Welcome to Year 2
Welcome to Year 2. I’m Mrs Teale and the teacher in Year 2. It is my pleasure to welcome you and your child to our class .
In Year 2 we have an inspiring and motivating curriculum with themes covering a term or half term throughout the year. Curricular subjects are taught within the theme so that the curriculum is meaningful and relevant to the children.
The children’s work is displayed within a stimulating classroom environment which celebrates creativity and individuality.
Visits and visitors each term are also carefully chosen to complement our exciting curriculum. We also use community links to support our learning. Eg Wickersley library.
In the first term we focus on our local heritage. This includes a special project on our church, St Albans, and an open afternoon held at church at the end of this topic will give the children the opportunity to share what they have found with parents and friends.
Often at home the children may want to find out something, make, create or bring in something related to their learning that day .We really love to encourage their individual interests and enthusiasm, so we have a 20 minute “show and tell” session at the end of Friday.
We are also committed to developing the children’s independence and life skills. These include problem solving, working , communicating and cooperating with others, thinking critically and creatively, reflecting on learning , and developing their resilience.
We really value our home/ school links and try to give you as much information as we can regarding your child’s progress, both socially and academically, and you are also very welcome to see me before or after school.
Our new “House” rewards system gives the children opportunities to gain tokens for their house for behaviour. This could include showing respect for others , having resilience, trying hard, working cooperatively, achieving goals etc.
Class Routines:
Reading
We want to create children who have a lifelong love of reading, so reading and books have a really high profile in our class. The children are encouraged to read a range of books, and particularly those which they are interested in and motivated by. Our authors of the half term are chosen for interest and enjoyment and the children are able to choose a levelled reading book for themselves . They then have some ownership over their reading.
Your child is always welcome to bring in their own books to recommend to the class.
The books are organised in progressive colour band levels and you will know which level your child is working on, as there will be a sticker on the front of their reading diary. Your child can change their choice of book as often as they like.
In the weekly guided reading sessions I will choose the texts which the differentiated groups will work on. Different objectives will be covered in this session, including comprehension skills. This is vital, as statutory tests like the KS1 SATs reading tests comprises of two written papers which your child has to complete independently with no adult support. This year your child has a bookmark to use with their chosen book . It details hints and tips for you to support your child at home, especially with comprehension. I will detail the objectives taught in guided reading in your child’s reading diary so you can also follow these up at home too.
Also the objectives for each level will be stuck into your child’s diary so you are aware of what your child will need to achieve to move up to the next level.
Every Wednesday it is reading morning in KS1 from 8.30 – 8.50 and you are very welcome to come in with your child and share a book.
Spellings
Spellings/phonemes/ spelling rules will be given out on Mondays and tested on Fridays. Guidance for you will be included in the spelling books, but if you need any clarifications please pop in and ask. Please encourage your child to put their spelling book in the box by the classroom door on Friday so new work can be added.
Homework
Homework is regularly given on Fridays, so your child’s homework book needs to be placed in the box by the classroom door on Thursday so it can be marked and new homework added.
Homework may not always be written, as it could be some research, or finding an item or book to bring in.
They may also have some maths homework which can be accessed online. Your child can log on into Abacus online to complete interactive activities and access rewards. They earn rewards for completing the activities and games the teaching staff have allocated to them. These will always be related to the work the children have done in maths that week.
1.Go to www.activelearnprimary.co.uk
- To log on you need to enter the first 4 letters of your child’s first and last name.
Eg sally peters would be sallpete
The password is password
The school code is mkcn
PE
Our PE lessons are usually on Wednesday and Thursday, however occasionally they could be on a different day and it would be helpful for your child to keep their kit on their peg for the week.
Kit is as follows:
- A named pair of shorts
- A named tee shirt
- Named pumps/trainers for outdoor PE
If your child wears earrings please ensure that your child can remove them for PE, or bring a container to put them in when removed.
Take home toy:
Each term we have a toy which goes home with individual children each weekend. The toy has a diary in which the children can write a little of what they do with the toy. Eg Visit to grandparents, shopping, playing a game etc. It gives the children a real purpose for writing. Your child will probably only have the toy once in the year!
Your help with your child’s learning is always appreciated.
Thank you