To all our wonderful Highflyer families

We have enjoyed a great Science Week this week, learning about Animals (including humans!) and all the nutritional groups that our own bodies require to function; even designing our own healthy plate of food after amazing ourselves with a circuit of 60 second experiments on how to keep ourselves SUPER fit and active :)

We are also incredibly thankful to Mrs Lorrimer-Symmonds for visiting us all on Friday and talking to us about Self Portraits; before ‘having-a-go’ ourselves as part of the whole School ‘This Is Us’ large-scale art installation – to be displayed very soon … so please do watch this space!

Our final week of Term 1 has also seen us conclude our topic on Hot and Cold Places; with all staff feeling really privileged to have welcomed all the children’s own experiences (and those of our wonderfully adventurous parents!) and what the heat (or chilly conditions!) felt like for them … THANK YOU

In English, we continued to retell the story of ‘The Great Kapok Tree’ using our own story boards and reading the delightful ‘Owl and the Pussycat’ together. It is always SO lovely to hear the children reading aloud, taking it in turns, but also – and, perhaps, more importantly – simply loving each story …

In Maths we have continued with our composition and equations involving addition and subtraction; with only a slight change to mention for our timetable re: next term with PSHE moving across to a Tuesday afternoon - with Mrs Burbedge - and Spanish switching to every Friday!

In our first week ‘back’ we shall excitedly begin our new topic, 'How was school different in the past?'; hopefully, finding out all about the Victorians and how families used to live. It promises to be a great History topic – starting with our first English text of The Toymaker by Martin Waddell.

Reading

Next term we shall also be starting another new book – ‘The Great Escape’ – so please do look out for it in planners (and return any copies of Animal Poems if you happen to find a copy at home ;) Also, a BIG thanks to all, for a united effort to supply a plastic bag for protection of these books – as know it might potentially make a huge difference … particularly as the weather begins to turn slightly wetter occasionally!

Phonics Focus

In Week 1 (T2) our phonics will look at revising words beginning ‘wr’ (including reviewing words with ‘wh’ and ‘ph’) including a new list of spellings from Monday 3^rd.

Maths (Oak Academy) for Term 2 will begin with a second addition and subtraction unit; including learning points of bonds to 100 (tens), add and subtract 1s and/or 10s, adding three 1-digit numbers alongside further ‘real-life’ reasoning and problem solving activities.

We will also be continuing our Mastering Number sessions – even just to practice the smaller steps of understanding number at the beginning of every lesson.

Reminders - Forest School - Term 2

Our first session will begin on Wednesday morning (5.11.25); therefore, full waterproof kits would be greatly appreciated.

All Year 2 should also continue to wear their fabulous PE kits to school on a Thursday (for their Performance Sport outdoor sessions) – although PLEASE do check through the large ‘Lost Property’ box outside the Highflyer Classroom – as it was positively beginning to beautifully brim over at the top towards the end of Term 1!? Yikes …

I have also updated our Knowledge Organiser, Curriculum Letter and Term 2 timetable on our ‘Highflyer Page’; however, please do not hesitate to drop me a quick email if there is anything else which you might like to included – or that we may have missed?!

On a final note, our Poppy Collection Week starts on Monday (3.11.25); therefore, Year 6 shall be coming through our classroom every day with their terrific smiles but also various poppy ‘bits and bobs’ … however, we shall also be making our own class wreath – which will be placed on our external door in preparation for our whole school 1 minute silence …

Wishing you all a fabulous week ahead and equally lovely half term break (including some refreshing time with your gorgeous families) – as, truly, HUGELY well-deserved by the children themselves!

With very best wishes – as always,

Mrs Winters and the fantastic Year 2 ‘Team’