Year 2 Update

Learning in Year 2 (weeks 8 & 9)

English Learning 

Over the next two weeks, students will be exploring persuasive writing while continuing to build their phonics and spelling skills.

In Phonics, students will focus on recognising and using spelling patterns such as silent letters (e.g. mb in lamb, wr in write) along with developing their understanding of syllables, word patterns and high-frequency (heart) words. They will practise reading and spelling words, phrases and sentences using these patterns.

In Writing, students will continue to focus on writing persuasive texts. They will practise stating an opinion and supporting it with reasons and facts. A key focus will be understanding the difference between facts and opinions, including using humour to make their writing more engaging.

Students will also continue to develop their sentence writing, vocabulary (including synonyms and antonyms), and handwriting skills.

Throughout the next fortnight, students will have opportunities to share their ideas, discuss their thinking, and build confidence expressing their opinions.

Mathematics

Over the next two weeks, students will consolidate their understanding of place value and explore location.

Students will continue to build two- and three-digit numbers and represent numbers using hundreds, tens and ones. They will also create and compare the largest and smallest numbers and explain their thinking using place value language.

In addition, students will learn to give and follow directions using positional and directional language. They will use terms such as left, right, forwards, backwards, clockwise and anticlockwise to describe movement and location, and apply these skills when creating and following pathways on grid maps.

Through these activities, students will develop their spatial awareness and their ability to clearly communicate mathematical thinking.

In Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Students are learning to recognise strong emotions such as fear and anger, and practise strategies to calm their bodies and respond safely in challenging situations.

Inquiry

In Term 1, students will participate in the inquiry unit Rise and Try, developing resilience, teamwork skills and positive approaches to learning.

In Weeks 8 and 9, students will prepare for a team-building incursion by continuing to develop their communication, teamwork and resilience skills. They will learn to use clear instructions, active listening and positive team talk to work effectively with others. Students will practise giving and following step-by-step directions, while also learning how to stay calm and try different strategies when tasks are challenging. These experiences will support students to build confidence in working collaboratively and showing resilience when faced with challenges.

Continuous Reporting in Year 2

Our third Learning Task for Ongoing Reporting will be available on Compass from Wednesday 1st April. This task focuses on Place Value and provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding through levelled activities. A rubric will also be included to outline each student’s level of confidence and progress in this area.

Hillsmeade Heroes 

A big congratulations to our Heroes for this fortnight

2A- Safeena H and Kaijie X

2B- Ruqayah and Autumn

2C- Pippa and Henry

2D -Ian and Ariana

A Snapshot of Learning in Year 2

2A- Place Value

2D- Team Challenge - Building a tree like structure

Incursion - Wednesday 25th March 2026

As part of our Inquiry unit, students will take part in a series of fun challenges focused on communication, problem-solving, resilience, and leadership. They will practise cooperation, turn-taking, and teamwork through hands-on activities. Tasks will be adjusted to support all learners. Students will also reflect on their role within a team.

Please complete payment and consent on Compass by Friday 20th March.

Take Home Readers

Thank you for your ongoing support with home reading. It is wonderful to see families engaging so positively with our take-home books.

Decodable readers support the sounds students are learning at school. Regular reading of these texts helps children practise new sounds, strengthen blending skills and consolidate their phonics knowledge.

When reading at home, please ensure:

• An adult listens and provides support as needed.
• Children are encouraged to sound out unfamiliar words.
• The same book is read multiple times across the week to build decoding accuracy and then fluency.

• Simple comprehension questions are asked after reading (e.g. Who was the story about? What happened? How did it end?).

   

Short, consistent practice each night makes a significant difference in developing confident and capable readers. Thank you for your continued partnership.

Reminders

• Please ensure students are at school in time for an 8:50am start.
• Please ensure your child's HPS blue reader bag is sent to school if it is not already in the classroom.
• Borrowing from the school library has commenced. Please make sure your child has a library bag at school. 
• Students are required to wear an HPS hat during Terms 1 and 4. Students who do not have a hat will be required to play in the shade or Wellbeing room. 
• Please label all uniform items clearly so they can be returned to your child's classroom if misplaced.