A Warm Welcome to Year 2/3
We’ve had a fantastic start to autumn 2.
This half term, our class reader is The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. If you have a copy at home that your child can bring in, we would be very grateful.
A few reminders for this half term:
We’ve had a fantastic start to autumn 2.
This half term, our class reader is The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. If you have a copy at home that your child can bring in, we would be very grateful.
A few reminders for this half term:
- Homework and reading books are sent home every Tuesday and should be returned by the following Monday so they can be changed.
- Outdoor PE takes place on Thursdays, so please ensure your child comes to school in their PE kit on that day.
- Class Library Visit: Wednesday 12th November.
Meet Our Class Saint: Saint Martin of Tours
Saint Martin of Tours was a kind and brave man who lived a long time ago, in the 4th century. He was a Roman soldier before he became a saint, and he is remembered for his love, generosity, and care for others—especially those in need.
One of the most famous stories about Saint Martin happened on a cold winter’s day. Martin was riding his horse when he saw a poor man sitting by the side of the road. The man had no coat and was shivering from the cold.
Martin wanted to help, but he didn’t have any money or food with him. So he took off his own warm cloak, cut it in half with his sword, and gave one half to the freezing man.
That night, Martin had a dream. In the dream, Jesus was wearing the half of the cloak Martin had given away. Jesus said, “Martin gave this to me.” This dream helped Martin realise that when we help others, we are also showing love to Jesus. From that day, Martin wanted to commit his life to the church. He quit the Roman army, was baptised and started learning everything about the church. Eventually he became the bishop of Tours in France.
Saint Martin teaches us to be generous, to care for others and to share what we have, even when it’s hard. He is a wonderful example of how we can live like Jesus every day.
The Story of Saint Martin and the Geese
Martin was a humble man. He didn’t want to be famous or powerful. He just wanted to help people and live quietly. So, when the people came looking for him to make him bishop, Martin ran away and hid in a farmyard! He found a quiet spot in a barn and tried to stay very still so no one would find him.
But guess what? The farmyard geese had other ideas! The geese started honking loudly and flapping their wings. They made such a racket that the people heard them and came to see what was going on. That’s when they found Martin hiding!
Even though he didn’t want to be bishop, the people knew he was the right person for the job because he was kind, wise, and loved God very much. So Martin became the Bishop of Tours, and he continued to help the poor and teach people about Jesus.
Saint Martin reminds us to be humble, helpful, and brave, just like Jesus.
When is Saint Martin’s Day, 2025?
In 2025, Saint Martin’s Day is on Thursday, 11th November.
He is known as the patron saint of armourers*, beggars, domestic animals, and soldiers.
How is Saint Martin’s Day celebrated?
In some countries, children carry lanterns and sing songs for treats, a tradition linked to the idea of bringing light into the darkness of winter.
In Austria, Saint Martin’s Day is celebrated with a traditional dish eaten amongst friends. This traditional dish is based around roasted goose. You’ll find things such as red cabbage, potato dumplings and traditional cow berry jelly accompanying roasted goose on a plate. The reason that roasted goose is eaten on Saint Martin’s Day is because it is said that when Martin found out he was going to become bishop, he ran off and hid in a goose barn.
[An armourer is someone who makes, repairs, or maintains armour and weapons. Historically, armourers were skilled craftsmen who created protective gear like helmets, breastplates, and shields for soldiers and knights. In modern times, the term can also refer to someone who looks after weapons and equipment, especially in the military or in film and theatre productions.]
This term, we will be exploring the fascinating world of materials in our Chemistry topic. The children will be learning to:
Identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials—such as wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper, and cardboard—for different uses.
We look forward to investigating the properties of materials and how we use them in the world around us.
This term, we will be exploring the fascinating world of materials in our Chemistry topic. The children will be learning to:
Identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials—such as wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper, and cardboard—for different uses.
We look forward to investigating the properties of materials and how we use them in the world around us.
