^{During May, in all classes, we have introduced a new initiative for reading. This is “Book Club”. As part of our desire to ensure all children are readers, children will take part in Book Club every Friday. This is an innovative way of inspiring reading through a well-planned diet of reading. Ask your child or class teacher all about it.}

^{This week, Reception and Year 2 shared traditional story books together to inspire our youngest readers.  What a reading buzz around school. Keep reading everyone!}

Year 2 choir were selected to host a National Schools Singing Programme conference for musicians from across the Catholic dioceses delivering similar programmes. This took place in March 2026, led by Jenny Trattles, from ABRSM Voices. There were 50 national leaders of music visiting to view our provision and standards of our choirs. I was so impressed by our children as they undertook a range of vocal training and played a range of ostinato based games. They are first class ambassadors for our school.

As part of our Science Week celebrations, Year 2 enjoyed a fantastic trip to Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Despite the very windy weather, the children were excited to explore and see the animals. They spotted many amazing animals including lions, baboons, polar bears, otters, tigers, giraffes, wallabies and meerkats.

A highlight of the day was an interactive workshop where the children identified animals from desert, polar, savannah and rainforest habitats and explained how they adapt to survive. We were so proud of how brave and enthusiastic they were, eagerly handling Madagascan hissing cockroaches, a young African python and giant African land snails.

What a brilliant day and a wonderful way to bring our science learning to life!

On Friday 6th March, we invite our school community to celebrate World Book Day at St Anthony’s.

This year, our theme is ‘Bring a book, take a book!’ As always, the more our community involves themselves in World Book Day, the more fun and exciting it will be! Our Celebration Assembly with our whole school community is a wonderful opportunity to see the different costumes on display and to feel part this important event. During the day, Year 2 brought alive their learning around reading with a book swap, a bedtime story session by lamplight with hot chocolate, as well as a book quiz. Ask the children all about it!

The Year 2 children brought their learning to life through a thoughtful role-play activity, retelling the story of Zacchaeus. They explored the theme of forgiveness and reflected on how people can get second chances by making positive choices. This learning helped to prepare them for Lent, as they talked about kindness and making a difference in their own lives.

In Year 2, the children prepared for Lent by exploring key events in the Easter story. They took part in role-play to retell Palm Sunday and the Last Supper, helping them to understand these special moments. The children then reflected on Jesus’ sacrifice and shared thoughtful thank you prayers.

As part of this reflection, the children thoughtfully considered their own Lenten promises. They wrote about what they might give up, what they would take time to reflect on, and who or what they felt called to pray for during this special season

Year 2 History Explorers

Year 2 stepped back in time on a visit to The Thackray Medical Museum as part of their learning in History.  The children took part in a special workshop to learn about Florence Nightingale and how nursing has changed over time. The children acted in role as nurses and soldiers in The Scutari Hospital enjoying bringing alive this moment from the past.  They listened intently, sequencing events from the past and using evidence to find out what life would have been like in hospitals in the past. I am very proud of our Year 2 History Explorers!

A video of the learning from the day can be found by following the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqrJ-dJkb3A

Year 2 explored the Sacrament of Baptism through discussions and role-play, bringing their learning to life. They recalled key actions such as the Sign of the Cross, baptismal promises and the pouring of water. The children also reflected on the meaning of important symbols, including the water, oil, white shawl and baptismal candle.

A King Is Born - Year 1 and Year 2 Nativity

Many in our school community were fortunate enough to watch our Key Stage 1 children perform A King Is Born – a retelling of the events of Jesus’ birth. It was a pleasure to watch wonderful performances from all pupils and to witness the pride displayed on the faces of delighted parents. May I take this opportunity to thank parents for turning up in vast numbers and for their support with learning lines and buying costumes. I am indebted to our talented Key Stage 1 team for their hard work and dedication in ensuring children told the Christmas story through smiles, songs and moments of silence. As I am sure you will agree, Mrs Coldman, Mrs Capladi, Mrs Roberts, Mrs Cook, Mrs Hennigan and Mrs Dogaru did an incredible job in preparing such a wonderful occasion.

Year 2 have been learning how to care for the Earth, our common home. After hearing the story of Noah, we talked about how he cared for all of God’s creation.

We read part of Pope Francis’ letter, Laudato Si’, and learned how we can be good stewards of creation. We shared what we learned through a beautiful song about caring for the Earth! 🌿💚

This week, Year 2 have been celebrating Culture and Heritage Week with lots of exciting learning and sharing!

We began the week by exploring the history of Beeston, using old maps and photographs from the Beeston Library archives to discover how our local area has changed over time. The children loved spotting familiar places and comparing them to what they look like today!

One of the highlights of the week was our special “Suitcase of Belonging” activity. The children proudly shared their families’ heritage by wearing traditional clothing, bringing in meaningful family items, and explaining the stories behind them.

It was also wonderful to see how confident they were in presenting their homemade projects, each one showing something unique about their backgrounds and traditions.

We are so proud of how thoughtfully and creatively the children engaged with the week. It was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the diversity within our class and to learn more about our community’s rich history and culture. You have all been brilliant, Year 2!

The children had a lovely time at our Macmillan Coffee Afternoon, made all the more special by the parents and grandparents who came along. It was heartwarming to see our community come together in support of such a meaningful cause. Every cake shared and every penny raised helps make a difference. 🍰

Year 2 had an amazing start to their choral singing journey! Their beautiful voices, enthusiasm, and respectful behaviour has continually impressed Mr. Leach. The children have learned vocal warm-ups and sang He’s got the whole world, Harvest Samba and Making Melodies. Well done, Year 2!

In Year 2, the children explored our class Bibles, learning how to use them by looking at the contents page. They discovered the two main sections, the Old and New Testaments, and learned that “testament” means “promise.” They were also introduced to the four Gospels, and enjoyed sorting Bible books into Old and New Testaments.

The children have been learning about Place Value with developing confidence and great enthusiasm! We’ve been busy exploring how numbers are made and what each digit represents through a variety of fun, hands-on activities.

Using base ten blocks, counters, part-whole models and place value charts, the children have been learning to partition numbers and build numbers using concrete materials.

It’s been wonderful to see the children working together, thinking critically, and explaining their reasoning using mathematical vocabulary!

Welcome to the start of another amazing year at St. Anthony’s! 

We can’t wait to help you grow and achieve great things in Year 2.  Get ready to join us on an incredible learning journey!

Our adventure will begin with an exciting exploration of the United Kingdom in Geography.

Together, let’s discover the properties of different materials in Science.

Our core texts will include the hilariously inventive, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs,

and a heart-warming version of a traditional tale, Jack and the Baked Beanstalk.

Stay connected and updated through our Google Classroom platform where you will find announcements and spelling lists.

• Reading is so important in Year 2, so make sure you read every day! Re-read books to help build your fluency. Don’t forget to ask your grown-ups to sign your reading records.
• Come to school in your PE kits every Monday and Tuesday. Please make sure your uniforms and PE kits are labelled, so you don’t lose them.
• Our Meet the Teacher meeting will be on Wednesday, 3^rd September at 3:15pm.
• Check our half-termly newsletters (with key dates) in the Year 2 class page.

We have very exciting times ahead, so let's all make this year unforgettable!

Come to school with your smiles and energy every single day!

Take care and see you all soon,

The Year 2 team:

Mrs Roberts

Mrs Cook and Mrs Hennigan