Year 2 is a crucial year in your child’s primary school journey. It’s where foundational skills are built upon and confidence begins to grow in reading, writing, maths and beyond. With the right tools, support and mindset, your child can thrive — and enjoy the process too.
At Educate Excellence, we’re committed to supporting children and families through every step of the academic journey. Here’s your go-to guide for helping your Year 2 child succeed in school and beyond.
What to Expect in Year 2
In Year 2, children continue to develop the skills they began in Year 1. You’ll notice an increase in the depth of learning and more focus on fluency, accuracy and comprehension — particularly in English and maths.
Key learning areas include:
- Reading: Greater emphasis on comprehension and fluency
- Writing: Building sentence structure, punctuation and vocabulary
- Maths: Working with numbers up to 100, basic multiplication and division, and problem solving
- Science: Simple investigations and understanding of the world around them
- SATs Preparation: In the summer term, Year 2 pupils complete standardised assessments (KS1 SATs), but in a low-stress, teacher-led environment
Understanding the learning goals early can help you support your child throughout the year in practical ways.
Building Strong Reading Habits
By Year 2, reading moves beyond phonics. Children begin to make sense of whole stories, explore different genres and build their vocabulary.
You can support them by:
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- Reading together every day, even if just for 10 minutes
- Asking questions about what they read to build comprehension
- Visiting your local library for a range of reading materials
- Letting them choose books that interest them — this encourages a love of reading
Educate Excellence offers targeted reading support that goes beyond phonics, building deeper understanding and long-term confidence.
Making Maths Meaningful
Maths in Year 2 becomes more structured — children are introduced to concepts like multiplication, division, fractions and measurement. Making maths part of everyday life helps reinforce their classroom learning.
Try these activities at home:
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- Cooking together to explore measurements
- Playing number games using cards, dice or simple board games
- Counting money and practising making change in real-life settings
- Using apps or worksheets to practise times tables and number bonds
Tutoring from Educate Excellence can provide extra support for trickier topics, especially as students approach their KS1 SATs.
Encouraging Independent Learning
Year 2 is a great time to begin developing independence. It’s not just about learning facts — it’s about learning how to learn.
Encourage your child to:
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- Tidy their own learning space
- Pack their own school bag and take responsibility for homework
- Ask questions in class and express when they need help
- Try their best, even if they get something wrong
Praise effort and resilience — this builds a growth mindset that will help in every year to come.
Keeping Things Fun and Balanced
It’s important to balance academic focus with plenty of time for rest and creativity. Children at this age learn best through play and exploration.
Make sure your child has:
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- Time to play and unwind after school
- Creative outlets like drawing, dancing, music or building things
- Opportunities to spend time outdoors
- Routine bedtime to support energy and focus
We believe at Educate Excellence that academic success and wellbeing go hand-in-hand — we support both.
Preparing for the KS1 SATs (Without the Pressure)
In Year 2, children take part in KS1 SATs, which assess their reading, writing and maths skills. These are done in a relaxed environment and often feel like ordinary class activities.
Help your child by:
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- Keeping a calm and positive attitude toward assessments
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- Practising reading and simple maths at home
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- Encouraging good sleep and healthy routines
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- Avoiding unnecessary pressure — these tests are just one part of the bigger picture
If you’d like expert support with gentle preparation, our team at Educate Excellence can help your child feel confident and ready.
Helping Your Year 2 Child Shine
Year 2 is full of discovery, growth and exciting learning moments. With the right support, your child can make excellent progress and begin developing the habits of a lifelong learner.
At Educate Excellence, we’re proud to support families during this important year. Whether your child needs help mastering tricky maths or building confidence in reading, our experienced tutors are here to help them thrive.