We have been learning the fundamentals of movement in our PE lessons, focusing on how to move our bodies safely, confidently and with control. We also linked our PE learning to Science by noticing how our bodies felt during different activities. This helped us understand what it means to move with control and how our bodies respond to exercise.

Running, Changing Direction and Moving Safely

We explored running at different speeds and changing direction. We practised jogging, running and sprinting, thinking carefully about how we could adjust our speed depending on the activity.

One of our favourite games was Aye Aye, Captain! In this game, we jogged around the space and saluted anyone we came face to face with. We had to stay alert, look where we were going and avoid bumping into others. This helped us develop our spatial awareness, coordination and ability to move safely around other people.

Jumping, Landing, Hopping and Skipping

Next, we focused on how to jump and land safely, remembering to bend our knees softly to absorb the impact. We practised jumping in and out of hoops in different ways, learning to aim our jumps and land with control and purpose.

We then explored other fundamental movements, including hopping and skipping. We even challenged a partner to see who could travel across the hall using the fewest jumps or hops! This encouraged us to think carefully about our movements, develop our balance and coordination, and work together in a fun and supportive way.

Learning to Skip with Ropes

All this practice led us to our next challenge: skipping with ropes!

We began with French skipping, working in groups of three to hold the rope, take turns and practise a variety of jumps. We learnt to jump in and out of the rope, jump from side to side and even jump on the rope. We also used a rhyme to help us remember the sequence of our jumps:

England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales…

England (one foot in, one foot out)

Ireland (switch to other foot in, other foot out)

Scotland (switch to other foot in, other foot out)

Wales (switch to other foot in, other foot out)

Inside (both feet in)

Outside (both feet straddle)

On the rails (both feet on the rope)

Once we had developed our confidence with French skipping, we moved on to using our own skipping ropes. We practised a range of skipping skills, including single bounces, double bounces, hopping, skipping backwards, travelling while skipping and skipping jacks.

Throughout these activities, we focused on keeping our bodies upright and holding our hands by our sides to control the rope. Some of the skills were tricky at first, but we showed fantastic perseverance by keeping going, practising and learning from our mistakes. We were proud to see our confidence and coordination improve!

What Have We Learnt?

Throughout this unit, we have developed important fundamental movement skills, including balance, coordination, agility, jumping, hopping and skipping. These skills provide the foundations for many different sports, games and physical activities.

We have also learnt that PE is about much more than developing our physical skills. We have practised working cooperatively with partners and teammates, taking turns, encouraging one another and following rules. We have also explored how to respond positively when we do not win a game, learning that losing is part of playing and that we can always learn something from the experience.

We are excited to build on these skills in our next unit of learning. Well done, everyone, for your enthusiasm, teamwork and determination!

🏡 Try These at Home!

Here are three fun ways to practise your fundamental movement skills at home:

1. Speedy Feet! Find a safe, open space and practise jogging, running on the spot and changing direction. Can you move quickly and then slow down while staying in control?
2. Jump, Hop and Balance! Create a mini obstacle course using safe objects, such as cushions or floor markers. Practise jumping with soft knees, hopping on one foot and balancing before moving on to the next challenge.
3. Skipping Challenge! If you have a skipping rope and a safe space, practise your single bounces, double bounces and hopping skips. How many controlled skips can you complete in a row? Remember, practise makes progress!

This term, we have been exploring the work of the famous Dutch artist Piet Mondrian, developing our artistic skills and creating our own artwork inspired by his distinctive style.

Discovering Mondrian

We began by looking closely at Mondrian’s artwork, sharing our observations and discussing what we liked and disliked. We explored his use of straight lines, squares, rectangles and bold colours, learning to look carefully at an artist’s choices and express our own opinions.

Creating with Masking Tape

We used masking tape to create a framework of squares and rectangles, just like Mondrian. We then filled the spaces with pastel primary colours, leaving some areas white to reflect his distinctive style. We focused on colour placement, shape and composition.

