Year 4
Hello! I’m Ms. McGrath, the Willow class teacher and Phase Leader for Year 3 and Year 4. I am a proud Irish Londoner and an avid West Ham fan often spending my time attending matches at the London Stadium. I have two boisterous boys aged 4 and 11 who definitely keep me on my toes. Reading is a huge passion of mine and I especially love storytelling and sharing stories from lots of different cultures. I have taught in Dubai, Spain and the UK so travelling, meeting new exciting people and immersing myself in new experiences makes my heart very happy. I love to dance and act so you will often see me prancing about in my classroom with all the children enjoying our learning experiences! I am delighted to be a member of the Ramsey School community!
Hello! This is my second year teaching at Ramsey. However, I have 9 years experience working in schools supporting Special Education Needs. My favourite subjects are Maths and Art but I also love teaching reading. My favourite books are Matilda by Roald Dahl and The Twits, also by Roald Dahl. When I am not teaching I am busy creating art or gardening at my allotment. My favourite thing to draw is animals using fine liner pens. My cat ‘Blue’ enjoys helping me paint and in the summer he comes to the allotment to eat the vegetables!
The teaching assistants who support the Year 4 team are Mrs Nash, Mrs Robertson, Miss Eldergill and Mrs Diggle.
PE days are currently Tuesdays and Thursdays
Reading
Reading diaries are expected to be signed 5 times a week by a parent. These diaries are collected and monitored on a Monday. Your child should have a banded reading book and a reading for pleasure book.
Book change days
Olive Class - Wednesdays
Willow Class - Fridays
Homework
Every half term, children have a selection of activities sent home which are linked to our learning in school. The children can choose different activities from the sheet - or think of their own - to share with their peers and teachers.
Year 4 pupils are encouraged to play on Times Table Rockstars and Spelling Shed daily. Their log in details are in their reading diaries.
What can you do to help your child practise their times tables?
We would recommend a number of strategies to support your child in the learning of their times tables facts up to 12 x 12 – not just for the test. These can include:
Getting your child to play Times Tables Rock Star 5 times a week – especially 'soundcheck'.
Times tables chanting: “6, 12, 18, 24…”
Times tables chanting in reverse order: “108, 99, 90, 81…”
Using times tables songs, like Schoolhouse Rock’s ‘3 is A Magic Number’
Using apps, like the one by ks2timestables.co.uk, or Hit the Button or type in ‘times tables games free online.’
Using free maths online games, like those on Maths Frame
Asking your child multiplication calculations out of order, like: “What is 4 x 7? What is 9 x 5? What is 6 x 11?”
Using pasta pieces or pebbles to show groups of numbers representing times tables, e.g. four groups of three pasta shells to show 3 x 4 = 12 (see below:
Asking your child word problems based on times tables, such as: “If five friends have £3 each, how much money do they have in total?”
When you notice that your child is stumbling over the same fact each time, try to give them extra practice. You could even make some question and answer cards for them to match, write questions on paper and stick them on doors around the house, practise in the car on the way to school or while you are waiting in a queue.
One of our favourite tricks involves using your child's fingers to figure out the nine times tables. Start by spreading all 10 fingers in front of them. To find out 9×1, put your left little finger down. What are you left with? 9 fingers! For 9×2 put your left ring-finger down. What are you left with? 1 finger and a gap followed by 8 fingers or 18. This trick works up to 9×9 (8 and 1 or 81).
Below are a list of useful websites to help your child with Maths: