WELCOME TO BIRCH AND HOLLIES

Come and meet our dedicated team!  The Birch class is taught by Miss Mainwaring and Mrs Hoddinott, and Hollies class are taught by Mrs Rodrigues.  Our LSAs are Mrs Righton, Mrs Davies and Mrs Griffiths.

LANGUAGES, LITERACY AND COMMUNICATION

READING
Pupils will take part in group guided reading sessions daily, which are designed to develop a wide range of reading skills. Group guided reading gives an opportunity for pupils to listen to others and to hear their opinions, predictions and explanations on a wide variety of texts.  Pupils are encouraged to participate, not only when reading, but also to the discussion on the content of different texts. Pupils will be grouped to ensure they are all reading a challenging text.

In addition to this, pupils will also read on an individual basis with either the class teacher or LSA.  The day each child reads will vary each week and so children need to ensure their reading book and reading record comment book is in their school bag daily.  Reading practise is essential and so the children will also need to read their reading book at home.  There is a record book for parents to comment. Little and often is the most effective approach, a few pages everyday perhaps.

SPELLING
Pupils are tested at the start of each term on the high frequency spelling words.  These are in the form of six lists of words that all pupils need to learn to spell before leaving primary school.  The words that pupils spelt incorrectly will be highlighted and sent home to practise.  In addition to this, pupils will practise 3 of their incorrect spelling words a week during guided reading sessions.  Pupils who can spell these words will be given words relating to our topic to learn and homophones (words with different spelling & different meaning) to learn, e.g. blue & blew.

HANDWRITING
Our pupils begin to learn to form the letters of the alphabet in a pre-cursive style, where each lower-case letter begins ON the line with a lead up line. In Year 2 we have handwriting lessons, where we show the children how to join the letters together to form more of a cursive font.  See below in the 'Information for Parents' for our handwriting scheme.
 

In Welsh, pupils will read simple texts containing familiar sentence patterns during guided reading sessions.  They will also learn new vocabulary and sentence patterns relating to the following topics: Myself, the body, colour, clothing, hobbies & the seaside.    

MATHS AND NUMERACY 

In Maths we cover a wide range of topics in line with the Curriculum for Wales. These include the four operations, Place Value, Shape and Space, Measures and Data Handling. Opportunities for problem solving and investigation work are provided across these topics. Lessons are differentiated to ensure all pupils are receiving work appropriate to their level of ability. Pupils answer a range of mental maths questions on a daily basis. 

In Year 2 we learn our 2x, 5x and 10x tables.  We chant them and also respond to quick-fire recall with questions like 'what are 8 fives?'  Please could you support your child by practising and 'testing' them on these times tables.  It is also very important that your child is confident counting forwards & backwards.  Counting is easy to practise because it can be done anywhere, whilst walking up and down the stairs, out walking, in the car or in the bath!

OUR TOPICS

Autumn Term - Explore

Autumn 1 
This half term, pupils will learn about famous explorers, what they discovered, and how their journeys changed our understanding of the world. They will study the 7 continents, 5 oceans, the Equator, Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and the North and South Poles. Pupils will also learn about the United Kingdom, exploring its four countries and their capital cities. We will compare how explorers travelled in the past with how travel has changed over time.

Autumn 2 
In the second half of the term, our focus will shift to Space. Pupils will explore how space travel has changed over time, key figures from history who influenced the space race, and what it takes to become an astronaut. They will also be introduced to the concept of gravity and begin to understand its importance both on Earth and in space.

Spring Term - DISCOVER

This term, pupils will use globes, atlases and maps to locate Wales, Brazil, and the world’s rainforests. They will learn more about their own country, Wales, and compare aspects of life here with the lives of pupils in Brazil.

We will explore the Amazon Rainforest as a unique habitat. Pupils will study the layers of the rainforest, discovering the conditions in each layer and the different animals that live there. They will learn about animal adaptations and find out about some fascinating creatures that call the rainforest home. Pupils will also read and use a variety of non-fiction books to support their learning.

Summer Term – Technology Over Time

This is an exciting new topic for Year Two, where pupils will learn about technology, its different uses, and how it has changed over time. They will explore how we use technology in our everyday lives and develop an understanding of how to use it safely and responsibly.

Class Routines

Please find below information on our class routines.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Please ensure that all uniform is clearly marked with your child’s name. Lost property is located at the front of the school, outside the main office, housed in lost property bins.

PE KIT / FOREST SCHOOL

PE kits are to be worn to school every Friday as we will have outdoor games in the morning and Forest School in the afternoon. 

WATER BOTTLES

Water bottles are kept in a box and children may drink water throughout the day. This is in addition to any drink’s bottle included with a packed lunch. Please ensure this water bottle is clear, has a sports top and contains only water. It also needs to be clearly marked with their name.

HOMEWORK

At Evenlode we do not set weekly homework.  Instead, we encourage all children to read, or to be read to regularly.  We have also put a variety of links below that will aid your child in practising a variety of skills including numeracy and literacy skills.  The curriculum newsletter also gives parents a guide to what their child will be studying that term.