Our class, Eco Explorers, is inspired by St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the environment, who showed great love and respect for God’s creation. Like St Francis, we care for the world around us and strive to protect nature through our actions, learning, and commitment to looking after our common home.
As Eco Explorers, we discover ways to appreciate, understand, and care for the environment while showing kindness and responsibility towards all living things. We follow St Francis’ example by being thoughtful stewards of the Earth and making choices that help our planet thrive.
On our journey of faith and learning, we are guided by our class teacher, Mr Perkins, and supported by our teaching assistant, Mrs Matthews. Together, we work to follow St Francis of Assisi’s example by caring for creation, helping others, and making a positive difference in our world.
We now follow the Discerning Disciples Religious Education curriculum, which is organised into six core branches that correspond to the half-terms of the academic year and reflect the liturgical and thematic flow of the Catholic faith:
- Creation and Covenant: Explores the creation story, human dignity, and God’s relationship with humanity.
- Prophecy and Promise: Focuses on Advent, the Annunciation, and God working through history.
- Galilee to Jerusalem: Follows Jesus’ ministry, teachings, parables, and miracles.
- Desert to Garden: Covers Lent, the Paschal Mystery, and the Resurrection.
- To the Ends of the Earth: Explores the early Church, the Holy Spirit, and the work of the apostles.
- Dialogue and Encounter: Teaches about working for the common good and respecting other faiths.
Through these six branches, the Discerning Disciples curriculum supports pupils in developing religious literacy, deepening their understanding of Scripture and Catholic tradition, and growing as thoughtful, compassionate disciples in today’s world.
Writing
English is planned using Pathways to Write. Each half term, there is a new genre, book and style of writing that we will be using. For each piece of writing, the children will be completing their ‘Writeaway Piece’ as well as some smaller pieces throughout the half term.
Gorilla – Narrative
Leon and the Place Between – Diary
Escape from Pompeii – Historical Narrative
Koji’s Islands – Adventure Narrative
Jungle Explorer – Non-Chronological Report
Blue John – Explanation Letter
Reading
Reading continues to be the single most important thing for you and your child to enjoy at home! You could read their school book, share a good book, read the newspaper, a magazine or a comic. A child’s reading ability is the most important factor in determining their future success and therefore at St Joseph and St Theresa’s we make it our mission to read with the children everyday through reading lessons and reading for pleasure sessions.
7-Top-tips-for-reading-at-home-KS2
Recommended Reading List Year 4
Module One: Created and Loved by God explores the individual. Rooted in the teaching that we are made in the image and likeness of God, it helps children to develop an understanding of the importance of valuing themselves as the basis for personal relationships.
Module Two: Created to Love Others explores the individual’s relationship with others. Building on the understanding that we have been created out of love and for love, this module explores how we take this calling into our family, friendships and relationships, and teaches strategies for developing healthy relationships and keeping safe both online and in our daily lives.
Module Three: Created to Live in Community explores the individual’s relationship with the wider world. Here we explore how human beings are relational by nature and are called to love others in the wider community through service, through dialogue and through working for the Common Good. In Life to the Full Plus, further exploration of careers and money lead to understanding that true happiness comes from knowing God’s love and finding our identity and worth in Him.