trip to London transport museum 

Year 2 will visit the London Transport Museum, in Covent Garden, as part of the children's personal development and their History learning on Victorian inventions. The museum can accommodate 60 children at a time; hence the four classes will be visiting on different days. 2Elm and 2 Cedar will visit the museum on Tuesday 19th November, 2Birch and 2Willow will visit the museum on Wednesday 20th November. The children will build on their learning on how Victorians developed transportation with their inventions, from the bone shaker bicycle to the steam powered car and then the petrol car. They will also explore how the public transport we use today was developed, such as the first horse-drawn buses and the railway network.

Please click the links below to give permission for your child to attend:

2Elm, 2Cedar: Google Form

2Birch, 2Willow: Google Form

You can find more information in the letters below.

Alexandra Park field trip

The children had a lovely morning at Alexandra Park, as part of their Geography and Art learning, as well as their personal development. Before visiting, we used Digimap to locate Alexandra Park on the map and map out our route. We also explored photos of key physical and human features of the area, as well as the view of London from the park. 

During our journey on the train, the children demonstrated all of our school values, particularly responsibility and kindness, especially towards other passengers. Whilst walking from the station to the park, the children practised identifying the human and physical features they could see and took photos along the way.

Once we arrived at the park, the children applied their knowledge of London's key physical and human landmarks, observing and identifying them from Alexandra Park, despite the foggy weather! They then drew the London skyline and labelled the landmarks they recognised.

When we returned to school, we uploaded our photos on Digimap and added them to the database!

 

Planting tulip bulbs 

As part of their Science learning and personal development, the children engaged in a hands-on planting activity. With the guidance of our school gardener, they explored the difference between bulbs and seeds, learning that bulbs, unlike seeds, contain stored nutrients that help them survive through winter and bloom into flowers in the spring. They learned that even when the flowers die back, the bulbs remain in the soil, ready to grow again in the next season. Guided by an adult, the children prepared the soil in the Year 2 playground, carefully digging out the earth and planting tulip bulbs. They gently covered the bulbs with soil, setting the stage for a beautiful transformation in the coming months. They will now observe and nurture the tulip bulbs, watching them slowly grow and bloom over time. You can visit your child's Google Classroom to see more photos of this activity. 

 

 

 

 

Alexandra park field trip

 The Year 2 children will visit Alexandra Park on Tuesday 15th October, as part of our Geography unit on London. The children will apply their learning on key physical and human features and landmarks of London as they view and identify them from Alexandra Park. They will then have a go at drawing the London skyline and labelling these landmarks. Weather permitting, the children will have a picnic at the park, before returning to school. 

You can find more information in the letter below. If you haven't done so already, please fill in this Google form, to give permission for your child to attend.

visiting Palmers Green Mosque

As part of our Religious Education (R.E.) learning on Islam and to support the children’s personal development, we visited our local mosque. 

One of the highlights was learning how to greet others in Arabic. The children enthusiastically practised saying "Salam alaikum" (peace be upon you) and responding with "Wa alaikum salam" (and peace be upon you too). 

Inside the mosque, we were joined by the Imam, who shared insights into the Arabic language, explaining some of the beautiful writing displayed around the mosque. He also introduced the children to key Islamic beliefs, such as the belief in one God, Allah, and the significance of prophets like Adam, Noah, and Muhammad in Islam. The children revisited their learning about the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, and the stories it contains from these prophets.

The Imam explained his role in leading the congregation during prayer and described how Muslims pray five times a day, either individually or in a community setting at the mosque. We learned that Muslims pray facing a specific direction—towards the city of Mecca, where the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam, is located.

The children were especially interested in the unique design of the prayer hall, which is circular to allow the Imam’s voice to reach everyone during prayer. They listened to the call to prayer, a gentle reminder that it was time for Muslims to pray, and were able to observe the different prayer positions Muslims use during worship.

We also explored other parts of the mosque, including the wudu area, where Muslims perform a ritual washing to cleanse themselves before prayer. The concept of physical and spiritual cleanliness was discussed, giving the children further insight into the importance of preparation before prayer in Islam.

This visit was a wonderful opportunity for the children to deepen their knowledge of Islamic traditions and practices, while also fostering their personal development through respect and appreciation for different cultures and faiths.

Educational Visit - palmers green mosque

As part of our Religious Education unit on Islam, the Year 2 children will visit Palmers Green Mosque on Thursday 26th September, to support their personal development. The children will participate in a tour around the Mosque and learn more about what happens at the Mosque. They will also learn about how and why Muslims pray and develop their understanding of Muslim traditions.

Please see the letter below for more information. Please click here Google Form to give permission for your child to attend. Parents are needed to support the trip – please also indicate on the form if you are able to accompany us.

Our first week back!

The Year 2 children have had a wonderful return to school! In English, they were introduced to “The Paperbag Princess” by Robert Munsch, a story that captured their imagination. They fully engaged with the text by acting out key scenes, creating story mountains and story maps to break down the narrative structure. These visual tools helped them rehearse the story orally, building their confidence with storytelling. Next, they will take their creativity even further by innovating the story and writing their own unique versions.

In Maths, the children focused on identifying the place value of numbers up to 100, using their knowledge to partition numbers in various ways. They worked with manipulatives, like dienes and number shapes, to help them visualize and explore different number combinations.

The children were also introduced to this half term’s Science unit, "Living Things and Their Habitats." They explored a wide variety of animals, discussing how each adapts to its environment. In Art, the children explored how artists are inspired by their environment, focusing on the work of Alice Fox. They learned how she transforms materials found in her allotment—such as nettles and broken tiles—into beautiful art. The children reflected on their own environment, discussing what inspires them. They recorded their ideas through both drawings and writing in their sketchbooks, making meaningful connections between art and nature.