Year 4 articles

We explain what the lowest common denominator is and how to find it and use it to compare different fractions, as well as giving examples of how the concept might be taught to your primary-school child.

We explain what the highest common factor is and give examples of how the concept might be taught to your primary school child.

We explain what decimals are and how the concept is explained to primary-school children, as well as how they are taught to relate decimals to money and measurement, the equivalence between fractions and decimals, partitioning, rounding and ordering decimals and adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing decimals.

We explain what a number sentence is and how primary-school children are taught to write number sentences (or fill in gaps in number sentences) in KS1 and KS2.

How much homework should your child get in primary school, how often is it set, and what should you do if he’s getting too much – or none at all? We asked teachers for their insights on how to manage the home-school learning most effectively.

We explain what division facts are, how they are taught in primary school, and share some fun games that you can try at home to make this knowledge stick.

Do you remember diving into a pile of crisp, golden autumn leaves? Collecting conkers? Walking through first-frost grass and feeling it crackle under your feet? Autumn and early winter are really inspirational seasons for outdoor activities, so wrap up warm and march the whole family out of the door. They won't want to come back in!

Pressed for time on getting an outfit together for your child’s Nativity play? We’ve found a range of costumes to dress your little Mary, Joseph, star or shepherd in that won’t break the bank!

Heard your child talk about their LO, or their WALT? Teachers use learning objectives to help children understand what is expected of them in the classroom. Find out what a learning objective (or WALT) is and how learning objectives are used in primary school.

Find out what a talk partner is and why having a talk partner will benefit your child's learning in the classroom.

Find out what interactive whiteboards are and how they enhance learning in the classroom.

Text-marking is a technique taught in schools to help children recognise the different features of a text. Find out how teachers explain the technique to children and how it can help with their comprehension of different types of texts.

We explain what vowels and consonants are and how primary-school children are taught to identify CVC, CCVC and CVCC words, vowel digraphs and consonant digraphs.

We explain what synonyms and antonyms are and how children are taught to use synonyms to improve their writing in primary school.

At school your child will be expected to produce pieces of extended writing, which is a writing task completed independently. Find out how teachers will help your child develop this skill and how you can support their learning at home.

Shared writing is a collaborative technique teachers use to help children develop ways to improve their writing. See an example of shared writing at work and an explanation of how it gives children a model of what they are expected to write.

In Key Stage 2 your child will learn about biographical and autobiographical texts. Find out about the features of these texts and help your child write their own texts at home.

A non-chronological report is a piece of text that isn't written in time order. Find out how your child is taught to read and write non-chronological reports in primary school.

A metaphor is a figure of speech where two things that are normally unrelated are compared to each other. Find out how teachers explain metaphors to school children and how to encourage your child to spot metaphors and use them to improve their writing.