Welcome back for the final and fun filled half-term of learning in Year 2!
This half term is going to be a busy one, with more exciting opportunities and memorable experiences planned. We are very much looking forward to our visit to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on Thursday 18th June, where the children will have the chance to explore the environment, ask questions about what they have found there and learn more about the roles and responsibilities of various people within the church community. As part of our History unit for this half-term, 'Holidays from the past', we also have our Beach Day on Wednesday 17th June, and will be preparing for Sports Day on Wednesday 1st July when we hope you will be able to join us to watch your child participate in a range of fun games and races.
Please remember to visit our curriculum page to find out more about what we will be learning this half term and see all the exciting things we are getting up to in Year 2.
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Learning at Home
As a school we have chosen not to give homework on a regular basis. However, we encourage and expect children to continually learn, revise and practice a number of key skills regularly at home.
These are:
Reading: we expect all children to be reading regularly at home – this needs to be recorded in the Reading Record. We recommend a minimum of 15 minutes per day. The DfE recommend the following:
Encourage your child to read
Reading helps your child’s wellbeing, develops imagination and has educational benefits too. Just a few minutes a day can have a big impact on children of all ages.
2. Read aloud regularly
Try to read to your child every day. It’s a special time to snuggle up and enjoy a story. Stories matter and children love re-reading them and poring over the pictures. Try adding funny voices to bring characters to life.
3. Encourage reading choice
Give children lots of opportunities to read different things in their own time - it doesn’t just have to be books. There’s fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics, magazines, recipes and much more. Try leaving interesting reading material in different places around the home and see who picks it up.
4. Read together
Choose a favourite time to read together as a family and enjoy it. This might be everyone reading the same book together, reading different things at the same time, or getting your children to read to each other. This time spent reading together can be relaxing for all.
5. Create a comfortable environment
Make a calm, comfortable place for your family to relax and read independently - or together.
6. Make use of your local library
Libraries in England are able to open from 4 July, so visit them when you’re able to and explore all sorts of reading ideas. Local libraries also offer brilliant online materials, including audiobooks and ebooks to borrow. See Libraries Connected for more digital library services and resources.
7. Talk about books
This is a great way to make connections, develop understanding and make reading even more enjoyable. Start by discussing the front cover and talking about what it reveals and suggests the book could be about. Then talk about what you’ve been reading and share ideas. You could discuss something that happened that surprised you, or something new that you found out. You could talk about how the book makes you feel and whether it reminds you of anything.
8. Bring reading to life
You could try cooking a recipe you’ve read together. Would you recommend it to a friend? Alternatively, play a game where you pretend to be the characters in a book, or discuss an interesting article you’ve read.
9. Make reading active
Play games that involve making connections between pictures, objects and words, such as reading about an object and finding similar things in your home. You could organise treasure hunts related to what you’re reading. Try creating your child’s very own book by using photos from your day and adding captions.
10. Engage your child in reading in a way that suits them
You know your child best and you’ll know the best times for your child to read. If they have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) then short, creative activities may be the way to get them most interested. If English is an additional language, encourage reading in a child’s first language, as well as in English. What matters most is that they enjoy it.
Weekly spellings: we are using the Spelling Shed programme for our spellings; new spellings will be available weekly with lots of brilliant activities and games to help you learn them.
KIRFs: all children will be working their way through mental arithmetic skills that will support their fluency and recall in mathematical concepts. Extra copies are available on the website.