Welcome to Primary 4

Saints and Scholars

Class Teacher Mrs O Braonain

Classroom Assistant

P4… 30

Girls 13

Boys 17

Doors Open 8.40

School finishes 3.00

SPEAKING TO THE TEACHER

If you have any concerns about your child then please feel free to call in before school. The children now have an opportunity to get a morning play from 8.40 to 8.55 and so this is a good opportunity to come in.

If it is of a more serious matter then please feel free to ring the office and make an appointment after school .

FEED BACK TO PARENTS.

Parent Teacher interviews are usually held towards the end of the first half term.

Annual reports go out at the end of the year.

What’s Up?

Often what is going on in your child’s life can reflect in their behaviour and attitude. If there is anything unusual in your child’s routine please let me know.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Contact Details

There are times when we may need to contact you during School Hours .Please make sure that we have your most recent numbers and at least one other contact number.It is also handy for your child to have a mobile number ,should the office be locked up .

Money and Notes

Please check you child’s homework folder for weekly newsletter and other letters which are sent home throughout the year.

Could all money be sent into school in an envelope clearly marked with your child’s name class and what the money is for.

If your child is sick could you please let the office know or send a letter in when they return to school.

Snacks

Children are encouraged to drink milk in school and our healthy break scheme is still in operation. Could you please make sure your children have a piece of fruit for break as it is along time from 8.00 to 12.10

Curriculum• Literacy .P.D.M.U

• Art .ICT

• Numeracy

• World Around Us

• R.E

• Music

• P.E

Maths

• Numeracy Hour is well established now and it involves a lot more mental calculation The children will be taught as a class where possible but then put into groups for reinforcement or extension as needed.

• ICT and Maths

• Written methods of addition and subtraction are taught in Primary 4.

Literacy

• Similarly English is taught through the literacy Hour.A selection of modelled and shared writing and reading are used to improve standards.

• Spelling …Spellings is taught through the linguistic phonics scheme which was introduced in school two years ago. Children will use a variety of activities to learn letter sounds.

• Reading…As children in P4 become more fluent they will read once or twice a week .They will be set a weekly reading target and guided activity ,which will need to be completed for their next reading day.

• (Handwriting is practised on a weekly basis )

World Around Us

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3

What a Waste

Light and Sound

World War 2

Armagh

( mapping skills)

Art, ICT and Music will also be planned around these topics.

ICT

• The new Using ICT is being introduced this year. It involves a series of tasks which are completed by the children to improve their ICT skills and are usually linked in someway to the children’s topics. The curriculum is split up into 5 Es which cover exploring, exhibiting, expressing, exchanging and evaluating. We are also introducing a programme of study into e safety. All the children will begin the year by learning how to keep safe online.

• Class collaboration with other schools on an ICT project

PDMU

• . Personal Development and Mutual Understanding

•We are also following a new paths programme this year which has been developed by Barnardos and focuses on celebrating the child and building self esteem. We teach this programme through a range of circle time, games, drama and worksheet scenarios.

R.E

• Those children in P4 who are making their First Holy Communion next year will be taught the relevant syllabus one afternoon a week

• The other children will also be taught R.E at this time following a general scheme of work which contains bible studies, world religions and festivals and celebrations.

• They are also given the opportunity to learn about world religions.

Testing in Primary 4

• The children will be tested at the start of each year in terms of Spelling and Reading. They will also do a piece of writing about themselves which we use as a baseline for target setting.

• We have also introduced a Maths and English tests called Progress in English and Progress in Maths which the children will take in May.

• Formal assessing at the end of Primary 4 is on hold until we here more from the department of Education. At the moment we will be assessing the children internally and using this data for target setting and forward planning.