Well, we’ve made it to the end of our first term!  The children have all settled into Year Two life so effortlessly, and their smiling faces bring so much joy to our classroom.

It’s been fantastic to see the children getting involved and showing such enthusiasm in their learning. They’ve worked wonderfully together and supported each other along the way. We are really proud of each and every one of them!

 

English

This week in English, we’ve had a fantastic time wrapping up our learning around 'Rapunzel' by Bethan Wallvin. The children have really dived into the story, and it’s been wonderful to see their creativity shine.

We’ve been focusing on mixing up our sentence types, and I’m thrilled to say that the children have been doing a great job. They’ve been working on different sentence openers, especially using prepositions and time phrases, which adds some extra flair to their writing.

As part of our lessons, every child has had the chance to plan and write their very own fairy tale. It’s been so exciting to see what they’ve come up with! I encourage you to ask your child about their story – I’m sure they’ll be eager to share their ideas with you!

Our daily phonics sessions continue to play an important role in developing the children’s reading and writing skills. This week, we have been using Fred Fingers to sound out and spell words, especially trickier ones with more sounds. We’ve also spent time blending sounds to read unfamiliar words more fluently and practising our Red Words – these are words that don’t follow regular phonetic rules and need to be remembered by sight, such as “said,” “because,” and “come.”

The children have also been writing sentences independently, working hard to remember their finger spaces, capital letters, and full stops. They are making fantastic progress in becoming more independent and confident writers. If you have a few minutes at home, going over Red Words or encouraging your child to sound out words using their Fred Fingers can make a big difference. Even a short practice each day helps reinforce what we’re doing in school.

 

Reading

Reading at 3: Every Friday at 3, our doors will open for you to come in and enjoy a quiet read with your child. This will be for the full 15 minutes, and we kindly ask that children are not taken home early during this time.

Reading folders: Some children are bringing home two books – one of these will be a Read Write Inc (RWI) home book, which we ask them to read three times throughout the week to help build fluency. These books will be changed by an adult.

The second book (with the coloured sticker) should be changed independently by your child – ideally first thing in the morning.

Some children have moved onto the Accelerated Reader programme and will be able to change their books once they’ve completed the quiz online.
AR login: Click here
Parent Guide: How to use Accelerated Reader

Please ensure reading folders are placed in the trays each morning so that we can read with your child and update their books when needed.

Chilton Heroes Reading Certificate – Each week, one child per class will be recognised for their fantastic reading in our Chilton Heroes assembly.

 

Maths

This week, we’ve been embarking on a journey as terrific time tellers! We started with a recap about the minute hand and the hour hand. It was essential for everyone to grasp the fundamentals before moving on, and we are pleased to say that the entire year demonstrated great enthusiasm and understanding while learning how to tell the time to the hour and to half past. Their faces lit up as they successfully identified the times on the clock, which was heartening to see!

After solidifying those skills, we dived deeper into the concept of telling the time to quarter past and quarter to. The progress the children have made in such a short time is nothing short of impressive! Their ability to quickly identify these times not only showcases their hard work but also indicates how well they are picking up the concepts we’re covering. It’s a joy to see them engaged and excited!

To ensure that this newfound knowledge sticks, I encourage you to practise telling the time at home with your children. You might consider incorporating this into your daily routines, whether it’s using the clock in your kitchen or during outings.

RE

In RE this week we have been focusing on the theme of leadership and exploring what makes a good leader.

Throughout the week, we have engaged in discussions about the significance of leaders within various faith traditions, looking closely at Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The students have been learning about the unique roles that leaders play in their respective communities, particularly within places of worship. We have examined their responsibilities, the qualities that contribute to effective leadership, and the impact they have on their followers.

Our exploration has been both enlightening and thought-provoking. The children have participated actively, sharing their thoughts and asking meaningful questions. This has not only deepened their understanding of different faiths but has also encouraged them to reflect on the values that define good leadership, such as empathy, integrity, and commitment.

 

Home Learning

Next term, our Thematic curriculum will be based around the topic ‘Fire, Fire,’ where we will be learning all about The Great Fire of London! We would love the children to think of some questions they would like to find out the answers to!

Be create and have fun!

 

Dates to Remember

27th October – Inset Day, children not in school

28th October – Parent/teacher consultation week

29th October – Year 5 to start swimming

31st October – Halloween disco

3rd November – Poppies on sale for following 2 weeks; children to bring in donations in named envelope and house captains to bring poppies round to classrooms

11th November – Service Uniform Day, children allowed to wear their service uniforms into school

12th November – Individual School Photos

14th November – Children in need – This year is a challenge yourself theme. We are challenging the children to come into school wearing as many spots as possible!

14th November - Year 1 and Year 6 Come Dine with me (Sky 11.30, Ocean 11.45, Cyan 12.30, Turquoise and Cobalt 12.40)

21st November – Reception Come Dine with me (Periwinkle 11.30 and Teal 11.40)

24th November – Book Fair on all week

28th November – Year 3 and 5 Come Dine with me (Azure 11.30, Peacock 11.45, Royal 12.30 and Indigo 12.40)

 

4th December – Year 5 Pegwell Bay Trip

5th December – Year 2 and 4 Come Dine with me (Sapphire 11.30, Cornflower 11.45, Team Aqua 12.30 and Team Topaz 12.40)

 

8th December – Year 3 to Royal Harbour

10th December – No swimming this week, Year 5 will have PE as usual

10th December – Christmas Fair 3.15pm-4.15pm

11th December – Year 4 to Maidstone Museum

12th December – Reception Nativity at 9am in the hall

15th December – No PE this week

15th December – Year 1 Nativity at 9am in hall

16th December – Year 3 and 4 Church Performance at 10am and Year 5 and 6 Church Performance at 2pm, both at St Laurence Church

16th December -Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 Christmas Parties – children to wear Party Clothes to school

17th December – Year 2 Nativity at 9am in School Hall

17th December – Year 3, 4, 5, and 6 Christmas Party Day – children to wear Party Clothes to school

17th December – Christmas Dinner Day

18th December – Year 2 and 3 to watch the Pantomime at St Lawrence College

18th December – Christmas Jumper Day

18th December – Final day at school; school finishes at 2pm and there will be no after school club

 

We wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks for your ongoing support in your child's learning. Your involvement makes a significant difference in our school community and in your child’s education.

We hope you have a lovely half term and we will see you again on Tuesday 28^th October!

 

The Year 2 Team

Miss Maddy Kennedy – Team Sapphire – maddy.kennedy@chiltonprimary.co.uk

Mr Josh Belsey - Team Cornflower - joshua.belsey@chiltonprimary.co.uk