Year 4 Class Blog: 

WC 2nd February 2026

Art – Exploring Edvard Munch

In preparation for our new art unit, we’ve been studying the work of Edvard Munch. The children looked closely at the lines, shapes and spaces in his famous painting The Scream. Everyone had a go at sketching the outline, and the first attempts have been impressive. The class showed real focus as they talked about the dramatic curves and swirling background that make the artwork so iconic.

History – Life in Roman Times

Our Roman topic has continued with a deep dive into entertainment in ancient Rome. The children have been learning about:

• The Forum and its importance as the centre of Roman public life
• Gladiatorial games and what happened inside the amphitheatre
• The excitement and danger of chariot racing
• The Roman baths and why they were such an important part of daily routine



They’ve been writing about these different aspects and are beginning to build a vivid picture of what life was like in Roman society.

WC 26th January 2026

Our Learning This Week:

Humanist Spiritual Beliefs

This week in Year 4 we have been learning all about Humanism and what Humanists believe. It has been really interesting to explore a worldview that is different from many religions but still has ideas about how to live a good and meaningful life.

What Humanists Believe

We found out that Humanists:

• Believe we only have one life, so we should make it the best it can be.
• Think we can be kind, fair, and good without needing a god or a holy book.
• Use science, reason, and evidence to understand the world.
• Believe that humans are responsible for caring for each other and the planet.

What Humanists Don’t Believe

We also learned that Humanists:

• Do not believe in gods or the supernatural.
• Don’t follow religious rules or sacred texts.
• Don’t believe in an afterlife.

How Humanists Show Their Beliefs

Humanists show their values by:

• Helping others and trying to make the world a better place.
• Celebrating important life events—like weddings or naming ceremonies—with Humanist celebrants instead of religious leaders.
• Making choices based on kindness, fairness, and what will help people live well.

How Many Humanists Are There?

We discovered that:

• There are millions of Humanists around the world.
• In the UK, many people share Humanist values even if they don’t call themselves Humanists.
• Humanism is growing as more people choose non‑religious ways of understanding life.

Our Art Learning:

Inspired by Henri Matisse

In art this week we have been exploring the work of Henri Matisse, a famous French artist. We discovered that when Matisse was younger, he painted in a realistic style, carefully showing what things looked like in real life. However, as he grew older, his style changed and he became well known for his colourful collages, which he called “cut‑outs.”

Learning From Matisse

We looked closely at Matisse’s artwork, especially his piece inspired by trapeze artists. We talked about:

• How he used bold shapes and bright colours
• How he created movement using simple cut‑out forms
• How different his collage style is from his early realistic paintings

Creating Our Own Collages

Using Matisse’s trapeze artists as our stimulus, we created our own collages. The children worked incredibly hard, experimenting with shape, colour, and composition. They showed great creativity and focus, and the results were stunning. Each piece of art was unique and full of energy—just like Matisse’s work.

WC 19th January 2026

📘 Year 4 Blog – Whole Class Reading & Writing

It’s been an exciting week in Year 4 as

we began exploring our new whole‑class reading text, Iliad and Odyssey by Gillian Cross. The children were

fascinated to learn that these famous stories were originally told thousands of

years ago by the ancient Greek poet Homer,

and that Gillian Cross has rewritten them in a way that modern readers can

enjoy and understand.

📚 Whole Class Reading

We have spent time discussing:

·      Who Homer was and why his stories are so important

·      How Gillian Cross has adapted the tales for today’s audience

·      The characters, settings, and themes we will encounter as we read further

✍️ Writing – Biography of Gillian Cross

In our writing lessons, we have been learning all about Gillian Cross herself. After researching her life and achievements, the children planned and wrote their own biographies.

Our writing process included:

·      Planning key facts and organising them into sections

·      Writing a first draft to get ideas down

·      Editing and improving in a second draft, focusing on the features of high‑quality writing

We have been working hard to include:

·      Compound sentences

·      Complex sentences

·      Fronted adverbials

·      And, of course, accurate factual information

The children have shown real effort and pride in their work, and their biographies look impressive.

WC 12th January

🎨 Year 4 Blog – Art and RE Highlights This Week

It’s been an inspiring week in Year 4 as we began a brand‑new project in art and continued our thoughtful discussions in religious education.

🖼️ Art – Exploring Design Through Matisse

We have started learning about design in art, focusing on the work of Henri Matisse. The children were fascinated to discover that Matisse began his career creating realistic paintings, but later in life developed a completely different style using bold collages, which he called cut‑outs.

This week, we explored:

• Matisse’s early realism
• How his style changed as he grew older
• His famous cut‑out piece “The Fall of Icarus”

Because we had already read the story of Icarus during whole‑class reading, the children were able to make strong connections between the myth and Matisse’s artistic choices. They discussed colour, shape, and emotion, and how design can help tell a story without using words.

🌿 Religious Education – Spirituality and Nature

In RE, we have continued thinking about spirituality and what it means to feel connected to something bigger than ourselves. This week’s focus was on how spending time in the natural world can support both our mental and physical health.

The children shared thoughtful ideas about:

• How nature helps us feel calm and grounded
• Why fresh air, green spaces, and quiet moments are important
• Ways we can look after our wellbeing by connecting with the world around us

Their reflections showed real maturity and awareness of how to care for themselves and others.

