We continue a themed approach to our learning. We have a range of exciting topics:

                   Autumn:      Journeys and Super heroes

                   Spring:        India and In the Night

                   Summer:    At the Seaside

 

English

Oracy

This is a key focus in our school this year and we seek to provide as many opportunities as possible for the children to speak aloud clearly and confidently. There will be paired discussion in every lesson and we will use a range of stem sentences to promote language development eg ‘I agree with … because..

We will also focus on the development and use of new and challenging vocabulary.

Phonics

We continue to teach phonics using RWInc programme and your child will have daily phonics lessons. A linked phonics RWInc book will be sent home each week which allows the children a chance to practise their new sounds. They should be able to read this book clearly and fluently as well as being able to retell the story and answering questions on the text. This is known as a polished read and leads to confident fluent reading.

Reading

Our aim is to create confident and enthusiastic readers. This term, the children are engaged in reading activities each day. Each week, they will be heard read by an adult individually and/or as part of a group. The main focus this year will be on the development of comprehension skills, especially for those children who can already effectively decode unknown words. Please hear your child read each evening and remember to sign the reading record book when your child has read or finished the book so he/she can be issued a new book. A guide to helping you support your child at reading will be attached to each child’s reading record.

 

Benchmarking: This is a very effective tool in assessing that the children are reading at their correct levels. We will also use teacher judgement to decide if the children are reading at the correct level. Please remember that the focus in Year 2 is on comprehension and being able to ‘read between the lines’ rather than simply on progressing through the different levels.

 

SPaG

There is now a big emphasis on the teaching of Grammar. The children will be using lots of new vocabulary to describe different grammatical components and we attach a glossary of these terms for your reference. We use Spag.com in school and for homework to supplement our teaching and learning of grammar.

Spelling

Your child has been given a spelling booklet with the spellings for the year. Spellings will be tested each Friday and test books sent home to be returned the following Monday. The words are usually grouped by sound patterns with some additional key vocabulary. In addition, we attach the list of common exception words the children in Year 2 will be expected to know by the end of the year. We test these words each term. The children have all been issued with a password for Spelling Shed and this is an interactive and fun way for them to learn and improve their spelling.

Handwriting

All the children should now be ready to start joining up their letters. Please emphasise the correct use of capital letters i.e. not in the middle of sentences and when doing homework, please ensure children write in pencil and use lead outs on all their letters!

 

Maths

The children should already be confident with number bonds to 10 and need to be working on knowing their 2, 3, 5 and 10 times tables off by heart. In class, we use a range of practical materials including number lines and 100 squares. We attach a 100 square for use at home. We teach addition and subtraction using partitioning i.e. splitting numbers into tens and units but we do not introduce the column method until year 3. You can best support your child in maths at home by helping them learn their times tables, learning the time to the nearest 5 minutes, helping them to recognise different coins and allowing them to practice different forms of measurement.  We will run a Maths Information Evening later this term. Please make sure you are constantly working on telling the time with your child using an analogue clock (not digital!).

 

RE

This term we will focus on three key themes; those of Domestic Church (Beginnings), Baptism and Confirmation (Signs and Symbols) and Advent and Christmas (Preparing). We will also be looking at Judaism as our Other Faiths week this term.

 

PE

PE will take place every Wednesday and every Tuesday/Thursday alternating each half term. Please ensure children wear their PE kit on their PE day.  Plimsolls or plain black or white trainers (not lace up) can be worn for outside games. When the weather is cold, the children are allowed to wear school tracksuits.  Order forms for these are available from the office. Please note that the girls are not allowed to wear tights during PE lessons so please make sure they have a pair of socks in their PE kits.