Welcome to Year 2

2014-2015

To enable you to meet the year staff

To inform you about routines and expectations at Foxdell Infant School in Year 2

To give suggestions for how you could support your child in their learning

OFSTED July 2014

The School received ‘Good’ in each of the four areas of the inspection.

•Pupils make good progress from often well below expected starting points. Since the last inspection the proportion of pupils making and exceeding expected progress has improved and is now above average, particularly in reading and mathematics.•Teaching is good because teachers’ assessments give them a clear understanding of what pupils need to learn. This means that lessons are generally well planned with work that matches different abilities. Pupils’ learning is well promoted by a range of exciting tasks and appropriate resources.

OFSTED July 2014

• The pupils’ good progress in Key Stage 1 is particularly noticeable in Year 2 where progress in reading, writing and especially mathematics has been swiftly improved. This ensures that most pupils are now attaining levels which are in line with other pupils of their age.

• Parents and carers are very supportive of the school and are pleased with the academic progress that their children make.

• Parents come into school to learn alongside their children and there is an increasing number who are happy to come into school to support with enrichment activities such as trips.

Year 2 StaffMrs Nisar

Year Leader and Squirrel class teacher

Miss SpencerHedgehog class

teacher

Mrs DewjiBadger

class teacher

Mrs WattsTeaching Assistant

Mrs MurnaneTeaching Assistant

Miss HafizTeaching Assistant

Other Staff working in Year 2

Mrs Allen- Special needs support and intervention groupsMrs Jenkins- Deputy Head (Class cover)Mrs Sheikh- HLTA (Class cover)Mr Philbin- HLTA (Class cover)

A Year in Year 2Autumn 1

Castles and Knights    

Autumn 2Fantasy Worlds

Spring 1Space

Spring 2Nocturnal Animals

Summer 1London and Luton

Summer 2Sports

Daily Routine• Children learn English and Maths

everyday.• They have a daily Guided Reading and

Phonics session.• Other subjects are throughout the week:

Science, ICT, Handwriting, Music, PE, Art and DT, Library and RE.

Behaviour and Expectations

• Good to be Green• Values (September- Responsibility)• Right attitudes to learning

Autumn Term Spring Term Summer TermCastle Visit-

14.10.14RE visitor to talk about Harvest

RE visitor to talk about Eid-ul- Adha

RE visitor to talk about the Bible and the Quran

Author visitPeter Pan

production

Visit to the National Space

Centre in LeicesterBirds of Prey

visiting the school

Walk around the Local area

Visit places in Luton: Galaxy,

Library, Wardown Park, etc

Visit places of worship: Mosque,

GurdwaraTransition visits to

Foxdell Junior School

Physical Education• Each class has two PE sessions each week.• This term, all children are being taught gymnastics

by a specialist teacher• They are also learning and developing basic skills

to enable them to play games• Please ensure your child’s PE kit is in school

everyday.• No jewellery to be worn during PE.

Year 2 PE daysSquirrels Hedgehogs BadgersTuesdayFriday

TuesdayWednesday

WednesdayFriday

Homework• Reading every night for 5-10 minutes (please record comments

in reading record book and sign)• Spellings – please practise the common words which will be given

out at parental consultations. We will not be sending home weekly spelling lists in year 2 as we are going to be focusing on consolidating phonics and learning spelling patterns in class.

Phonics homework will sometimes be linked to spelling.• Learning logs and phonic homework will be sent home each

Friday and must be returned completed by the following Wednesday

• Please support your child when completing their homework.• When completing learning log homework, we encourage children

to use the internet, visit the library and use books to find information.

• If your child has difficulty with any homework task please do not hesitate to ask their teacher for advice.

• There is no need for your child to spend hours on any task! If they have spent the allotted time and have not finished you may feel it appropriate to stop them and write a note to their teacher.

We thank you for your support with your child’s homework.

Homework Expectations

Reading in Year 2

Guided reading Independent reading Teacher reading aloud Bug club- reading e-books

Tips to Support Your Child’s Reading at home• Give your child time, space and praise, whilst sharing books.• Read to your child as often as possible, especially at bedtime.• Talk about the book together.• Choose books together ~ visit the local library and bookshops.• Tell stories orally (to each other).

• If they don’t want to read the whole book – take turns

• Don’t correct all the mistakes – if the mistake does not make sense, re-read the sentence

• Ask questions about the book, characters, setting, facts, etc.• Encourage your child to use Bug club regularly!

Reading log comments

• I enjoyed listening to Joe read. He was able to identify and read the words independently.

• Joe read enthusiastically and understood what he had read. • Joe was able to tell me about the book after we read. • Fluent and confident and enjoying the book. • Paula used her phonics knowledge to read some words. • Confused the ‘b’ and ‘d’ sound at the beginning/end of the

word but self-corrected when he realised it didn’t make sense. Well done!

Tips to support Maths at home

• Practise number facts (number bonds to 10 and 20 and for numbers up to 20, times tables)

• Use Maths in ‘everyday’ life e.g. shopping, cooking, measuring, telling the time• Play board games: Snakes and ladders• Practise key skills on Activelearn Primary• Play Maths games on the internet: Topmarks, ICT

games, BBC Bitesize, etc.

Special Educational Needs

Children identified as needing extra support in a particular aspect (e.g. English skills, Maths or

Behaviour) may be at School Action, School Action Plus or have a Statement.

These children will have targets which will be shared and reviewed with you at

parental consultations.

Assessment and SATs• Assessment is an ongoing process. Throughout every lesson the teacher

will be assessing where the children are at in their learning. This assessment will help the teacher to adapt the lesson as needed or feed into future planning to enable children’s needs to be met.

• All children must be assessed at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. That means at the end of the infants (year 2) and at the end of the juniors (year 6).

• SATs tests are used to confirm teacher assessment. These tests will take place in the Spring term.

• 7-year-olds are assessed in Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Maths. • More information to follow near the time of SATs.

How you could help in school

Listening to individual children read Accompanying us on trips Sharing a particular expertise Becoming involved in PTA events Supporting your child at home Helping with clubs

All regular helpers need to be CRB checked – please see the office staff if you are interested.

General Information• School day 8:50-3:15 Please ensure your child is in school prompt each

morning• Breakfast club 8:00-8.50, £1 each, no need to book• Universal free school meals: all infant school children are entitled to free

school meals and we are encouraging all of our children to have a school dinner.

• Ensure your child brings their book bag with their reading book to school every day.

• Ensure your child’s teacher and the school has up to date medical information. Any new medication must be taken to the school office to be recorded.

• Your child will receive a piece of fruit or veg each day and they have access to water throughout the day.

Uniform Reminder• Uniform and bags need to be clearly labelled with

names please! 30 jumpers and 30 t-shirts all look the same when we are getting changed for PE!

• Children need to be wearing a full school uniform and appropriate footwear everyday.

• As the weather is changing, please ensure your child wears a jumper and coat to school everyday .

We are sure that between us we will make your child’s time at Foxdell Infant School

happy and successful.

Your evaluation forms will be very helpful to us.

Thank you all for coming!