Welcome to
Sky Class ‘Meet the Teacher’
September 2015
What happens in Sky class ?
•
Children have a daily English and Maths lesson. They
are sat in groups for these lessons according to their
ability. This means that the work can be
differentiated to the need of each group. Often
children are mixed up to work in mixed ability or
friendship groups.
•
Once a week the children have an ICT, Circle Time
lesson, music lesson and R.E lesson.
Twice a week
.
there is a science lesson. The I pads are used on a
daily basis to support teaching and learning.
•
Three times a week the children have a topic lesson
which is when history, geography, art and other
cross curricular lessons are taught.
•
Children have a phonics session in a differentiated
group on a daily basis.
•
Children have regular guided reading sessions. This is
timetabled according to their group and they read
with the teacher or TA. If they are not reading that
day then they carry out another related activity such
as comprehension, personalised learning,
handwriting, writing journal or .I pad activities.
Sky Class
•
I encourage the children to take more responsibility for
their own learning and they are encouraged to work
independently and co-operatively in groups throughout the
week.
• In year 2 the children have the chance to support the adult in
school with monitor jobs. These are on a weekly rota basis.
• The children use ICT and the outdoor environment where
possible to support their learning.
• The children develop their self-confidence as they take
larger parts in the school Christmas play and in
assemblies.
Monitoring Progress
•
At the end of year 2 the children will be assessed
in reading, writing, maths and science. These levels
are reported to the county and are used to measure
the success of the school.
• Each child is informally assessed daily through
independent and guided work, conversation and
marking. At points throughout the year the children
are more formally assessed as part of an
assessment week and this supports my planning to
see what the next steps are in learning.
Age related expectations
• The government have brought in a more individualised
system of assessment using the terms ‘working towards’
‘expected’ and ‘mastered’
• Levels have been replaced – so 2b is no longer the
expected standard.
• They have set out what an expected child should achieve
by the end of each year group.
• Last year you will have been informed of your child’s
level in the end of year report. This year we will equate
the level to the new requirements which will be assessed
termly.
Maths
• In Year 2 the children have a weekly mental
maths test.
• From October will have a weekly times table
test from the scheme ‘Cracking Times Tables.’
This scheme works in levels depending on the
time table that has been passed. It starts on
x2, then x5, x10 moving onto the other tables.
Maths
In year 2 the targets for an expected child are to:
• partition two-digit numbers into different combinations of tens
and ones.
• add 2 two-digit numbers within 100 (e.g. 48 + 35) and can
demonstrate their method using concrete apparatus or pictorial
representations.
• use estimation to check that their answers to a calculation are
reasonable
• subtract mentally a two-digit number from another two-digit
number
• recognise the inverse relationships between addition and
subtraction and use this to check calculations and work out
missing number problems (e.g. ∆ − 14 = 28).
• recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 2, 5 and 10
multiplication tables to solve simple problems
identify 1/3 , 1 /4 , 1/2 , 2 /4 , 3 /4 and know
that all parts must be equal parts of the whole
Maths
• use different coins to make the same
amount
• read scales in divisions of ones, twos, fives
and tens in a practical situation where all
numbers on the scale are given
• read the time on the clock to the nearest
15 minutes.
• describe properties of 2-D and 3-D shapes
Writing
• In Sky class the children have a weekly
extended writing session called Big Write.
• I encourage the children to extend their
writing skills and each child has their own
targets to try to achieve in the lesson. At
the end of each lesson the child assess
their own work and think about their next
steps.
Writing
In year 2 the targets for an expected child are to:
• write a narrative about their own and others’ experiences
(real and fictional)
• demarcate most sentences with capital letters and full stops
and with some use of question marks and exclamation marks
• use sentences with different forms in their writing
(statements, questions, exclamations and commands)
• use some expanded noun phrases to describe and specify
• use present and past tense mostly correctly and consistently
• use co-ordination (or / and / but) and some subordination
(when / if / that / because)
• segment spoken words into phonemes and representing these
by graphemes, spelling many correctly
• spell many common exception words
•
spell some words with contracted forms
• add suffixes to spell some words correctly in their
writing e.g. –ment, –ness, –ful, –less, –ly
Handwriting
In year 2 the targets for an expected child are to:
• use the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to
join letters in some of their writing
• write capital letters and digits of the correct size,
orientation and relationship to one another and to
lower case letters
• use spacing between words that reflects the size of
the letters.
