Welcome To Our New Website!
Welcome To Our New Website!
Hexham First School

Class page

Happy New Year! 

Welcome to an exciting start to 2026 in Year 4! We are thrilled to begin the year and look forward to a fantastic seven months ahead, full of new challenges, inspiring learning experiences, and plenty of fun along the way.

Year 4 is an important and rewarding stage in your child’s journey. Working in close partnership with parents and carers, we support our children as they continue to grow and prepare for their transition to Middle School. This year, our key focus is on developing independence, resilience, and a strong work ethic, helping every child build confidence in their abilities and pride in their achievements.

Please remember to check our new school website and Class Dojo regularly for the latest updates, important dates, and key messages. We’re excited for the year ahead and can’t wait to share all the learning and successes with you!

Here’s to a wonderful year in Year 4!

Reading in Year 4

Reading is at the heart of everything we do!

  • Your child will bring home an Accelerated Reader book each week.

  • We expect children to read at least 3x a week for 10-20 minutes.

  • Where possible, please read to your child too – especially those trickier books they can’t manage alone just yet.

  • Once they finish a book, they’ll take a short quiz in school to check understanding and help us monitor their progress.

Please keep reading books and records in the Blue Book Bags every day.

Here's how you can help:

  • 📖 Help decode tricky words

  • ❓ Ask questions about the story to check understanding

  • 📚 Visit the library or share higher-level texts with your child

📘 Library Time

Children will have the chance to choose a library book during our visits. These books should stay in their Blue Bags when not being read. If you would like more library books? Just pop in at the end of the day – I’ll be happy to help you choose one

✏️ Spellings

I will send home the spellings weekly, with an accompanying homework sheet. You’ll find this in your child’s homework folder. 

Spelling words are:

  • Practised in class during the week

  • Checked informally through a fun weekly quiz

✅ Try learning spellings in fun, stress-free ways like games, rhymes or whiteboard practice!

🖋️ Handwriting

In Year 4, we continue to focus on:

  • Consistently, joined-up handwriting

Children are encouraged to present their work neatly and take pride in their written work.

🔢 Times Tables

This is a BIG focus in Year 4 as we prepare for the Multiplication Tables Check in the summer term.

We use:

All children have their TTRS login details inside their reading records.

To log in:

  1. Search "TT Rockstars" on Google

  2. Click on "Login" → "School pupils"

  3. Enter the school name, username, and PIN (not password)

🎮 Also try Hit The Button on TopMarks – no login needed!

🏃‍♂️ PE in Year 4

PE days: Wednesday 

Please ensure your child wears:

  • White PE t-shirt

  • Blue PE shorts (with joggers over if cold)

  • Black or white trainers (no plimsolls)

  • Jewellery removed or taped, and long hair tied back

📂 Homework

  • Maths homework is sent home every Friday in the homework folder.

  • Please return completed homework by the following Thursday.

  • We also include a spelling worksheet and a list of their weekly spellings

🧥 Don’t Forget!

Please send your child to school with a named coat every day – we go outside even in light rain!

💡 Help Your Child Shine in Year 4!

Here are some great ways you can support your child:

✅ Label all clothing (especially jumpers, coats & PE kits)
✅ Encourage them to organise their school things themselves
✅ Read together or discuss their books daily
✅ Practise mental maths through games, challenges & fun!
✅ Support their homework, encouraging independence and pride in their work

If you have any questions or would like support with anything, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We're looking forward to an amazing final year of learning, growth and success in Year 4!

Mrs Beveridge 😊

📖 What is Accelerated Reader (AR)?

Accelerated Reader is a fantastic program that helps children develop their reading skills through regular, independent practice.

Here’s how it works:

  • Your child chooses a book at the right level for them.

  • They read it at their own pace, either at school or at home.

  • Once finished, they take a short online quiz to check how well they understood the book.

  • Based on their quiz results, teachers get valuable feedback to help set reading goals and guide future book choices.

Why do we love AR?

  • Children choose their own books based on their interests, making reading much more enjoyable.

  • Teachers help guide them to books that are challenging but not frustrating, so every child can experience success.

  • It encourages children to read more, think deeply about what they’ve read, and build their confidence.

🏡 How You Can Help at Home

As with any skill, reading improves with practice. You can support your child’s reading journey by:

✅ Encouraging daily reading for around 20 minutes
✅ Reading together – even older children benefit from being read to
✅ Asking questions about what they’ve read to check understanding
✅ Creating a reading-friendly environment at home
✅ Visiting the library or bookshop regularly to explore new books

Reading with your child – no matter their age – helps develop a lifelong love of learning, builds a stronger connection between you, and boosts their reading confidence.

🔍 Want to Find AR Books?

Use the AR Bookfinder tool to search for books that have AR quizzes:
👉 Visit AR Bookfind

Here, you can:

  • Check if a book is part of the AR program

  • See its level and interest rating

  • Help your child find books that are both exciting and suitable

If you ever have questions about your child's reading level or how AR works, please feel free to ask – we're here to help support every reader on their journey!


 

How can I support my child with Accelerated Reader at home?

Logging on to Accelerated Reader (AR) at home.

Click here to go to the AR site.

Your child’s login details should be in their home school diary. 

How can I help my child become a better reader?

As with anything, performance improves with practice. According to Renaissance Learning’s research, children who read at least 20 minutes a day with a 90% comprehension rate on AR quizzes see the greatest gains. Encourage your child to read at home, discuss books, ask questions about what they have read and visit your local library.

What is a STAR Reading test?

STAR Reading is used to determine your child’s reading level. It is a computer based reading assessment program that uses computer- adaptive technology. Questions continually adjust to your child’s responses. If the child’s response is correct, the difficulty level is increased. If the child cannot answer a question or answers incorrectly, the difficulty level is reduced. The test uses multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 10 minutes.

What is a Book Level?

Book Levels are calculated using the ATOSTM readability formula and represent the difficulty of the text. The levels range from 0.5–13.5. Books are chosen based on the ZPD range recommended for each pupil by STAR Reading.

What is a Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?

ZPD is the range of books that will challenge a child without causing frustration or loss of motivation. Your child will receive a ZPD, or reading range after taking a STAR Reading test. It is important for children to read with a high degree of comprehension and within his/her ZPD.

What are points?

Every book that has an AR Reading Practice Quiz is given a points value. AR points are based on the length of the book (number of words). Pupils earn a percentage of points according to how well they pass the quiz.