As your child progresses through Year 4, it’s important to understand the key learning expectations across different subjects. Below is a guide to the skills and knowledge your child is expected to develop in reading, writing, maths, and science by the end of Year 4.

1. Reading

In Year 4, children are expected to:

• Read fluently and with understanding: Children should be able to read a wide range of texts with fluency, including both fiction and non-fiction, and show understanding of what they have read.

• Make inferences: They should be able to make inferences about characters’ feelings, thoughts, and motivations based on the text, and provide evidence to support their ideas.

• Summarize content: Children should be able to summarize the main points of a text, identifying key ideas and explaining their significance.

• Understand and explain vocabulary: They should be able to understand new vocabulary in context, and explain the meanings of words and phrases used in different texts.

Key Skills in Reading:

• Reading fluently and understanding the text.

• Making inferences and drawing conclusions.

• Summarizing the content of texts.

• Understanding and explaining vocabulary.

2. Writing

In Year 4, children are expected to:

• Write clear and structured sentences: Children should write in complete sentences using correct punctuation (capital letters, full stops, commas, question marks, and exclamation marks).

• Use a variety of sentence types: They should be able to use a range of sentence structures, including compound and complex sentences, to make their writing more interesting and varied.

• Spell words accurately: They should be able to spell common words correctly and apply their knowledge of spelling rules to unfamiliar words.

• Use paragraphs to structure writing: Children should be able to organize their writing into paragraphs, with each paragraph focusing on a clear idea or point.

• Write for different purposes: They should write for a range of purposes, such as stories, letters, reports, and instructions, adapting their style and tone for different audiences.

Key Skills in Writing:

• Writing in complete, grammatically correct sentences with appropriate punctuation.

• Using a range of sentence structures.

• Spelling words accurately and applying spelling rules.

• Structuring writing into paragraphs.

• Writing for different purposes (e.g., stories, instructions, reports).

3. Mathematics

In Year 4, children are expected to:

• Number and place value: Children should be able to read, write, and compare numbers up to 10,000, and understand the place value of each digit in a 4-digit number.

• Addition and subtraction: They should be able to add and subtract numbers up to 4 digits using formal column methods and mental strategies.

• Multiplication and division: Children should know their multiplication tables up to 12x12 and use this knowledge to multiply and divide numbers, including solving word problems.

• Fractions: They should be able to recognize and compare fractions, including fractions with different denominators (e.g., 3/4 and 2/3), and convert between improper fractions and mixed numbers.

• Measurement: Children should be able to convert between different units of measurement (e.g., from millilitres to litres, or from grams to kilograms) and solve problems involving length, weight, capacity, and time.

• Geometry: They should be able to classify 2D shapes by their properties (e.g., angles, sides) and identify 3D shapes (e.g., cubes, spheres). They should also understand the concept of symmetry.

• Statistics: Children should be able to interpret and present data in bar charts, line graphs, and tables, and answer questions based on the data.

Key Skills in Mathematics:

• Reading and comparing numbers up to 10,000.

• Adding and subtracting 4-digit numbers.

• Knowing and applying multiplication and division facts up to 12x12.

• Working with fractions, including comparing and simplifying them.

• Converting units of measurement and solving problems.

• Identifying and classifying shapes and understanding symmetry.

• Interpreting and presenting data in graphs and tables.

4. Science

In Year 4, children are expected to:

• Living things and their habitats: Children should understand how living things are classified into broad groups (e.g., animals, plants, fungi) and know how to describe the differences between them. They should also learn about food chains and how energy flows through them.

• States of matter: Children should learn about the three states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and understand how matter can change state when heated or cooled.

• Sound: They should understand how sound is produced by vibrating objects and how sound travels through different materials. Children should also learn about pitch and volume.

• Electricity: Children should learn how electricity works, including understanding circuits and the components of a simple circuit (e.g., bulbs, wires, and switches). They should also know about conductors and insulators.

• Forces and magnets: Children should understand how forces work, including gravity and friction, and how magnets can attract or repel certain materials. They should learn how to identify materials that are attracted to magnets.

Key Skills in Science:

• Classifying living things and understanding their habitats.

• Understanding the states of matter and how they change.

• Investigating sound, including its properties.

• Understanding electricity and how simple circuits work.

• Exploring forces and magnets.

How Parents Can Support Learning

Here are some ways you can help support your child’s learning at home:

• Reading: Encourage your child to read regularly. Discuss the content with them, ask them questions about the story, and help them to understand new vocabulary.

• Writing: Encourage your child to write for different purposes, such as stories, letters, or instructions. Help them to use paragraphs, check spelling, and use punctuation correctly.

• Maths: Practice multiplication and division facts together. Use everyday activities (e.g., cooking, shopping) to help them understand measurement and fractions.

• Science: Explore the world around you with your child. Discuss different habitats, observe changes in states of matter (e.g., ice melting), and experiment with simple circuits and magnets.

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help and support both you and your child throughout this year!