Year 4

The children have been exemplary this week as we have worked our way through the uncertain times in which we find ourselves living. Each day, the children have remembered their absent friends in their prayers and cheered those who have been present to answer their names on the register.

From Monday, I will publish a new post at 9am each day to direct the children towards the planned learning activities for the day. My intention is that the majority of these should be shared via our Google Classrooms, which can be accessed here.

Some of the planned learning will need to be ‘turned in’ for marking whilst some of the challenges will not need to be submitted – unless you would like to add a photo of your work to the Google Classroom. None of the work that I am setting will need to be printed.

I will not ask the children to use any technical skill that they have not already practiced at school but, just in case, I will add a simple guide to completing some of these ‘admin’ tasks in the ‘Useful Stuff’ folders that I have added to each of my classrooms. I have also included a reminder of the login details needed to access some of the resources that we may use.

If you have any technical problems accessing the Google Classroom, or with any of the resources that I share, you can email [email protected] . I will answer as soon as I can, but this is not a 24/7 help desk.

It is a sad and uncertain end to the term, but I wish you and all of your families health and every blessing.

Richard Hayes

How to access our Google Classroom

To access Google classroom, children will need to sign in using their school Google account.

Visit google.com and click ‘Sign in’ in the top-right of the webpage.

If you, or someone using the same device, already has a Google account, you will need to add your child’s school account and switch between them before accessing the Classroom.  

How to add Google accounts

  1. Open the Chrome web browser.
  2. On the top right, select your profile image or initial.
  3. On the menu, choose Add account.
  4. Follow the instructions to add your child’s Google account.
  5. Children’s school Google usernames all end with the domain, @stadrians.herts.sch.uk
  6. Your child should know the first part of their username and the password.
    For security, I cannot add that information here. It might be worth phoning a friend if in doubt!

Once you have, set up your child’s Google account. You may need to switch between accounts for them to access the Google Classroom.

How to switch between Google accounts

  1. In the top right, click your profile photo or email address.
  2. Click the account you want to use.
  3. A new window will open for this account.

How to access our Google Classroom

To access Google classroom, children will need to sign in using their school Google account.

Visit google.com and click ‘Sign in’ in the top-right of the webpage.

If you, or someone using the same device, already has a Google account, you will need to add your child’s school account and switch between them before accessing the Classroom.  

How to add Google accounts

  1. Open the Chrome web browser.
  2. On the top right, select your profile image or initial.
  3. On the menu, choose Add account.
  4. Follow the instructions to add your child’s Google account.
  5. Children’s school Google usernames all end with the domain, @stadrians.herts.sch.uk
  6. Your child should know the first part of their username and the password.
    For security, I cannot add that information here. It might be worth phoning a friend if in doubt!

Once you have, set up your child’s Google account. You may need to switch between accounts for them to access the Google Classroom.

How to switch between Google accounts

  1. In the top right, click your profile photo or email address.
  2. Click the account you want to use.
  3. A new window will open for this account.

Accessing the Google Classroom

Visit classroom.google.com or follow the link in the side bar.

Happy Christmas, Year 4!

Thank you to all of the Year 4 children and their families for the kind gift bag. I hope that you all have a happy and peaceful Christmas and look forward to seeing you in the new year. Merry Christmas!

Key stage two – Christmas carol service

The countdown to Christmas has begun and the children are all working hard to learn the words to the carols for our Christmas carol service.

Please encourage your child to practise – they will need to know all of the words by heart. The words can be downloaded using the link, below.

We hope that you will be able to join us on Wednesday, 18th December for this special celebration.

Welcome to Year Four

I hope that you have all had a lovely holiday. It is good to welcome the children back for the start of a new school year.

We have not set maths and English homework this week. School reading books have been sent home today and I ask that you encourage your child to read regularly at home, supporting them to develop the habit of reading for enjoyment. It may be that your child is already reading a book from home or from the library. If this is the case, I would be grateful if they would note this in the school reading record.

I have updated the RE home learning section with details of our current topic. In the first of our themes, People, we will be learning about the family of God in Scripture. 

During the next month, I would like you write a special prayer for your family. Your prayer will form part of our class prayer book – Take time to decorate your prayer and make it look wonderful. Your neat handwriting might help persuade me that you are ready for your pen licence! You will need to hand in your RE homework by Wednesday, 2nd October. 

Space Chase: Summer Reading Challenge 2019

The Summer Reading Challenge 2019 theme is Space Chase, an out-of-this-world adventure inspired by the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

Children taking part in the Challenge will join our super space family, The Rockets, for a thrilling mission to track down books nabbed by mischievous aliens!

Space Chase will feature bespoke artwork from top children’s illustrator, Adam Stower, and will celebrate adventure, exploration, reading and fun!

Illustrations © Adam Stower 2019 for The Reading Agency


Taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge is aimed at children aged four to eleven and it is run in almost all libraries in the UK.

Visit your local library during the summer holidays to sign up – the sooner you go, the longer your child will have to read six books!

Staff will register your child for the Challenge and give them some fun materials to get them started.

Many libraries will also offer pre-school activities suitable for under-fours, including specially designed Summer Reading Challenge materials. Visit your local branch to find out more.


The Summer Reading Challenge is the UK’s biggest free reading for pleasure event for children. It is run by the national charity The Reading Agency in partnership with the UK public library network.

The aim of the Challenge is to encourage children to read any six books of their choice from their library during the summer holidays.

Children receive special rewards each time they finish a book and there’s a certificate for everyone who completes the Challenge.



Year 4 @ Kew Gardens

The sun shone for us this week when we visited the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Sophie takes up the story…

On Tuesday the 21st  May, Year 4 went on their school trip to Kew Gardens. Year 4 had a fantastic time even though we didn’t see all of Kew.

Year 4 were delighted when we got tickets to go to the children garden.

When we got to Kew, half of the children went to the Palm house and the other half went to the Temperate house. The Palm house was very hot and steamy while the Temperate house was a much more relaxed temperature.

A while later, we all met near King William’s Temple. The children were exhausted and hungry but were determined to go to the Treetop walk.

The children kept screaming because the bridge they were walking on was very wobbly! Apart from that they loved the treetop views.

After the Treetop walk, we had lunch. The children cheered with relief.

After lunch, we went to the new children’s garden. The children were so unhappy when we had to go. They still had a lovely time.

Thank you for all the parents who helped.

Thanks, Sophie, and I would echo your thanks to Mrs Miller and Mrs Watson for their help throughout the day. Here are some more of our photos.

Y3 and Y4 Swimming

Some of the children will be working on their life-saving skills in swimming this week and have been asked by their swimming teachers to bring in pyjamas for their lesson.

Thank you!

Sharing stories for World Book Day

As part of our celebration of World Book Day, children across the school shared stories with their friends in other classes.

Reception and Year 4 paired up to read to each other and enjoy sharing stories together.