We’ve had a brilliant start to our new maths unit exploring mass, capacity and temperature. The children have really enjoyed working collaboratively to investigate mass and capacity through practical activities.

They have been comparing and measuring different objects and amounts, which has helped them develop a deeper understanding of what these measurements mean in real life. By exploring in a hands-on way first, the children have been able to build their confidence and understanding.

This practical learning has then supported them when moving on to written questions, where they have been able to apply what they discovered during their investigations. We are very proud of the enthusiasm and teamwork the children have shown so far!

We look forward to exploring temperature next!

As part of our Science Week celebrations, we were delighted to welcome Dr Hartley to school for a fantastic workshop all about keeping our teeth healthy. The session was full of science, stories, and a little bit of magic!

Our adventure began with “The Story of the Tooth Fairy”, a fun and engaging tale that helped us understand why looking after our teeth is so important. The children were taken on an imaginary trip to Tooth Fairy Land, where we discovered all the important jobs the tooth fairies do to keep smiles bright and healthy.

We also became scientists for the morning by carrying out a yeast and sugar experiment. Dr Hartley showed us how sugar can help create an acid that attacks our teeth, helping us understand why brushing and making healthy choices are so important. We also learnt that there can be hidden sugars in drinks like orange juice, which is why drinking water is often the best choice for our teeth and our health.

There was even more excitement when we met a flying fairy and joined in with a lively tooth brushing song. The children used funny toy mouths to practise brushing their teeth properly. I wonder if they can remember the song next time they brush their teeth?

The workshop was interactive, educational and lots of fun, and the children came away with a better understanding of how to keep their teeth clean and healthy.

We had a fantastic time visiting Fairland Church to help us answer our big question ‘How do Christians belong to their faith family?’ Reverend Wilson talked to us about the different parts of a baptism and even pretended to perform one on a doll. She talked to us about why Christians get baptised and the importance of the ceremony. We were also able to look around the church and examine the items involved more closely. We had so many thoughtful questions, showing our deep thinking, which Reverend Wilson was very impressed with. We really enjoyed our visit.

We LOVED using the equipment in PE during our gymnastics learning! Over the last few weeks, we have practised travelling in different ways and learnt to hold a balance in different gymnastics shapes. We began by learning how to do these on the floor, then progressed to low equipment and finally to the wall bars! Hooray!

France class have really enjoyed the start of our DT unit of Mechanisms. We learnt about how wheels move with fixed and rotating axles. Then we experimented with making these in preparation for designing our cars! It was great fun and we used the technical vocabulary brilliantly!

In DT, we have been learning about textiles. We made a patchwork collage of different types of materials by making and using a template. We compared their properties. We were very excited to make felt houses. We made cardboard templates, drew round them on fabric using chalk, cut them out carefully and used running stitch to attach the roof and applique the door and windows. We showed amazing determination if it got tricky and enjoyed learning new skills.

This week in Year 2, we’ve been busy mathematicians! 

We have been learning how to add two 2-digit numbers using base 10 equipment (tens and ones). The children have worked carefully to make sure their additions do not cross the tens yet — that means the total of the ones stays below ten.

We used base 10 blocks to help us see how numbers are made up of tens and ones. For example:

34 + 25 = 59

We showed 3 tens and 4 ones plus 2 tens and 5 ones, and then combined them to make 5 tens and 9 ones.

The children have been brilliant at lining up their numbers, counting carefully, and explaining their thinking using phrases like:

“I added the ones first, then the tens.”
“I know 4 + 5 = 9, so I don’t need to make another ten.”

Later this week, we’ll be taking our next exciting step — learning how to cross the tens boundary (for example, 38 + 24). This will help us understand what happens when our ones make a new ten! 

We’re so proud of how confident and enthusiastic the children have been with their adding. Keep practising number facts at home to help make these skills even stronger!

We have had a fantastic time in PE learning dance this half term. We have learnt about long, folded, moving and entwined shapes. We have listened carefully to different types of music and moved in time. Our routines were creative and we showed some super teamwork skills. It was great fun!

As part of our RE unit, we have been exploring the big question: “Why is light an important symbol?” To help us think about this, we made our own Christingles.

A Christingle is a special symbol used by Christians at Christmas time. It helps people remember that Jesus is the light of the world. Each part of the Christingle has a special meaning:

• The orange represents the world.
• The red ribbon (or tape) around the orange reminds us of God’s love for everyone.
• The four cocktail sticks with sweets or dried fruit stand for the four seasons and all the good things that the Earth gives us.
• The candle on top represents Jesus bringing light into the world.

We really enjoyed making our Christingles and thinking about what each part means. At home the children could lit their candles and talk about how light can make us feel safe, warm, and hopeful.

We have been learning about human and physical features in Geography. We loved looking at ordnance survey maps, learning what some of the symbols mean and comparing the features of different locations.