Welcome to Year 2—where creativity, exploration, and self-expression take centre stage! This term, children will embark on an exciting enquiry-based journey, developing their skills in Art, Science, Design Technology (DT), and Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education (PSHE). Through hands-on activities, creative projects, and discussions, they will explore how small changes can have a big impact.

Enquiry-Based Learning

This term, children will explore the idea that even the smallest changes can lead to significant growth and transformation. They will investigate this concept through the lens of art, science, and personal development, deepening their understanding of creativity, resilience, and influence.

Creative Explorations: Learning Through Art

🎨 Exploring Movement, Emotion, and Sculpture

• Children will experiment with different art elements to show movement, contours, and emotions in their work.

• They will refine their sketching techniques, using their experiences and imagination to bring ideas to life.

• By exploring tints and shades, children will learn how colour can be used to express mood and depth.

• They will create sculptures using clay, developing their ability to manipulate materials for a specific purpose.

• Sketchbooks will be used as a space to record ideas, make mistakes, and learn from them.

• Children will explore how artists, craft makers, and designers use colour, pattern, and shape for effect, expressing clear preferences and reasoning behind their choices.

Science Explorations: Understanding Growth and Change

🌱 Investigating Transformation in Nature

• Children will observe and describe how plants and animals grow and change over time.

• They will explore the life cycles of different living things, recognising how even the smallest creatures can play a vital role in the environment.

• Through hands-on investigations, they will learn how different conditions affect growth and development.

Creative Problem-Solving: Learning Through Design Technology 

🖌️ Creating Small Sculptures with a Big Impact

• Children will use their knowledge of materials and tools to design and create miniature sculptures inspired by Willard Wigan’s microscopic art.

• They will apply fine motor skills and precision techniques to craft detailed sculptures with a strong message.

• Discussions will highlight how artists use their work to inspire, challenge, and bring attention to important topics.

Understanding Resilience and Influence: PSHE

💬 Standing Up for Ourselves and Others

• Children will learn how even the smallest voices can make a difference in standing up to bullying and injustice.

• They will explore the experiences of Willard Wigan, understanding how perseverance and confidence can lead to success.

• Inspired by Yayoi Kusama, they will create kindness rocks featuring positive quotes, encouraging acts of kindness within the community.

Authentic Outcome: Showcasing Art and Community Impact

🏛️ Leamington Farmers’ Market and Art Exhibition

• Children will showcase their artwork at the Leamington Farmers’ Market, where parents will be invited to celebrate their creations.

• Selected sculptures will be displayed at the Mansfield Museum, highlighting the children's artistic achievements and storytelling through art.

Social Legacy: Leaving a Positive Mark

🌍 Spreading Kindness in the Community

• Children will create kindness rocks inspired by Yayoi Kusama, each featuring a positive message.

• These kindness rocks will be placed around Sutton Lawn to spread joy and encouragement to the local community.

• Some of the sculptures will be placed in the Leamington Sculpture Garden, creating a lasting impact for future students and visitors.

English

A high-quality text drives each of our enquiries and the texts are used to give knowledge and purpose to the enquiry. High quality texts can only be accessed through knowledge of vocabulary in different tiers. Explicit teaching of new vocabulary and using the classroom environment to showcase key vocabulary helps us to infuse rich and sophisticated vocabulary from EYFS to Year 6. The texts are used as a stimulus for both English and cross curricular writing, ensuring high expectations of our children. Reading is interwoven into all aspects of the enquiry to encourage reading and language development and promote reading for pleasure.

Maths

In maths, we follow the Power Maths programme to support children’s learning and to build a deep understanding of maths concepts. Power Maths is a curriculum mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and nurture confidence in maths. It is built around a child‑centred lesson design that models and embeds a growth mindset approach to maths.

This term we are covering the following:

• Fractions

  • Recognizing, finding, and writing fractions of a length, shape, set of objects, or quantity (e.g., 1/2, 1/4, 3/4).
  • Understanding and using unit fractions (e.g., 1/2, 1/4, 1/3) and non-unit fractions (e.g., 2/4, 3/4).
  • Comparing and ordering simple fractions.
  • Solving simple problems involving fractions of quantities and shapes.

• Measurement: Time

  • Telling the time to the nearest 15 minutes (quarter past, half past, quarter to) and moving to 5-minute intervals.
  • Understanding the difference between analogue and digital clocks.
  • Comparing durations of time (e.g., how long activities take) and solving simple problems related to time.
  • Sequencing events in chronological order using vocabulary such as before, after, and next.

• Measurement: Mass, Capacity, and Temperature

  • Measuring and comparing mass using standard units (grams and kilograms).
  • Measuring and comparing capacity using standard units (millilitres and litres).
  • Reading scales in increments and solving problems involving mass and capacity.
  • Measuring temperature using thermometers and understanding basic temperature changes (e.g., hot and cold).

• Position and Direction

  • Understanding and using language related to position and direction (e.g., left, right, forwards, backwards).
  • Describing movement and turns, including whole, half, quarter, and three-quarter turns.
  • Using simple coordinates and grids to describe the position of objects and locations.
  • Solving practical problems involving movement and direction in familiar contexts.

• Statistics

  • Interpreting and constructing simple pictograms, tally charts, and block diagrams.
  • Asking and answering simple questions about data represented in charts and graphs.
  • Comparing quantities in graphs and making simple inferences based on the data.
  • Solving one-step problems related to data representation.

• Problem Solving and Reasoning

  • Applying mathematical knowledge across different contexts, such as measurement and time, to solve multi-step problems.
  • Developing reasoning skills through explaining strategies and methods used to solve problems.
  • Engaging in activities that promote logical thinking, sequencing, and using mathematics in everyday situations.