WC 6th January 2026

🌟 Year 4 Blog – First Week Back!

It’s been a brilliant first week back in Year 4. The children have settled in quickly and jumped straight into our new learning with enthusiasm.

🏺 History – The Romans

We’ve begun our brand‑new history project for the term: The Romans. It’s clear that the children have remembered a great deal from previous years, and they were eager to share what they already knew.

This week, we explored:

• Where Rome is located and why its position was so important
• The myth of Rome’s founding, including the story of Romulus and Remus
• Early ideas about how Rome grew from a small settlement into a powerful civilisation

The class asked thoughtful questions and showed real curiosity about how the Romans lived, ruled, and influenced the world.

WC 15th December 2025

Here is the finished art work we began four weeks ago. Some have been taken home already, so you will see in reality they are 3-D images. I think you can see quite clearly the different personalities of the children.

We have also had a great deal of fun this week, with making cards, carol services, nativity plays and watching Oliver the Musical.

Merry Christmas!

WC 24th November 2025

We had fun this week doing our design and technology project. I am sure the children have told you all about it.

I was so impressed by their patience and determination to succeed. This was quite difficult, but everyone gave it their best shot - even when I unpicked their work because they had made mistakes. It did take us longer than all the other classes, but I think you will agree - it was worth it. They have produced some excellent Christmas Tree Decorations and have learned some new skills.



WC 17th November 2025

In Art, we have started a big project. Step one is to do an outline drawing of a photograph that shows a foreground, a middle ground and a background. This will then be cut into the three sections, painted and reconstructed as a three dimensional picture. Keep watching this space to see it develop.



WC 10th November 2025

In history, we have been learning about the great Greek Philosophers, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. We gathered information about them and took notes to be able to complete the task. We then used our notes to sort information about the philosophers. We have been thinking about how the philosophers thought in other lessons, using the Socratic method to ask lots of why questions to help us to think deeper.

WC 20th October 2025

In history, we have been learning about the Persia Wars, where the Greeks fought against the Persians. Alexander the Great was a Macedonian who wanted to unite the Greek city-states and defeat the Persians. We learned about how when some Greeks refused to join him, he burned down their city and sold them to slavery. We also learned about the myth of the Gordian Knot, which foretold of great power being bestowed onto the person who could untangle it. Alexander the Great simply drew his sword and sliced it in half, showing his intelligence and ruthlessness.

In English, we have finished the first part of our narrative writing. The children have reproduced their own version of the famous scene from Oliver Twist where he asks for more. They have shown excellent examples of how they can use speech, expanded noun phrases for a deeper level of description and a variety of sentence structures to make their writing more varied.

WC 13th October 2025

In science, Year 4 have been learning about vitamins and why they are necessary for a healthy body. They have thought about what foods will provide the vitamins and minerals that their body will need, and they have started to understand why their bodies need a balance diet.

In art, we have been exploring colour. We understand from previous learning that red, yellow and blue are primary colours. We could all remember that the secondary colours are made by mixing the primary colours, for example, we mix yellow and blue to make green. We also thought about how we could achieve tonal changes by building up layers of colour.

WC 6th October 2025

In geography, the children have been learning about their local area. They have recognised key features in and around Wisbech. They have looked at maps in previous weeks and have applied what they know to the local area.

WC 29th September 2025

The unit title for our religious education this term is - what is religion? Up to now we have considered what it is that makes a religion and if spirituality is a type of religion. We have thought about our own worldviews and if everyone's worldviews are the same. We have found out that they are not, and that this is OK.

This week we have specifically thought about Celtic Christianity. This religion has combined Christian beliefs with influences of spirituality from the natural world. The art work from our lesson shows the combination of the Celtic Cross with images of animals and plants, fusing these two belief systems.

In art, we used paint to explore mid-tones. We used a cheese puff crisp as our subject, so that we mixed our paint only from a limited palette.

WC 22nd September 2025

In history, we have been learning about the Spartans as part of our unit on Ancient Greeks. We have learned how they began their training at 7 years old. They were treated quite cruelly in order to toughen them up. They were taught how to fight, and steal, and survive in terrible conditions. They were the greatest warriors of the Greek world because of their brutal training.

WC 15th September 2025

In art, we are going to be thinking about light and shadow, the effectiveness of chiaroscuro and tonal changes in our work. We began by thinking about the form of the object which we were drawing, without any shading. We reproduced the form for a second time, but then we added shading with charcoal and highlighting with chalk. We considered the direction of the light source and how this would create a shadow.

In English, we have started to write a biography  of Charles Dickens. This will help us to understand the themes in the novel Oliver Twist.

WC 8th September 2025

In science, Year 4 started the term by recapping their knowledge of teeth which they had learned in Year 3. They then extended their knowledge by looking at the structure of a tooth.

In English, we started reading and learning about Charles Dickens, who is the author that we will be studying this term through his novel Oliver Twist.

Our whole class reading is also connected to this, as we learn about the Victorian era, the workhouse, what Victorian schools were like and Queen Victoria.

Curriculum visits and enrichment activities: