Brunel Class - Year 2
Class Teacher: Miss Chick
Teaching Assistant: Ms Hitchcott
Welcome to Brunel Class! We are a Year 2 class that aims to create a happy, welcoming and supportive environment where every child feels valued, confident and ready to learn. As part of our Catholic school community, our faith is at the heart of everything we do. We encourage children to live out the SHINE values in all that they do. They do this through being inquisitive, harmonious and resilient learners.
In Year 2, we continue to build on the foundations developed in Year 1, encouraging curiosity, independence and a love of learning across all subjects. Our classroom is a place where children are supported to try their best, develop their skills and grow both academically and personally.
Phonics and Handwriting
In Brunel Class we support children in developing strong foundations in both reading and writing. We teach phonics using the Sounds-Write programme, which helps children build their understanding of how sounds work within words. Through daily phonics practice, pupils learn to blend sounds together to read unfamiliar words, segment words into sounds for spelling, and recognise the different ways that sounds can be represented in writing. Alongside this, we teach handwriting using the Kinetic Letters approach. This programme focuses on correct letter formation, posture and pencil grip, helping children develop neat, fluent handwriting and greater control when writing. Together, these approaches support children in becoming confident readers and writers.
Homework
Building on our work in phonics and handwriting, children are given weekly homework to help reinforce the skills they are learning in school. Homework is sent home every Friday and usually includes activities focusing on handwriting practice using our Kinetic Letters approach, as well as phonics spellings linked to our Sounds-Write lessons. Children practise their spellings using a ‘look, cover, write, check’ approach to help them remember and apply the correct spellings. Pupils are also sent maths homework to consolidate their learning from the week.
In Year 2, children are encouraged to read at home every day. Many pupils take home a Sounds-Write decodable reading book that matches the phonics patterns they are learning in school, helping them to practise and build confidence when reading independently. As children become more fluent readers, many move on to becoming free readers, where they are able to choose a book of their own interest to take home and enjoy. Regular reading at home plays an important role in developing children’s fluency, comprehension and enjoyment of books.
