Year 2
Class Saint: St Bernadette
Class Teacher: Mrs. S. Willsher and Miss. H. Eke
Curriculum
December 2025
This half term, we have explored some of the key beliefs and deepened our understanding of the Christmas story. The children have worked with enthusiasm, curiosity, and great reverence as we journeyed together through our unit on Mary, Advent and the birth of Jesus.
We began by learning that Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. The children reflected thoughtfully on Mary’s courage and trust when she said “yes” to God. Together, we talked about how we can also say “yes” to God in our own lives by choosing to live like Jesus and Mary. The children shared wonderful examples of what this looks like in practice—helping others, being kind, giving to charity, and remembering to speak to God in prayer. This led to some class discussions about the choices we make and how small acts of love can make a big difference.
As we moved on to the Nativity story, we focused on our belief that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. One of the highlights of the term was our group project where the children worked collaboratively to create model representations of Bethlehem using construction bricks. They took great care considering the journey Mary and Joseph made—the distance they travelled, how long it may have taken them, and how they might have felt along the way. We also enjoyed singing the much-loved song “Little Donkey,” which helped us imagine Mary riding patiently on her journey.
During Advent, we learned that this season is a time of waiting and preparing for Jesus’ coming. The children observed that in many Nativity scenes, the manger remains empty until Christmas Day, reminding us that we are waiting for Jesus’ birth. To help us reflect on this important message, the children created their own small mangers using lolly sticks and hay. These simple but meaningful crafts encouraged them to think about patience, hope, and the joy that comes with anticipating something precious.
We concluded our learning with our wonderful Nativity performance, I’m Gonna Shine. The children sang beautifully and retold the story of Jesus’ birth with such respect and understanding. We were incredibly proud of their confidence and the care they showed in portraying this special story. A huge thank you also goes to Mrs Stone for her support in helping the children learn the songs so well.
As we come to the end of this busy term, we would like to wish you all a peaceful New Year. Thank you for your continued support - we look forward to an exciting term ahead.
October 2025
Science
This term in Science, our class has been exploring the fascinating topic of "Animals and Living Things." Our learning journey focused on understanding the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive. The children have done a fantastic job investigating and asking questions to deepen their understanding of the natural world around them.
We spent time learning how animals and plants are suited to the habitats they live in, and how those habitats provide for their basic needs. The children identified a variety of animals and plants in different environments, including some very exciting discoveries in microhabitats around the school grounds!
Earlier this week, we had an incredible outdoor learning experience at Danbury Country Park. The children explored a range of natural habitats and worked together brilliantly during our team challenge to build dens — a fun and creative way to end our Science unit. They demonstrated fantastic teamwork and applied their learning to real-life environments.
This unit has been a great opportunity for pupils to engage with nature, build curiosity, and work together as scientists. We are so proud of their enthusiasm and the knowledge they have gained.
Art
This term in Art, Year 2 has been exploring the exciting world of collaborative creativity. We've discovered that art doesn’t always begin with a pencil or paintbrush — it can be made with all sorts of materials!
The children have enjoyed working with string, clay, and natural resources to create imaginative group pieces. Much of this work has taken place outdoors, where the space and surroundings have inspired the children to move, explore, and work together.
Learning outside has provided the perfect environment for these activities — offering both natural materials and the freedom to experiment. It’s been wonderful to see the children express themselves in new ways and discover that art can happen anywhere!
PE
This term, the children have enjoyed a fantastic variety of physical activities in PE. We’ve been fortunate to welcome specialist rugby coaches into school, who have supported the development of key skills such as coordination, teamwork, and spatial awareness through fun, energetic sessions.
In addition, a specialist dance teacher has been leading ballet lessons, introducing the children to the discipline and expression of dance. These sessions have helped improve posture, balance, and musicality, while giving pupils a chance to explore movement in a creative way.
