Ruby Class

Welcome to Ruby Class

Miss Oldroyd - Year 2 Class Teacher

Mrs Rose - Year 2 Teaching Assistant

Spring 1

Friday 6th February

Today we celebrated Number Day. We all wore items of clothing with numbers on and took part in a range of number based activities. This afternoon we used Times Table Rockstars for the first time and took part in a competition where we had to answer as many times table questions as we could to earn points for our school. As a class we came in 1st place for our school. Well done Year 2!

Tuesday 3rd February

Today in Computing we looked at creating our own quizzes. First we worked with our partners to design our own quiz on paper. We then made our quizzes in ScratchJr.

Wednesday 28th January

In English we started a new story called The Bear and the Piano. Today we looked at the features of a diary entry. We discussed how the bear would write a diary to himself so it was in the first person and that he needed to write about past events. We then worked in partners to identify these features in the diary.

Friday 23rd January

Today we started our new coding unit in computing. At the beginning, we talked about the importance of sequences and why they must be in the correct order. We then wrote our own sequences for a daily task and discussed how this links to coding. After that, we used the app ScratchJr. We were introduced to a sprite, which was our character, and explored how to make it move around the screen and what was needed to do this.

Tuesday 20th January

Today we were introduced to adverbs. We learned that adverbs describe how an action is done. We then moved around the room acting out different verbs with adverbs, for example tiptoeing quietly and hopping quickly.

Wednesday 14th January

This week, we are continuing our learning about money. Today, we worked in groups to explore different ways of making the same amount. It was a fun way to practise using coins and share ideas with our classmates.

Monday 12th January

Today in PE we did Yoga. We went on a jungle adventure and learned lots of different animal poses. We had to practice our balancing skills and take deep breaths to stay calm. 

Friday 9th January
Today, we started our new science topic on everyday materials. We explored different materials by passing them around the classroom and discussing their features. It was a hands-on way to start thinking about what materials are made of and how we use them in our daily lives!

Wednesday 7th January 

This week we started our new English text, The Bear Under the Stairs. Today we practiced retelling the story to our partners using a story map and time connectives. We will be using this story to help us write our own in a few weeks.

Tuesday 6th January

This week, we began our new maths topic on money. To make our learning memorable, we held a fruit tuck shop in class! Each child had to make 50p using different coins before they could spend it. The fruit was all priced differently, so we had to think carefully about how to use our money. It was a great way to practise our coin skills and have some tasty treats too.

Autumn 2

Friday 19th December
Today we took part in our sponsored Santa Dash to raise money for St Cuthberts Hospice. We loved running around with our reindeer ears on, and together as a school we raised an amazing £1,419! Well done everyone! We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and we’ll see you in the new year!

Thursday 18th December

This half term we have taken part in a STEM project with active families. Today in assembly we received our certificates and medals for the project and got to take our keyrings home that we have designed and created as a class.

Tuesday 16th December 
Today was our Christmas party! We had the best time dancing, playing games, and enjoying fun moments with our friends. A very festive and joyful afternoon.

Thursday 11th December

Christmas Jumper Day and Christmas Dinner!

Tuesday 9th December

This half term in PE we have been working with Emily from ELDance learning a Christmas routine. This afternoon we performed to the whole school in assembly and then to our parents after school. We hope you enjoyed our performance.

Friday 5th December

Today we took part in break the rules day! We had crazy hair, Christmas clothes, pyjamas, make up and snacks! In the afternoon we had a special visit and got to watch Little Red Riding Hood the pantomime! A perfect start to a festive month at Hetton Primary!

Wednesday 3rd December 

This afternoon in science, we continued our learning about electricity. We experimented with different components to make a light bulb work and discovered that a complete circuit needs a bulb, a battery, and two wires. It was exciting to see our bulbs light up!

Monday 1st December

Today in Maths we started a new topic of shape. We had a look at different 3D shapes and talked about their features including the amount of faces, vertices and edges they had. We then talked about what the shapes were called and how we could group them in different ways.

