Merton Bank Primary School

Welcome to Year 2

Attendance is key to academic success and social development. 

Please aim for your child to be in school EVERY day! 

Year 2 is a warm, welcoming and happy classroom where lots of exciting learning takes place. We aim for all our lessons to be engaging and interactive, with a focus on making learning accessible for all our children. Throughout Year 2, children continue to develop their independence. They are given roles and responsibilities in the classroom, with a focus on working together and helping each other. In Year 2 we have a huge focus on supporting children to grow a love of reading, becoming readers who read for pleasure and purpose. The year is jam packed with high quality, hand-picked texts which we hope will help create life-long readers. Our children challenge themselves to achieve their full potential and we work hard to ensure our classroom is a safe space for everyone to try new skills and learn from mistakes. Mental health and well-being are high priority in Year 2. We work hard to support our children to be happy and free from worry and anxieties. We promote positive self-talk and resilience and guide children through any difficulties they face, ensuring they know how special and capable they are.

Things to remember

• Please continue to support your child’s learning at home. It is expected your child reads 3x per week at home. Please record this in your child’s reading record. Thank you for supporting your children at home. It truly is appreciated.

• Your child needs to bring their reading book, book bag and water bottle into school daily.

• All children in Key Stage One qualify for a free school meal. Please enquire at the office for more information.

• Milk and fruit are provided daily. Please pay for your child’s milk (costing £2 per term) termly in a sealed envelope.

• This term (Autumn) we have PE every Wednesday.

Autumn Term 1 Overview:

Take a look at this booklet to find ways to help early reading at home.

Take a look at some of the exciting learning taking place In Year 2 during Autumn Term 2025!

Writing

Little Red Riding Hood

This term, the children are exploring warning stories through the classic tale Little Red Riding Hood by Pie Corbett. Using this well-loved model text, they are learning how authors create suspense and build journeys that both excite and warn the reader.

Our writing focus is on developing a toolkit for description and characterisation. The children are practising how to paint vivid pictures with words, bringing settings to life and showing readers what characters are like through their actions, dialogue, and appearance.

By the end of the unit, children will use these skills to plan and write their own warning/journey stories, filled with rich description and memorable characters.

Reading

This term, the children are enjoying a wonderful range of books that help them explore different styles, characters, and themes:

The Comet by Joe Todd-Stanton – A beautifully illustrated story that sparks imagination and encourages children to think about change, belonging, and hope.

There’s a Monster in Your Book by Tom Fletcher – A lively, interactive read that invites children to join in, laugh out loud, and discover the fun of reading together.

Fairy Tales: The Villains’ Versions by Kaye Umansky – Traditional tales with a twist, showing stories from the villains’ point of view and encouraging children to question perspective and voice.

The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz – A playful retelling of The Three Little Pigs, filled with rhythm, rhyme, and humour, which supports children’s fluency and love of language.

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o – A moving story that celebrates inner beauty and uniqueness, helping children reflect on identity, kindness, and self-belief.

The Crocodile by Lewis Carroll – A classic poem full of rhythm and rich language, offering opportunities to enjoy wordplay and explore imagery.

Through these texts, the children are building their comprehension skills, developing vocabulary, and discovering the joy of stories old and new.

Maths

In Year 2, the children are building confidence in their mathematical understanding through three key areas:

Place Value – Children are learning to recognise the value of each digit in a two-digit number, compare and order numbers up to 100, and use number lines and practical resources to deepen their understanding. This helps them build strong foundations for all areas of maths.

Addition and Subtraction – Pupils are developing strategies to add and subtract two-digit numbers, both mentally and using written methods. They are also exploring number bonds, fact families, and solving problems using real-life contexts to make their learning meaningful.

Shape – Children are identifying and naming 2-D and 3-D shapes, describing their properties, and beginning to explore patterns, symmetry, and simple rotations.

Through practical activities, games, and problem-solving challenges, the children are not only learning how to calculate, but also how to explain their reasoning and apply their skills with confidence.

Geography

Would you prefer to live in a hot or cold place?

In Year 2, the children are developing their knowledge of the world around them by exploring maps, places, and climates:

World Knowledge – Children are learning to name and locate the seven continents, as well as identify the Equator, the North Pole, and the South Pole on a world map.

Comparing Places – They are discovering similarities and differences between the UK and Kenya, helping them to understand how people live in different parts of the world.

Weather and Climate – Pupils are investigating different types of weather, using key geographical vocabulary to describe conditions, and deciding whether a place is hot or cold. They are also learning to recognise the features of hot and cold places and to locate countries with these climates on a world map.

Through discussion, map work, and simple investigations, the children are beginning to think like geographers — asking questions, making comparisons, and using maps and vocabulary to share their ideas about the world.

History

Who was Sappho and why do we know so much about her?

In Year 2, our history lessons explore the life of Sappho, a girl living near Mt Vesuvius during the catastrophic eruption that led to the destruction of Pompeii in AD 79. We examine the trustworthiness of primary and secondary evidence, highlighting how these sources help us understand the event’s causes and effects. Through Sappho’s story, we will gain insight into the human experiences and the significant consequences of the eruption on the ancient city and its inhabitants.

Computing

Scratch JR and stop motion

In our Year 2 computing lessons, we harness the power of iPads to engage with Scratch JR, introducing us to the fundamentals of block coding, algorithms, and debugging. These activities not only foster programming skills but also enable us to explore sound recording and animation techniques. Additionally, we encourage creativity through the creation of stop motion animations on iPads, utilising onion skinning, flipbooks, and frames to enhance our storytelling capabilities.

PE

Target games and ball skills

Our Year 2 PE lessons concentrate on developing target games and ball skills, fostering an environment where we can enhance our physical abilities. Throughout these sessions, we employ a range of game-based activities that encourage the use of transferable skills, which are vital for sports such as hockey and tag rugby. By engaging in these varied activities, we not only refine our coordination and teamwork but also gain confidence in our ability to participate in different sporting contexts.

Art

Franz Kline and historical scenes

Our Year 2 art lessons are designed to foster creativity and encourage freedom of interpretation. By focusing on the renowned artist Franz Kline, we explore his distinctive techniques, embracing bold strokes and dynamic compositions. We have the opportunity to reimagine art inspired by the historical events of The Great Fire of London, allowing us to connect with the past while expressing our individuality. This approach not only nurtures artistic skills but also enriches our understanding of history.

Music

I wanna play in a band and Zootime

Our Year 2 music lessons focus on inventing a musical story while recognising different sounds. We explore the social narrative of how music enhances our world and educates us about our neighbourhood. We engage by playing or clapping simple rhythmic patterns with long and short sounds. We improvise using one, two, or three notes—C, D, and E—and learn to articulate our musical experiences using appropriate terminology. This approach fosters creativity and collaborative learning in a vibrant musical environment.

Forest School 

In our Year 2 forest schools, we have been engaged in a variety of enriching activities designed to foster creativity and practical skills. We have built enchanting fairy houses, constructed volcanoes connected to our history topic, and participated in hands-on maths activities that reinforce key concepts. Additionally, we have created a journey path which serves as a springboard for our writing exercises. These activities not only enhance learning but also inspire a love for the natural world.

Science

PATHs and PSHE

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