Year 4 

Spotlight on Learning

Dear Families,

It has been a wonderful start to the term as students continue settling into classroom routines and confidently following our school expectations. We have been focusing on building a safe and respectful learning environment, with students learning how to be upstanders—showing kindness, supporting others, and speaking up when they see someone who needs help.

Our Learning this week: 

Religious Education: 

This term in Religious Education, students will continue their journey of faith by exploring how Jesus teaches us to love and care for others. We will be learning about prayer, including different ways people communicate with God, and how we can show compassion, kindness, and forgiveness in our everyday lives. Students will engage with Scripture stories, participate in prayer and reflection, and make connections between their learning and how they can live out our school values at home and in the community.

If you’d like, I can tailor this to a specific unit (e.g. sacraments, Church seasons, saints, or a Catholic Identity focus).

English

In English, students are developing their reading and writing skills through our class novel Kensuke’s Kingdom. They are learning to read with accuracy, pace, and expression, and to respond thoughtfully to questions about the text. Students are also building their vocabulary by exploring and using new words from the novel in speaking and writing. In writing, we are focusing on persuasive texts, where students are learning to recall and use the structure of a persuasive piece to clearly share their opinions and reasons.

If you want, I can make this more formal, more curriculum-linked (Victorian Curriculum language), or shorter for a compact newsletter format.

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, students are learning to use a subtraction algorithm with regrouping. They are developing their understanding of place value and how to regroup (or exchange) tens and ones when solving subtraction problems. Students will practise using written strategies, materials, and models to explain their thinking and check their answers. This learning helps build confidence with larger numbers and strengthens problem-solving skills.

Integrated Studie

In Integrated Studies, students are learning that places matter because people are connected to them and have responsibilities to care for them. They are exploring why different places are important to people and how we can look after our local and global environments. Students are also learning how places are shaped by their natural features, environment, and human activity. They will identify natural and human features of places, compare two places to find similarities and differences, and explain why places may be different. This learning helps students develop a sense of responsibility and understanding of how people and environments are connected.

Social Emotional Learning

In Social Emotional Learning, students are learning to understand what bullying is and what it is not. They are exploring the concept of an upstander—someone who takes positive action to support others—and learning practical strategies they can use to help themselves and others feel safe. Students will discuss how to respond to different situations and practise explaining how they would use these strategies in real-life scenarios. This learning supports students to build empathy, confidence, and respectful relationships.

Important Reminders: 

• We kindly ask families to return all swimming program forms as soon as possible to assist with planning and organisation.

   

TERM 1 KEY DATES — 2026

• Tuesday 17 February - Shrove Tuesday
• Wednesday 18 February - Ash Wednesday   Start of Lent
• Thursday 19 February - Open Afternoon & Family Catch‑Up   4:30pm – 6:30pm
• Monday 9 March - Public Holiday — School Closed
• Tuesday 10 March- Year 4 Camp Day
• Tuesday 17-20 March- Year 4 Swimming Program at King Swim 
• Tuesday 24-28 March- Year 4 Swimming Program at King Swim
• Monday 16 March Athletics Day at Casey Fields   Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
• Monday 9 March - Public Holiday — School Closed

• Thursday 2 April - Holy Thursday — Last Day of Term 1

   

  TERM 2 START DATE

• Tuesday 21 April — First Day for Students

Contact Us @Jericho

damascus@cranbourneeast@catholic.edu.au OR