Year 2 have been thoroughly enjoying reading the wonderful story The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. As part of our Reading into Writing lessons, we have been exploring the characters and settings in the story and creating a fantastic bank of descriptive language to use in our own writing. ✏️✨

We began by reading and discussing different parts of the story, thinking carefully about how the author brings characters to life through her choice of words. We used our reading skills to identify powerful adjectives and exciting descriptions. 📖🔍

The children had lots of fun describing the famous Gruffalo himself! We thought about his terrible tusks, terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws. We also described the other woodland creatures, including the sly fox, wise owl and hissing snake. 🦊🦉🐍

As a class, we worked together to create a bank of ambitious vocabulary. We generated words and phrases to describe appearance, movement and feelings, such as spiky, fearsome, gigantic, creeping, and menacing. 🌟📝

We also explored the setting of the deep, dark wood. The children used their senses to imagine what they might see, hear and feel if they were walking through the forest. This helped us create rich descriptions filled with exciting vocabulary. 🌲🍂👂

Using our ideas, we have begun preparing for our own pieces of writing inspired by The Gruffalo. The children have impressed us with their creativity and enthusiasm, and we are looking forward to seeing all of their fantastic descriptions appear in their independent work. 🐭✏️⭐

Year 2 have shown great imagination and have worked incredibly hard to build a collection of powerful words and phrases that will make their writing engaging and exciting for the reader. 👏🌈

📸 Take a look at our photos to see us exploring vocabulary and bringing the world of The Gruffalo to life! 😊📚🐭✨

This week in Maths, Year 2 have been developing their understanding of place value by exploring how numbers can be partitioned into tens and ones. 🧮🌟

We began by using a range of practical resources and different representations to help us understand the value of each digit in a number. We used base ten equipment, part-whole models, tens frames and place value charts to show how numbers can be split into tens and ones. 🔟➕1️⃣

For example, we explored how the number 34 can be partitioned into 3 tens and 4 ones. By representing numbers in different ways, we strengthened our understanding of how numbers are made up and developed our mathematical reasoning skills. 🤔✏️

Once we were confident partitioning numbers into tens and ones, we moved on to flexible partitioning. This challenged us to think about numbers in different ways and discover that numbers can be split into parts other than just tens and ones. 🧠💡

For example, we found that 34 can be partitioned as 30 and 4, but also as 20 and 14 or 10 and 24. We enjoyed exploring different combinations and explaining our thinking to our partners. 🗣️👫

Throughout the lesson, we used practical resources, worked collaboratively and discussed our ideas using mathematical vocabulary. We showed great perseverance when faced with challenges and were excited to find multiple ways to represent the same number. 🌟👏

Year 2 have worked incredibly hard and are becoming much more confident with place value. These important skills will help us as we continue our mathematical learning throughout the year. 🎉🔢

📸 Take a look at our photos to see us using different representations and exploring flexible partitioning in Maths! 😊📚✨

Year 2 have begun an exciting new Design Technology unit where we will be designing and making our very own puppets! 🐻🐸🦁

To start our project, we spent time exploring and evaluating a range of existing puppets. We looked carefully at different types, including hand puppets, finger puppets and stick puppets, and discussed what made them effective and enjoyable to use. 🎪🎨

We investigated the materials used to make the puppets and thought about why certain fabrics, colours and features had been chosen. We examined how the puppets were joined together and how they were designed to move. 👀🧵

Using our detective skills, we evaluated each puppet by thinking about what we liked and what we would improve. Some puppets had bright colours and interesting textures, while others had moving parts that made them fun to bring to life. 🌈✨

We also tested how easy the puppets were to use and considered who they had been designed for. We talked about how puppets can be used to tell stories, entertain audiences and bring characters to life. 📚🎭

Through our discussions, we gathered lots of ideas that will help us when it is time to design our own puppets. We thought carefully about the features we might include and began to imagine the characters we would like to create. 💭✏️

Year 2 showed fantastic observation skills and shared some brilliant ideas. We can't wait to continue our Design Technology journey and start creating our own unique puppets in the coming weeks! 🌟👏

📸 Take a look at our photos to see us investigating and evaluating different puppet designs! 😊🎭🧵

