Year 2 Weekly Blog 10th February - No Matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.

Year 2 Weekly Blog 10th February - No Matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.

At the end of each half term, I like to reflect and today I’ve encourage the children to do they same. We’ve thought about what we’ve done well, what we’ve achieved and what’s still to come. We all agreed we’re looking forward to some warmer weather and lighter mornings and nights.

We’ve come to the end of our Non Chronological Report unit in English. The children have worked really hard gathering information about barn owls and have written some wonderful final pieces of work. I’m looking forward to reading them all over half term.

During indoor PE, in small groups the children put together and practiced a dance routine based on all the seaside theme movements from or PE lessons over the last 5 weeks.

Tuesday was Safer Internet day. The children enjoyed watching a short clip about what to do if anything made them feel sad or gave them a ‘funny tummy’ when online. We sang the funny tummy song and learnt that we should TAG - Tell A Grown up.

In Maths we have been interpreting information on pictogram and bar graphs, writing statements using ‘more than’ and fewer than’. We extended this learning in Geography, when we made a tally chart and bar graph of places the children in year 2 had visited then wrote our own statements.

On Wednesday we had a special visitor, Miss Woodend and baby Millie. The children were so excited to see her and enjoyed asking lots of questions as well as sharing their own news.

Library - please accept my apologies, the link I posted last week did not work! I will try again after half term.

Let’s Celebrate

Ava you are a reading superstar! You have been working so hard, practicing your reading at home. You're really focusing and concentrating when you’re quizzing, working towards your target. It’s lovely to see and hear your about your love of reading and I’m really looking forward to taking you to visit the library next half term. Keep it up!

Alana, I’m really noticing how hard you have been trying in class recently. Your confidence is growing everyday and even when learning tasks are a bit tricky or you’re unsure you’re being brave and giving it a go. Believe in yourself, Alana – you can do it!

Notices

Our PE days are Tuesday and Wednesday.

Although the weather is a little brighter, it’s still cold outside - please ensure your child brings coat to school every day.

Please check the home learning section for this week’s homework.

Have a safe and restful half term break,
Mrs Marham , Mrs Maano and Mrs Carragher

Year 2 Weekly Blog 3rd February 2023 - 'Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning' William Arthur Ward

We have had an another amazing, productive week in Year 2. As we approach the half way through the year point, I’m really noticing how the children are growing, not only in height but as independent learners.

In English, we have been researching and gathering information about barn owls in preparation for writing our non chronological reports next week. We have been sorting the information we have collected under subheadings and have even found some fascinating facts for our fact boxes!

During indoor PE, we watched a clip about sea creature then spoke about how they moved around their habitat. We then replicated those moves with our dance partners. I wonder if the children could share some of their moves at home.

On Tuesday, World Mental Health Day, we really enjoyed our Yoga session with The Yogi group. The children learnt about breathing techniques and when they might use them, as well as a few tricky yoga poses.

The children have been using their photography skills in science to take picture of micro habitats around the school.

In Geography, we talked about places we have visited around the world and how we got to them. Next week we’ll be putting al the information together in graphs.

After half term we will be visiting St. Anne’s library, the library is such a wonderful place for the children to visit and further enhance their love of books and stories. Please fill in this short form to let me know if your child is a member of the library or not. Please don’t worry if they aren’t, prior to our visit I will make arrangements and send any necessary forms home so your child can become a member too.

Library Membership

Let’s Celebrate

Bea is a wonderful member of our class. She sets a fantastic example to everyone. Her work is always completed to the best of her ability and she is always focused and ready to learn. Bea’s manners are impeccable, you really are a credit to our class and school.

Alice, you’ve been a real Creative Kiki Chameleon in our English lessons. You’ve used superb adjectives to describe the wolf and the characters in your story.  It is wonderful to see your creative flair, not just in your writing but across the whole curriculum. You think outside the box and have some wonderful ideas.

Notices

Our PE days are Tuesday and Wednesday.

Although the weather is a little brighter, it’s still cold outside - please ensure your child brings coat to school every day.

