Year 2

Welcome to our Year 2 Class at St James’

Welcome to Year 2. My name is Mrs Scott and I am the class teacher. We are supported by various Teaching Assistants in Year 2 on a daily basis. We will be doing lots of Maths and English in the mornings and we’ll be having lots of fun in all of our other subject in the afternoon. I have a passion for art and music so there will definitely be a focus on these subjects. In Year 2 we think the ‘Sky is the limit – that we can achieve anything if we try’ so we work to aim high in everything we do.

Year 2 Noticeboard

We change our reading books weekly. You will need your reading book and reading journal every day.
PE in Year 2 is on Thursdays. Make sure you have your full St James PE kit.
Homework is given out each Friday and should be returned before the following Thursday.
Spellings are handed out on a Friday and will be tested on Friday of the following week.
Please bring fresh water daily.
We pray every day in school. Please help your child to become familiar with our prayers here Little Book of Prayers EYFS and KS1

Summer Term in Year 2

This term we are reading Jim and the Beanstalk by Raymond Briggs which is modern version of Jack and the Beanstalk. Through the term we will be helping the kind giant to smarten up his act by buying him a new pair of glasses, a set of teeth and a gorgeous ginger wig. In science our topic is electricity, and we will be making simple circuits, doing a case study of how electricity is used in underdeveloped countries and how we keep safe around electrical equipment. In RE we talk about the visits of Jesus after the resurrection and his final journey to Heaven. We look at the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi and discover how Sikh families celebrate this special day. In Year 2 we also focus on our end of KS1 assessments, so it is a busy term of work. In DT we will plan, make and evaluate a healthy salad using a range of root vegetables and kitchen tools. In History we investigate the Great Fire of London looking at how and where it started, how it dramatically improved firefighting services and why fire safety is important.

Tips on how to help your child’s learning during the Summer Term

Visit Times Tables Rock Stars as frequently as you can to learn your 2,5 and 10 times tables. https://ttrockstars.com
Try to learn as many words as you can from the CEW list below.
Have a look at tips on electricity on the BBC website. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zg82n39
Have a look at the Great Fire of London on the BBC website https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/articles/zph4g7h

Spring Term in Year 2

In this chilly spring term, we warm our bodies as we travel to the continent of Africa through Eileen Browne’s ‘Handa’s Surprise’. In this delightful book we look, hear and taste the delights of African culture. In geography we explore Africa even further by looking at the country of Kenya where we will ask ‘Big Questions’ such as: Will we see some giraffe, or will we need an umbrella in Kenya?

In science we investigate electricity; looking at how to keep ourselves safe around electrical equipment and discussing how power reaches our homes. We will then make simple circuits to illuminate a light bulb.

In ICT we learn the art of coding- which is all about writing instructions for computers.

In RE we look at Holy books and how they are used to guide good Holy lives and why the Eucharist is so special to Christians.

In art lessons we look at the work of Audrey Flack and Rembrandt to provide inspiration for our own observational drawings and paintings.

Tips on how to help your child’s learning during the Spring Term

Encourage your children to practise the 2, 5 and 10 times tables. Times Tables Rock Stars is a great way to do this.
Help your children to practise their spellings regularly so that they are ready for a test each Friday. The homework sheet suggests lots of different ways to learn spellings.
Handwriting is very important this year so help your child to form letters correctly when they are writing at home.
Have a look on the internet to help your children to find things out about the country of Kenya. Here is a website they might enjoy. https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Kenya/345718
Remind children about electrical safety around the home and when they are out and about. Here is a website with lots of safety information. https://electriciancourses4u.co.uk/useful-resources/childrens-electrical-safety/
Rembrandt was an artist who made everyday objects look extraordinary. Have a go at drawing or painting some everyday objects that you can find around your home.

Its the end of the Spring Term

In the Spring term, we are thinking carefully about our planet through ‘A Planet Full of Plastic’ by Neal Layton. Mrs Scott’s packed lunch has far too much plastic and we are going to spend the next couple of weeks in our English lessons persuading her to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. In science we will be investigating animals including humans learning what we need to survive and how to keep ourselves safe. In Geography we continue to compare physical and human features of Great Britain and Kenya. In RE we are preparing for Easter through our Lenten preparations; thinking about ways we can pray, give and fast that little bit more. Tu Bishvat – the Jewish festival of trees takes place around Valentine’s day so we will be celebrating this special day with our Jewish friends around the world. World Book Day happens this term and so we are looking forward to reading our favourite books and dressing up as our favourite characters. The South Tyneside Music Festival takes place towards the end of March so many of our music lessons will be spent preparing for the big show.

