Our Year 2 Curriculum

Within Year 2, our curriculum is taught across the year through our three enquiries. The enquiries all have an overarching question which the children work towards answering through an authentic outcome. Our enquiries are developed by driving and enhancing subjects. 

In addition, our enquiries connect to our DEAL curriculum principles and shape the way the enquiries are planned and delivered.

Our Year 2 Enquiries for 2024-25

   Autumn Term                      Spring Term                 Summer Term

Autumn Term - What can the past teach us?

Through this enquiry, our children will study a significant era in British History, The Great Fire of London, and its impact on our world today.  This builds on their previous learning from EYFS where our children will have learned about significant people to them, within their community and our world. They have begun to explore legacy and how can leave their own.  In year 1, children will have learned about historically significant people from the Victorian era as well as exploring London as the capital city of England. They will have studied landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament and what they are used for.

Building on this learning, the children will move into key stage two and begin to study British History in Chronological order as well as other historically significant people, events and periods of time. In year 3, our children will also be able to link there learning of the impact of a disaster from this enquiry when learning about natural disasters.

In year 4, our children will learn what ancient civilisations have taught the modern world.

In year 5/6 cycle 1, the children will learn about periods of history that have themes of prejudice, discrimination and inequality; they will form their own opinions on whether we have learnt from our past when comparing with current affairs.

Our children will enhance their learning through DT by making houses which represent those from the Great Fire of London and those in modern times, which will also link to their science learning of materials and their appropriate uses. Through our Art curriculum, children will create their own representation of the Great Fire of London in the style of Andy Warhol’s Pop Art style.

Our Autumn Enquiry Authentic Outcome

Spring Term Enquiry - What makes our world wonderful?

Through this enquiry, our children will utilise their knowledge of the four home nations to study countries of the world across all seven continents whilst exploring the similarities and differences of their geographical features. They will begin to explore different types of settlements and the advantages and disadvantages of living in these places.  Building on from their learning in EYFS, the children will have learned about their local community, the town in which they live and compared this to other countries around the world, with a particular focus on Brazil and Italy. In year 1, our children will have learned the unique qualities of their city, the four countries of the UK and their capital cities.  

Our children will then go on into Key stage two, year 3, and will begin to explore other countries and the physical features that make them unique as well as how people from the UK support others through charities who respond to natural disasters. In year 4, our children will reactivate their knowledge of Nottingham (River Trent) whilst learning about rivers, which they will be able to compare with rivers around the world (the River Nile and the Amazon River and the city of Manaus in Brazil). In year 5/6 in cycle one, children learn about the rainforests and the impact of their carbon footprint on our wonderful world.  In year 5/6 cycle 2, our children will learn about countries which are less economically developed and contrast these with European developed countries. They will utilise this knowledge to inform their opinions around displacement and how to demonstrate empathy, support and display non discriminative behaviour.   

Through other subjects, our children will enhance their knowledge our wonderful world by exploring different habitats and how plants and animals have adapted to thrive there in science. They will learn about Doug Scott CBE, an explorer from Nottingham who was the first Englishman to conquer Mount Everest.  In art, children will explore their knowledge of Brazil through an artist study of Beatrice Milhaze. In music, our children will begin to explore culture when learning British Isles and West African Call and Response songs.

Our Spring Enquiry Authentic Outcome

Summer Term Enquiry- How do we keep safe?

At our Rivendell, we take a progressive and holistic approach to personal development and safety education, through our enquiry learning. In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), children begin by learning about healthy habits, routines, and emotional development, gaining a basic understanding of their own feelings and how to manage them. In Year 1, this learning is deepened as children explore a broader range of emotions and develop the vocabulary to express them. Currently, our Year 2 children are building on this foundation by exploring the concept of contextual safety, developing a clearer understanding of the people who help us and how we can stay safe in different environments. As they move into Key Stage 2, children will continue this journey by examining their social impact and learning how to support others in the community and beyond. For example, in Year 3, children will gain knowledge of basic first aid and explore how to support those affected by natural disasters. In Year 4, water safety is taught through swimming lessons and collaboration with the Canal and River Trust. By Years 5 and 6, pupils will engage with themes of empathy and support for people who have been displaced or are seeking refuge due to unsafe conditions. This learning is also supported across the curriculum — in computing, children learn to stay safe online and use technology to educate others, while in art, they explore neurodiversity through the work of Yayoi Kusama, recognising it as part of the protected characteristics we celebrate.