Welcome to Year 4

Hello everyone!

We are so excited to welcome you to Birch Class this year. Your teaching team is: Mr Mobey (class teacher), Mrs Bell (Higher Level Teaching Assistant), and our brilliant 1:1 TAs — Mrs Lee, Miss Gibbons, and Mrs Fellows. We can’t wait to work with you to make this a year full of growth, confidence and lots of smiles!

Homework & Reading

Homework goes home on Friday and should be returned on Thursday. This gives children with busy weekdays a chance to complete it over the weekend if needed and it gives us time to monitor and mark homework books and reading records.

Every child has a Reading Record to note their reading at home and in school. Please bring it to school every day.

Reading Records are handed in on Thursdays so we can check children are meeting the minimum expectation of three reads at home each week. We’ll also award Bookworms to those who meet or exceed this.

We will change reading books when children finish them, following our whole-school reading scheme.

Spellings taught in class that week will be stuck into homework books for practice and will be tested every Friday.

You’ll also see Mathletics and TTRS tasks set in line with our homework policy.

Practical Bits

• Children need a personal water bottle each day.

• Please make sure all clothing is clearly labelled with names — it really helps lost items find their way home.

PE & Swimming

Birch Class has PE on Monday and Thursday. Children should come to school in their PE kits on those days.

On Mondays, Year 4 have swimming as their PE session (please bring swimming kits in a separate, named bag, and still come in PE kit), while Year 3 follow the PE curriculum in school.

Growing a Growth Mindset

This year we’re placing a big emphasis on growth mindset — the idea that our brains are like muscles that get stronger with effort and practice. We often say, “You might not be able to do it yet.” With our class moto being ‘try, try, try and you can, can, can!’

It would be wonderful if you could reinforce this at home, especially during homework time. This positive approach really helps children develop independence and resilience in their learning — something we’re truly passionate about.

If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to email us at Birch26@fairford.gloucs.sch.uk

 — we’re here to help and always happy to chat.

Here’s to a fantastic year in Birch class!