Year 2 – Spring Newsletter 2024

Happy New Year!  Welcome back, I hope everyone had a good break and we are looking forward to the new term of learning. Firstly, on behalf of Mrs Abrahams, Mrs Neal, Mrs Whyman and I, I’d like to thank you all for your incredibly generous gifts at the end of the last term, they were very much appreciated.

Please see below an outline of what will be covered this term.

English

To begin with, we will be exploring the short film ‘A Cloudy Day’ where children will learn to write instructions. We will also study ‘Humorous Poems’ and the books ‘A Squash and a Squeeze’ by Julia Donaldson and ‘How to Hide a Lion’ by Helen Stephens. We will develop our sentence structure including punctuation and conjunctions and writing dialogue. Our writing will support improving our word choices such as exciting adjectives, adverbs and time conjunctions. Through other aspects of the curriculum (Science, Geography, History etc.) we will be developing our non-fiction writing.

Ensuring your child reads for at least 10-15 minutes a day will help their reading skills to develop along with discussions around the text read. It is just as important to read to your child regularly along with listening to audio books. It is important that an adult records in the reading record every time your child reads at home, whether this is a schoolbook or a home book-this can be as minimal as an initial/page number. If your child has read to themselves, get them to tell you what they have read – these discussions should also be recorded in their reading record.

Maths

To begin the term, we will be looking at the measures of money before moving onto multiplication and division, fractions, time and length and height. We will be using a variety of equipment to help children build their practical mathematical skills to support problem solving and calculations. The children will also be developing their mathematical vocabulary to develop reasoning tasks. To assist with children’s mathematical development encourage them to handle real money and understand the value of coins and notes along with reading the time on an analogue clock, weighing, and measuring around the home for different reasons such as cooking, woodwork etc.  Continue to practise the times tables using Times Table Rock Stars where possible.

History and Geography

We begin the year with a geography topic learning about the Mugurameno village in Zambia, drawing comparisons to how we live.  After half term we will be learning about the British monarchy, looking at a timeline of monarchs and focusing on key historical figures such as William the Conqueror, Henry VII and Queen Victoria.

Science

Throughout the Autumn term we will be looking at the area of ‘Uses of Everyday Materials’. This area of learning will give children the opportunity to pose scientific questions along with answering them and developing their investigative skills.

Computing

This year in computing we will be starting off learning how to programme using the application ‘Scratch Junior’. Children will be introduced to coding along with revisiting how to stay safe online.

Art, Design and Technology

In Art children will be studying African art with a focus on the artist Durer and patterned cloth. The children will learn about the styles and be inspired to create their own paintings and prints. In DT we will create finger puppets inspired by characters within out English poetry unit learning to design an alien character, create a template and use a simple running stitch.

RE

This term our focus will be human and social sciences. Our two questions we will be exploring are: How to Christians belong to their faith family? And How do Jewish people celebrate Passover (Pesach)?

PSHE

Our PSHE learning will lead us to think about living in the wider world with a focus on:

• Inclusion and belonging; sameness and difference
• Challenging gender stereotypes
• Watch out – helping to make good viewing choices
• Values, money and me

Music

In Music we will be developing the skills of listening and appraising, musical activities and perform and review.

Physical Education

The children will have PE on a Tuesday and Friday this term. The children will cover dance. Invasion games, fitness, and yoga in their PE sessions. All children must have their PE kits in school all week as PE days can be subject to change. Please check the uniform policy to ensure your child has the correct kit. Please ensure that children have socks in their kits particularly if they wear tights.

Homework

Along with listening to your child read, the children will be set spellings to learn each week, spellings will be tested on a Thursday with new spellings set on Fridays. Please assist them in practicing their spellings.

The children will have one piece of homework to complete each week or a project over a few weeks: these will alternate between English, Maths and foundation subjects and support their learning in the classroom. Spellings and homework will be sent home in home spelling/homework books, homework is due in every Wednesday unless otherwise stated.

Should you have any queries or need to speak to me please email the office or catch me at the end of the day.

Kind Regards,

Mrs Tokeley