Exploring Colour Blending

We developed our pastel skills by experimenting with blending primary colours. We used white to lighten colours and black to darken them, exploring how to create different shades and tones. We repeated this process with secondary colours, learning how colours can be changed and blended to create different effects.

Learning Through Copying

We carefully copied one of Mondrian’s artworks, using rulers to create straight, precise lines and accurately position our shapes. Copying an artist’s work helped us develop our observational skills, understand composition and pay attention to detail. It also helped us recognise the importance of precision when creating abstract art.

Art Inside and Outside the Shape

We chose a shape and filled it with Mondrian-inspired artwork. We then selected an area outside the shape to fill with our own Mondrian-inspired designs. This encouraged us to think creatively about positive and negative space, exploring how our artwork could interact with the shape and the space around it.

Creating Our Own Masterpieces

Finally, we put our learning into practice by creating our own original artwork inspired by Mondrian. We challenged ourselves to use three primary colours, one secondary colour, black and white. We made our own decisions about lines, shapes, colour placement and composition, applying the skills we had developed throughout the term.

Throughout this project, we have strengthened our drawing, ruler work, colour blending, observational and composition skills. Most importantly, we have learned how to take inspiration from a famous artist while developing our own creative ideas.

We are incredibly proud of how our artistic skills have grown and the unique pieces of art we have created!

🎨 3 Things to Try at Home!

Want to continue your artistic journey at home? Here are three Mondrian-inspired activities to try!

1. Create Your Own Mondrian! Use a ruler and black felt-tip pen to draw straight lines, squares and rectangles on paper. Fill some of the spaces with red, yellow and blue, leaving others white.

1. Become a Colour Scientist! Experiment with pastels or paints. Mix primary colours to make secondary colours, then add white to lighten them or black to darken them. What new shades can you create?

1. Look for Shapes Around You! Go on a shape hunt around your home. Can you spot squares and rectangles in windows, doors, books or furniture? Use these shapes as inspiration for your own abstract artwork.

Have fun creating, experimenting and thinking like an artist!

This term in Science, we have been learning all about animals, including humans, with a particular focus on “Healthy Me”, exploring how we can look after ourselves and stay healthy.

We started by exploring healthy eating. We thought about the different foods that make up a healthy, balanced diet and learned about the portions we should have of different food groups. We discussed why our bodies need a variety of foods and how making healthy choices can help us to grow, learn and stay well.

Next, we investigated exercise and the effects it has on our bodies. We carried out our very own experiment to find out which exercise, jumping, squatting, stretching or running, had the biggest effect on our bodies. We observed what happened to our heart rate and breathing, noticing that after more energetic exercise, our hearts beat faster and we breathed more quickly. We also noticed that we became warmer and sometimes a little sweaty! We carried out our investigation on a very sunny day, which certainly made us feel even warmer after exercising!

We then turned our attention to germs and how they can affect our health. We carried out a fun and memorable experiment using hand sanitiser and glitter to show just how quickly germs can spread from person to person and from one surface to another. We discussed why some germs can make us ill and explored how we can help stop them spreading. We learned that one of the best ways to remove germs is to wash our hands thoroughly using warm water and soap.

Our next area of learning was oral hygiene and how keeping our teeth clean helps us to stay healthy. We carried out another hands-on investigation where we used a toothbrush and toothpaste to clean a cup covered in shoe polish, which represented plaque on our teeth. We also used Lego teeth and Play Doh plaque to investigate how dental floss can help remove plaque from between our teeth, places that a toothbrush might not always reach! 🦷

We even linked our Science learning with our new English unit on verbs and instructions. We wrote clear, step by step instructions explaining how to clean our teeth properly, making sure we used precise action words such as brush, scrub, rinse and floss.

It has been a very hands on and exciting Science unit, with lots of experiments and practical activities helping us to understand how we can take care of our bodies and make healthy choices. We have learned that staying healthy involves lots of different things, from eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly to washing our hands and looking after our teeth.

🏠 How you can help at home 

• Get active! Try three different exercises, such as star jumps, squats and jogging on the spot. How does each one affect your breathing and heart rate?
• Become a germ detective! With an adult, choose a commonly touched surface at home, such as a door handle. Think about how many people might touch it during the day and discuss how handwashing can help prevent germs from spreading.
• Perfect your tooth brushing technique! Next time you brush your teeth, see if you can remember all the steps we learned in Science. Make sure you brush carefully and remember to clean those tricky to reach areas!

  

  

  
  

This week, we celebrated National Poetry Day, and our theme was Wonder! It was a fantastic day filled with creativity, curiosity, poetry and plenty of imagination.

We started the day by sharing our costumes with our friends and guessing the words they represented. We then listened to a wonderful poem about the wonder of the natural world. We had butterflies, explorers, volcanoes and so much more! We even had a cloud and lightning, which together created a wonderful storm! 🌩️

National Poetry Day tied beautifully into lots of our learning. In SPaG, we have been learning about question words, which links perfectly to curiosity and wonder. After all, we have to ask questions if we want to find out more about the world around us!

In English, we have been working on our poetry unit for the past two weeks. We have been exploring list poems and practising reading poetry aloud, focusing on intonation, pace, expression and confidence. We have already written two poems: one about autumn and another about things we have been doing lately.

Today, we planned our third and final poem, inspired by Tell Me, Mama by John Lyon. Our poems will be based around asking questions, connecting perfectly to our theme of curiosity. We began by using non-fiction books to research the world around us and think of questions we would like to know the answers to. We then thought about questions we might ask about ourselves and our futures.

There was some fantastic group discussion, with children inspiring one another to ask deeper, more thoughtful and imaginative questions. It was wonderful to see their curiosity grow as they listened to and built upon each other’s ideas.

Our Computing lesson also linked beautifully to the natural world. We learnt about William Morris, who was inspired by natural shapes and forms when creating his patterns. We then designed our own natural patterns. After being so inspired by our costumes, we did not want to stop at one!

It really was a wonderful day! We loved seeing the children’s creativity, curiosity and imagination come alive through poetry, discussion, art and learning. We hope our theme of Wonder encourages everyone to keep asking questions, noticing the world around them and wondering “What if…?” 💭✨

🏡 Home Learning

Here are three ways you can continue our theme of Wonder at home:

• Ask a Wonder Question: Think of one question about the world that you don’t know the answer to. Research it together and see what you can discover!

• Create a List Poem: Write a list poem about something you love, such as Things I Wonder About, Things I Can See in Autumn or Things That Make Me Happy.

• Wonder Walk: Go for a walk and look closely at nature. Can you spot any interesting shapes, patterns, colours or creatures? Draw or photograph your favourite discovery and write a question about it.

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In Mini Explorers, we have been looking at the changes we can see as we transition from summer to autumn. We thought about the weather and how this affects what we might have to wear, especially when we are spending time in the forest. We decided that autumn can bring lots of different types of weather, sometimes all in one day, so we need to be prepared for all possibilities! This includes having a raincoat and wellies at all times.

We have been noticing lots of physical changes in the forest. The days are becoming cooler, the mornings can be darker and mistier, leaves are changing from green to beautiful shades of yellow, orange, red and brown, and many leaves are beginning to fall from the trees. We have also noticed conkers, acorns and other seeds appearing on the ground, as well as changes in the plants and trees around us.

As the autumn winds knock the colour-changing leaves from the trees, we were able to use them for two creative activities: journey sticks and leaf collages.

For our journey sticks, we thought carefully about the story we could tell through the different natural items we collected and attached. Each journey stick was unique and represented our own experiences and discoveries in the forest.

For our leaf collages, we created artwork using natural materials. We were incredibly creative! We made hearts, ribbons, birds’ nests, portraits, abstract trees and so much more. This linked beautifully to our previous learning about Andy Goldsworthy in Year 1, where we explored how natural materials can be used to create art.

This also connects to our current English unit which is poetry. We are writing an autumn poem about what we can see, hear and feel as the season changes so we used our forest learning to inspire us!

