Year 2
Dickens Boulevard | Ruskin Drive |
Robin Class |
Seahorse Class |
Mrs Harris Mrs Gerrard Mrs Jauncey
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Mr Andrews
Mrs Brown Mrs Presland
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Swan Class | |
Mrs Sheldon Mrs Morton
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Mrs Kelly also supports learning across all Year 2 classes.
Welcome
Welcome to Year 2!
In Year 2 we love to have fun and exciting lessons with lots of active and ‘hands on’ learning. We start all of our topics with a ‘Wow Day’ and end with a ‘Fab Finish’ where we can immerse children in their learning.
Every morning we have Maths and English lessons and then in the afternoon we get to explore Science, History, Geography, RE, PE, Computing and Music. Every day we have a dedicated lesson for phonics and spelling, with handwriting and individual reading sessions twice per week.
Outside Areas
All classes have outside areas which classes can use to extend their learning. Using this alternative environment can enhance children’s engagement with the curriculum and allow them to record and explore in different ways.
Daliy Routine
How to get into class
At Ruskin Drive Seahorses enter the classroom through their clearly labelled cloakroom door from the playground area which can be found by turning left from the main office doors. They leave through their classroom door also into the playground area.
At Dickens Boulevard Robins and Swan class are let in through the second set of double doors which can be found by turning left from the main office doors. Swan class also leave for the day through these doors. Robin class leave through their clearly labelled classroom door which can be found to the right of the double doors they enter the school.
Times in the day
Doors open at 8.45am and close at 8.55am in order for learning to begin promptly at 9am. At Dickens Boulevard a bell will ring at these times. If you arrive after this time please take your child to the main office where they will need to be signed in.
When children arrive in school they will complete a Morning Challenge. In Year 2 this is often time to refresh learning from Year 1 or practise current skills such as number facts or spelling patterns. This may be tailored to a child’s specific need.
During the day the children will have a morning break at 10.20am.
The school day ends at 3.20pm
Snack time
After morning break children have snack time. In Key Stage 1 a free fruit or vegetable snack is provided. Children bring in their own bottle of water and are encouraged to have a drink at this time with time to share conversations with friends or share news. We would ask that only water is brought into school as we try to promote healthy lifestyles. Milk is also available at this time if paid for by parents or carers. Please contact the school office for more information on this.
Lunch
Year 2 children go to eat their lunch at 12.15pm. They can then play in the playground and return to the classroom at 1.30pm.
The children can be outside in cold weather and so we would recommend a warm, waterproof coat and shoes suitable for running and playing in all weathers. On rainy days children can wear or bring wellies into school but will need to change in and out of these for classroom activities. Hats, scarves and gloves are suitable in the Winter, please help your child to learn how to store these in pockets or a sleeve of a coat. In the Summer a sun hat can be worn, we would ask if possible that an all-day sun cream is applied before school. Please ensure that all coats, jumpers etc are clearly labelled with your child’s name so this can be returned if misplaced.
Members of staff organise games and activities during this outside time. They supervise play and provide first aid. At the end of lunch time they will liaise with the class teacher.
Collections from school
If your child is going to be collected by anyone other than a parent please complete a collection slip for safeguarding.
A green slip can be filled in at any point in the year (although it is often helpful to do this at the start of the year) to indicate all adults who are able to pick up on any day.
A white slip can be filled in for when a child needs to be picked up on one particular day.
If you have forgotten to provide a slip please telephone the office. A child cannot be released to an adult without parental permission and so we would need to make contact at the end of the day if the class does not have a slip on file which can delay your child being able to leave.
A new green slip needs to be completed each school year as records are not transferred to the new class due to GDPR and to ensure we keep our safeguarding records up to date.
Collecting Pupils from School – Safeguarding slips for One off collection / Regular collection
Curriculum
Click on the link below for the Year 2 curriculum map.
Please be aware that the end of key stage 1 (KS1) assessments are no longer statutory from the academic year 2023 to 2024 onwards.
Here is a video for the Rolling Numbers that your children learn in school to help them with their counting, leading to learning their times table facts.
