story and how Christians worship and live today.

• Computing
  Computing

  In Year 4 Computing, children will be learning to:

  • Understand what animation is and where we see it used in everyday life.

  • Use Purple Mash to create their own simple animations.

  • Learn how to design characters and backgrounds for an animation.

  • Use tools such as frames, movement and timing to make pictures appear to move.

  • Develop their ability to plan, create and improve their own digital projects.

  • Begin to evaluate their animations and suggest ways to make them even better.

• Spanish
  Spanish

  This half term in Spanish, children will focus on food, opinions and shopping. They will learn how to express preferences, order food at a café or ice-cream shop, and take part in role-play activities, developing confidence in speaking while beginning to apply grammatical rules such as adjective agreement.

• PE
  PE

  This half term in PE, children are developing their basketball skills through active, game-based learning. They are learning to dribble with greater control while moving, use and receive a wider range of passes, and shoot from different angles using the correct technique. Alongside this, children are beginning to apply simple team roles in attack and defence, taking part in small-sided games and developing their understanding of the basic rules of the game..

• PSHE
  PSHE

  • This half term in PSHE, children will be learning about safety and the changing body. They will explore why age restrictions exist and how they help to keep people safe, particularly online, including understanding the risks of sharing information and how quickly things can spread. Children will also learn practical skills such as how to help someone having an asthma attack, alongside important discussions about privacy, secrets and surprises. Later in the unit, they will develop an age-appropriate understanding of growing up and puberty, recognising the physical changes that happen as children develop, and will learn about the risks of smoking and the benefits of being a non-smoker. Throughout the unit, lessons are taught sensitively, with a focus on knowledge, safety and respect.

• Music
  Music

  Throughout the spring term, children explore how composers use pitch, dynamics, tempo and texture to tell a story or create atmosphere. They learn about motifs, graphic scores and simple composition techniques, and perform songs and rhythms using voices and instruments. Listening activities focus on orchestral music and help children recognise different instruments and musical styles.