Welcome to Orange Class
Orange Class consists of 28 hardworking, keen-to-learn children. Miss Bushnell (4 days) and Mrs Bullock (1 day) are the class teachers with help from Miss Powell who is our super teaching assistant.
Our topic this half-term is...
Amazing Animals
This term our Learning Journey has a Science focus, but English, Maths, History, Geography, Art, DT, PE, RE and Music will all link together to create an exciting, memorable learning experience.
In English, we will be focusing setting description and exploring the fantastic book ‘The Snow Lambs’. We will also be creating some fantastic animal poetry creating kennings and animal shape poetry.
In Science, we will be learning about living things and their habitats. The children will explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive. They will also be investigating microhabitats, food chains and even designing and making bug hotels.
Our Learning Journey this term will have a Geography and History focus. We are going to be exploring the Galapagos Islands where we will be discovering many different animals and looking at their habitats. We will also be researching a historical figure - Charles Darwin - and look at his contribution to the animal kingdom and his discoveries whilst visiting the Galapagos Islands.
PE is currently on a Wednesday and Thursday afternoon however please ensure full PE kits are in school at all times. This half-term in PE we will be focusing on Gymnastics and Invasion Games. Pupils will explore and develop basic gymnastic actions on the floor and using apparatus. They develop gymnastic skills of jumping, rolling, balancing and travelling individually and in combination to create short sequences and movements phrases. In Invasion Games children will develop their understanding of principles of defending and attacking. They use and develop skills such as sending and receiving with both feet and hands, as well as dribbling with both feet and hands.
KS1 SATS Information
To help inform teacher judgements, pupils in Year 2 will sit national curriculum tests in English and Mathematics, commonly called SATs.
The tests are a tool for teachers to help measure your child’s performance and identify their needs as they move into key stage 2. This also allows teachers to see how your child is performing against national expected standards.
The last compulsory KS1 SATs were administered in May 2023. They will now be optional.
Unlike KS2 SATs, KS1 SATs don't have to be administered according to a nationally-set timetable in a specific week. Schools are free to manage the timetable and will aim to administer the tests in the classroom in a low-stress, low-key way; some children won't even be aware they've taken them!
https://www.theschoolrun.com/changes-ks1-sats-2024
Reading
Please read with your child as often as possible (every day if you can). Research shows that children who read at home make better progress with their reading generally.
The National Literacy Trust which suggested that young people who read outside class were 13 times more likely to read above the expected level for their age.
It also follows a study from London's Institute of Education which suggested that children who read for pleasure are likely to be better at both Maths and English than those who rarely read in their free time. Please encourage your child to bring their reading bag to school every day.
Homework
Thank you,
Miss Bushnell