Class Teachers: Aileen Cronin, Beth Dawson, Clarence Ng
Welcome
Welcome to the Year 2 webpage. Our three classes are Fox Class (2MG), Otter Class (2CN) and Rabbits Class (2BD). We look forward to working with you throughout the academic year. In Year 2 we plan a lot of creative and cross curricular activities to support the children’s learning and curiosity. This webpage will keep you up to date with systems and school routines and outline your child’s learning.
Year 2 Teaching Team
| Year Group Leader | Aileen Cronin |
| Class Teachers | Clarence Ng (Otter Class ) |
| Beth Dawson (Rabbit Class) |
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| Aileen Cronin (Fox Class) |
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| KS1 SENDCO | Jette Rayner |
| Teaching assistant | Lou Colley Joanna Szymaczak Alicia Van Langenberg |
Curriculum / Learning
In Year 2, we hope to offer a curriculum that is broad and balanced which promotes the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at Rhodes Avenue School. We aspire for children to be constantly learning, developing into strong, resilient, capable, confident and self-assured pupils. The National Curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge around which we will develop exciting, stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupil knowledge, understanding and skills. We have a cross curricular approach to learning so children are able to make connections and to ensure their learning has purpose. We will provide a range of opportunities for children to engage in learning both within and outside the classroom. We look forward to getting to know you all and working together to ensure your child has a positive and successful year.
Here are the new school values:
We will act with cooperation because we are a community
We will use creativity to learn and grow.
We will show consideration as everyone is of equal value and importance.
We want our children to:
Know who they are.
Respect others for who they are.
Never stop learning.
Specialist teachers
Rosie Sawyer – Art
Bren Amooty – PE
Ivana Grant – Forest School/Outdoor Learning
Our Learning
English
Year 2 English Knowledge and Skills Maps
In Year 2, our English curriculum is designed to nurture a love for reading, writing, and communication. Children will continue to develop their skills in reading fluently, understanding stories, and responding to texts with confidence. They will also enhance their writing abilities, focusing on clear sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling. Through creative activities, including storytelling, poetry, and interactive discussions, we encourage imagination, vocabulary expansion, and critical thinking. In Year 2, the aim is for all children to be able to read easily, fluently and with good understanding. The key to this is decoding (reading words) and comprehending (understanding). We will develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. Typically writing develops at a slower rate to reading as children ‘juggle’ the demands of spelling, sentence structure, punctuation and handwriting. It is extremely important that a correct pencil grip is established and correct formation of letters (upper and lowercase) and numbers are secured. Discrete handwriting sessions are timetabled and children will begin to join their letters as soon as individual letters are formed correctly.
Spelling
In Year Two children will be introduced to a new spelling rule at the beginning of the week. Spellings are regularly practised throughout the week and will be informally assessed throughout the year.
Maths
Maths Knowledge and Skills Maps Year 2
In Year 2, our aim is to build a strong foundation in key mathematical concepts, fostering a love for numbers and problem-solving. Children will explore fundamental areas such as addition and subtraction, multiplication, division, shape recognition, and measurement, while developing their reasoning and mathematical thinking. Through hands-on activities and real-world problem-solving, we encourage curiosity and resilience, helping students become confident and independent learners, ready to apply their skills both inside and outside the classroom.
Mathematics programmes of study
Science
In Year 2, our science curriculum sparks curiosity and encourages children to explore the world around them. Through hands-on experiments and investigations, children will learn about living things, materials, and physical forces, developing their understanding of scientific concepts in a fun and engaging way. Children in Year 2 will observe, ask questions, and make predictions, building their skills in observation, reasoning, and problem-solving. We aim to foster a sense of wonder about the natural world while helping students develop the critical thinking skills they need to become confident and inquisitive young scientists.
Year 2 Science Knowledge and Skills
Foundation Subjects
The following subjects: Art and Design, Design and Technology (D&T), Geography, History, Computing, Music, Physical Education (PE), Religious Education (RE) and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education (SMSC)/Citizenship are taught within exciting topic lessons over the academic year.
Topics are driven by different subjects (e.g. History and Religious Education). All foundation subjects will be taught through this cross-curricular approach providing the different disciplines with a practical learning context. Each new topic commences with a planned ‘launch’. Launches may be a workshop, a school trip, a visitor/guest/parent presenting to the year group, the sampling of international foods/dance and/or opportunities to celebrate cultural/religious festivals.
For a more comprehensive overview of the national curriculum use the link for our Curriculum page.
Please discover all the exciting topics we will be following this year by downloading our Curriculum Map.
The Skills and Knowledge we will be teaching
To discover the Foundation Subject Skills and Knowledge we will be teaching within the topics download the skills and knowledge matrix below.
Year 2 2025 2026 Foundation subjects
Computing Year 1 to Year 6 2025 2026
Ourselves and Others
In Year 2, we cover Differences between us, Wider Living, Keeping Safe, Building Resilience and Environmental Studies.
Links to the Relation Sexual Health Education (R.S.H.E) Schemes of work
Our school uses the PSHE Association, St John’s Ambulance and Christopher Winter Project (CWP) lessons and resources when delivering RSHE. Further information regarding the teaching of RSHE can be found in our (RSHE) policy which can be accessed from our Policies page on our school website. The schemes of work for each year can be found on the Curriculum page on our school website.
Parents do not have the right to withdraw their children from Relationships and Health Education. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from any aspects of the non-statutory and/or non-Science curriculum components of Sex Education within RSHE. Parents wishing to withdraw their children must inform the Headteacher in writing of their wishes using the proforma in Appendix 3 of our RSHE policy.
PE days
All children to bring PE kits to school (unless informed otherwise by the class teacher). PE days will vary throughout the year. Please ensure that children bring their PE kit to school in time for their lessons each week. Long hair must be tied back, they should wear the Rhodes Avenue PE T-shirt, appropriate sports trousers or shorts and appropriate footwear for the session.
