•Our department now consists of 3 classes:
•Year1 –Mrs Best KS1 leader
•Year1/2 – Mrs Bell
•Year2 – Mon-Wed Mrs Lyons; Thu and Fri- Mrs Afaq
•Teaching Assistants: Miss O’Rourke and Mrs Flaherty
•This will allow us to plan across the classes easier to
ensure continuity and progression.
Last year our new department spent a great deal of time planning our
new topics for the new curriculum
The overview of this planning will be on the website soon
It is a two year cycle – so all the classes will be working on the same
topic but with slight differences eg this term in history we are all working on a different aspect of kings and queens
A two year cycle will ensure all the children will cover everything
regardless of which class they are in
Each class develops the overview into their own topic web – again these
will be on the website but we will also send home a paper copy
Sharing topics will allow us to do more days like last week which was an
enormous success
The new curriculum has changed but the main change is in maths and
•Letters and Sounds is continually reinforced in the classroom –
guided reading; in writing tasks – word banks; encouraging children to sound out words etc.
•Governments phonic programme •6 phases
•Reception children are expected to cover phase 2-4 • Year 1 children are expected to cover phase 4-5
•Year 2 children are expected to complete phase 5 and cover phase 6
•Letters and Sounds is a systematic, high-quality programme. It has pace – it
takes place 4 times a week for half an hour; it follows a similar pattern everyday to ensure it is systematic and it is multi- sensory – so we play games; sing songs; use whiteboards.
However children progress at different rates and work at a level appropriate to their learning still ensuring the children are challenged.
•The children will bring home a home reader – please read with your child every
night. Talk to your child about the characters in the book; Can they re-tell the
story; What do they think about the characters – ask question like Which was your favourite character/ Which wasn't your favourite character – Why?
• Reading happens all the time in a classroom – we ask the children to do shared
reading of the big books at the beginning of the lesson; read labels around the classroom; reading worksheets or word banks which help when the children are doing their work.
• The children will have the opportunity to change their reading books on Tuesdays
and Thursday with supervision.
•The children will bring home up to 2 home readers a week – if you want your child
to read more than this please get them to read their own books/ go to the library – its so important that children read real books as well as reading scheme books; it broadens their reading skills and understanding of books tremendously.
• Year 2 writing- The children will be encouraged to write independently. They will
need to make attempts at spelling unfamilar words using their phonic knowledge and use resources such as dictionaries, word banks and begin to use a thesaurus to use a wider range of vocabulary.
.
•In Year 2 there is a greater emphasis on grammar and punctuation and written
comprehension to supplement comprehension activities through guided reading.
•This year we are going to be working very hard with the children’s handwriting.
This is a big part of the new curriculum. We will be having regular handwriting
practice. Any opportunities to for your child to practise their handwriting and how they form and join letters will be greatly beneficial.
•We will continue to look at different genres of text in both reading and writing –
•In the new curriculum the expection in maths has been raised in all aspects –so
this year we will be working very hard to develop the children’s mathematical
understanding so they can continue to develop their understanding as they progress through the school.
• We make maths fun, practical and meaningful.
•If you want to help your child at home with their maths work then mental maths is
the ideal opportunity. Ten minutes every day – in the bath; at the tea table; in the car is really beneficial. The more confident a child is with mental maths the
stronger the foundation is for their mathematical understanding.
•Year 2 will receive mental maths targets and these are linked to where your child
is at and what we are working on at the moment eg counting up in 2s, 5s and 10s– We will also give out ideas on how to help your child develop their maths targets
Homework in KS1 in year2
We will be sending home targets for reading, writing and maths with ideas on how you can help your child to achieve these targets.
Reading targets are closely matched to some of the things we will be working on in our guided reading sessions/letters and sounds sessions so supporting the children’s work in class.
Writing targets are related to your child’s next steps in becoming independent writers in Year 2and how they can improve their writing.
Maths targets are related to the basic skills in mental arithmetic. These will be mainly the basic skills the children need in maths as a solid foundation further on in their school life e.g. extending number bonds.
Maths targets will be reinforced in our mental maths sessions in class.
The targets will be reviewed every term and we will send home new targets and information on how your child is doing. We also try to send home ideas on how you can practice the targets.
Reading
Please read with your child as much as possible. We will send home examples of the types of questions you can ask your child once you have read with them.
Half termly project
W
e
O
nly
R
each
for
T
he
H
ighest
Worthington Way
We are gentle – we don’t hurt others
We are kind and helpful-we don’t hurt anybody's feelings We listen-we don’t interrupt
We are honest –we don’t cover up the truth We work hard – we don’t waste our time or others’ We look after property – we don’t waste or damage things
Behaviour ladder/marbles in the jar Values -6 of the best
Self-discipline Kindness
Courage Joie de vivre
Resilience Honesty