Please check the home learning section for this week’s homework.

Have a great weekend,
Mrs Marham , Mrs Maano and Mrs Carragher

Year 2 Weekly Blog 27th January - A bird sitting on a branch is never afraid of the branch breaking because her trust is not on the branch but on it's own wings. Always believe in yourself.

A bird sitting on a branch is never afraid of the branch breaking because her trust is not on the branch but on it's own wings. Always believe in yourself.

We got stuck into our new English topic this week - Non Chronological Reports. The children have enjoying researching birds and in particular owls. We’ve identified features of non chronological reports and talked about the language we will use in our own reports.
Our new class book is The owl who was afraid of the dark.

In maths, we’ve looked at consecutive numbers and the difference between them. We’ve also been thinking about how we can tell if an number is odd and even.

In RHE we have learned about how feeling and actions are different but are linked. Our feelings can lead to actions, and our actions can cause feelings. In groups, the children thought about how we show our feelings and we discussed how sometimes it can be confusing for others to know how we’re feeling.

We enjoyed hearing about Jesus feeding the 5000 in RE, we put the story in order and recapped the main point of the story on our own fishes and loaves.

Let’s Celebrate!

This week, Rosa. received a Sadie Spider certificate for being such a determined learner. Mrs Carragher has really enjoyed listening to Rosa read. Keep it up Rosa!

Lena received a certificate for her determination in lessons, even when our learning tasks are a little tricky, Lena never gives up. Well done Lena!

Notices

Our PE days are Tuesday and Wednesday.
Verrucas- Indoor PE takes place in our school hall, all children are to take their shoes and socks off for health and safety reasons. If your child has any foot sores, such as verrucas, please ensure that they bring a pair of ‘grippy’ socks (the type you get at the trampoline park) to school with them to wear. Please ensure jewelry and watches are removed on PE days.

Next Tuesday is World Mental Health Day - the whole will be taking part in activities during the day including Yoga - as this is on our normal PE day there is nothing extra that children will need to remember.

Tuesday 7th February is Safer Internet day, Mrs Gregan has set a challenge for the children, please see the poster below.

This week’s homework can be found in the children’s Home Learning books.

Year 2 Weekly Blog 20.1.23 ‘Develop a passion for learning. If you do you will never cease to grow.’

Year 2 have been real Creative Kiki Chameleons during our English sessions this week. We have been writing our own ‘Great Fairy Tale Disaster’ stories by choosing our own fairy tale characters, settings and magic objects that cause the wolf to get in all sorts of trouble. We’ve learnt about how to use adjectives, exclamation marks and time words correctly in our sentences before then using all of these skills to write our stories. The children have worked so hard on their stories, we might even see if we can read some of them to children in Year 1 and Reception.

In maths we’ve continued to work on difference - identifying pairs of numbers that have the same difference. We’ve also looked at how we can describe where number sit on a number line using language like mid -point, middle, before, after and between.

During indoor PE, we thought about how the sea moved and how we replicate these movements with our bodies. We had some fantastic rolling and crashing waves.

The children enjoyed hearing the story of Jairus’ daughter in RE, then put put the story in order and retold in their own words.

Our ICT lesson saw us producing some fantastic binary trees to sort living things, I was really impressed with the questions the children came up with. This has also linked in with our Science work on ‘Living things and their habitats’ - in this weeks lesson we thought about how we knew a living thing was alive and talked about the 7 characteristics all living things have. Ask your children about MRS GREN!

Let’s Celebrate

Liam - You have worked so hard this week Liam. You have tried really hard to push yourself in all aspects of your learning particularly writing. It has been wonderful to see you putting your hand up lots sharing so many wonderful ideas with the class.  Keep this up!

Anna - Anna has been amazing learning partner this week. It has been a pleasure to watch her be so encouraging with her peers, Anna is such a good friend and a valued member of our class. Thank you Anna!

  Notices

Please check the children’s home learning books and home learning section for this week’s homework.

Our PE days are Tuesday and Wednesday.

Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Marham and the Year 2 team

Year 2 Weekly Blog 13.1.23 'For those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given and they will have an abundance of knowledge' Matthew 13:12

I can’t quite believe it is Friday already! This week, I have seen lots of wonderful work from lots of focused children.

Maths lessons started this week with our plasticine tortoise models - weighing and comparing using mathematical language like lightest, heaviest, more than, less than etc. We’ve continued comparing in the rest of our maths lesson and thought about how we can find the difference between number practically using beads and tiles, in bar models and on number lines.I’ve been really impressed with the children’s focus in maths this week.

We’re coming to the end of our Fairy Tales focus in English, this week we have recapped the story, The Great Fairy Tale Disaster and have started to think about how we can wrtite our own Fairy Tale Disaster stories. The children have had some great ideas about fairy tales the Big Bad Wolf could visit, characters he could meet and magical objects he could come across. Next week we will be putting together all our ideas, Im really looking forward to reading the children’s stories.

In geography, this half term we will be looking at Seas and Coasts. We’ve thought about what we already know and what we would like to find out. The children enjoyed singing the continents song to me that they learnt in year 1.

The children enjoyed playing a ‘Guess who’ style game in computing. We were thinking about questions that could only be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, in preparation for making our own binary tress next lesson to sort objects.

Our new topic in science is ‘Living Things and their Habitats’ after a brief introduction this week, thinking about what we already know and what we’d like to learn we’re really looking forward to getting stuck into this next week.

Finally, in RE we have discussed this half term virtues - Learned and Wise. We’ve talked about what they mean and how we can be learned and wise in and around school. The children have also enjoyed some drama and role play, thinking about how they can turn situations of sadness into joy.

Let’s Celebrate

Jackson – Thank you for being such a Focused Cooper Crab in our classroom this week!  You have stayed focused and on task in lessons which has meant that you have been able to keep of up with the pace of our learning.  You have answered questions with great understanding and have completed some amazing independent work.  Keep this up Jackson!

What a Co-Operative Roger Robin you are Louisa!  You can always be seen making the right choices. You speak so politely to others and treat them with great respect and compassion. You take care and pride in your work and it is always presented beautifully. Thank you for being such a valued member of our class team. 

Notices

Our PE days are Tuesday and Wednesday.

Lip balm/Chap sticks - with the cold weather some children have been bringing to school lip balm and chap sticks to prevent their lips getting sore. This is fine, however children often like to ‘share’ and as a result are sharing germs. It is fine for children to continue bringing these into class, however can we ask that they are clearly named and handed to me at the start of the day, I will keep them safe for the children to use as they need them. Thank you for your understanding.

AR Reader - letters will be coming home next week to enable and explain to you how you can access this resource at home.

Gosh, what a busy week! Thank you so much as always for your continued support, have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Marham and the Year 2 Team

Please check the home learning section for this week’s online homework.

Year 2 Weekly Blog 6th January 2023“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.” —Melody Beattie

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a happy and peaceful Christmas.

It was lovely to see the children return to school this week, excited and ready to start learning again.
We’ve eased ourselves into the new term with a new book and lots of exciting learning opportunities with it. The children have thoroughly enjoyed reading Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot.
On Friday, we had a very special visitor…Miss Tiddles - a real tortoise who is just 2 years old.

We have made our own tortoises with plasticine and next week we will be weighing them and comparing their weights.

The children’s reading targets have been reset, as they are at the start of each half term. Please continue reading daily at home with your children, it really does make such a huge difference. At the moment AR reader is set for quizzing in school only, it will not be accessible at home - I will keep you up to date with any changes.

Notices

Our PE days are Tuesday and Wednesday.

Special Announcement

Miss Woodend’s little girl, Millie, was born on 30th December. We send lots of love and a huge congratulations to her and her family.

Thank you to those parents who accompanied us to church on Friday morning.

Year 2 Weekly blog - 'Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas' Peg Bracken

Wishing you and you families a safe, peaceful and Holy Christmas.

