Year 2

WELCOME TO YEAR 2

This year is a very special one, as it is your last year in Key Stage One. We cannot wait to learn, explore and discover new things with you as we travel through exciting topics that will help you grow in confidence and curiosity.

In the Autumn Term, we will step into the boots of adventurers and explorers, learning about brave people who travelled across the world and the amazing places they discovered. Later in the term, we will journey back in time to the Great Fire of London. You will become history detectives, finding out how the fire started, why it spread so quickly and how the city was rebuilt.

In the Spring Term, we will fly across the globe to learn about Africa, discovering its landscapes, animals and many different cultures. You will also watch something magical happen during our From Egg to Duck topic as we learn how ducklings grow and change. Alongside this, we will explore how to look after ourselves in Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds, thinking carefully about what helps us feel strong, happy and calm.

In the Summer Term, we will be Buzzing for Bees, finding out why bees are so important and how they help our world. We will also learn about the Manchester Bee, a special symbol of our local area that stands for hard work, teamwork and strength. Just like real bees, the people of Manchester work together, look after each other and show great resilience.

With all of this, plus special Year 2 events throughout the year, we know you will shine brightly and rise to every challenge. We are so excited to learn with you each day, and we know you will bring enthusiasm, kindness and your very best effort.

The Year Two Team

 AUTUMN

We begin Year 2 with a sense of excitement and adventure as we step into our first theme of the year: Adventurers and Explorers. You will discover what it was like to travel across the world long ago and learn about brave explorers who set off into the unknown. Together, we will ask questions such as: Who were famous explorers? Where did they travel? What did they discover? You will demonstrate your knowledge of a significant explorer by being a waxwork that comes to life!

Later in the term, we travel back in time to 1666 as we learn about the Great Fire of London. You will become history detectives, finding out how the fire started, how it spread so quickly, and how London changed afterwards. Through stories, role play and practical demonstrations, you will explore questions such as: Why did the houses burn so fast? Who helped fight the fire? How did London become safer afterwards? This topic helps us understand how important teamwork and bravery were during this moment in history.

As the term draws to a close, we take part in a special Design and Technology project where you will plan, design and carefully make your own handcrafted tree decoration to take home and share with your family.

 SPRING

The world around us is full of amazing places, and this term we begin by exploring the wonderful continent of Africa. We ask the big question: Why is Africa a special place? Together, we dive into its incredible landscapes, animals, music and cultures. As young geographers, artists and storytellers, you will discover everything from the colours of African patterns to the sounds of traditional celebrations. Our learning will build towards our exciting African Showcase, where parents and carers are invited to enjoy songs, art, facts and performances that celebrate everything you have discovered.

As we move through the term, something magical arrives in our classroom - a set of duck eggs ready to hatch. We carefully observe each stage as the eggs warm, crack and finally welcome fluffy ducklings into the world. You will become scientists, keeping a close eye on how the ducklings grow, how their bodies change and what they need to stay healthy. This links beautifully with our theme of Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds, where we learn how to look after ourselves through good food choices, exercise, rest and ways to keep our minds calm and happy.

Throughout the Spring Term, your curiosity, imagination and enthusiasm will help you learn more about the natural world and your place within it. We can’t wait to explore it all with you.

SUMMER

As the Summer Term begins, we look a little closer to home and explore the amazing story of our own city. We start with the question: How does the Manchester Bee tell the story of our city? Through art, history and geography, you will discover why the bee is such an important symbol of Manchester. We explore where the symbol came from, where we can see it today, and how it helps us understand the spirit of our community.

Our learning then takes us into our exciting theme, Buzzing for Bees, where we find out why bees are incredible and how they help our world. You will learn how bees collect nectar, how they work together inside a hive and how they turn nectar into delicious honey.

In Computing, we become filmmakers as we create our own stop motion animation of a bee moving from flower to flower. Using careful planning, creativity and patience, you will bring your model bees to life frame by frame!

As the sunshine grows brighter and the school year begins to draw to a close, we celebrate everything you have learned and how much you have grown. The Summer Term is full of curiosity, creativity and outdoor learning, and we know you will finish Year 2 with pride, confidence and excitement for the adventures that lie ahead in Key Stage Two.

VALUES

A Connected Environment

In Year 2, we believe that our classroom is a connected environment where every child feels valued and included. We love working together as a whole year group, whether we are exploring new topics, sharing ideas or taking part in special events. Throughout the year, you will have lots of chances to learn with different friends, help one another and celebrate each other’s successes. Special moments - like our African Showcase, where parents and carers are invited to enjoy our learning, and our Christmas Singalong Performance, where grownups join us to celebrate the festive season - help bring us even closer together as a team.

A Creative Outlook

We take a creative approach to learning in Year 2 because creativity helps our topics come alive. Throughout the year, you will meet exciting characters such as brave explorers, African storytellers and even the ducklings we watch grow during From Egg to Duck. These experiences inspire your art, writing and problem solving, helping you to express ideas in fun and imaginative ways.
In Computing, you will create your own stop motion animation of a bee visiting different flowers, and in Design and Technology, you will design and craft your own handmade tree decoration to take home. We also solve problems through games, outdoor learning, teamwork challenges and activities that make you think carefully and work together.

A Positive Mindset

We begin the year by learning how to Be the Best Me for Year 2, thinking about how to stay safe, how to work well with others and how to make healthy choices. Later in the year, our topic Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds teaches us how exercise, rest, healthy food and calm thinking help our minds and bodies feel their best. Throughout Year 2, we celebrate a “can do” attitude and encourage you to keep going, even when something feels tricky. We love to see how your confidence grows as you learn that mistakes help us improve and challenges help us become braver.

A Caring Nature

Year 2 is one team, and we always show care for each other. We love your friendly greetings, your kind words and the way you support your friends. We also learn how to care for the world around us - whether we are protecting habitats on our science hunt, looking after our ducklings, or learning how bees help our planet.
We share our learning proudly with our school community during special events. At our African Showcase, parents and carers join us to celebrate everything we’ve discovered, and during our Christmas Singalong Performance, we spread joy and festive cheer across our year group. These moments help us understand the importance of kindness, gratitude and togetherness.

An Active Approach

In Year 2, we love active learning and enjoy using drama, outdoor exploration and hands on activities to understand new ideas. Whether we are acting as explorers, searching for habitats, creating African art or investigating how bees make honey, we learn best by getting involved.

Our learning stays active in reading and maths too. We take part in fact retrieval hunts, moving around the classroom or outdoors to search for clues in texts and gather important information. In maths, we learn through games, challenges and practical activities that help us build fluency, problem solve and work as a team.

We also enjoy being active in PE, where we take part in a wide range of sports and skills. Throughout the year, you will try dance, gymnastics, football, athletics, tag rugby and team games that build balance, teamwork, agility and confidence. We use the running track regularly and celebrate your sporting achievements with pride.