As we wrap up our first term in Year 2, we just wanted to say a huge thank you for all your support this term! It’s been a fab journey so far, and I’m thrilled with how well the children have settled into their new routine. They’ve really tackled the Year 2 challenges with such enthusiasm!

We’ve covered some exciting topics this term, and we have been so impressed by the children’s curiosity and eagerness to learn. Their creativity has shone through in our lessons, and it’s clear they are growing both academically and socially.

Looking ahead to next term, we can’t wait to see how they continue to thrive! As we head into half term, please encourage your little ones to take some time to relax and recharge. I know they’ll come back ready for more fun in Year 2!

 

English

We continue reviewing the sounds we’ve already covered, and seeing the children dive into new sounds has been such a joy. They’re doing an amazing job recognising their “special friends” and using ‘Fred Talking’ to boost their reading skills. Their confidence with reading words is really growing!

We’ve also been having lots of fun using Fred fingers to help with our writing in books, and it’s definitely making a difference. Plus, we’ve been working on our red words, which are super important for both reading and writing. If you could take a bit of time at home to go over these red words with your child, it would be a huge help. Any extra practice you can manage would be fantastic!

This week we have been delving into the world of descriptive writing, and let me tell you, the children have truly outdone themselves! Our focus this week was on creating vivid descriptions of a haunted house. The pupils used some absolutely fantastic adjectives that really brought their settings to life. It’s safe to say that the imaginations running wild in our classroom would make any ghostly abode seem rather haunting! We wouldn’t want to visit any of the eerie places they described, that’s for sure!

As we continue to develop these essential writing skills, I encourage you to engage your child in similar activities at home. Encourage them to describe the world around them using their imagination. Perhaps they could write about their favourite park or even create a spooky story together. It’s a wonderful way to enhance their vocabulary and creative thinking.

 

Reading

Reading at 3 - Every Friday at 3 our doors will be open for you to come in and read with your child, please note, this will be for the full 15 minutes and children should not leave

any earlier. Their books will be set up and ready for you to come in and enjoy listening to their wonderful reading.

Reading folders – Some children will continue to bring home two books, one being a RWI home book. Children are expected to try and read this three times during the week to ensure they are building on their reading fluency. The RWI home books will be changed, by an adult.

The other book (with the coloured sticker) should be changed independently by the child themselves - first thing in the morning is a great time to do this!

Some children have been moved onto the accelerated reader programme. We will continue to assess and move more children onto this when they are ready. Children can change these books after they have completed the quiz online. The AR login can be found here… https://global-zone61.renaissance-go.com/welcomeportal/1892319

For a guide on how to use Accelerated Reader please click here… https://www.chiltonprimary.co.uk/accelerated-reader

Please ensure that the reading folders are placed in the reading trays/baskets, so we can read with your children and ensure books get changed. Thank you for your support with this!

Please listen to your child read as much as possible at home and record this in their reading records. Every week, one child from each class will receive a reading certificate in our Chilton Heroes assembly.

 

Maths

This week, we've been focusing on reading o'clock, half past, quarter past, and quarter to. I'm thrilled to say that the kids have really grasped these concepts and are now keen to tell us the time whenever they get the chance! It's been fantastic to see their enthusiasm.

We recently took our learning outside to the forest school, where the children had the chance to make their own clocks using natural resources. It was such a fun way to reinforce their understanding of time, and they loved the challenge of showing different times on their creations!

 

RE

For this week's lessons we put a spotlight on Religious Education and explored the pivotal theme of leadership.

Throughout the week, we have engaged the children in discussions about various leaders and teachers, examining the profound impact these figures can have on the

world around us. Our focus on what constitutes a good leader has led to some fantastic insights. During our lessons, the children had the opportunity to roleplay scenarios featuring both good and bad leaders. We reached a consensus that a good leader doesn’t need to be bossy; qualities like kindness and compassion emerged as essential skills that contribute to effective leadership.

The children particularly enjoyed learning about diverse leaders from different religions, and in doing so, they were able to appreciate the unique values and teachings these individuals offer. To make it even more interactive, we brainstormed and wrote down some interview questions to pose to an important leader should they ever visit our school—a fantastic exercise that sparked their imaginations!

 

Love to Learn

Next term we will be learning all about ‘The Great Fire of London’. We would like the children to come in curious and ready to learn! So we would love the children to come up with a list of questions that they would like to find out about our new topic – and we will do our best to answer them throughout the term!

 

 

Thank you again for such a fabulous start to the term and we can’t wait to see you all again on the 4th November! Have a lovely half term,

 

Miss Kennedy, Mrs Winchcombe and all the Year 2 team.

Mrs Poppy Winchcombe – Team Azure – poppy.winchcombe@chiltonprimary.co.uk Miss Maddy Kennedy – Team Peacock – maddy.kennedy@chiltonprimary.co.uk