/i/video/Rolling_Numbers_2s__10s___5s.mp4
In KS1 they are taught the 2s, 10s and 5s. (Year 2 will also teach the 3s Rolling Numbers.)
In Year 3 they are taught the 3s, 4s and 8s. (Year 3 will also teach the 7s and 9s Rolling Numbers.)
In Year 4 they learn their remaining times table facts.
Phonics, Spelling and Handwriting
We begin the year by recapping the phonic sounds from Year 1 and building on from where the children finished their phonics learning in Year 1. We have daily sessions which move from phonics recap into the teaching of spelling patterns and knowledge needed for Year 2. There is a focus on being able to spell the Common Exception words for Year 2 and thinking about homophones and suffixes.
These sessions may involve games and active sessions as well as using techniques such as echo spellings where spellings are repeated back by the class.
More information about supporting your child with spelling can be found here.
Spelling words for this year group - Please click here
We follow the Penpals handwriting scheme. At the start of Year 2 we focus on ensuring that children can form all their single letters (including capital letters) and numerals correctly with no reversals with appropriate letter size. We would aim for children to form all their single letters correctly as early as possible in Year 2 so we can then move on to introduce joined-up handwriting. This is taught by introducing a new join each week so children gradually build their skills.
Handwriting Guide - Please click here
PE
At Ruskin Drive Seahorses have PE on Wednesday and Thursday.
At Dickens Boulevard Robins and Swans have PE on Wednesday and Thursday.
Indoor PE kit: a white round necked t-shirt, burgundy shorts.
Outdoor PE kit: a white round necked t-shirt, burgundy jogging bottoms, a school black hooded jumper (optional), trainers and a separate pair of sock (if wearing tights).
Please ensure your child has warm clothing to wear outside as we have PE lessons outside throughout the year. If the weather is particularly cold we do allow children to wear their coats and hats during PE lessons.
All long hair should be tied back for PE. Earrings should be removed or covered with micropore tape if your child has recently had their ears pierced or cannot remove their earrings themselves. Please can you provide micropore tape, if needed, in your child’s PE bag and ensure that they can apply this.
Homework
Every week on a Friday your child’s learning log will be sent home to complete their homework in. An email will be sent home with details of the work for that week. The book should be handed in by Wednesday of the following week so that it can be marked.
This will normally have an open ended learning activity. This is designed to allow your child to choose how to show their learning in a way that engages them e.g. writing, drawing, taking photos of a practical activity, drama, poetry, music etc.
There will be details of weekly spellings and it will also show other platforms they can use to boost their learning such as Times Tables Rockstars and the Oxford Reading Buddy which should ideally be practised each week.
Reading and Library Books
Reading books are grouped into ‘phonics’ books that match our phonics sequence and ‘real book approach’ scheme books that form of a coloured book band scheme. Phonics book will match the phase(s) that your child is learning or has learned and enable the child to practise or re-visit previously learnt sounds. ‘Real book approach’ scheme books are appropriately pitched for your child, however some may need adult support to read some of the vocabulary.
A phonics book should be re-read a number of times as your child will then begin to recognise sounds and words and become increasingly more fluent.
Your child may bring home a phonics book and/or a real-book-approach scheme book. Reading books are sent home every day with the child’s orange reading record book. Children can change their book after they have read with an adult at home and the adult has written in their reading record that they are ready to change their book. As we try to encourage independence in Year 2 the child will make their own choice of reading book within the level they have been given.
A member of staff will normally read with your child every week individually or in a group and write a comment in their reading record. After Christmas * staff will stamp the book to show that an adult has read with your child but comments will be recorded on internal records to build evidence for statutory teacher assessments in Year 2.
When reading with your child, you may find it helpful to ask questions to support their comprehension. To view these questions please click here.
10 Things to do before you are 7
There will be times throughout the year for you to share your journey with your class teacher:
Learn to count in a new language | Take part in a show for the community | Watch Newsround with a grown up | Visit a charity shop | Grow and eat your own food |
Litter pick | Make a smoothie | Learn to tie shoelaces | Roll down a big hill |
Nurture something: a plant/creature/pet |