Year 4 had a fantastic trip to see the Andy Warhol exhibition at Lakeside. The visit began with the children looking at a series of portraits taken by a local artist. They noticed similarities between the photographs and enjoyed discussing what they liked about each piece of artwork.
In the exhibition, the children were fortunate to see some of Andy Warhol’s earliest work and learned how his style developed over time. They were particularly excited to see the famous pop art portrait of Marilyn Monroe, which helped them understand Warhol’s bold use of colour and repetition. The children then took part in an activity where they searched for artworks that matched key words such as neon or make-up. After finding a piece that fit their word, they sketched their chosen artwork, carefully observing the shapes and colours.
To finish the gallery tour, the children created their own pop art pictures inspired by Warhol’s style, using bright colours and repeated patterns 🎨.
In the second part of the day, Year 4 went on a nature walk around the grounds. They completed a series of creative challenges, including sketching wildlife and drawing different textures they could see around them 🌿✏️.
Overall, it was a lovely day and the children thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to sketch in real time, explore new artwork, and take part in creative activities together 😊.
British Science Week 2026 was launched by our Science Ambassadors this week. We were reminded of our subject saint, St Albert the Great and how he a great role model for all our young scientists. He was very curious about the world, and even predicted Polar Bears before they were actually discovered!
This year’s theme is Curiosity! What questions do you ask everyday about the world around you?
British Science Week Poster Competition
The UK government are thinking about how to build a positive future for children. They are keen to understand children and young people’s own ideas on this, so they are asking: What are children and young people’s visions for a good/positive childhood? For more details see the website www.britishscienceweek.org/plan-your-activities/poster-competition
If you enter, there are some science prizes to be won in school, as well as the opportunity to have your poster published in a government report and win an online prize!
Science Gadget Shop
A big thank-you to the science ambassadors who have been fantastic in helping to run the Gadget shop during their lunch time. It has been extremely busy, and we quickly sold out of some items! It will continue to run next week up until Thursday!
We had a fantastic time celebrating World Book Day at school, with a day full of books, imagination, and lots of happy readers!
Our celebrations began in the morning with the BRW Reading Café. Parents and carers joined us in school to share stories and enjoy reading together with their children. It was wonderful to see everyone relaxing with a good book, chatting about their favourite characters, and starting the day with a love of reading.
The school was bursting with creativity as pupils came dressed as their favourite book characters, walking words, or in cosy pyjamas ready for a day of reading. From magical wizards and adventurous explorers to some very imaginative word costumes, it was fantastic to see so many brilliant ideas brought to life.
We also enjoyed a special Librarian’s Saint Assembly, where the children learned about St Jerome, the patron saint of librarians and translators. The assembly helped us understand his important work translating the Bible and why he is remembered as someone who dedicated his life to books, learning and sharing knowledge with others.
During the day, children also took part in an exciting World Book Day scavenger hunt, searching for clues and book-themed surprises around the school. A big congratulations goes to Year 6, who were crowned the winners and earned the BRW Big Booky Breakfast prize!
Most importantly, the whole school spent time doing what World Book Day is all about — enjoying books and sharing the joy of reading. Classrooms were filled with stories, laughter, and discussions about favourite books.
A huge thank you to all the parents and carers who joined us for the Reading Café and helped make the morning so special. It was a wonderful celebration of reading and a reminder of how powerful and enjoyable books can be.
Happy World Book Day! 📖
Celebrating Safer Internet Day – Tuesday 10th February
On Tuesday 10th February, our school came together to celebrate Safer Internet Day. It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to learn more about how we can use the internet safely, responsibly, and positively.
Our Digital Leaders led a special assembly all about Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). They confidently explained what A.I. is and how it is becoming a bigger part of our everyday lives. We learned about the many positive ways A.I. can be used, such as helping doctors, supporting learning, creating new technology, and solving real-world problems.
However, the Digital Leaders also reminded us that A.I., like all technology, can sometimes be used in not-so-good ways. They spoke about the importance of thinking carefully about what we see online, checking information, protecting personal details, and always telling a trusted adult if something doesn’t feel right.
During the assembly, we were also introduced to Carlo Acutis, the Patron Saint of Computing. Carlo used his computing skills to spread positivity and share his faith with people around the world. His story reminded us that technology can be a powerful tool for good when it is used responsibly and kindly.
