Year 4 Curriculum Summary for Parents Term 1 • 2026/27
This information represents a summary of plans for the term. Please understand that all plans are flexible; there is always the possibility that fewer (or more) topics will be covered than those stated.
Subject
Topics
English
In English, the children will be following a ‘Talk for Writing’ approach to literacy, with a focus on writing a descriptive narrative, a persuasive text and a diary entry. The children will learn the structure of these text types first, modeling their work on existing examples, before developing their own writing style. We will be studying the text, ‘Charlotte’s Web’, with a focus on character development and how an author portrays emotion in the text. Reading fluency will continue to be a key priority and we will be working on our understanding of the Year 4 spelling patterns.
Maths
In maths, the children will be developing their understanding of place value, looking at 4 digit numbers. They will be developing and consolidating their use of formal written methods for addition and subtraction problems, and improving their understanding of division. Multiplication fluency and times table recall will continue to be a key focus. We will also introduce the children to ‘area’ through counting squares.
Science
As scientists, the children will be looking at how scientific experiments are conducted, as we recap key terms, including ‘observation’ and ‘prediction’. We will also be helping the children shape their own scientific line of enquiry. The children will be consolidating their work from Year 3 before developing their knowledge of ‘Sound’. They will also be looking at the animal kingdom, including classification.
French
Me, My Family and My Free Time: Pupils will build on prior learning by revising how to introduce themselves, including their name, age and birthday, while consolidating numbers to 30 and extending their knowledge to 100. They will learn to talk about members of their immediate family using mon, ma and mes, and express opinions about leisure activities using simple phrases such as j’aime, je n’aime pas and j’adore. This unit will develop pupils’ confidence in talking about themselves, their families and their interests in French.
Kiswahili
This term children will learn to talk about holidays, organise events using the calendar, and tell the time in everyday situations. They will learn vocabulary related to holidays, including the people they travel with, destinations, modes of transport, and holiday activities. Learners will also develop an understanding of the calendar by using years, months, weeks, and days to discuss dates and events. In addition, they will practise telling and interpreting time, including hours, minutes past, quarter past, half past, minutes to, and quarter to, allowing them to communicate confidently about schedules, travel plans, and daily routines.
Spanish (SFC)
Around Town: Pupils will learn to identify and describe places and shops in town, talk about different means of transport, and develop vocabulary related to the environment and sustainable living.
Thematic
In Year 4, we will start with the theme, ’Stronger Together’, with a focus on physical structures and their development over time, as well as the importance of collaborating as a team. The children will then move onto looking at ‘Surviving the Storm’, as they look at the key question, ‘What can we learn from past experiences to help us adapt to an ever changing future?’
Computing
This term, Pupils will be introduced to Scratch, a beginner-friendly programming platform. They will learn how to design, create and debug simple games while developing their problem-solving, logical-thinking and creativity skills. Pupils will also build confidence in essential computer skills, including typing, word processing and using Microsoft Office applications. They will apply these skills across different subjects and create simple animations using Pivot.
Games
The children will be introduced to the core skills and develop their understanding of cricket, football and athletics. They will be able to develop their team play and communication in inter-school fixtures and festivals.
Music
The term begins with a skills assessment and literacy review to ensure that pupils can improvise and compose rhythms and melodies within specific guidelines and can follow a brief. We will also check that they are familiar with 5 line staff notation using a treble clef and time signature. We continue the term preparing for the Year 3 and Year 4 production, focusing on preparing student solos, 2 part singing, lyric memorisation, and accompanying actions. We end the term focusing on instruments of the orchestra and building up ensemble skills.
P.E.
Students will continue to develop greater awareness of their fitness and athletic technique, with an increased focus on improving personal bests and performing consistently across different events. They will develop their sprinting in 75m,100m, 200m, 800m, 1500m running, long jump, light turbo-javelin throwing and relay skills, while continuing to improve coordination, agility, strength and endurance.
Swimming
Children will continue to advance their stroke techniques in Freestyle and Backstroke while incorporating dives/backstroke starts, turns, and finishing skills. Being Me In My World – Pupils will begin by looking at team-work and be reminded to include others rather than excluding. They then move onto discussing their role withing the school community. Human Rights & Democracy are introduced, with pupils discussing their importance.
P.S.H.E.
Celebrating Difference – Pupils will discuss assumptions and influences that may affect our interpretation of an image / person / event. This leads into the topic of bullying – what it is and what to do if you see or experience it. The importance of reporting it is emphasised as well as the role of ‘upstanders’. The topic ends with pupils looking at their own unique traits and qualities.