It’s been an absolute pleasure teaching your children this half term, I’m looking forward to welcoming them back into the classroom in the new year.
As of yet there is has been no news about Miss Woodend’s new baby - perhaps she’ll have a Christmas Day baby!

Let’s Celebrate!

We are celebrating Nathan and Phoebe this week and their fantastic performances in our class nativity. Both children spoke with confidence, enthusiasm and expression. They were stars! Well done Nathan and Phoebe!

As promised, here’s a few more photos of your amazing children from our KS1 Nativity production.

Merry Christmas,
Mrs Marham and the Year 2 team

Year 2 Blog 16.12.22 - Good news from heaven the angels bring, Glad tidings to the earth they sing: To us this day a child is given, To crown us with the joy of heaven.” ~ Martin Luther

Good news from heaven the angels bring,
Glad tidings to the earth they sing:
To us this day a child is given,
To crown us with the joy of heaven.
~ Martin Luth

I am so proud of the children, as I am sure you are too. Thank you to the families and friends who came to watch the children perform on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. All the time and practise the children (and adults at home) have put in certainly paid off. The singing, the dancing, the enthusiasm and expression the children spoke with when saying their lines was amazing. Its hard to believe, that for some of the children, this has been their first time on stage performing.
On Monday the performance was professionally recorded and will be available for parents to buy through parentpay. I have taken lots of photos, I will share a few at the end of this weeks blog and the rest next week.

It is the third week of advent, we have added the third candle to our class Advent wreath and spoke about joy. The children were asked to think about what brings them joy at this time of year. Some of their answers were: ‘Family and friends’, ‘Feeling loved’, ‘Spending time with my family’ and ‘Seeing my family from far away’. It was lovely that at this age the children are really appreciating and enjoying the real meaning of Christmas and appreciating these joyful moments.

In maths this week the children have continued using strategies to help with subtraction .The work was a little tricky and I was impressed with the resilience the children showed whilst learning.

We’ve enjoyed reading about the Big Bad Wolf’s adventures and mishaps in ‘The Great Fairy Tale Disaster'. Who’d have thought the Wolf could get himself into so much trouble!

Our history topic on Florence Nightingale has now finished, the children used Purple Mash to create an information book, sharing everything they have learnt. Earlier in the topic the children made lanterns, these have been sent home tonight.

Notices

It’s our party day on Monday 19th December - please send your children in their party clothes.
School closes at the earlier time of 2pm on Tuesday 20th December.

Have a safe and peaceful weekend,
Mrs Marham and the Year 2 team

Scarlet Fever and Group Strep A Infections - Guidance

Dear all,

There is growing concern amongst the community regarding iGas/Scarlet Fever, we have placed here the guidance school has received to share with you. Thank you for always communicating with us illnesses and absences. This is so important as it helps us to build a picture of the whole community and from this we are able to take any action should it be required.

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Year 2 Weekly Blog 9.12.22 'Help us to be ready to welcome you o God' Luke 3:4-6

'Help us to be ready to welcome you o God' Luke 3:4-6

Our second Advent candle, the candle of peace, has been added to our class Advent wreath.

In computing we’ve used Purple Mash to write an algorithm (set of instructions) to make planes take off. This week we’ve built on these skills, entering code into a program to direct objects what to do when they collide on screen.

In English we’ve been writing a book review independently as well as enjoying Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes. We’re continuing to use out knowledge of number bonds to 10, to help us with subtraction calculations bridging 10. Some of the strategies we’ve used have been tricky but the children’s resilience and determination has been admirable.

The children have been working extremely hard, practising their lines and dances ready for our Nativity next week. Our final dress rehearsal will take place on Monday - ready for our performances on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Our class book, Billy and the Minpins, came to an end on Friday but we’ve already started to read our next book, Fantastic Mr Fox, also by Roald Dahl.

All the children looked amazing for our Christmas colour day, thank you for your donations. The money raised will be used to purchase animals, through CAFOD, for people who need them.