Friday 28th November

Today we were visited by the Healthy Heads team. We took part in a workshop where we identified different feelings and explored how various actions can affect the way we feel. We also focused on the emotion anger. We discussed things that ‘push our buttons’ and how we can overcome these feelings.

Tuesday 25th November

Today was Week 4 of working with active families for our STEM project. We experimented with how light can change the appearance of objects. We placed straws in water to observe how they seemed to bend, and then used torches to explore different colours of light.

Friday 21st November

Today we explored how electrical circuits work through a practical, hands-on activity. Working together as a group, we acted out the movement of energy around a circuit to help us understand the process. We learned that when a circuit is complete—with a battery, wires, and a light bulb—the bulb will light up because the energy can flow all the way around. However, if a wire is broken, the circuit becomes incomplete and the bulb will not light. We also discovered that a circuit will not work at all without a battery, as there is no power source to move the energy. This activity helped us clearly see how each component plays an important role in making a circuit work.

Thursday 20th November

Today was Week 3 of our STEM Project. This week, we explored different shapes and investigated which ones were the strongest. We carried out tests to see how well each shape could hold weight or stay stable. After our investigation, we worked together in teams to design and build different objects using the equipment we were given. It was a great opportunity to experiment, problem-solve, and share ideas as we created our structures.

Tuesday 18th November

Today we had a visit from Chris, who works at Thrills for Skills. He taught us all about the importance of looking after our environment and how planting trees can help our planet. After that, we each had the chance to plant our very own tree on the school field. We carefully placed it into the soil, made sure it was standing tall, and then gave it a special name. To finish, we gave our new tree baby a hug to help it grow strong and healthy. We can’t wait to watch our trees grow over time!

Friday 14th November

Today we celebrated Children in Need, and we even had a special visit from Pudsey. We also said goodbye to a member of our class who is leaving to start her new school. We had a mini party in the classroom together.

Thursday 13th November

Today was Week 2 of our STEM workshop. We looked at lots of different materials and talked about what they are like. We compared them by thinking about things such as how they feel, how strong they are, and what they are used for. Then we sorted the materials into different groups. After that, we explored our classroom to find out which objects were made from each material. Finally, we thought about which material would be the best one to use for making our own key ring.

Wednesday 12th November

Today the Healthy Heads team came to visit us. We talked about different feelings and how we can tell what we’re feeling inside. We learned that everyone has lots of different emotions and that it’s okay to feel them. The team showed us some helpful ways to stay calm in tricky situations, like using special breathing techniques. We also wrote down any worries we had and put them into our worry jar so the worry monster could ‘eat’ them and help them disappear.

Tuesday 11th November

Today in maths, we explored how to find 10 more and 10 less than a number. We used base ten equipment to help us see how the value changes when we add or subtract a ten. The children practiced building numbers, then adding or removing a tens rod to show the difference. This hands-on approach helped everyone deepen their understanding of place value and build confidence working with larger numbers.

Monday 10th November

This week is Anti-Bullying Week, and we started by wearing our odd socks to celebrate individuality and raise awareness about the importance of kindness and inclusion.

Monday 10th November

Today we learned that a verb is a doing word. We practised acting out different verbs and talked about how verbs can be in the present (happening now) or the past (already happened). Then, we worked in pairs to sort verbs into present and past tense.

Thursday 6th November

Today was Outdoor Classroom Day! In the morning, we played a variety of sports on the MUGA and had the exciting opportunity to use sparklers. In the afternoon, we gathered around the firepit to enjoy a story while toasting marshmallows. Afterwards, we worked together to build our own dens on the yard using the OPAL equipment. It was a fantastic day full of teamwork, creativity, and outdoor fun!

Wednesday 5th November

This afternoon, we used Purple Mash to create our own pieces of music. We started by adding different pitched bells to make a repeating pattern, then experimented with changing the speed and volume to see how it affected the sound. After that, we added a variety of musical instruments to improve our compositions and make them more interesting. It was great fun exploring how different sounds and rhythms can work together to create music!