Academic Year 2024-2025
Beside the Seaside! July 2025
This half term, our class has been diving into the exciting topic of “Beside the Sea” and what a fantastic journey it has been! We have been learning all about seaside locations—where they are, what they look like, and how they have changed over time. One of our key learning objectives was to use maps to locate seaside areas, and we really enjoyed exploring different coastal spots around the UK. We also learned how to use aerial photographs to observe seaside features such as beaches, piers, lighthouses, and harbours.
Another exciting part of our learning was discovering the difference between seaside holidays in the past and those we enjoy today. We looked at old photographs and postcards, comparing clothes, transport, and entertainment from the Victorian era to now. Then, we had the chance to write our own postcards, imagining we were at the seaside—just like holidaymakers used to do!
To bring our topic to life, we went on a wonderful school trip to Southend on Sea. It was an unforgettable experience! One of the highlights was visiting the Sealife Centre, where we learned about marine animals and their habitats. We saw fascinating creatures like seahorses, starfish, and even rays and sharks. This helped us better understand the diversity of sea life and the importance of protecting our oceans. After our visit, we headed to the beach where we had so much fun building sandcastles, enjoying an ice cream, and paddling in the sea. It was a perfect way to experience what a real seaside resort is like.
Back at school, we continued our seaside theme in computing by programming Beebots to move around a pirate treasure map. We gave them instructions to find hidden treasures, which helped us develop our understanding of directions, sequencing, and algorithms. It was both fun and educational, giving us a chance to use technology creatively while reinforcing our learning.
Overall, this half term has been full of exciting opportunities to explore and learn. From using maps and photographs to studying marine animals and writing postcards, we have developed a wide range of skills and knowledge.
Sensational Safari Adventures! - May 2025
We began our learning by locating Kenya on the world map and discovering which continent it belongs to. We talked about how far it is from the UK, what the weather is like, and why Kenya is such a popular place for safari adventures.
We explored traditional African tales and used these as inspiration to write our own fables, setting them in the Savannah and choosing animals as our characters to help teach a moral. The children thought carefully about the language they wanted to use and have written some detailed fables.
Art and design were a big part of our topic too. The children had great fun making beautiful African necklaces using pasta, paper plates, and string. A huge thank to Mrs Cooch for suppling the pasta and volunteering her time to make our beautiful necklaces. Each necklace was uniquely decorated with bright colours and patterns, and it was lovely to see the children so focused and proud of their work. We also brought a bit of the African sunset to our classroom by creating stunning silhouette pictures of animals and acacia trees set against bold, painted sunsets.
A highlight for many of the children was learning about the “Big Five” animals – the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. We discovered fun facts about each one, compared them to animals we might see in the UK, and discussed why they are so important to Kenyan wildlife conservation. To celebrate all of our hard work, we held a class assembly where we shared everything we had learned with our families. The children loved performing and were so proud to show off their artwork and share fascinating facts about Kenya. We ended with “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King, complete with actions and big smiles!
We’re so proud of how engaged and enthusiastic the children have been throughout the topic – it’s been a real adventure!
R.E. - Investigating 'Forgiveness' - April 2025
In RE this half term, we have been learning about forgiveness by looking at Jesus’ ministry and His Crucifixion. We thought about how Jesus forgave the people who crucified Him when He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” This helped us make links to Jesus’ teachings about love and mercy, like in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Acting out the Crucifixion and creating freeze frames helped us reflect on what Jesus’ forgiveness means and how we are called to forgive others too.
We also discussed how Lent is a time for us to reconcile with God by saying sorry and making changes in our lives. To explore this, we created artwork of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, thinking about how the crowd welcomed Him with palm leaves and calling out “Hosanna.” We enjoyed singing “Singing Hosanna to the Lord,” celebrating Jesus as the Saviour.
We then then reflected on what they can do during Lent to seek forgiveness and forgive others. Acting out the Last Supper helped us think about how Jesus forgave His disciples and showed His love by breaking bread with them. To finish, we wrote our own forgiveness prayers, asking God to help us be more forgiving. Through all these activities, we learnt that Lent is a time to grow closer to God and get ready to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection at Easter.
