Welcome to Oak Class 

Welcome Back to the Autumn Term – Oak Class

We’re delighted to welcome everyone back for the second half of the autumn term, as we begin the exciting countdown to Christmas. The children have now fully settled into Oak Class and are demonstrating great enthusiasm and dedication in their learning.

It was wonderful to see so many of you at Parents’ Evening—thank you for taking the time to meet with us and celebrate your child’s progress.

This half term promises to be full of engaging and enriching experiences. We’ll be exploring a variety of exciting topics across the curriculum, and we look forward to sharing the children’s achievements with you as the term progresses.

English

Our focus will be on writing within the theme of Black History, inspired by the book The Place for Me – Stories About the Windrush Generation. Children will develop key grammar skills including the use of modal verbs, expanded noun phrases, and persuasive language. The unit will culminate in a recount and explanation piece.

Following this, we’ll explore poetry through A Tiger in the Zoo, where children will create their own poems about endangered mammals.

Maths

We’ll continue our work on Fractions before moving on to Multiplication and Division. Please note that fluency in times tables is essential for success in these units. By the end of Year 4, children should be confident with all times tables up to 12. If your child is finding this challenging, please encourage regular practice at home. I’m happy to suggest strategies or resources—just get in touch!

Science

Our topic is Light. We’ll investigate how shadows change, how our eyes allow us to see, and explore reflection, refraction, and the colours within white light through hands-on experiments.

Religious Education

We continue with our Lighting the Path curriculum, focusing on Prophecy and Promise. Children will learn about leaders in the Old Testament, including David the anointed king, and explore the significance of the Rosary as we prepare for Advent.

Computing

Children will learn how to create short videos, developing their ideas from concept to completion with guided, step-by-step support.

Design & Technology

We’ll be developing sewing skills to design and create a piece of festive wall art. Children will explore different stitches and how these can convey mood and tell a story.

Music

Our theme is Ancient Egypt, where children will learn about composition and notation, building confidence in performing to others.

Geography

We’ll study the impact of population on the environment, developing map reading and data analysis skills.

P.E.

This half term’s focus is Dance and Multi-Skills.
P.E. is on Thursdays.
As per Lancashire County Council guidelines, children should come to school in their normal uniform and change into their P.E. kit at school unless prior authorisation has been given by the Headteacher.

Homework

• Spellings: Sent home on Fridays and tested the following Friday.
• Multiplication Focus: A weekly times table will be set to support fluency.
• Reading: Children should read for at least 30 minutes per week using their school reading book. Reading records will be checked on Fridays. Please note any reading in the journal so children can be rewarded. Extra reading of their own choice is also encouraged and celebrated!

Personal Belongings

Please ensure all items are clearly labelled with your child’s full name. We are seeing an increasing number of unclaimed or mistakenly taken belongings—thank you for your help with this.

If you have any questions or need support, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email at parents@smrc.lancs.sch.uk or call the school office on 01254 812543.

Thank you once again for your continued support.

Warm regards,
     Mrs K Taylor and the Oak Class Teaching Team

• Miss Thornber – HLTA
• Mrs Hughes – HLTA
• Miss Halstead – Willow Class Teacher

'Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart'

Colossians 3:23-24