Wow! What a special spring term we have had. The music festival was a huge success, and everyone loved our Take That song. Our choir was fantastic and our performers in Humpty Dumpty ‘smashed’ it out of the park. World Book Day, Red Nose Day and Number Day were particularly good fun, and we loved all the bright costumes and joy these days bring. The CAFOD BIG WALK raised lots of money for global communities and the walk around Hebburn’s nature reserve was lots of fun too. We thoroughly enjoyed our English lessons persuading Mrs Scott to reuse, reduce and recycle and she has promised to buy fewer takeaway coffees. Science was very interesting especially when we investigated ways to wash bacteria and viruses off our hands. We’re still finding glitter all around the classroom! Lent has been very prayerful and we have enjoyed preparing our Celebrations of the Word. Tu Bishvat was fun as we got to taste lots of different fruits and painted colourful trees. We also got the chance to learn about a Jewish festival and how Jewish families around the world celebrate it.

Autumn Term in Year 2

As the leaves turn golden brown and the days get shorter and colder, we’re going to have a term full of excitement and fun. Here’s what I’ve planned for us.

During the first part the autumn term we ‘dive’ into ocean and coastal life in so many ways. In English, we help Mr Grinling, the famous Lighthouse Keeper, to protect his lunch from greedy seagulls. In our Geography lessons, we try to answer questions as to why our oceans are important and why we need to protect them. In Science we look at the amazing creatures we find in the ocean and discover how they are adapted for their incredible deep-sea life. In art we discover why artists many years ago started to paint still life compositions of very ordinary things and we then have a little go of our own. In RE ‘Beginning’ is our theme so we thank God for the gift of creation and pray for a brilliant start to Year 2. Our faith journey began at Baptism, so we look at the signs and symbols of this Sacrament and reflect on Christians’ special day.

In the second part of the Autumn term, we turn our attention to royal life. In history we explore the role of a monarch and compare queens from the past. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch is the class text where a prince and a dragon are outwitted by a really smart girl. We will write a story about George and a dragon and write instructions “How not to be a regular princess’. In science, we explore human-made and natural materials and investigate the properties of various objects in our everyday lives. We carry out an umbrella investigation to find the best materials to keep Mrs Scott dry on the yard. In ICT we learn about different devices and how to use them safely. PHSE.and RSE focuses on relationships and how we cope mentally when things don’t go according to plan. In RE we explore how Hindu families practice their faith and ask the ‘Big Question’ Why do we prepare for Advent?

Tips on how to help your child’s learning during the autumn term

Try to spend 5 minutes a day on Times Tables Rock Stars – Mr Monaghan is always on the lookout for timetables champions.
Have a look around for habitats. Turn over a stone in your local park or look under a rock at the seaside.
If you’re lucky enough to visit a castle, then Alnwick Castle is open until the end of October. If you need something closer to home, go on visual tours of castles with these fantastic links-
https://usborne.com/us/quicklinks/quicklink/let-s-explore-castles
When you put on your wellies or pop open an umbrella, have a think about the different materials they are made from. See if you can spot materials that are natural or made by a human in your local area.
Most important of all enjoy those bright autumn days with family and friends.

It’s the end of our Autumn Term

What a super half term we have had. We loved learning about strong women such as Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth I. There was an Elizabeth in the Paper Bag Princess story who was also a strong and determined lady and we had fun writing about being a rebellious princess! In science we looked at materials and carried out an investigation of suitable materials for Mrs Scott’s umbrella. Waterproof polyester was the best! In RE we have enjoyed Advent and the countdown to Christmas, and we loved learning about the Festival of Lights in our lessons about Hinduism. Maths week was fun when we got to do lots of practical maths activities outside in the winter sun. We have done a lot of singing and rehearsing for our Christmas show however it was brilliant doing our Wriggly Nativity for our families. It has been a busy half term for parents too and I really appreciate all your help with homework and spelling lists. I hope you all have a happy and Holy Christmas and enjoy a well-earned break during the holidays.

Year 2 News

Here at St James we love celebrating the joy of books. We’ve had a fantastic World Book Day 2025 in school today.