Meet our Classes
Here are some quotes from the children about life in Year 2 and Holy Trinity:
“I like going to school because I love seeing my friends and teachers.”
“We love learning! It is fun in Ash class because we might get a pen license.”
“I like Holy Trinity because it’s fun, cool and everyone is nice.”
The Teaching Team
We are:
Miss R Chamberlain (Class Teacher) and Teaching Assistant (Mrs C Hamwijk).
We are a team and try to create a ‘team’ atmosphere in class, ensuring that all children feel part of our class. We always endeavour to make coming to school and learning a fun, exciting and practical experience for the children. We are aware that all children access their learning in different ways, some children are visual learners, some are audial learners and some are kinaesthetic learners. We try to ensure that a variety of learning tools are employed when the children need to assimilate new concepts. The children in Year 2 often enjoy using ‘Big Books’, the internet, CD’s, DVD’s, drama and other types of media to support their learning.
Last term we particularly enjoyed doing lots of topic work based around the books, ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’. We tried to make Mr Grinling much healthier by devising fitness plans, lunch menus and even made him a healthy sandwich. Not only was this experience fun but the children learnt a lot as well. Here’s some photographs to give you an idea of how and what we did.
 
 
Class Rules and Behaviour
In Year 2, the children all chose their classroom rules at the beginning of the year. Once the school values had been chosen, the children decided on three very simple rules;
- Take care of and respect our class and each other.
- Listen carefully and follow instructions.
- There is no such thing as can’t – we will always try our best.
As a class we always talk about choices, and how sometimes we make the right choice and sometimes we make the wrong choice. The school values often help us to make the right choice. If the children make the wrong choice, they are given verbal warnings and then asked to take ‘Time Out’ if inappropriate behaviour continues although we do like to focus on positive behaviour. At all times, the children’s safety is very important and our class rules help to ensure this.
Curriculum
These are all of the subjects that we cover throughout the year.
Here are a few more detailed curriculum notes (these were also sent out with the Spring Term curriculum letter)
Literacy:
- Non- Fiction: Information Texts
We will be investigating a range of non-fiction books/ICT texts to show that they can give different information and present similar information in different ways. We will be scanning and reading text to gain information, finding the meaning of unknown words by deducing from text, asking someone, or referring to a dictionary or encyclopaedia. We will then use these skills to write for a purpose in this style.
- Fiction: Extended Stories/Significant authors
We will study an extended story by a significant children's author as a serial story. We will be discussing techniques used by the author to sustain the reader's interest and generally noting ideas about the how the author writes. This will all lead into independent work to plan and write their own sustained story with a logical sequence of events. The children will include elements from reading, for example characterisation, setting, story language, and add detail and dialogue to sustain the reader's interest.
We will be listening to, reading, responding to and writing poems with particular patterns and structures.
Phonics, reading and spelling: Continuing with the Letters and Sounds programme, guided reading
Speaking and Listening: Show and Tell
 Numeracy:
These are the main focuses for the whole year. These will be taught when appropriate to their topics at the time and depending on how the children grasp these concepts.
Counting, Partitioning and calculating
The main focuses in this unit are:
- Place value in 2- and 3- digit numbers
- Partition into multiples of ten and ones
- Comparing, ordering, reading and writing 2-digit and 3-digit numbers
- Use the < and > symbols
- Patterns and sequences
- Counting on and back in steps of different sizes
- Odd and even numbers
- Mental methods
- Addition/subtraction of 1- and 2- digit numbers
- Partitioning and counting on/back
- Solving problems and puzzles involving understanding of numbers and operations; explaining their methods and justifying decisions
Securing number facts and understanding shape
The main focuses in this unit are:
- Addition and subtraction facts to 10; pairs that sum to 20; multiples of 10 that sum to 100
- Tables for 2, 5 and 10
- Doubles of numbers to 10; corresponding halves
- Solving problems involving numbers, money or measures, using addition, subtraction, multiplication or division
- Patterns, relationships and properties of numbers and shapes
- Estimating and checking answers
- Describing and visualising properties of common 2-D and 3-D shapes
- Line symmetry
- Sorting and making shapes
Handling data and measures
The main focuses in this unit are:
- Sorting information on a diagram using one or two criteria
- Organising information using lists and tables
- Presenting data in block graphs and pictograms
- Collecting, organising, presenting and interpreting data to answer questions
- Identifying further questions
- Choosing and using appropriate units of measure and measuring equipment
- Measuring and comparing lengths, weights and capacities using standard units
Calculating, measuring and understanding shape
The main focuses in this unit are:
- Mental calculations: adding and subtracting 1-digit number or multiple of 10 to/from a 2-digit number
- Informal written calculations: adding and subtracting 1- and 2-digit numbers
- Following and giving instructions for movement using mathematical language
- Solving problems involving numbers, money, measures or time
- Estimating, comparing and measuring lengths, weights and capacities
- Using units of time and reading time to the quarter hour
- Reading scales and interpreting the divisions
Securing number facts, relationships and calculating
The main focuses in this unit are:
- Counting on and back from different numbers in 2s, 5s and 10s
- Building up the 2, 5, or 10 times-tables
- Finding half, quarter and three quarters of shapes and sets of objects
- Doubles of numbers to 20 and corresponding halves
- Describing patterns and relationships involving numbers or shapes and testing examples that fit conditions
- Solving problems using counting, the four operations and doubling or halving in practical contexts, including measures or money
- Using the symbols +, −, ÷ and = to describe, record and interpret number sentences
- Multiplication as repeated addition and arrays
- Division as sharing and repeated subtraction (grouping)
 Science: During the Spring term we will be focusing on the topics of Forces and Movement along with learning about Electricity. There will be lots of fun and practical lessons involved which should link nicely with the topics being covered.
Foundation Subjects:
Art and Music will continue to be taught by Mrs. Matthews and Mrs. Hornal, while PE lessons will take place on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Geography will be based around our 1st topic, ‘Around the World’ where we will be investigating continents and the different features of other countries. Our history this term will focus on learning about how different forms of transport has changed throughout the years.
ICT: We use laptops regularly within lessons to cover both ICT skills and to extend learning in particular lessons. We also use laptops for various projects and to improve our mental maths skills.
RE: Our RE work this term will focus on the concepts of Authority, Responsibility, Vulnerability and Personal Growth.
PE: We will have P.E. every Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. These lessons will involve a variety of games and dance for this term.
Oak and Ash Class visit London Zoo
On Thursday 12th November, KS1 children enjoyed a brilliant day at London Zoo. Despite some initial concerns about the unpredictable weather that had been forecast, we were extremely lucky and the day was just perfect. The children enjoyed exploring the various parts of the zoo, and seeing lots of familiar and unfamiliar animals. Both classes participated in a fun and interactive "Sense-ations" session where they learnt about the different and unusual ways in which animals see, hear, smell, taste and touch. The children also applied their literacy, numeracy and geographical knowledge by reading signs, estimating the heights of animals and using maps to give directions around the zoo. A huge thank you to all our volunteers and staff for making the trip such a success!
|
