Year 2

During the first part of the Autumn Term, the children will be travelling back in time to the year 1666 and learn about ‘The Great Fire of London’. The children will become history detectives, using different resources and artefacts to find out how, where and why the fire started and spread. The history of the fire is further brought to life as the children excitedly watch their own Tudor houses burn down in flames! Children will have the opportunity to bake bread and plan, design and make their own moving cart. In this unit, they will also find out about the famous diary writer, Samuel Pepys and will use this knowledge to write their own diary about the events of the Great Fire.

Science – Living Things and Their Habitats

DT – Moving Carts

RE – Christian Festival - Harvest

Computing – Logging on, Keyboard Skills & Creating Pictures

During the second half of the Autumn Term, we begin our icy adventure by transporting the children to the windiest and coldest continent on Earth, Antarctica. The children will use their geographical knowledge to compare the two poles and will develop an understanding of the causes and impacts of climate change.

Science – Living Things and Their Habitats

Art – Modroc Polar Bears

RE – Hinduism - Diwali

Computing – Coding & Online Safety

During the Spring Term, we will learn about the great polar explorer, Ernest Shackleton, and his treacherous journey to Antarctica. To celebrate Shackleton’s achievements, the children have the opportunity to step into the shoes of a polar explorer during our topic day. The children will have to break their ship free from the ice, abandon the ship and trek across Antarctica with their sledge. In PE, the children will create and perform their own penguin dance, where they will explore beat, movement and expression.

Science – Uses of Everyday Materials

DT – Moving Pictures

RE – Buddhism

Computing – Questioning & Online Safety

In the second half of the Spring Term, our learning takes us back in time to Queen Victoria’s reign. During our topic, the children will visit Weald and Downland where they will take on the role of a Victorian child and participate in completing everyday tasks around a Victorian home. To further immerse the children in this topic, the children will experience a Victorian school day. They will be met by a Victorian teacher and will experience the rules, routines and lessons that were part of a typical Victorian school day. We take to the playground to learn and perform a variety of Victorian games and even learn how to sew. In art, we will explore the artists, William Morris and Georgia O’Keeffe and the children will have the opportunity to develop their skills, techniques and knowledge in ink printing or watercolours.

Science – Animals Including Humans

Art – William Morris and Georgia O’Keeffe (ink printing and watercolours)

RE – Parables

Computing – Spreadsheets & Online Safety

During the Summer Term, the children will begin their learning journey exploring the vast continent of Africa. They will be immersed in this topic through a range of cross-curricular lessons, our ‘Africa’ topic day and an exciting trip to Drusilla's Zoo. Children will learn about fascinating facts about Africa, which will support their work in science as well as inspiring some of their writing in English. As part of our topic day, the children will have the opportunity to understand how African culture is expressed through arts and crafts, cuisine and music by participating in a range of hands-on activities.

Science – Plants

Art and Design – Silhouettes inspired by Mariaan Krog and Moses Williams

RE – Christian Church and Symbols

Computing – Presenting Ideas & Online Safety

To conclude the Summer Term, we take a trip around the world exploring human and physical world wonders. The children will begin by exploring their local environment and the wonders around them. We will then journey around the world from Mount Everest to Ayers Rock, where the children will develop their atlas and research skills to acquire new knowledge about 'Our Wonderful World'.

Science – Revision

DT - Cooking Jacket Potatoes

RE – Comparing Different Beliefs

Computing – Effective Searching, Making Music & Online Safety