Tuesday 4th November

This afternoon, we were visited by Active Families for the first part of our STEM Workshop. We talked about what it means to create and invent new things, and shared ideas about what we could design to make our school a happier and greener place. Everyone had lots of creative suggestions, and we’re excited to see how our ideas might grow!

Monday 3rd November

In science today, we started our new topic which is all about electricity.  We talked about what we already new about electricity and the appliances in our home which uses electricity to work.  We worked in pairs to group appliances into 2 groups: those which us electricity and those which do not.

Autumn 1

Friday 24th October

Today was our non-uniform day to celebrate getting 100% attendance two weeks in a row! We had a special treat afternoon that included some apple bobbing fun, followed by curling up on the carpet to watch a movie together. It was the perfect way to end a fantastic first half term in Year 2. We’re so proud of how much you’ve grown already — keep it up! 💙

Wednesday 22nd October

This month was Black History Month. We spent time learning about famous Black people and their incredible achievements. We also enjoyed learning the story of Anansi the Spider and then made our own Anansi spiders for a colourful class display. We think it looks amazing! 🕷️

Tuesday 21st October

This week we have been learning about addition and subtraction. We used counters and tens frames to help us cross 10 and find different ways to solve number problems. The children worked really carefully and explained their thinking brilliantly.

Friday 17th October

Today we visited the library and chose our very first library books for this year! The children loved exploring all the different shelves and finding stories that interested them. We then spent some time sharing our books with our friends and talking about what we’d chosen.

Wednesday 15th October

Today we carried out a glitter experiment to explore how easily germs can spread. Each child had different coloured glitter on their hands, then we shook hands and touched objects around the classroom to see how far the glitter travelled. We were amazed at how quickly it spread — just like germs do! We talked about why it’s so important to wash our hands carefully to help stop germs spreading

Monday 13th October
Today, we enjoyed a special treat for achieving 100% attendance all of last week! The children chose hot chocolate with marshmallows and Oreos, and it was the perfect way to celebrate their fantastic effort. Even better — we managed 100% attendance again today! The class are now aiming for two weeks in a row… let’s hope they can do it!💙

Friday 10th October
Today was World Mental Health Day. We raised awareness by wearing yellow to school.

In English, we worked in groups to identify the key features of a non-chronological report. We discussed how these texts are different from stories and looked closely at examples together. As part of our learning, we also discovered lots of fascinating facts about wolves — combining our reading skills with new knowledge!

Wednesday 8th October

Today, we carried out an exciting experiment to find out what happens to our bodies when we exercise. We completed a range of activities on the playground and measured how our bodies responded. We discovered that the more intense the activity, the faster our hearts beat! The children loved investigating and discussing why this happens and how exercise helps to keep us healthy.

Tuesday 7th October 

Today, the children used rekenreks to explore fact families with numbers to 20. They worked carefully to build and represent different addition and subtraction facts, spotting patterns and making links between number sentences

Friday 3rd October

This week we have been learning all about wolves. Today, my dog Indie joined us in the classroom. Children had the opportunity to come and meet her and see her features up close including her thick fur, sharp teeth, long nose and sharp claws. We then explored the different features she had and used these to build up adjectives to describe her. The children were fantastic around her and I’m sure the experience will help to enhance their writing next week!

This afternoon we explored the geographical features of England. Working in small groups, we then used maps to locate and label key places across the country. The children showed great teamwork and map-reading skills! 🗺️

Thursday 2nd October

Today was our special super hero themed lunch. We got a surprise when we walked into the dinner hall to see some real life super hero’s. We wonder where Mrs Hill was today?

