Year 2 Autumn Term 1

Welcome to the first half term in Year 2! We are looking forward to a fabulous and exciting half term!

In Year 2, children will explore the fascinating history of The Great Fire of London, discovering how the fire started, why it spread so quickly, and how it changed London forever. Through engaging stories, historical sources, role play, and discussions, pupils will develop their understanding of events from the past and compare life in 1666 with life today. They will learn about key figures such as Samuel Pepys and King Charles II and investigate how the city was rebuilt after the disaster. Alongside their history learning, children will create a range of exciting artwork inspired by the topic, including fire-themed paintings, silhouettes of the London skyline, collages, and detailed drawings of Tudor houses. This cross-curricular topic will encourage curiosity, creativity, and a deeper understanding of an important event in British history. 

We will be working hard to learn many key concepts in English and Maths. In English, as part of our Great Fire of London topic, Year 2 will be reading Vlad and the Great Fire of London, an exciting story that follows Vlad, a young flea, as he experiences the dramatic events of 1666. The book brings history to life in a fun and engaging way, helping children to understand what happened during the fire and how people lived at the time. Using the story as a stimulus, pupils will develop their reading, writing and speaking skills through a range of activities, including character descriptions, diary writing, retelling events and imaginative role play. This enjoyable approach to learning will help children build their historical knowledge while developing confidence, creativity and communication skills.

In their first maths unit on Place Value, Year 2 children will develop their understanding of numbers to 100. They will learn to recognise, read, write and order numbers, exploring the value of each digit in a two-digit number using tens and ones. Through practical activities and problem-solving, pupils will compare numbers, use mathematical vocabulary such as greater than and less than, and build confidence in counting forwards and backwards. This strong foundation will support their learning throughout the year and help them become fluent and confident mathematicians. We will take part in lots of conversations around reasoning and problem solving using some precise Mathematical vocabulary, talk about maths in pictures of the every day, asking and answering questions such as - 'What's the same?', 'What's different?', 'Which is less?, 'Which is more?' and  'What do you notice?'. Children will practise using precise vocabulary in stem sentences to talk about and explain their thinking.

Regular reading aloud is a crucial part of your child's learning. Please make sure that you read daily with your child and ensure they learn their spelling homework. 

Year 2 will have their P.E lesson on Monday afternoons this half term. Please make sure your child has the correct PE kit and ensure all items are labelled with your child’s name.  

Please also make sure you child has a water bottle in school each day so they can stay hydrated!

If you need to speak to us regarding any issues, our door is always open.

Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs Webb and the Year 2 team

Homework

Spelling Homework - Given out Thursday, test the following Thursday

Reading & Phonics- Please read with your child daily.  Phonics reading books need to be read 3 times before we will change them to help children increase their fluency. 

PE

Monday  - Please have full PE kit - white top, black shorts and black pumps.