Year 2 Learn with your child September 2014

Welcome Mr Greg Small Mrs Suzanne Roberts Mrs Nicola Mill Mrs Denise Smith

Routines Timetables are flexible but we normally follow this pattern in the mornings: handwriting – 1000 numeracy (in sets) 1000 – 1015 playtime and snack 1015 – 1035 phonics or guided reading 1035 – 1145 literacy 1145 – 1300 lunch (in the hall)

Afternoons In the afternoons the children take part in topic based cross- curricular lessons including: art, design and technology, music, geography, I.C.T, history, science and religious education. Physical Education is not always cross -curricular. Please ensure that children have a P.E kit in school at all times.

Phonics We will be doing a daily phonics session. Children needing support with this will be given additional help from small group work with teachers and teaching assistants. Children needing it will be given daily word grid work to help with learning regular and irregular words. Phonics

Phonics at Home Please don’t over emphasise sounds. Irregular words cannot be decoded using phonic strategies e.g. who. High frequency word lists in your packs are for children to practise little and often.

Handwriting We are continuing the new cursive style of handwriting to help develop joining. Children will have a short daily session to practise, reinforce and apply the correct formation. Children’s writing will seem to look worse before it gets better!

Cross Curricular Teaching in a cross curricular way is a successful and developing style throughout Chawson. In Year 2 we offer an interesting and varied set of topics that are all taught in a cross curricular way. E.g. Fire of London, Vehicles and Electricity. Cross Curricular

Homework Maths homework will be differentiated according to which set the children are in. Maths and Topic homework will alternate each week. Please discuss before Friday. Homework should not be stressful and children should complete the work to the best of their ability. Don’t forget to have a look on J2E for topic information.

Success Criteria In school children will know what they have to do in order to succeed in lessons through the introduction of success criteria. This will also help them to know the next steps for their learning.

TA Support Currently, we are very lucky that we have full time TA support. We also have a range of volunteers and helpers who give the children additional support, but are always looking for more...

Reading We are doing daily reading sessions with the children in school. Children are made responsible for changing their own reading books from a levelled basket. This gives choice and more enthusiasm to read. Try to read as often as possible with your children but it again should not be a battle ground. Reading Rockets. Please feel free to come to us if there is ever a problem!

SATs What SATs? Teacher assessment is far more important!!! Which is updated regularly throughout the year. APP

Zone Board Children’s names go up and down coloured zones in reflection of behaviour. This is both reward and sanction and shows the children visually how they are doing. Children in gold and above get a small reward. Zone Board

Thank you for coming. Please see a member of staff now or at any time in the future if you have any questions.