Welcome to Year Two

1. Bournes Green Infant School Welcome to Year Two Year Two teaching staff: Miss Williams & Mrs Johnson Miss Meyer & Mrs Kyriakides

2. Cross Curricular link • At Bournes Green Infant School we have tried to make our curriculum child-friendly and have made many cross curricular links. • In Year Two we are finding ways to make links between subjects (Island Life, Chocolate). • We have tried integrating French throughout the curriculum (taking registers, sitting down etc.). • As yet, we have not decided where our end of year trip will take place.

3. Healthy Eating • At Bournes Green Infant School we pride ourselves on being a ‘healthy school’. • We have fruit snack during morning break (provided by parents) and in the afternoon (provided by the Government). Please make sure your child has a snack (not too big or messy!) and a drink of water (especially in the summer). • We encourage parents to provided healthy lunches for their children, as this improves concentration in afternoon sessions (no nuts).

4. Physical Education • We teach PE for two hours a week. • As well as the two PE lessons, children have ‘Activate’ sessions in the morning. • The range of activities planned, will also allow the children to practise their fine motor skills, for example, holding pencil correctly, cutting skills, etc. • PE safety – no earrings (tape) and hair tied back. • Both Units PE – Tuesday & Wednesday

5. Mathematics • We follow the Primary Framework for Mathematics. (http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primaryframeworks/mathematics/). • National Curriculum 2014 • Children will progress at their own level and work is always matched to their ability (light bulbs go off at different times!).

6. Teacher Assessment (SATs) • At the end of Year 2, National Levels are published for reading, writing, speaking and listening, maths and science. • We carry out teacher assessment throughout the whole of Year 2 and hand in the final results in May/June. • These results are NOT based on one test, we only use the test papers to underpin our teacher assessments. We judge the children every time we listen to them read, work with them in a maths group or read a piece of their written work. • At present the levels are as follows: • 1 or 2c-below national average • 2b-national average • 2a-just above national average • 3-working well above national average

7. Strategies in Year TwoAddition & Subtraction • We use a range of strategies and different resources to teach children how to solve calculations, for example: • Number lines • In my head (including using fingers) • Hundred square • Adding/ Subtracting tens and units • Using known number facts • Showing workings out (two ticks)

8. Multiplication & Division • This is taught in two ways in Year Two: • learning tables by rote (2,4,6 & 5x5=25) • learning strategies to solve any calculations related to multiplication and division (6 x 7 =?) • Ways to help at home: • Counting on the way to school (2,4,6) • Times table CD • Please check with us before you teach a strategy at home-it has as it has all changed since we were at school! • By the end of Year Two children should know their 2, 5 & 10 times table, progressing on to 3, 4 and the rest!

9. Problem Solving • Once the children have mastered the strategies, they then have to apply this knowledge to solving a problem • To be a Level 3, children are expected to be able to solve a range of problems involving all operations, moving on to ones involving two or more operations (see papers we are passing round) • For example ‘Each toy costs 25p, Jack buys 6, how much change does he get from £2.00?’

10. Literacy • Spelling – • School spellings are linked to ‘High Frequency words’ that children in Years One and Two are expected to be able to spell. • Your child was assessed in Year One and was put in the right spelling group for his/her spelling ability. • The spellings are progressive and therefore children will not be moved up a group, unless they consistently spell words correctly in their written work. • Please be aware that some words are phonetic (children can use their sounds to work them out) and some are ‘tricky’ words that we just need to know. • In Year Two we have the spelling test on Friday, so please learn them! • Look, cover, write, check. Write in sand, foam, paint, chalk, different colours. Joined up writing. • High Frequency words will be corrected in children’s written work and we encourage you to do the same (homework). • Spelling websites for home • http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/lcwc.html • www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures

11. Literacy • Speaking & Listening – • Speaking and Listening at Bournes Green Infant School is integral to everything we do. • Subject-specific vocabulary is taught in most lessons and particularly important during Mathematics and Science. • Children in Year 2 are beginning to understand the importance of talk for learning and have weekly talk partners.