Getting hands-on in the forest and noticing the changes happening around us has helped to increase our awareness of the world we live in. We are becoming careful observers of nature and are beginning to understand how the seasons change the environment around us. 🍁🌳

How can you support learning at home?

• Go on an autumn walk: Look carefully for signs of seasonal change. Can you spot changing leaves, acorns, conkers, seeds or different types of weather? Which trees are  deciduous and which are evergreen?

• Create nature art: Collect fallen natural materials and make your own picture, pattern or sculpture inspired by Andy Goldsworthy. Remember to only collect things that have already fallen and leave living plants where they are.

• Keep a weather diary: Record the weather each day for a week. What do you notice? What clothes would you need to wear each day? Can you spot any patterns?

This week in maths, we have been developing our understanding of place value by exploring how numbers can be thought of as ‘ten and some more’. We have been learning to find the nearest multiple of 10 and then identify how many more we need to make a given number. This is helping the children to understand the value that each digit represents in a written number and to see this in concrete, pictorial and abstract ways.

We began our learning by benchmarking on a number line and beadstring. Benchmarking is an important skill in Year 2 as it helps children to develop a strong sense of where numbers sit in relation to familiar landmarks, such as 0, 10, 20, 50 and 100. The children practised estimating where a number might be and then checking their thinking. They even had to work out a mystery number, using the information they were given to narrow down the possibilities. This encouraged them to explain their reasoning and use their knowledge of number relationships.

We then explored three different ways of representing numbers: place value cards, a place value table using Dienes, and the part-whole model. The children worked on matching these representations and explaining how they knew they showed the same number.

Next, we moved on to equivalence and inequality, using scales to help us understand the meaning of equal and unequal. The children particularly enjoyed using weighted Numicon to see how the scales changed when we added or removed amounts. This provided a practical way for them to explore the idea that adding ‘a little bit more’ can change the balance. We then transferred this understanding into our written work, carefully using the equal (=), greater than (>) and less than (<) signs.

Finally, we combined our understanding of tens and ones with our learning about inequality. The children compared different two-digit numbers and explained which was greater or smaller. They began to recognise that when comparing two-digit numbers, we need to look carefully at the number of tens first, before considering the ones. We practised using the language ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ to explain our comparisons and justify our answers.

It has been a busy week of practical exploration, discussion and reasoning, and the children have been developing a much stronger understanding of how numbers are built and how the value of each digit changes depending on its position.

Maths to Try at Home

Here are three simple activities you could try together:

• Make a number: Choose a two-digit number and ask your child to show it using tens and ones. For example, 47 is 4 tens and 7 ones. Can they draw it, build it or explain it in another way?

• Number comparison: Choose two two-digit numbers and ask, “Which is greater? How do you know?” Encourage your child to use the language more than, less than, tens and ones.

• Find the ten: Pick a number such as 36. Ask your child, “How many more do we need to make 40?” Try different numbers and encourage them to use a number line, counting in ones or their knowledge of number bonds to 10 to explain their thinking.

It has been an exciting few days as we have settled into Year 2 at Merry Hill! We have had lots of fun getting to know one another, meeting the different grown-ups who will be supporting us and making new friendships.

We are also getting used to being at the top of the school. We understand that this is an important responsibility, and we are working hard to set a wonderful example to others through our positive choices.

English

We have started learning about the book Frog and the Stranger. This story teaches us about welcoming new people, showing kindness and understanding that everyone is different. It reminds us that these differences help to make the world a happier and more interesting place.

We are excited to discover where the story will take us over the next few weeks! We have already written some lovely statement sentences about the characters. We are becoming very good at remembering our capital letters, full stops and finger spaces.

Maths

In maths, we have been learning how to regroup ten ones for one ten, as well as how to do this in reverse. We are developing our understanding of how tens and ones make up a number. We have also explored the different ways numbers can be represented using practical equipment, pictures and numerals.

Ready, Respectful, Safe

During our Ready, Respectful, Safe lessons, we have been reminding ourselves all about the Merry Hill Way. We have explored how these expectations apply in our new classrooms and are doing our best to demonstrate our understanding through the choices we make.