Tuesday 30th September

This half term in PE, we have been learning different ways to throw and catch a ball. Today, we put these skills into practice by playing a team game. We were split into teams and had to pass the ball to each other while the other team tried to intercept it. The aim of the game was to get the ball to a teammate who was standing inside a hula hoop – if we managed to do that, we scored a point! One of the tricky rules was that we weren't allowed to move our feet while holding the ball. At first, this was challenging, but we quickly got the hang of it. It was a fun way to practise teamwork, communication, and the skills we’ve been working.

Monday 29th September

This afternoon in science, we learned about healthy eating. First, we went on a food hunt around the classroom, where we identified different types of foods to make sure we knew what they all looked like. After that, we learned about the five main food groups: carbohydrates, dairy, protein, fruits and vegetables and fats and sugars. Working in our table groups, we sorted different foods into the correct food groups. This helped us understand how to make balanced and healthy food choices.

Friday 26th September

Today, we all dressed in green to raise awareness and show our support for Macmillan Cancer Support UK. The children looked fantastic and took part with pride, helping to support such an important cause. 💚

We also celebrated a brilliant achievement — 100% attendance! As a special treat, the children chose ice lollies, and they were the perfect way to celebrate together. Well done, everyone!

Thursday 25th September

Today we had a very special visit to the Year 1 classroom, where we shared our own versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We loved being storytellers and worked hard to use our best storytelling voices to keep the Year 1 children engaged. I was so proud of how confidently and clearly everyone told their stories!

Wednesday 24th September

This afternoon in Geography, we explored the geographical features of Scotland. We began by learning the difference between physical features (natural, like mountains and rivers) and human features (man-made, like bridges and castles). The children then worked hard to sort different pictures into the correct categories, deciding whether each feature was physical or human. They showed great thinking and teamwork skills throughout the activity! Well done, geographers! 🌍

Monday 22nd September

This week, we began our first piece of independent writing based on the classic story Goldilocks and the Three Bears. To help us get ready, we worked in groups to create our very own story maps. These maps helped us remember the key parts of the story and put the events in the correct order. The children were amazing — they used their story maps confidently and could retell the whole story with enthusiasm and detail! Watch our videos below to see how amazing we are!

Friday 19th September
Today in science, the children explored how our bodies change as we get older. As part of the investigation, they measured each other’s feet and compared foot sizes across different age groups — including Nursery, Year 1, Year 4, and even an adult! They discovered a clear pattern: the older we are, the bigger our feet tend to be. For example, the foot size in Nursery was just 12cm, while Mrs Hill’s feet measured an impressive 27cm! It was a fun and hands-on way to learn about growth and development — well done, scientists!

Wednesday 17th September

This week, we have been reading the traditional tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The children enjoyed retelling the story many times — and now they know it off by heart!

They then used their fantastic story knowledge to help them write sentences from the tale, building confidence in their writing and storytelling skills. Well done, storytellers!

Tuesday 16th September

Today in PE, the children practised rolling the ball in different ways. They explored how to roll with control, accuracy, and in various directions, working both independently and with partners.

Monday 15th September

Today we learned how to partition our tens and ones into part whole models. We used practical equipment to help us and then moved towards writing the numerals.

Thursday 11th September
In Art this afternoon Year 2 explored primary colours and investigated how they can be mixed together to make new colours. The children had lots of fun experimenting with paints and were amazed at the colours they could create. Ask us what we found out! 🎨

Wednesday 10th September

In Maths this week we have been using our knowledge of tens and ones to help us identify, represent, draw, and write numbers. We have worked really hard to show our understanding in different ways and we are becoming much more confident with place value. 

Tuesday 9th September
Today in Science Year 2 learned all about how humans change as they grow. We explored the different stages of life, from baby through to elderly, and worked together to sort and order them. The children had some brilliant discussions and were really engaged in the activity!

We also practised our number formation today, making sure we were writing each number the correct way and in the right direction. The children worked really carefully and tried their best. 🔢 

Monday 8th September 

Year 2 had a fantastic first day back at school today and made such a brilliant impression. It was lovely to hear all about their summer adventures and to see so many smiley faces in the classroom. We’re really looking forward to an exciting year ahead together! 💙