Curriculum Overview
Year 4 is a year of consolidation and extension, where students strengthen core skills while learning to apply them across a wider range of subjects and contexts. The Year 4 curriculum is aligned to the Australian Curriculum Version 9 in Health and Physical Education, English, Mathematics and Science. The Year 4 curriculum supports students to become confident readers, effective writers and capable problem-solvers, while developing independence, collaboration and critical thinking skills.
English and Mathematics (daily learning)
English and Mathematics remain daily priorities in Year 4, with clear learning intentions, success criteria and increasing expectations for accuracy, fluency and independence.
English: In Year 4, students continue to develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills through structured literacy approaches, including LEM Phonics, to consolidate spelling patterns, word knowledge and reading fluency—particularly when working with multisyllabic and unfamiliar words. Students read and analyse a wide range of literary, informative and persuasive texts, expand academic vocabulary, and create well-structured written and spoken texts that demonstrate clear organisation, appropriate language features and correct grammar and punctuation.
Mathematics (PR1ME Maths):
Mathematics is taught using PR1ME Maths, a structured and evidence-based program aligned to the Australian Curriculum. Students extend their understanding of place value, the four operations, fractions and decimals, and apply these skills to measurement, geometry, data and problem-solving tasks. Learning emphasises reasoning, use of multiple representations and explaining mathematical thinking clearly.
Learning across all areas
Throughout the year, students also engage in learning across:
Science – investigating physical, biological and Earth sciences
HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) – exploring history, geography, civics and sustainability
Health and Physical Education – developing movement skills, personal health knowledge and respectful relationships
The Arts – creating and responding through visual arts, music, drama and dance
Technologies – designing, producing and evaluating solutions using digital and design processes
Students are increasingly expected to research, plan, collaborate and reflect, applying their learning across subjects.
Wellbeing, independence and learning behaviours
Year 4 places a strong emphasis on developing independence, responsibility and perseverance. Students learn to manage learning tasks, work collaboratively, respond to feedback and take increasing ownership of their learning. Teachers support students through explicit instruction, clear expectations and regular opportunities for reflection.
Our approach in Year 4
Learning in Year 4 includes:
explicit teaching of literacy and numeracy skills
structured literacy routines and explicit vocabulary instruction
clear learning goals and success criteria
opportunities for collaboration, discussion and problem-solving
increasing student voice, responsibility and independence
This approach supports students to become engaged learners, confident communicators and critical thinkers, preparing them for the academic and personal challenges of the upper primary years.
Term Overviews
For more information about Year4: