Year 2 Overview

In Year two, children prepare for the move from pre-prep to the prep department of the school. We start to have more formal lessons that are based in the traditional school subjects rather than following a general theme. Children start to take a little more responsibility for their equipment, making sure they have what they need on the correct day e.g. musical instruments, PE kit. We begin to introduce the pupils to prep work to complete at home as well as expecting them to practise reading, times tables and spellings.

Maths
Maths is delivered mainly through the Heinemann scheme of work and supplemented by the Spotlight Extension Scheme and BEAM Maths Out Loud series. All work is designed to provide challenge at an appropriate level and build upon skills that are required in everyday life. Weekly, differentiated mental maths activities are undertaken by all pupils, ranging from simple addition to times tables.

English
CGP National Curriculum work books and Jolly Grammar exercises are employed, together with other appropriate texts to model the English skill being studied. Spellings are learnt by rote on a weekly basis following a structured program. We read individually from the Oxford reading tree series. LAMDA tutoring is to be offered again and this is an alternative route into consolidating and extending many aspects of this subject in pupils; along with fostering an enjoyment of reading and reciting.

Science

Science in the year two classroom is more about harnessing the children’s natural interest in the world around them and starting to develop their skills into those of a scientific investigator. Our topic this term is green plants. We will investigate the plants in our local area and what plants need to grow. We will begin to consider the function of the different parts of a plant and see how they are adapted for their habitat.

Information Communication Technology

ICT is all around us and is not only how to use a computer. Many of our other lessons will use ICT as a resource to find information and carry out interactive activities. This term we will start to use email to communicate as well as send and receive pictures and files. As always there will be a focus on using this technology safely and appropriately.

One of our new co-curricular clubs this term will be the development of a Prep-school news website to be run and written by the pupils within the prep-school. Each class will have their own area to show what they have been working on and enjoying during the term.

History
We are going to be studying castles this term, and will have a trip to Pembroke castle as an introduction. We will look at the different features of a castle and how these have evolved over time and consider the reasons why castles were built.

Art / Design and Technology

Much of our art and design technology this term will be related to our castles topic in history. We will be designing a castle and our own flags and coat of arms. We will also have one art session every two weeks taught by an art teacher from the College. Here they will develop their artistic skills rather than creating pieces from our other studies and are continuing to create some wonderful pieces inspired by Kandinsky.

Geography

We will be studying our local area this term, seeing what the different uses of land are around school and looking at the effects of traffic.

Religious Education

This term we will follow the Folens scheme of work on Judaism, with a focus on how the stories are used to teach. This includes many links to personal, health and social education, such as making promises.

Physical Education

Llandovery Prep is going through a lot of positive change and it is in this aspect of the curriculum and beyond that pupils will benefit the most. We really want to ride the positive wave of enthusiasm generated by the Olympics and offer sport for all coupled with opportunities for some pupils to excel in a chosen discipline or sport. Each class will have one PE lesson per week and this will be taught by a member of staff from the PE department. Additionally, there will be a weekly swimming lesson at Llandovery Leisure Centre, lunch time sport training with our Sports Intern. We are very pleased with the appointment of Llandovery Prep’s own sports co-ordinator, Mr Gethin Thomas. Weekly sports club will be led by him and supported by prep staff. Within his remit, is the aim to improve the competitive sport undertaken by our pupils and this is a whole school target. The club for this term will be hockey or football. Clubs such as fencing are to be maintained and with plenty of sport loving staff in the prep department, there will be a lot more on offer throughout the year.

Welsh

During Trinity term, a member of the Welsh department will provide a weekly Welsh lesson to year two pupils and there will be an expectation for pupils to use far more incidental Welsh in and around school, possibly earning a Tocyn Iaith (language token) to add to our class total. Year two will also take weekly French lessons from our language specialist teacher.

MFL

From within Llandovery Prep, a MFL club will be offered every week where pupils will learn about France, Spain and Wales along with certain language skills.

Music

We have another new specialist member of staff from the college taking our music lessons this year. We will be using the Music Express scheme as a basis for our lessons in composing, performing and appraising music.