Class 2-Autumn 2-Week 2

What an incredibly busy and memorable week we've had here at school! The children have been bursting with energy and have truly embraced all the exciting activities we've shared. The biggest focus this week has definitely been our Nativity preparations! We took a huge step forward by having our very first practice on the stage. It was such a thrill to see the children's little faces as they stood up there for the first time—a mix of excitement and perhaps a tiny bit of awe at the big space! This first run-through was invaluable, as it immediately helped the children realise a very important lesson: the stage is big, and their voices need to be big too! They are now practicing hard to project their voices so that every word, song, and shout can be heard by you all on performance night. Please encourage them to practice their loudest, clearest voices at home! In English, we wrapped up a beautiful short unit on Autumn Poetry. We shared some wonderful poems that helped us appreciate the sights, sounds, and smells of this colourful season. The children then became poets themselves! We took an inspiring Autumn Walk around the school grounds and collected a fantastic 'word hoard' of descriptive vocabulary. Using our new words, the children wrote some truly brilliant Autumn Senses Poems, focusing on what they could see, hear, feel, and smell. They produced some stunning, atmospheric work—we're so proud of their creativity! Maths this week saw us start a brand new and exciting unit on Shape. To begin, we've been revising and consolidating our knowledge of 2D shapes and 3D shapes. The children have enjoyed sorting shapes, describing their properties (like vertices and edges), and seeing how shapes are all around us in the real world. Wednesday was a very poignant day as we marked Remembrance Day. It was incredibly important for us to help the children understand the significance of this day and allow them to show their respect. The whole school community took a quiet, respectful walk to the Kings Bromley War Memorial. The children behaved impeccably, and it was a deeply moving experience to gather there and participate in the Two-Minute Silence. They showed great maturity and respect, making it a very special moment of reflection for us all. Year 2 had a fantastic time during their outdoor learning this week. The children transformed into "Junior Engineers" for the Mini Den Challenge! This hands-on activity was designed to explore how we create stable structures and why certain materials are essential for shelter, especially as the weather turns colder in November. The goal was simple: to build a small, free-standing den for Miss Partington’s teddy, using sticks for the framework and natural materials for the covering. We spent time investigating how to make a structure that stands up on its own and isn't easily knocked over. Most groups opted for a tripod shape as a sturdy base. Discussing what a good shelter must protect us from. This led us to selecting materials like large leaves for the roof and walls. Year 2 worked well together in small teams to share ideas, divide tasks, and solve problems—a crucial skill! The most valuable part of the lesson wasn't just the finished den—it was the challenges they encountered. Building a mini-structure is tricky! Sticks don't always balance perfectly, and string can be hard to tie. The children shared their "trickiest moment" and how they fixed it. They learned to offer a positive comment ("I like your strong base!") and a "wish" ("I wish you had more leaves on the roof!") for other groups' work.

What a busy and productive week we have had. Thank you, as always, for your wonderful support this week. Have a lovely weekend