Year 4 Expectations
Reading Targets
A Year 4 Reader
| Word Reading |
| I can apply my knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes to read aloud and to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words. |
| I can read further exception words, noting the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound. |
| I attempt pronunciation of unfamiliar words drawing on prior knowledge of similar looking words. |
| Comprehension |
| I know which books to select for specific purposes, especially in relation to science, geography and history learning. |
| I can use a dictionary to check the meaning of unfamiliar words. |
| I can discuss and record words and phrases that writers use to engage and impact on the reader. |
| I can identify some of the literary conventions in different texts. |
| I can identify the (simple) themes in texts. |
| I can prepare poems to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action. |
| I can explain the meaning of words in context. |
| I can ask relevant questions to improve my understanding of a text. |
| I can infer meanings and begin to justify them with evidence from the text. |
| I can predict what might happen from details stated and from the information I have deduced. |
| I can identify where a writer has used precise word choices for effect to impact on the reader. |
| I can identify some text type organisational features, for example, narrative, explanation and persuasion. |
| I can retrieve information from non-fiction texts. |
| I can build on others’ ideas and opinions about a text in discussion. |
Reading Targets
Exceeding Year 4 Expectations
| I talk widely about different authors, giving some information about their backgrounds and the type of literature they produce. |
| I can talk about why I prefer certain authors and get ‘immersed’ in my reading. |
| I locate and use information from a range of sources, both fiction and non-fiction. |
| I can compare fictional accounts in historical novels with the factual account. |
| I can appreciate the bias in persuasive writing, including articles and advertisements. |
| I use inference and deduction to work out the characteristics of different people from a story. |
| I can skim, scan and organise non-fiction information under different headings. |
| I refer to the text to support my predictions and opinions. |
| When reading aloud, I show awareness of the listener through the use of pauses, giving emphasis and keeping an appropriate pace so as to entertain and maintain interest. |
Writing Targets - A Year 4 Writer
| Transcription |
| Spelling |
| I can spell words with prefixes and suffixes and can add them to root words. |
| I can recognise and spell homophones. |
| I can use the first two or three letters of a word to check a spelling in a dictionary. |
| I can spell the commonly mis-spelt words from the Y3/4 word list. |
| Handwriting |
| I can use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters. |
| I understand which letters should be left unjoined. |
| My handwriting is legible and consistent; down strokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch. |
| Composition |
| I can compose sentences using a range of sentence structures. |
| I can orally rehearse a sentence or a sequence of sentences. |
| I can write a narrative with a clear structure, setting and plot. |
| I can improve my writing by changing grammar and vocabulary to improve consistency. |
| I use a range of sentences which have more than one clause. |
| I can use appropriate nouns and pronouns within and across sentences to support cohesion and avoid repetition. |
| I can use direct speech in my writing and punctuate it correctly. |
| Grammar and punctuation |
| Sentence structure |
| I can use noun phrases which are expanded by adding modifying adjectives, nouns and preposition phrases. |
| I can use fronted adverbials. |
| Text structure |
| I can write in paragraphs. |
| I make an appropriate choice of pronoun and noun within and across sentences. |
| Punctuation |
| I can use inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech. |
| I can use apostrophes to mark plural possession. |
| I can use commas after fronted adverbials. |
Writing Targets
Year 4: Writing at Greater Depth
| I am prepared to carry out some research to find words that are specific to the event being written about. |
| I can check to see if there are any sentences that can be re-organised so as to give my writing a greater impact. |
| I consciously use short sentences to speed up my action sequences. |
| I use dialogue and reactions from other characters to make my character interesting. |
| I recognise when a simile may generate more impact than a metaphor, and vice versa, in my writing. |
| I recognise when it is reasonable to allow direct speech to tell the reader more about an individual’s personality. |
| I recognise that a combination of good adjectives, similes and metaphors may help create a powerful image of the characters I am writing about. |
| I know how to re-order sentences so they create maximum effect. |
