The Week Ahead …

To all our AMAZING Highflyer grown-ups!

It was so super to meet all our parents re: our terrific class this year – and equally lovely to have the opportunity to not only hear from you but also be able to let you know how well your children have settled in. Two fabulous appointment evenings – HUGE thanks, once again, for your time – and unwavering support :)

Our last week (before the half term break) has now been blocked/filled, excitedly, by Science (with a theme of Animals inc, humans – and how they/we need certain things in order to remain healthy and stay alive!). However, we will return to English and Maths throughout this week; writing a setting description based on our text ‘The Great Kapok Tree’ - with all the children, hopefully, happily applying their recent SPaG knowledge to create a really interesting yet original setting description!

In Maths, we shall, once again, be working on our continuations of addition and subtraction; with learning points of bonds to 10, fact families - addition and subtraction bonds within 20, related facts, bonds to 100 (tens) including adding and subtracting 1s. There are also Mastering Number sessions each day to practice our smaller steps of understanding number at the very beginning of every lesson.

In spellings this week - 'mixed long vowels + endings to split digraph words' ... although only for quick 'have-a-go' quiz on our first Monday back (3.11.25) if at all possible!

As before, homework is genuinely optional – I -promise! – however, it was great to hear that several of the children are now even learning their times tables and practising simple addition and subtraction questions ‘at home’ involving 2-digit numbers (by either adding or subtracting a single digit with some even involving an exchange!). I can highly recommend diennes equipment (plastic tens/ones) for this – if required/ever helpful!

As for the very last week of Term 1 (how quickly has that sped by!?) it has also been fantastic to celebrate in external events this past week including the Cross-Country Run (on Monday 13th at Langtree School), and looking again at our poetry celebrations, post the Henley Literary Festival sessions, to finish off our termly topic; “Would you prefer to live in a hot or cold place?” with our very own version of the adorable ‘Owl and the Pussy Cat’ by Edward Lear. In terms of reading we shall continue with our new text of Animal Poems - using rhythm and rhyme, to learn how poetry is not only structured but also how much fun can be had reciting poems as a whole class - from memory!

Our ‘Star of the Term’ assembly will take place this coming Friday (24^th at 2.45pm); however, I know we would dearly like to congratulate ALL the children in Highflyers for working so extremely hard this term – just to doubly ensure they know how truly delighted Mrs Burbedge, Mrs Shrimpton, Miss Smith and I all are, and have been, with them …  ;)

On a final, final reminder re: Forest School it would be absolutely amazing if a full waterproof kit plus change of clothes could be arrived in/in school (which also covers arms and legs!) alongside wellington boots for the ever-increasing possibilities of wet weather – with, moving forward, even a hat/gloves and drink. Old clothes are utterly ideal – honestly; given they will undoubtedly get muddy and, perhaps, even torn in our adored wild area(s)! Happy days/times indeed  …

We would also be equally, and hugely, grateful if all Year 2s could also wear their ‘warmest’ PE kits to school every Thursday for their Performance Sport session (approx. 1 hour) on the All Weather Pitch – particularly as November/December begin to slowly but steadily arrive … :)

I shall duly pop that our Term 2 Curriculum Letter and Knowledge Organiser for next term onto our class page as soon as – whilst wishing you all another great week ahead AND lovely half term – when it arrives!

Best – as always

Mrs Winters (Abi) and the whole ‘Year 2’ Team