This week, Year 2 became scientists as we carried out an exciting investigation to find out which materials absorb water best and would therefore be the most suitable to use in our school dinner hall. 🔬👩‍🔬👨‍🔬

We began by discussing why absorbent materials are important. We thought about what might happen if drinks were spilled during lunchtime and how different materials could help to clean up the mess quickly and effectively. 🍽️🥛

Working in groups, we tested a variety of materials, including paper towels, cloth, sponge and other fabric samples. We carefully poured the same amount of water onto each material and observed what happened. 💦👀

We made predictions before carrying out our tests and recorded our results like real scientists. 📋✏️ We looked closely at which materials soaked up the most water and which materials allowed water to remain on the surface.

Some of our results surprised us! 😲 We discovered that certain materials were much more absorbent than others, while some hardly soaked up any water at all. By comparing our findings, we were able to decide which material would be the best choice for cleaning up spills in the dinner hall. 🧽✨

Throughout the investigation, we used important scientific skills such as observing, predicting, testing and recording results. We also discussed how scientists use evidence to make decisions. 🔍📊

Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed putting their scientific thinking to the test and learning how science can help solve everyday problems. We were very proud of the excellent teamwork and thoughtful discussions that took place during the lesson. 🌟👏

📸 Take a look at our photos to see our young scientists hard at work! 😊🧪💧

Year 2 had an amazing experience when a farm came to visit our playground 😊. The children were so excited to meet a variety of animals and learn more about them up close.

We saw cows, goats, chickens, rabbits, pigs, horses, donkeys and many more wonderful animals 🐄🐐🐔🐷🐴. The children enjoyed observing the animals carefully and learning interesting facts about how they live, what they eat and how they are cared for 🌾❤️.

One of the highlights of the day was getting the opportunity to look closely at and brush some of the animals' hair and fur 🪮✨. The children loved feeling the different textures and learning how farmers help to keep their animals healthy and comfortable.

It was a fantastic hands-on learning experience that encouraged curiosity, confidence and respect for animals. We all had a wonderful time and created lots of special memories! 🌟👏🐾

As part of our Heritage Week celebrations, Year 2 enjoyed an exciting trip to Showtown in Blackpool to discover how Blackpool became one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts. 🌊☀️

During our visit, we travelled back in time to learn why people first started visiting Blackpool. We explored how families would come to enjoy fresh sea air, relax on the beach and experience the many attractions that made Blackpool famous. 🎠🎭

At Showtown, we saw fascinating exhibits all about Blackpool's rich entertainment history. We learned about the famous Blackpool Tower, traditional seaside holidays, spectacular shows, and the exciting amusements that have delighted visitors for generations. 🎪✨ We also discovered how entertainers and performers helped make Blackpool a favourite destination for families from all over the country.

Year 2 had a fantastic time during our Outdoor Learning session, showing excellent teamwork, creativity and enthusiasm throughout the day 😊.

The children worked together to build dens 🏕️, sharing ideas and solving problems as a team to create strong and sturdy shelters. They also had lots of fun taking part in parachute games 🌈, developing their communication skills and working together to complete different challenges.

Using natural materials, the children created some wonderful nature art pieces 🍂🎨. They carefully collected leaves, sticks and other treasures from the outdoor environment to make their own unique creations.

We also linked our learning to Year 3's Geography unit on bee conservation 🐝🌼 by creating our own seed bombs. The children learned how these can help produce beautiful wildflowers, creating important habitats and food sources for bees. It was wonderful to see the children thinking about how they can help care for the environment and support local wildlife 🌍💛.

A brilliant day of exploring, creating and learning outdoors! 🌟👏🌱

Today we had a very special visit from the coastguard, and it was both fun and really informative. They came to help us learn how to stay safe around water, especially when visiting the beach.

We began by looking at a poster showing different seaside scenes. As a group, we spotted lots of possible dangers, such as strong waves, deep water, slippery rocks, and hidden currents. It made us realise how important it is to stay alert when near the water.

The coastguard then shared some key safety rules with us. We learned that you should never go to the beach alone and should always stay with an adult. Another important rule we discussed was “Float to Live”—if you ever find yourself in trouble in the water, you should lie on your back, stay calm, and float until you can control your breathing and get help.