| I vary my choice of pronouns correctly to refer to the first, second and third person, both singular and plural. |
| I use commas or ellipses in order to create greater clarity and effect in my writing. |
| I make clear links with reading, using models from my reading to construct my own sentences and paragraphs. |
Targets in Spoken Language
A Year 4 Speaker
| I ask questions to clarify or develop my understanding. |
| I can sequence, develop and communicate ideas in an organised and logical way, always using complete sentences. |
| I show that I understand the main point and the details in a discussion. |
| I adapt what I am saying to the needs of the listener or audience (increasingly). |
| I show that I know that language choices vary in different contexts. |
| I can present to an audience using appropriate intonation; controlling the tone and volume so that the meaning is clear. |
| I can justify an answer by giving evidence. |
| I use Standard English when it is required. |
| I can perform poems or plays from memory, conveying ideas about characters and situations by adapting expression and tone. |
Targets in Spoken Language
Exceeding Year 4 Expectations
| I can prepare and deliver a talk to the class on an aspect of learning in science, history or geography. |
| I can present a strong argument in a formal debate on an issue, using the language and procedures of debating. |
| I can propose and discuss possible explanations and questions (e.g. re phenomena in science, history or geography) as a basis for planning an investigation with roles, activities and resources. |
| I can develop a group presentation that reports recent learning to the class, with vocabulary and grammar appropriate to the subject. |
| I can listen to a debate with an open mind, recall the main arguments and decide, for clear reasons, which one was most convincing. |
| I can comment on the language used in the arguments presented in a debate. |
| I can take roles to argue opposing views on an issue, and then discuss ways of dealing constructively with disagreement. |
| I can reflect on and evaluate my dramatic presentations and those of others. |
| I can explain the advantages and disadvantages of the formal rules of debating. |
| I show a good understanding of what has been said and can introduce new ideas that are valid. |
Mathematics Targets - A Year 4 Mathematician
| Number |
| I can recall all multiplication facts to 12 x 12. |
| I can round any number to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000 and decimals with one decimal place to the nearest whole number. |
| I can count backwards through zero to include negative numbers. |
| I can compare numbers with the same number of decimal places up to 2-decimal places. |
| I can recognise and write decimal equivalents of any number of tenths or hundredths. |
| I can add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction. |
| I can divide a 1 or 2-digit number by 10 or 100 identifying the value of the digits in the answer as units, tenths and hundredths. |
| I can multiply 2-digit and 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number using formal written layout. |
| I can solve two step addition and subtraction problems in context. |
| I can solve problems involving multiplication. |
| Measurement and geometry |
| I can compare and classify geometrical shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties and sizes. |
| I know that angles are measured in degrees and can identify acute and obtuse angles. |
| I can compare and order angles up to two right angles by size. |
| I can measure and calculate the perimeter of a rectilinear figure in cm and m. |
| I can read, write and convert between analogue and digital 12 and 24 hour times. |
| I can interpret and present discrete and continuous data using appropriate graphical methods, including bar charts and time graphs. |
Mathematics Targets
Year 4: Mathematics at Greater Depth
| I can solve multi-step problems related to on-going learning in science, history and geography. |
| I can rapidly recall answers when multiplying and dividing a whole or decimal number by 10. |
| I deal very confidently and rapidly with any addition or subtraction operations involving up to four digits. |
| I deal effectively with any reasoning problems related to the Year 4 expectations in number and measures. |
| I show a good level of resilience when it comes to tackling difficult problems which may require deep thinking. |
| I can explain my reasoning to a peer and at the same time deepen my own understanding. |
| I show a growing confidence when applying any multiplication facts to on-going learning in other subjects. |
| I am able to work out which number or measurement operation is most appropriate to a given problem. |
| I can return to any area of mathematical learning after a break and pick up quickly without needing to be re-taught. |
| I can collect my own data on a given project and present information in graphical formats of my choosing. |
