Autumn: What shapes the way we live?
Our Enquiry
This term, Year 4 pupils will embark on an exciting geographical journey across the UK to uncover the reasons behind why people settle where they do, particularly near bodies of water. By the end of the enquiry, they will have a deep understanding of the UK's cities, rivers, and landscapes and will be able to confidently answer the question: What shapes the way we live?
What will our young geographers explore?
Rivers and Their Features: Pupils will learn to identify the key features of a river, such as meanders, estuaries, and floodplains, and explain how these are formed and evolve over time. They’ll gain insight into how rivers shape the land and why they are so crucial to human settlement.
Regions of the UK: Through comparison and contrast, pupils will investigate different geographical regions across the UK, exploring the distinct landscapes, cities, and settlements that make each area unique.
Settlements and Land Use: From ancient settlements to modern-day towns, pupils will explore how people have chosen where to live over centuries and how land use has changed over time. They’ll discover why rivers have always been prime locations for communities and cities to thrive.
The Impact of Flooding: Understanding the causes and effects of flooding, pupils will discuss how natural events can influence human settlement and land use. They’ll explore the environmental consequences and how communities adapt and respond to these challenges.
Map Skills and Landmarks: Pupils will become budding cartographers as they locate landmarks and counties across the UK using 4-figure grid references and ordnance survey symbols. They’ll also engage in hands-on fieldwork, observing, measuring, and recording local human and physical features to present their data.
Enhancing Learning Through Science and PSHE:
- The Water Cycle: In Science, pupils will dive into the water cycle, exploring how this continuous process influences the geography of our land, including the formation of rivers and their role in shaping our environment.
- PSHE - Shaping Lives: Pupils will reflect on how the choices they make can shape who they are and impact others around them. They'll develop a sense of responsibility and empowerment as they learn how their actions can positively influence their communities.
This term promises an enriching blend of Geography, Science, and PSHE that will engage pupils as they discover the fascinating connections between our landscapes, settlements, and the choices we make every day!
Year 4 Enquiry Knowledge mat
English
A high-quality text drives each of our enquiries and the texts are used to give knowledge and purpose to the enquiry. High quality texts can only be accessed through knowledge of vocabulary in different tiers. Explicit teaching of new vocabulary and using the classroom environment to showcase key vocabulary helps us to infuse rich and sophisticated vocabulary from EYFS to Year 6. The texts are used as a stimulus for both English and cross curricular writing, ensuring high expectations of our children. Reading is interwoven into all aspects of the enquiry to encourage reading and language development and promote reading for pleasure.
Key texts


Maths
In maths we follow the Power Maths programme to support children’s learning and to build a deep understanding of maths concepts. Power Maths is a curriculum mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and nurture confidence in maths. It is built around a child‑centred lesson design that models and embeds a growth mindset approach to maths.
This term we are covering the following:
Place Value
- Understanding the place value of digits up to 10,000.
- Comparing and ordering numbers up to 10,000.
- Rounding numbers to the nearest 10 and 100.
- Counting in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25, and 1,000.
Addition and Subtraction
- Adding and subtracting numbers with up to 4 digits using column methods.
- Solving multi-step problems involving addition and subtraction.
- Estimating and checking calculations using rounding.
- Understanding and using inverse operations to check calculations.
Multiplication and Division
- Understanding and applying multiplication tables up to 12 × 12.
- Using the distributive property to multiply 2-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers.
- Performing short division with remainders.
- Solving word problems involving multiplication and division, including scaling.
Fractions
- recognising and representing fractions, including proper and improper fractions.
- Understanding equivalent fractions and simplifying them.
- Adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator.
- Finding fractions of quantities (e.g., finding one-half, one-quarter).
Measurement
- Measuring and converting units of length (cm, m, km).
- Estimating and measuring perimeter and area of simple shapes.
- Understanding and converting between units of weight (g, kg).
- Exploring capacity and volume, including liters and milliliters.
Geometry
- Identifying and classifying 2D shapes (triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons) and their properties.
- recognising and drawing lines of symmetry in 2D shapes.
- Understanding and measuring angles using a protractor.
- Exploring 3D shapes and their properties (faces, edges, and vertices).
Statistics
- Collecting, organizing, and interpreting data using tally charts and bar graphs.
- Reading and creating simple pictograms.
- Solving problems based on data representation.