Throughout the day, children in both KS1 and KS2 took part in activities focused on A.I. and online safety. Pupils discussed how A.I. works, explored how to spot reliable information, and thought carefully about how to stay safe online. They learned practical ways to protect themselves, including keeping personal information private, using strong passwords, and being respectful in their online interactions.
Safer Internet Day was a valuable reminder that while technology offers amazing opportunities, we all have a responsibility to use it wisely. A big well done to our Digital Leaders for delivering such an informative and engaging assembly!
Let’s continue to work together to make the internet a safer place for everyone.
A very happy New Year to everyone! This Spring Term in Year 4, the children will continue to enjoy a wide range of learning opportunities both in the classroom and beyond as we move towards Easter. They have settled back into school life wonderfully after Christmas and it has been a real joy to welcome them back. I am confident that the Spring Term will provide many opportunities for the children to practise and develop the skills and knowledge that will help them flourish both as learners and as individuals.
This term, we continue to explore our whole-school theme, ‘The Treasure Within’. The children have been sharing the treasures in their own lives through the Treasure Trove Backpack activity, which every child will have the opportunity to complete during the year.
In Religious Education, our next topic is ‘Galilee to Jerusalem’. This unit helps the children to understand why Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah and how his words and actions showed God’s love for everyone, particularly those who were excluded by society. The children will explore key Christian beliefs, prayers and sacraments and reflect on how Jesus continues to inspire people today to live with faith, hope and love.
In English, our first focus text is ‘The Iron Man’ by Ted Hughes. The children will be writing their own descriptive pieces inspired by this powerful story. We will continue to expand vocabulary through spelling work and whole-class reading, discovering new words in texts and exploring exciting “super synonyms”. After half term, our next class text will be ‘Varjak Paw’ by SF Said.
In Maths, learning will focus on Multiplication and Division, followed by Length and Perimeter, Fractions and Decimals. With the Multiplication Tables Check taking place in June, we will place extra emphasis on times tables practice in school, including during Computing lessons and additional lunchtime clubs. Support at home through online resources such as Times Tables Rock Stars will be extremely beneficial, thank you in advance for supporting your child in this way.
Our topic title this term is ‘Roman Britain: Inventers and Innovators’. In Geography, we will investigate Italy and will compare the North and South based on the physical and human features. In History, we will be learning about the Romans expanding on the children’s previous knowledge from Year 3.
In Science, we will be learning all about states of matter, the particle arrangements and how everything on earth is classified into solids, liquids or gases. In DT, we will be exploring textiles skills linking our creations to our Geography topic. In Art, we will be developing our drawing techniques and will be using them to create our own ‘power prints’.
In PE, the children have brilliant opportunities this term for varied and beneficial learning. Year 4 will have lessons in ball skills, athletics, football and gymnastics.
In French lessons, children will be exploring the units ‘Going Shopping’ and ‘Where in the World?’.
Music will focus on film music and country music! Choral music singing is continuing and hymn practices shall continue ahead of whole school Masses.
Correct PE kits should be in school every day. This includes black shorts, a white t-shirt and black trainers or plimsolls for indoor PE and joggers, a jumper and trainers for outdoor PE while the weather remains chilly. Children may take their kits home at the weekend for washing but should return them to school on Mondays.
To stay up to date with school news, please follow us on Twitter at @BRWSchool. We also have a Facebook page for updates and information.
Our Carols Around the Tree service was a joyful and memorable celebration, blending traditional favourites with modern songs that filled the school with festive cheer. The children performed with such confidence and joy. A real highlight was Year 6’s wonderful performance of The Twelve Days of Christmas, complete with energetic actions that delighted everyone watching. We were also treated to Mr Wheat’s superb piano playing, which added a special touch to the singing and atmosphere. Laughter and smiles spread through the audience during the much-loved staff video, whose humour brought great joy to families and children alike. It was a heart-warming event that truly captured the spirit of togetherness and celebration at this special time of year.
Our KS2 Advent Celebration was a wonderful way to begin the season of Advent, and the children should be incredibly proud of their performance. They spoke and sang with great confidence and enthusiasm, clearly demonstrating how much effort they had put into their preparation. Through readings, prayers and songs, the children helped us to understand the true meaning of Advent, reminding us of the importance of waiting patiently, holding on to hope, and living with joyful expectation. Their thoughtful delivery and positive attitude created a warm and reflective atmosphere, making the celebration a meaningful and memorable start to this special season.
Year 4 had a great time visiting the playhouse. We learnt about performing and discovered how we can communicate with our bodies as well as our voices. We also practised engaging an audience, inspired by the witches in the play. One of our favourite activities was working on the transitions from being a witch to turning into a mouse after the delayed-action mouse maker.
We were lucky enough to have a backstage tour, where we got to see costumes for the upcoming pantomime and sets being built. It was really interesting to learn about all the different jobs in the theatre, and we left feeling inspired by everything we had seen.
Love Shone Down
The King, The Light, The Wonder
Spirit of Peace/Faith/Hope/Joy/Love
We Have Seen the Light
Come to Us, Jesus
Magnificat
Prince of Peace
What a Beautiful Name
This Promise is for You
With One Voice the Angels Sing
Go Tell It (Gloria)
A warm welcome to both Year 4 and parents alike! I am very much looking forward to a term full of joyful learning. The children will have many opportunities for learning in the classroom and beyond in the next few months running up to Christmas. So far the children have been a joy to work with and I have every confidence the Autumn term will be a chance to create memories and learn skills that will stay with them as they move through school. This year’s annual theme at BRW is ‘The Treasure Within’ (Matthew 6:21). The children are encouraged to think about what they value most as this is what our hearts are drawn to and what we treasure will become our life’s focus. This year and beyond, we will focus on our spiritual treasure within: our own qualities and the qualities of others.
In RE, the children’s first topic will be ‘Creation and Covenant’, with a focus on our big question ‘Why is Abraham seen as a model of prayer?’. This will encourage us to explore the historical context of Abraham and the cultural and religious context out of which he was called. By the end of the topic the children will be reflecting on the challenges and blessings Abraham experienced and how their faith played a part in how they reacted as well as reflecting on how faith and love can help them to be a good neighbour. After this we will be looking at our second topic ‘Prophecy and Promise’.
In English we will be delving into Roald Dahl’s ‘The Witches’, with opportunities for exploring techniques for describing villains in stories and writing in the style of the author. We will continue to expand our vocabulary and navigate language through spellings and learning new words regularly. The children will also be writing descriptive poetry about the witches from the book! We will also be exploring ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’ later in the term.
Mathematics will see us focused this term on Place Value, Addition, Subtraction and fluency with numbers. In the lead up to Christmas, we will move on to Multiplication and Division. All units will provide problem solving opportunities and encourage children to use mathematical language to explain their answers both verbally and through their written work.
Our first History topic will focus on the Indus Valley. We will be looking at who the Indus Valley Civilisation were, who discovered it and finishing off the unit with understanding how it impacted the world we know today.
In Geography, we will be looking at mountains both in the UK and across the world. We will be learning about how they’re formed, how they can affect the weather. The topic will be finished by directly comparing the mountains in the UK with the Himalayas and the impact they have on the economy.
In Science, we will be learning all about Electricity. We will be working scientifically to understand how we get our electricity. We will be using our knowledge of electricity, circuits and DT skills to make some creative torches.
In PE, the children have brilliant opportunities this term for varied and beneficial learning. Year 4 will have Basketball, Multi-sports and fundamentals. The children will learn essential skills in fundamentals that will inform their approach and expand their skill set in future PE units. PE days are currently on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
In French lessons, children will be learning language skills relating to food (which is always useful!), family and friends.
How you can help:
You can check homework reminders, which will be shared in children’s diaries on a weekly basis, starting this Friday. Homework will aim to consolidate learning in class and also provide opportunities for project work with a view to display and celebrate creations throughout the year! There will be reading, spellings, Times Table Rock Stars and Maths/English homework every week. Please use the green Homework diary to record daily reading with your child and to communicate with school about any queries. These must be brought into school every day.
The children will receive logins for Times Tables Rock Stars and NumBots and can use Mathletics alongside this to practise their times tables. Encouraging regular use of these will help your children master recall of their times tables facts up to 12×12. To support your child in the lead up to the times table test in May, it is vital they practise their times tables up to 12×12 for 5 minutes each day.
Support your children in ensuring they are engaging in their expected daily home reading during the week and ask them questions about what they are reading to support their understanding of the text.
Correct PE kits are needed in school every day (black shorts, white t-shirt and black trainers or plimsolls). During colder weather, children can wear a dark-coloured tracksuit over their kit. Your child also need a painting apron/old shirt in school to protect their uniform during art and DT lessons. This should remain on their peg in their bag all week.
Please check the Year 4 web page on the school website for updates. We’re also on Facebook and X @BRWSchool.
If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to speak to me!
Thank you for all of your support already!
Miss Lawler
