Welcome to Class Two

Autumn Term 2023

Hello Class 2! I hope you have had a lovely break over the summer holidays and are eager to begin a new term, as either Year 2’s or Year 3’s. We will have a busy term, thinking about States of Matter, Anglo Saxons & Vikings and drawing using charcoal.

We will have new pick up and drop off times this year, and School will begin at 8.45am and finish at 3.15pm. Please can children enter independently from the main school entrance, hanging their coats and bags in either the boys or girls’ cloakrooms. Please let the office know if someone else will be collecting in the afternoon. Children in Year 2 continue to benefit from receiving a free piece of fruit/veg for a breaktime snack, but in Year 3 you will be required to bring your own from home: Please make sure that this continue to be in line with our healthy food policy: School Meals and Healthy food policy 

Phonics & Reading: We will be revising and progressing your child’s learning with the Little Wandle phonics program throughout Year 2, reinforcing their understanding and spelling skills. Selected children in Year 3 will also benefit from keep-up sessions.

All children will have a reading book which they can take home, and will be developing their understanding of reading for pleasure. Progress will be shared through their reading record from school, and try to build this into a daily routine at home as well, letting us know how they did. If you wish to become a parent reader in school, please get in touch!

Don’t forget that you can also access a huge range of e-books as well through the school’s online library: https://applebyprimary.eplatform.co/

English: We will be exploring books which focus on legends and myths this term, starting with investigating the book Arthur and the Golden Rope, by Joe Todd-Stanton. We will focus on developing children’s comprehension and inference, alongside their grammatical knowledge and handwriting. We will also be using the book 'I Know What You Did Last Wednesday' and 'The Magic Finger' in our whole class reading.

Maths: In Maths we will be using the White Rose scheme to develop your child’s confidence in place value within 100 (Year 2) and within 1000 (Year 3), addition and subtraction within 100 (Year 2) and 1000 (Year 3). We will also use ‘fluent in 5’ daily challenges to build their fluency and recall. If you wish to continue practicing at home, we recommend using the 1-minute maths app, and Times-tables Rockstars to help children build their fluency and ability with number.

History: This term we will be developing knowledge and understanding within Anglo Saxons and Vikings, to help us answer the question ‘Why did they invade?’. We will explore maps and the physical and human geography of Scandinavia and the UK, investigate types of transport, use timelines to see changes, and think about how this has affected our local area.

Science: In science our theme is on States of matter and Electricity. We will be learning about a range of different materials, their uses, and how they change shape. We will compare and group these according to whether they are solids, liquids and gases. We will observe materials that change state when they are heated or cooled, measuring temperature in degrees Celsius. We will also discuss the water-cycle and its links to evaporation and condensation. In Electricity, we will identify common electrical appliances, explore simple circuitry, using switches, buzzers, lamps and wires, beginning to identify conductors and insulators.

Art and Design: Our Art and Design this term will be focusing on developing our skill in sketching and drawing using charcoal, and creating collages using shape and colour. This can be quite messy, and you may want to provide a large old t-shirt for children to wear!

Computing: In computing, we will explore how we stay connected, comparing digital and non-digital devices, looking at computer networks, routers and switches.

PE: In Class 2, Children will have PE sessions twice a week, on Mondays (pm) and Thursday (pm). Children should bring both outdoor and indoor clothing as we will be going outdoors as much as the weather permits. Please make sure all kit has your child’s name in it, so we are able to reunite lost items successfully. Earrings must be removed for PE and your child must be able to do this for themselves. PE kit consists of a white t-shirt and black shorts/leggings with suitable trainers. If your child does not bring their PE kit, they will not be able to participate in the activities.

French/RE: Through lessons with Miss Ridley, children will be investigating different RE and PHSE themes through our scheme Jigsaw, and will be learning some basic French focusing on greetings and classroom instructions.

Communication: We will use Seesaw throughout the year to send announcements, share photos of significant events/achievements. You can also communicate directly with the teachers during working hours, and it is ideal for asking questions, receiving reminders and for sharing progress! You can also email me directly, via the school website.

Please do not hesitate to send us a question via Seesaw or email if you have any queries.

Looking forward to seeing you again in September!

Mrs Clara Dickinson