We also talked about listening to lifeguards, swimming in safe areas, and knowing how to call for help if needed.

It was a fantastic visit, and we all learned lots of important ways to stay safe. A big thank you to the coastguard for teaching us these life-saving skills! 🌊🚤

🎉 Take Over Day in Year 2 🎉

We had an exciting day in Year 2 when the Year 5 children took over the school and became the staff for the day! 👩‍🏫👨‍🏫

Our new teacher and teaching assistant did a fantastic job. They were kind, helpful and made learning lots of fun. 😊 We enjoyed listening to them and taking part in all the activities they planned.

One of our favourite lessons was learning to count in 2s. 🔢✌️ The Year 5 staff helped us practise our counting and encouraged us to join in. We counted confidently together and had lots of fun along the way! 🎯👏

We were very impressed with how responsible the Year 5 children were. ⭐ They worked hard all day and showed great leadership skills. It was wonderful to see them teaching, helping and looking after everyone.

Thank you to our amazing Year 5 teacher and teaching assistant for making Take Over Day such a success. 🌈 We loved having you in our classroom and think you did an excellent job! 🌟

📸 Take a look at our photos below to see our fantastic Take Over Day activities and our Year 5 staff in action! 😄🎉

In Year 2, we have been continuing our Geography learning by exploring different areas of Blackpool 😊.

The children looked at four different locations and created their own messy maps to represent each area 🖍️🗺️. They thought carefully about the landmarks they could see and included these in their drawings, showing great attention to detail.

We also discussed the difference between human and physical features 🏖️🏢, identifying what was natural and what was man-made on our maps. The children showed great understanding as they spotted beaches, roads, buildings and more!

Finally, we thought about where places are in relation to each other, using positional language to describe locations 📍. It was fantastic to see the children developing their map skills and geographical understanding 🌟👏

In Year 2, we have been developing our understanding of plants by taking part in a hands-on planting activity 😊.

This week, the children each planted their own sunflower seeds 🌻. They carefully followed the steps, making sure their seeds were planted correctly and given the best start to grow.

Over the coming weeks, we will be watering our plants and observing how they change 🌱💧. The children will also be thinking about which environment helps their sunflower grow best, developing their scientific thinking and curiosity 🤔.

We are excited to watch our sunflowers grow and see whose will reach the tallest height! 🌟👏

In Year 2, we have been continuing our learning about fractions, this time focusing on how to find three quarters of an amount 😊.

To help us, we used counters 🔵 to represent different amounts. The children worked carefully to group the counters into equal parts, using their previous knowledge to first find one quarter 🧠💡. From there, they were able to build on this understanding to find three quarters, showing great problem-solving skills!

It was fantastic to see the children making connections in their learning, using practical resources and working together to deepen their understanding 🌟👏

Year 2 have begun an exciting new Geography unit where we will be comparing our local area, Blackpool, with Luxor in Egypt. The children are already full of curiosity and eager to learn more about different places around the world!

To start our learning, we recapped what we already knew about continents and oceans 🌎💡. The children worked together to create a fun ‘jigsaw’ activity, carefully matching the continents to the correct maps 🧩. This helped us to refresh our understanding in an interactive way.

We then used atlases to support our learning, locating and labelling the continents and oceans on a world map 🗺️. The children showed great teamwork and problem-solving skills as they explored where different places are in the world.

A fantastic start to our new topic—we can’t wait to learn more about how Blackpool and Luxor compare! 🌟

Year 2 had a fantastic day coming to school in non-uniform to help raise money for the wonderful charity Cash for Kids 😊.

The children showed great kindness and generosity by bringing in donations, helping to support other children and families in need 💖. It was lovely to see such colourful outfits and bright smiles all around, making the day feel extra special 🌈👕.

In Year 2, we have continued to build our athletics skills, this time focusing on throwing. The children have been learning how to perform an accurate underarm throw, thinking carefully about control, aim and technique 👐.

We used tennis balls and beanbags to practise at five different activity stations 🎾🟡. Each station gave the children a fun new challenge! They enjoyed throwing at targets, knocking over cones, trying some bowling, and even throwing under a limbo pole 🤹‍♀️. One of the favourites was aiming carefully to land their beanbag in different hoops 🟢.