Cedar

What to expect in Cedar Class (Year 4)

Teaching Staff

Teacher: 

• Miss Botterill

Being courageous to try new challenges

Year 4

Year 4 is the 2nd year in Lower KS2 and a calm and studious year; a year to build on all of the knowledge learnt last year in year 3. 

This is often a year when our pupils grow in maturity, they gain a greater independence and confidence from being given more responsibility in their learning.

Cedar Class pupils are increasingly encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning: to do their homework, to pack their school bag, to remember their PE kits. And they develop and grow as a result. It is about encouraging independence in preparation for bigger things to come.

What will my child do in Year 4?

In maths and English in Year 4, the teachers will be aiming to ensure that our pupils know and understands particular key skills. Apostrophes, commas, times tables, and key spellings are just some of the things children in Year 4 are expected to use accurately as with every other year, the government have set out statutory schemes of learning that must be taught in Year 4. There is an expected standard to reach by the end of the year, and most teachers will make assessments throughout the year to judge if your child is on track to achieve their expectations for maths and English.

English

For English, new punctuation is introduced (such as hyphens, semi-colons, and colons). There is a greater emphasis on grammar features too (for example, modal verbs like would, could, might, and must)

Maths 

In maths, the main focus is times tables. There is also an emphasis on fractions, decimals, and percentages in this year. There is also an expectation that they will know all of the written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Multiplication Times Table Check (MTC)

As part of the national curriculum, all Year 4 pupils will take the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) in June. This is a statutory online assessment designed to determine how well children can recall their times tables up to 12 × 12.

📌 What is the MTC?

• The check consists of 25 randomly generated questions.

• Pupils have 6 seconds to answer each question, with a 3-second pause between questions.

• The focus is on tables from 2 to 12, with more emphasis on the 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12 times tables.

🎯 Why is it important?

Fluency in multiplication facts is essential for success in maths. The MTC helps identify pupils who may need additional support and ensures they are on track for future learning.

🏫 How we prepare

At school, we integrate daily times table practice into our maths lessons and use engaging tools like games, quizzes, and speed challenges. We also encourage regular practice at home—just 10–15 minutes a day can make a big difference.

💻 Practice at Home

You can try a sample MTC test to help your child get comfortable with the format. It’s a great way to build confidence and track progress.

If you have any questions about the check or how to support your child, please speak to your child’s teacher or visit the official government guidance.