Year 2 2025 - 2026

Welcome to Year 2

Autumn Term 2025

Dear Parents, Carers and Children,

Welcome to Year 2. We hope you have all had a great break and are looking forward to what promises to be a busy Autumn term.

In maths we’ll continue to build on our learning from Year 1 to develop the quick recall of number facts and our understanding of two-digit numbers, develop our understanding of addition and subtraction use this knowledge to problem solve. We’ll also be looking at the names and properties of 2D and 3D shapes.

In mental maths we will be covering the following throughout the year:

• Count in 2s, 3s and 5s from 0 forwards and backwards
• Count in 10s from any given number forwards and backwards e.g. 43,53,63 etc.
• 2x, 5x and 10x table plus related division facts
• Know number facts within 20 e.g. 15+3=18
• Addition and subtraction facts within 100
• Know number bonds to 20 and use related facts up to 100 e.g. If 8+2=10 then 80+20=100.
• Know addition doubles for all numbers to at least 10, e.g. 8+8 = 16.

Useful maths resources

There are some useful home learning booklets which can be downloaded to use as extra home learning activities.  These can be found on the website under…

Curriculum > Maths > Maths Workbooks for parents > Year 2 Workbooks

There are also lots of activities on ICT games.com and Topmarks - see links below.

Hit the Button is a fantastic game for practising quick recall of a variety of number facts! This can be found on the Top Marks website linked above. 

In science we are looking at animals, including humans. We will look at the offspring of different animals and find out about their basic needs. We will learn about the importance of exercise, healthy eating and hygiene for humans.

Through our history topic this term we are looking at the Great Fire of London and the Great Fire of Nantwich, comparing the two.

While in geography we are exploring hot and cold places.

Google Earth

Staff

Mrs Bailey - class teacher - Monday mornings, Tuesdays and Thursdays 

Mrs Steer - class teacher - Monday afternoons, Wednesdays and Fridays

Mrs Thompson - teaching assistant

Mrs Bebbington - welfare assistant

Reading

The teaching of reading will be through Read, Write Inc. or Pathways to Read and Accelerated Reader. Children will be issued with Read Write Inc or Accelerated Reader levelled books to bring home and read to you.  

Accelerated reader books need to be in school Tuesdays and Thursdays

All RWInc books will continue to be changed on a Monday – so please have your folders in for that day.

In addition to this, Reading for Pleasure books from the library will be changed on Mondays. All children are encouraged to change their books.  Sometimes, children have a particular favourite which they want to choose again.  These books are designed to be read by you, with your child joining in when able to.  This allows children to share the reading process with you and to develop a love of reading with less pressure on them.

Homework and Spelling

Mrs Steer will introduce new spelling patterns on a Friday and spelling lists will be sent home each week for the children to practise at home. There will be a spelling test each Friday.  Please remember, as with all homework, ‘little and often’ has the biggest impact, especially on retention of spellings. These spellings are always on Seesaw and activities to be completed are in the yellow homework books. Please make sure these books are returned each Friday. 

Homework will continue to be set on Mathletics too. 

Sometimes, there may also be an additional maths activity. This might be a homework sheet or a link to a game or activity online.

Each week, a homework sheet will be sent home which will have the spellings for the week and it will detail any Mathletics or homework tasks to be completed. 

PE

Our regular PE days for this term will continue to be Wednesday and Thursday. Pupils are asked to have their PE kit in school on the appropriate days. Please make sure that your child wears the correct Excalibur PE kit.  A list of the full PE kit is on our website.

Pupils can wear their tracksuit bottoms for PE if it becomes too cold.  Please make sure that long hair is tied back and that earrings are removed or covered with micro-pore or similar on PE days. Any earrings that are not covered will need to be removed by your child for a PE lesson.

Reminders

All children will need a snack for their mid-morning break. This could be a healthy snack from home or they can order a hot snack from school. This is paid for via Parentmail. They will also be offered fruit for afternoon break.

 It is important for children to drink water throughout the day.  Therefore, children may bring in bottles of water (not juice) each day so long as the bottle has a secure lid. Please make sure your child’s bottle is clearly labelled.  They will be reminded to take their bottle home every night for washing and refilling.

Quick Recap

Monday –       Return RWInc books

Tuesday –      Accelerated Reader books

Wednesday - PE kit

Thursday –    Accelerated books, PE kit

Friday –        Homework book 

If you have any queries or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me through our contact email address (contact@excalibur.cheshire.sch.uk) or you could leave a note on Seesaw. We will continue to communicate with you through Seesaw. This may be telling you about what we’ve been doing in class, announcements, homework etc.  It’s also great to hear about the children’s interests and achievements out of school too! 

Please be aware that it is not checked daily so a message of importance should be given at the door, via email or by telephone.

Thank you for your continued support,

Mrs Bailey, Mrs Steer, Mrs Thompson and Mrs Bebbington