Licence to Quill is awarded to children who
consistently show a regular, joined and neat cursive
style in their work.
Reading Books
• Children have all been given an appropriate level
reading book.
• In Sky class the children take responsibility for
changing their own books. They place them in the
reading basket to show that they need changing. Then
the new book is recorded in the reading folder.
• I am happy to change books daily as appropriate
according to the level.
• Please ensure that reading record books are in school
everyday, then guided reading sessions can be
recorded.
Reading
In year 2 the targets for an expected child are to:
• accurately most words of two or more syllables
• read most words containing common suffixes
• read most common exception words
In age-appropriate books:
• read words accurately and fluently without overt sounding and
blending, e.g. at over 90 words per minute
• sound out most unfamiliar words accurately, without undue
hesitation.
• check it makes sense to them
• answer questions and make some inferences on the basis of
what is being said and done
Science
•The science curriculum in year 2 is taught
in half termly units. They are called:
Plants
Using electricity
Uses of everyday materials
Animals, including humans
Living things and their habitats
• The children use first hand experience through
investigation to record and make conclusions.
Science curriculum
In year 2 the targets for an expected child are to:
• ask their own questions about what they notice
• use different types of scientific enquiry to gather
and record data, using simple equipment where
appropriate, to answer questions
• finding things out using secondary sources of
information
• use appropriate scientific language from the national
curriculum to communicate their ideas in a variety of
ways, what they do and what they find out.
Science curriculum
• name and locate parts of the human body, including those related to the
senses, and describe the importance of exercise, balanced diet and
hygiene for humans
• describe the basic needs of animals for survival and the main changes as
young animals, including humans, grow into adults
• describe basic needs of plants for survival and the impact of changing these
and the main changes as seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants
• identify whether things are alive, dead or have never lived
• describe and compare the observable features of animals from a range of
groups
• group animals according to what they eat, describe how animals get their
food from other animals and/or from plants, and use simple food chains to
describe these relationships
• describe seasonal changes
• name different plants and animals and describe how they are suited to
different habitats
• use their knowledge and understanding of the properties of materials, to
distinguish objects from materials, identify and group
everyday materials, and compare their suitability for
different uses.
Topic
• Each half term the children will learn about a cross
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•
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curricular topic. Each topic will have a focus of
subjects such as DT, art, history or geography. We
will also make links to literacy, numeracy and ICT.
You will find a topic web showing each half term’s
objectives on the year 2 page of the school
website.
At the start of each topic the children will have an
exciting WOW day to stimulate their interest in
the topic.
Each half term the children will have a trip linked
to their topic.
Personal, Social and Emotional
Development
•
Each week the children have a themed circle
time where we play games to develop self –
confidence, encourage team work and build
friendships.
•
The circle time also involves discussing a topic
and giving the children chance to share their
thoughts and ideas for dealing with issues or
problems.
P.E
• Each week the children have a tennis
lesson with Haddenham Tennis Club and a
P.E session with a specialist P.E teacher
that covers either dance, gym or games.
• Please ensure that all kit is named and
warm clothes are provided for the winter
months.
• P.E kit must be kept in school, so that it is
available every day.
.
Music
• The children have a weekly music lesson
with Mrs Law where they practice singing,
compositional and listening skills.
• They are also beginning to learn to play
the recorder.
Uniform
• Please ensure that your child’s name is in
all items of clothing, including shoes!
• Please can children have a coat and please
provide wellies. In sky class we still
continue to learn outdoors where possible.
Homework
• Children receive a piece of English or
maths homework on a sheet on a weekly
basis. It goes out on a Monday.
• Learning logs for the term are published
on the year 2 part of the website.
How you can find out how your
child is getting on?
It is important that parents and the staff work
together. We want you to feel comfortable about
exchanging information and discussing things that will
benefit your child. We have Parent’s Evening in
November and March. We also send an Interim Report
out in February. Please don’t feel that this is the only
time you can come in and talk to us. You can make an
appointment to suit you to come in for a chat or you can
catch the teachers in the playground before or after
school.
Parent helpers
If you are interested in coming into
school to support with sharpening,
reading or jobs in the class then
please speak to Mrs Richardson.
Please remember….
If you have any concerns or questions,
we will be happy to help you.
Mrs Richardson-Sky class teacher
Mrs Butler-TA– Wed, Thurs and Fri
Mr Beattie and Mrs Brown – student teachers
Any questions?