We have enjoyed activities such as taking turns during conversations and using facial expressions to support our communication. We also created mini people that look like us as part of our learning about belonging.

Foundation Subjects

In history, we have begun learning about the Great Fire of London. We have been comparing life in 1666 with life today and discussing how things have changed.

In computing, we have been exploring digital art. We had a go at creating our own pointillism-inspired pictures!

In PE, we have practised keeping our bodies safe and controlled while moving. We have also discussed how different types of movement make our bodies feel.

There is so much fun and exciting learning ahead of us. We cannot wait to see where this year takes us!

Supporting Learning at Home

Here are three simple ways to continue our learning at home:

1. Practise sentence writing: Write a sentence about a favourite character, remembering to use a capital letter, finger spaces and a full stop.
2. Explore tens and ones: Choose a two-digit number and use small household objects to make groups of ten and some extra ones. For example, 24 is two groups of ten and four ones.
3. Talk about kindness and belonging: Discuss ways to welcome someone new and help them feel included. Children could draw a picture or write about one kind action they could take.

This week in Mini Explorers, to celebrate World Ocean Month, Year 2 enjoyed reading the story Somebody Swallowed Stanley. The children explored how littering affects animals and the environment and discussed why it is so important to look after our oceans.

The children took part in a fun, hands-on activity using mini fishing nets while wearing blindfolds to “fish” in the ocean. Their challenge was to identify whether they had caught a piece of rubbish or a plastic sea animal. If they caught rubbish, they removed it from the ocean, and if they caught an animal, they returned it safely to its home. Throughout the activity, the children demonstrated excellent teamwork and communication skills.

The children also learned that although removing litter is important, it cannot always reverse the damage that has already been done to wildlife and marine habitats. They shared thoughtful ideas about how everyone can help protect our oceans for the future.

To keep cool during the hot weather, the children enjoyed a variety of ocean-themed activities and even took part in litter picking in the forest. The water activity was a fun and engaging way to explore this important topic while staying cool in the sunshine.

Things to do at home

• Read Somebody Swallowed Stanley together, or talk about why it is important to keep our oceans and local environment free from litter.
• Go on a family litter pick in your local park or neighbourhood, making sure to wear gloves and dispose of rubbish safely.
• Think about ways your family can reduce plastic waste, such as using reusable water bottles, lunch boxes, or shopping bags.

Thanks to our brilliant PTA, the whole school had the exciting opportunity to visit the theatre to see the fantastic stage show of The Cat in the Hat.

We travelled together on coaches, which made the day feel like a real adventure from the very start. The journey was full of chatter and excitement as the children guessed what the performance might be like and talked about the stories we had already enjoyed in class.

When we arrived at the Radlett Theatre, the atmosphere was buzzing. Year 2 were especially excited because we have spent lots of time throughout the year reading poems and stories by Dr. Seuss. We were already familiar with his playful rhymes, silly characters, and imaginative worlds.

The show did not disappoint! It was funny, lively, and full of surprises. One of the highlights was the giant bouncing balls that bobbed around the audience, making the experience interactive and unforgettable. The children laughed, joined in, and were completely absorbed in the performance from start to finish.

We also love the story The Lorax, which has helped us think about caring for the environment. Seeing another Dr. Seuss story brought to life on stage made everything we’ve been learning even more meaningful and exciting.

Home Learning:

1. Talk about the story
   Retell your favourite part of The Cat in the Hat performance or story. Try to describe what happened in your own words.
2. Create a rhyme
   Write your own short Dr. Seuss-style rhyme. Think about silly words, repetition, and fun characters.
3. Draw and explain
   Draw a picture of your favourite scene from the theatre visit or from The Lorax, and write a sentence explaining what is happening.

This half term in Maths, Year 2 have been learning all about fractions of numbers and shapes. We have used our previous learning about division and shape to help us develop our understanding.

We began by learning how to find one half. We explored the meaning of the numerator and denominator, understanding that the denominator tells us how many equal groups there are, while the numerator tells us how many parts of the whole we want to find.

