Year Two Newsletter

September 2016
Welcome back! I hope you all had a lovely summer break; Im looking forward to reading all about your experiences in your holiday dairies.
This year we are lucky enough to have the support of Miss Mansfield and Mrs Thompson every morning. Miss Mansfield will also be
working with us for 3 afternoons. If you have any queries or worries please do not hesitate to speak to us, before or after school, we will be
happy to help.

English
This year we will be using the resources from Literacy & Language (a series developed by R.
Miskin who also developed Read Write Inc). There is one unit for each half term. Each unit is
divided into fiction and non-fiction. We will begin the half term with two super stories: Cottonwool
Colin By J. Willis and T. Ross and Sister for Sale By A. Bradbury. Both stories are about
relationships within families; we will be exploring the characters feelings and how they can
change. By the end of the first part of the unit we will write our own stories about friendship and
families.
The second part of the unit focuses on a non-fiction piece of writing, an explanation text called:
Parents & their Young. We will read, analyse and explore the text. By the end of this part of the
unit the children will write their own explanation text of a frogs lifecycle.

Reading
We are in the process of issuing children with their reading books and reading records.
Hopefully by the start of next week we will have sent all books home. Your child will be heard to
read in school at least once a week by me or Miss Mansfield. If your child requires their books
to be changed at other times in the week they must remember to put them in the labelled
reading box at the start of the day.
At Harris Primary School we are very passionate about reading and understand the positive effect regular reading
can make to childrens learning. Last year we had a big focus on daily reading and I propose to do the same again
this year. Therefore every time your child reads at home and their reading record has been signed I will put a
stamp in their book. The top 10 children with the most stamps by the end of the first full term will get to claim a
prize.
Please ensure your childs books are in school every day.
Please aim to listen to your child read for 10 minutes every day!!
Please sign your childs reading record every time they read to you (you can also write any comments you
wish to share about your childs reading or any questions you have).

You will find some useful tips and advice about supporting your childs reading in the front of your childs reading record, and in the back
you will find the targets they will be working on throughout the year. Also, keep an eye out for further support on the Schools Blog.
Library
Please make sure your child brings their school library book in every Wednesday so they can be changed.

Phonics and Spellings

This year we will be continuing to teach Phonics using the excellent Read Write Inc program. Your child will be in
the group that currently meets their needs. The children will be given spellings to take home and learn every Friday
for a test the following Friday. The spellings will include the spelling patterns they have previously covered in their
phonics sessions. If your child does find some of their spellings easy then challenge them to write them into a
sentence for you.

Maths
This year we are having a big push on time across the school. Try and encourage your child to
read the time of an analogue clock, encourage them to ask questions about time too!

We will begin the year looking at the place value of numbers. Followed by a unit on
measuring, a unit on addition & subtraction, a unit on 2D and 3D shapes and a unit on
counting & multiplication.
Homework
Homework will continue to be given out every Friday and should be returned to the box in class the
following Wednesday. Please ensure your child completes their homework in pencil. Remember your
childs targets for English/Maths can be found in the front/back of their homework book.
Targets
The targets for English, Maths & Reading can be found in your childs Homework Book and Reading
Record. This year we will also be thinking of our own class targets to help us Aim High. A copy of those
targets will be posted on the Blog once the children have decided.
Blog
Please find time in the week to check out our Year 2 page on the schools Blog. You will find some useful
information to support your childs learning and useful links to educational websites that support the
work they do in school. We will also upload videos to share with you some of the work the children
complete. http://harrisprimaryschool.net/
The Whole School theme for this half term is...
Its Good To Be Me! And Horrible Histories"
Year 2s Creative Curriculum Overview
Art

Computing

French

Royal Portraits
Artist Hans Holbein
Woodcut artwork

Finding Information using the internet

E-Safety

Numbers & Time

Experiences

History

Music (Mrs Holt)

Forest School (tbc)

Kings and Queens

Life in Tudor England

Instrumental

PE

PSHE

RE

Invasion Games

Staying Safe in the world we live in.

SRE (Sex & Relationships Education)

Christianity - God
What do people think is important to do
daily/weekly/monthly?
Why are these important?

Visit from a Policeman

Wednesday & Friday

Please send in a photograph of your child as a

newborn, 6 months old, 1 year old, 2 years old, 3
years old, starting school and a recent photograph. (If
you have a scan photograph you can send that in too.)

Role-Play

Science

A Tudor Home

Animals (including Humans)

Survival and Growth

Remember if there is anything you need to discuss with us we will be happy to help!
Thank you
Miss Sanders, Miss Mansfield and Mrs Thompson