Our learning from Autumn 1 continues with: 

English

Writing

Recount writing – Local Hero Wins a Medal

We will be writing non-fiction recounts, telling our readers about the events of a day.  We will think about how we write in this genre and the features we need to use when we write recounts.  

Key vocabulary

Model text, title, heading, recount, non-fiction, event, chronological order

Reading

We will continue to learn how to read through daily Read Write Inc. lessons. We will explore a range of texts linked to our units of learning, by using our Reading for Inference skills. We will also be exploring a range of alternative fairy tales.

Books we will be reading:

• The Big Book of Birds
• You’re Called What?
• A Wild Child’s Book of Birds
• Beware of the story book wolves
• The day louis got eaten
• The Little Red Hen – to link to Mr Wolf’s Pancakes
• #Goldilocks
• Goldilocks and just the one bear
• Trouble on Planet Christmas
• Froggy rescue
• The Three Little Twisted Pigs
• The Last Wolf
• Rapunzel and the Billy Goats
• Cinderella and the beanstalk
• Snow White and the Enormous Turnip

Key vocabulary

Echo read, paired read, think like a detective, notice breakdown, visualise, background knowledge, VIP words, question, wonder, predict

Maths

We will continue our focus on Addition and Subtraction, learning how to add and subtract two digit numbers across a 10. We will also be learning about the features of 2D and 3D shapes, including sides and vertices. We will use this knowledge to sort shapes.

Key vocabulary

Add, subtract, greater, more, less, column, method, tens, ones, exchange, sides, vertices, faces, two-dimensional, three-dimensional, triangle, square, rectangle, circle, pentagon, hexagon, cone, sphere, pyramid, triangle base, cylinder, cuboid, symmetry,

Science – Humans & Materials

Humans: We will learn about the needs of humans, including exercise, hygiene, a healthy diet and looking after our teeth.

Materials: We will explore different materials; learning about and comparing their properties. We will explore and work with wood, paper, cardboard, brick, rock, metal and fabrics.

Key vocabulary 

Humans: heart, exercise, physical health, mental health, healthy diet, meat, vegetables, fruit, sugar, hygiene, germs, disease, doctor, teeth, plaque, filling

Materials: material, natural, man-made, recycle, smooth, rough, flexible, rigid, rock, stone, pebble, brick, brittle, transparent, translucent, opaque

Geography: Would you rather live in a hot or cold place?

We will learn where the continents are, where the hottest and coldest places on earth are and what it is like in hot and cold places. We will then use our knowledge to decide if we would rather live in a hot or cold place.

Key vocabulary

Continent, land, ocean, country, locate, sea, globe, desert, climate, pack ice, arid, compass, weather, ice sheet, savannah, grasslands, tropical, vegetation, rainforest, weather, polar, human feature, rural, physical feature, Equator, urban, map

Computing – What is a computer?

We will explore exactly what a computer is by learning how inputs and outputs work, how computers are used in the wider world and designing our own computerised invention!

Key vocabulary

Battery, buttons, computer, desktop, device, electricity, input, invention, keyboard, laptop, monitor, mouse, output, technology, wire 

Design and Technology - Baby Bear’s Chair

Using the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears as inspiration, we will help Baby Bear by making him a brand new chair. When designing the chair, we will consider his needs and what he likes and explore ways of building it so that it is strong.

Key Vocabulary

Function, man-made, mould, natural, stable, stiff, strong, structure, test, weak

Music – Instruments (musical storytelling)

Children will learn about the instruments in an orchestra and practise identifying these when listening to music. We will learn how different characters are represented by ‘timbre’, how emotions can be represented by ‘pitch’ and how changes in ‘tempo’ can convey action. We will use this knowledge to support us in preparing for and performing our Christmas play.

Key Vocabulary

Orchestra, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, dynamics, sound effects, tempo, timbre, vocals

 PSHE – Health and Wellbeing

We will learn about the benefits of exercise and relaxation on physical health and wellbeing, learn strategies for managing emotions, set goals, develop a growth mindset and understand dental hygiene.

Key vocabulary:

Diet, emotions, exercise, growth mindset, healthy, physical activity, relaxation, skill, strengths

 PE – Dance (indoor) and tag rugby (outdoor)

We will use our indoor PE sessions to learn the Charleston.  We will learn the dance, add our own motifs and create our own Charleston dances.

In Tag rugby, we will work on use of space and using tactics to close each other down and begin to attack and defend.

Key Vocabulary

Attack, defend, tag, mark, tactics, positioning, aim, strength, power

 Key dates

03/11/25 – Autumn term 2 begins

04/11/25 – Year 2 attend a Carbon Monoxide workshop in school

05/11/25 – Bonfire lunch

11/11/25 – Anti-bullying day

17/11/25 and 19/11/25 – parent consultation evenings and book fair

17/11/25 – 21/11/25 – Year 2 assessment week

21/11/25 – Children in Need day

11/12/25 – Christmas jumper day

15/12/25 – Year 2 performance to parents

17/12/25 – Christmas Lunch

18/12/25 – Christmas disco

19/12/25 – final day before Christmas

Important dates for early 2026:

05/01/26 – Staff training day: school closed

06/01/26 – Spring term begins

12/02/26 – Spring term 1 ends for half term

13/02/26 – Teacher training day