Dear Parents,

Welcome back, I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter break and is looking forward to the new term of learning. A little reminder that I will be leaving at the end of the first half term to go on maternity leave, after the May half term break Mrs Clutterbuck will be taking my place and teaching alongside Mrs Bond’s usual teaching. We are aware that this may be a time of mixed emotions for some children but please be assured that they have lots of exciting lessons planned and intend to make the transition as smooth as possible.

English

Throughout the term we will continue to develop our writing skills in English and other aspects of the curriculum. We  will be studying a variety of ‘monster’ poetry before writing our own poems. We will also be using the short film ‘Caterpillar Shoes’ to write non-chronological reports about minibeasts, as well as studying the book ‘How to Hide a Lion’ by Helen Stephens and writing newspaper reports based on the story. The children will secure their understanding and application of using full stops, capital letters, exclamation marks, question marks, commas for lists and apostrophes for contracted forms and the possessive (singular) along with expanded noun phrases to describe and specify, the present and past tenses, subordination (using when, if, that, or because) and co-ordination (using or, and, or but).

Ensuring your child reads for approximately 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. 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 finish looking at fractions, recapping addition, subtraction, multiplication and division before moving onto securing measures, time to 5 minutes, statistics and geometry for year 2. 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 and start using Times Table Rock Stars.

History and Geography

We begin the term with a Geography topic – UK City Comparison. We will focus on a city in the UK and compare it to another city in a different part of the world. We will continue to use atlases and develop our research skills as well as recalling prior learning from previous Geography topics in KS1.

In History we will be exploring Transport where will find out how transport has changed, order transport chronologically and great inventions, this will include a trip to the Aerozone at Stansted airport where we will learn about how the airport has impacted local transport and the community.

Science

Throughout the Summer term we will continue looking at Plants before moving on to living things ands their habitats where we will learn about different habitats around the world, microhabitats and how animals adapt to suit their living conditions.

Computing

In computing we will be building on our e-safety knowledge, programming and exploring collecting data in information technology.

Art

We will be taking a cross-curricular approach to art this term combining it with our computing objectives. We will be using the iPads to take nature photos before learning to edit our work applying different filters and adjustments to our images.

Design and Technology

In Design & Technology the children will be completing our hand puppets before focusing on mechanisms, linking this to our history topic of transport.

RE

This term our focus will be philosophy. Our question focus will be: Why do people have different views about the idea of God?

PSHE

Our PSHE learning will lead us to learn about health and wellbeing with a focus on:

• Physical health and Mental wellbeing
• Growing and changing
• Keeping safe

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 Monday and Thursday. The children will cover net & wall, cricket, team building, striking & fielding and athletics in their PE sessions. Children must have their PE kits in school all week as PE days may be subject to change. Please check the uniform policy to ensure your child has the correct kit-this includes a change of socks.

Homework

Along with listening to your child read, the children will be set spellings to learn each week. Spellings are set on a Friday with the test taking place on the following Thursday. Please assist them with look, cover, write, check activities to consolidate their learning or an alternative method that suit your child’s way of learning. The children will have one piece of homework to complete each week or a project over a few weeks: these will be English, Maths, or Topic work to help support their learning in the classroom. Homework is due in every Wednesday unless otherwise stated.

General

Children are actively encouraged to bring in water bottles especially now that the warmer weather has finally arrived. Sun hats are also advised for play/lunchtime as is applying suncream before school. If you choose to send your child in with suncream to reapply later in the day, please remember that in line with our safeguarding  policies staff cannot assist with application, please ensure they are able to apply this themselves. Please could you also ensure that you have checked the ingredients within the suncream, and they do not contain any allergens such as coconut oil.

Should you have any queries or concerns please either speak to me at the end of the day or contact the office.

Best wishes

Mrs Tokeley

Useful Dates:

Further correspondence will be sent out nearer each event.

Thursday 1^st May- 3 Tees Cricket

Weds 7^th May – KS1 Striking and fielding festival.

Tuesday 20^th May – Sports Day

Wednesday 9^th July-KS1 athletics festival

Weds 17^th July – Aerozone Trip