For example, to find ½ of 16, we shared 16 equally into two groups and then counted how many were in one group. Once we were confident with finding fractions of numbers, we applied this knowledge to shapes, recognising that a shape split into halves must be divided into two equal parts.

We then extended our learning to finding ⅓ and ¼ of both numbers and shapes. We challenged ourselves further by exploring different ways to shade shapes to represent the same fraction, helping us to understand that fractions can be shown in a variety of ways.

It has been wonderful to see Year 2’s confidence grow as they independently work out fractions. We are particularly proud of how they have applied their understanding when solving both arithmetic and reasoning questions.

Three activities to try at home:

To continue practising our fraction skills, here are three activities you can try at home:

1. Share Snacks Equally
   Use small snacks such as grapes, crackers, or raisins. Practise finding ½, ⅓, and ¼ by sharing them equally between family members or into groups.
2. Spot Fractions Around the House
   Look for examples of fractions in everyday life, such as cutting a sandwich into halves or quarters, slicing a pizza, or folding paper into equal parts.
3. Fraction Shape Challenge
   Draw different shapes and see how many ways you can shade ½, ⅓, or ¼ of each shape. Challenge yourself to find more than one way to show the same fraction!

We recently enjoyed a fantastic visit to the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, where we discovered how stories can begin with the smallest ideas and how inspiration can be found all around us.

One of our favourite activities was Matilda bag making. Before creating our bags, we explored the gallery to look for ideas and inspiration, just as Roald Dahl looked for inspiration from the people, places, and experiences around him. As we wandered through the museum, we spotted interesting objects, colourful displays, and story clues that helped spark our imaginations.

After gathering ideas, we designed and made our own bags. Everyone chose different colours, patterns, and decorations, making each creation unique. It was exciting to turn our ideas into something we could take home. Once our bags were finished, we continued exploring the gallery, learning more about Roald Dahl’s life and the stories he created. We discovered how authors often collect ideas from everyday life and use them to build amazing adventures.

There was so much to explore throughout the gallery. We experimented with amazing optical illusions in the illusion room and discovered how our eyes can sometimes trick us. We created shadow puppets, played with the shadow wall, and used green screens to place ourselves in different story settings.

One exciting part of the visit was crawling through a tunnel inspired by Fantastic Mr Fox. We also tried a voice simulator that transformed our voices to sound like The BFG. We even had the chance to dress up as Victorian children and imagine what life might have been like many years ago.

Three Things to Try at Home

1. Create Your Own Illusion

Draw a simple optical illusion or search for ideas in books. Show it to family members and see if their eyes are tricked too. Can you explain why the illusion works?

2. Make Shadow Puppets

Use a torch or lamp and a blank wall to create shadow puppets. Try making different animals or characters and then put on a short shadow puppet show for your family.

3. Design a Story Bag

Using a paper bag, reusable shopping bag, or a sheet of paper, create a design inspired by your favourite book. Add pictures, words, colours, and symbols that represent the story and its characters.

  This week, the children became engineers in DT as they investigated what makes a structure strong and stable. We began by recapping our learning about the history of flight from Spring 1 and comparing different types of aircraft, including monoplanes and biplanes. The children discussed how the design of a structure can affect how well it performs. This also links closely to our current science unit on the properties and suitability of material for objects. It is always exciting when we can link our understanding in a cross-curricular way.

The children then designed and made their own paper aeroplanes, thinking carefully about the folds, wing shapes, and overall structure. They explored how different features might help a plane fly further and tested their ideas by launching their planes in the school hall.

Finally, we measured and compared how far the planes travelled. The children observed which designs were the most successful and discussed the features that helped them glide further. It was a fantastic hands-on lesson that encouraged creativity, problem-solving, and scientific thinking.

Things to try at home:

• Make different types of paper aeroplanes and see which design flies the furthest.
• Experiment with changing the wing shape or size and predict how it will affect the flight.
• Hold a family paper plane competition and measure the distance each plane travels using a tape measure.