12. Literacy Reading, reading and more reading • Reading is not restricted to Literacy lessons. At Bournes Green Infant School we read all the time and in most lessons. • Reading is not a competition, children will progress at their own level. In our experience, when a child is moved to the next reading level too early it can knock their confidence. • In Year 2 we expect that children will recognise most vocabulary that is presented to them. However, being a confident reader is not just about reading the words but also having a clear understanding of the meaning of new phrases or words. Encourage your child to use the context clues to work out the meaning of a word. You may even want to look words up in the dictionary. • As well as reading a text fluently, we recognise the importance of reading for an audience (expression, question marks, exclamation marks, speech marks, reading ahead i.e shouted)

13. Literacy Reading, reading and more reading • Comprehension is key in Year Two – showing a good understanding of the text, including reading the words and understanding their meaning (assessment, inference skills & story hand). Please question your child! To be a 2a or level 3, the children must be able to answer a variety of questions (see SATs booklet going round), especially inference type questions, e.g. “The news spread like fire” – what does this really mean? • Before moving children to the next reading level we will check that they are reading a variety of genres. • Every week a child will read at least once to an adult, either as part of a guided reading session or independently. • Parental guidance: • We recommend reading with your child as much as possible at home; reading every night really does make all the difference! • Where to read? • Comments in diary (initials or comments) We want our children to enjoy reading. Please trust us!

14. Literacy • Writing – • At Bournes Green Infant School we follow the Primary Framework for Literacy and integrating the new National Curriculum. • We always teach a Literacy topic over two weeks or more (e.g. narrative) • Firstly we explore the genre (guided reading, drama etc.) • Secondly we use the genre as a model for our own writing (plan writing with success criteria, write, review and next steps) • We aim to encourage the children to start becoming confident writers by the end of Year Two, using many of the techniques taught to them throughout the year. • As with Mathematics, children will develop their own style of writing at different rates. All work set during lesson time will be matched to the children’s ability and the level of support given. • Writing is not levelled purely on handwriting and spelling, but also on content and organisation.

15. Literacy • Writing techniques that will be encouraged this term and developed in following terms. • Children will be taught to: • give sufficient detail to engage the reader (do you want to read on?) • vary sentence starters • vary word choice • extend sentences through the use of connectives (and, because etc) • use descriptive language or phrases (WOW factor) • become more consistent with full stops and capital letters • use phonetically plausible attempts at spelling • begin to use a cursive handwriting style • Children may progress to: • adding dialogue to their writing • varying sentences construction (e.g. extended sentence followed by simple sentence for impact) • using simple adverbs • using a range of connectives (e.g. sometimes, also, but etc) • consistent use of verb tenses • paragraphing their writing • adding detail, humour or suspense to create interest and fully engage the reader • using a variety of different ways to punctuate writing (e.g. exclamation marks)

16. Homework • In Year Two, Mathematics homework will be set every week. • The Mathematics homework is related to the topic taught in class that week. It will give you a good indication as to whether your child has grasped the concept. It may not however, be exactly the same level that the children have been working on in class. We usually send out a middle level piece of work, therefore some children will need support and others may find it easy, however there will be the challenge element. • The ‘Challenge’ does not have to be completed, however, if your child has found the main homework manageable, it is recommended that they try the challenge. You are then welcome to further challenge your child if they need it. • Literacy homework will consist of regular reading to an adult at home, as well as learning weekly spellings. • From time to time, we may send home a topic-based piece of homework which will require the children to apply some of the skills they have been developing in class. • With any homework your comments as to how your child found the homework are helpful for the class teacher. • Parental help – • Please do help your child read the homework and understand what they have to do • Please do spend time helping them but without completing the task!

17. Independence in Year Two • We aim to ensure that our children are independent when they go to the Junior School. • In Year Two we encourage children to take responsibility for their own jumper, water bottle, lunchbox, homework, letters and P.E kits! • Changing their reading books! • After the Christmas Holidays we will be asking each of you for permission, if you are happy to do so, to let your child walk round to the front gate at the end of the day.

18. Holiday during term time • Did you know if you take your child out of school for two weeks a year, by the time they sit their eleven plus, they will have missed a whole term of learning! • If you take your child out for two weeks, they will miss a whole unit of work and it may prevent them from understanding the next unit as easily e.g multiplication/division • Please do not take children out of school during the Harvest Festival, Nativity or Leavers Assembly because they will miss out on all the fun and so will you! • At present, the same applies to the SATS term (May-June).

19. If someone has fallen asleep near you, give them a nudge! Any questions?