Important information about staff changes

The children have received a letter today explaining changes to teaching staff after Christmas. We have chatted to the children today and all the information shared is in the letter which is also attached here. Thank you

Let’s Celebrate…

George
It has been lovely to see George engrossed in reading this week. He is reading at every opportunity, even outside at playtimes. Not only is George enjoying reading, he is also showing that he has good understanding of what he has read when he quizzes. Well Done George!

Hugo
Hugo has been amazing learning partner this week. He realises how important it is to contribution to our class and help others achieve. He is  friendly, helpful and polite and it has been a pleasure to watch him be so encouraging with his peers, celebrating not only his own successes but recognising other peoples too.

Christmas Dinner - Monday 19th December

Staff will join the children in this festive feast!

We need to know the precise numbers for Jacqui, our wonderful chef!

Could you PLEASE take a few seconds to complete the form on today’s newsletter blog on the school website.

The meal is free for all Key Stage 1 children and for all those children on free school meals.  

Key Stage 2 children NOT on free school meals pay £2.40 - this should be paid in advance on ParentPay.

Please complete the form FOR EVERY CHILD in school, both Key Stages, whether it is a yes for a meal or a no - that would really help us!

Do please ensure you have completed the form by Monday Morning, 9am.

Thank you so much – The Office and Catering Teams

Notices

Our Nativity takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
The children have brought home a letter regarding staffing this evening, please check their bags.
Home learning tasks are in the children’s homework books.

Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Marham

Year 2 Weekly Blog 2/12/22 “In the seasons of our Advent—waking, working, eating, sleeping, being—each breath is a breathing of Christ into the world.”

“In the seasons of our Advent—waking, working, eating, sleeping, being—each breath is a breathing of Christ into the world.” —Caryll Houselander

What an amazing first week I’ve had in the classroom with the children!

The first week of Advent has seen us thinking about the imminent arrival of Jesus. We have made a class Advent wreath and put the first candle on it, each week on a Monday we will adding a new candle and discussing its meaning and significance.

We’ve been continuing to practise our nativity, with lots of singing and some time in the hall with Year 1 putting it all together. Thank you to everyone who has helped practise lines at home. The children are really looking forward to performing for their families and friends.

In English, we have been looking at fairy tales with a twist. The children have thought about the Big Bad Wolf in the Little Red Riding story and how his character could have been misunderstood - perhaps he was a good guy after all! They’ve also looked a similarities and differences between the original Three Little Pigs story and the book ‘The true story of the three pigs’ by Jon Scieszka.

In Maths, we have continued calculating number sentences with three addends, using strategies, such as finding number bonds to 10. We have used number lines to help us visualise the calculations and rewritten number sentences to include number bonds we know.

This week was Miss Woodend’s last week in school before starting maternity leave. I know Miss Woodend feels a little sad leaving such a wonderful class at a time of year which is always magical, but know she is looking forward to some rest before the arrival of her new baby.

Any questions, queries or concerns should be emailed to myself at the email address below. lmarham@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Let’s Celebrate

Isaac, what a fantastic week you have had!It has been wonderful to see your enthusiasm in lessons. You constantly have your hand up ready to make contributions to our class discussions or to answer a question. You explain well how you find answers; particularly in maths, this shows me you have a good understanding of what has been taught. You are also a thoughtful and helpful member of the class, I’ve noticed you helping your friends, as well as adults.

Fletcher, You have been noticed this week for always doing the right thing. You are a year two role model. This has been noticed not only by me but other adults in the classroom too. You are a polite, helpful member of our class and a good friend. Keep it up, we are proud of you!

Notices

Our Nativity performance at school will be on Tuesday 13th December and Wednesday 14th December.

On Friday 9th December, the school council have decided to have a Christmas colours day, you may wear Christmas colours, a Christmas jumper or decorate your clothes for Christmas. In return please bring in at least £1 donation - so that through CAFOD, we can buy animals for people in need. If everyone contributes we will have enough to buy a cow, a goat, a chicken and some bees!

Please check the home learning section for this week’s homework.

Please ensure children are coming to school with a coat, although it looks bright and sunny, it has been very cold outside at break times.

Have a lovely weekend.
Mrs Marham and the rest of the Year 2 team