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Sir John Heron Primary School

Together we learn. Together we achieve.

Butterfly

2024-25

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 17.03.25


This term, the children have been focusing on the beloved book ‘We Are Going on a Bear Hunt’. Butterfly class took their learning outdoors with a sensory bear trail, bringing the story to life. As we read the book, the children participated in actions related to each part of the story. First, they encountered the grass, then moved on to various sensory experiences inspired by the story, creating an immersive and interactive adventure. It was a fun and engaging way to explore the book!

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 03.03.25

 

The children in the Beehive Room practice fundamental moves regularly, by throwing bean bags at a target and playing curling. Activity such as these do not only develop fine and gross motor skills, it is also great for teamwork and socialising!

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 24.02.25

 

This week, during our speech and language sessions, we’ve been engaging in a fun and interactive activity called "switch work." The adult begins by pouring flour into a cup and tipping it onto a black builder's tray. The children then use switches to make requests, guiding the adult on what to do next. For example, they can ask to splat the flour with a wooden spoon, tap the tray, or signal for more or finished. This activity not only encourages communication but also provides sensory exploration, helping to develop both language and fine motor skills.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 10.02.25

 

On Number Day, children had a blast with a variety of engaging activities. They decorated cookies with delicious chocolate chips, enjoyed the hands-on fun of mixing flour and water to create their own tasty treats, and tapped into their creativity through transport-themed painting. The day was filled with joy, laughter, and learning, as the children explored the world of numbers in the most creative ways!

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 03.02.25

 

This term, we’ve been exploring transport through the book The Marmalade Jam, which focuses on traffic jams. After reading the story on the interactive board, the children were introduced to props to help them engage with the content. Each child received a tray with a toy car, and we added marmalade to the cars. The children enjoyed feeling the texture of the marmalade and were encouraged to use their sense of smell to explore it further. This hands-on experience helped them connect with the story in a fun and sensory way.

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 27.01.25

 

In the Spring term, our focus is on transport  and our children are exploring various modes of travel through fun, hands-on activities. During our ‘Attention Autism’ sessions, they are introduced to different transport toys and take part in immersive experiences, such as a bus ride adventure, which brings the concept of travel to life in an engaging and interactive way. These activities help the children learn about different vehicles while developing their sensory and social skills in an exciting, playful environment.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 20.01.25

 

Children in the Puffin Room were engaged in a variety of enriching activities that fostered both cognitive and sensory development. They explored number recognition and counting through hands-on objects, practiced literacy with magnetic numbers and letters, and delved into the topic of transport by learning about different vehicles. The children also enjoyed experimenting with cause and effect by pressing buttons, and they had fun exploring textures during messy play. These activities supported their learning in a playful, interactive way.

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 13.01.25

 

This week, the children looked at the book ‘Shaun the Shy Shark’. Each child had props to touch and to look at. We extended their learning by having ducks and fish in a container of water. They had fishing nets, and used these to capture the fish or ducks. Some children counted how many fish or ducks they collected.

 

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 06.01.25

 

In the Beehive Room children engage in numeracy learning tailored to their individual developmental stages and abilities. This includes foundational skills such as recognizing numbers, where they become familiar with numeral symbols and their corresponding values. Additionally, children practice counting objects, helping them develop a sense of quantity and number sequencing. Some may also work on matching numbers. 

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 09.12.24

 

This week, the children in the Butterfly room have been focussing on ‘The Snowman’, a story enjoyed by young and old. After listening to the story, the children acted out a scene, using snowman puppets. They had the opportunity to feel the texture of the fake snow whilst emerging themselves in the scenes. 

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 25.11.24

 

In the Puffin Room this week, children were engaging in art and craft activities by creating Christmas hoop decorations using balloons and sequins. They were making their own snowman by sticking cotton balls onto a snowman template, using their fine motor skills.
 

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 18.11.24

 

This week in the Butterfly Room, the children were playing with the giant parachute. During this activity, the adults in the room used words such as ‘up’, ‘down’ and ‘shake’ encouraging the children to carry out the actions according to the words. Following this, the children were sitting in a circle and they made a choice between two instruments they would like to play with. Once they made a choice we started singing and exploring the instruments.

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 11.11.24

 

This week is Anti-Bullying Week across school, where children have earnt about friendship and kindness while creating a Friendship Sun Catcher as well as Kindness Tree. They also listened to stories and songs about being different and how to be a good friend.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 04.11.24

 

Children took part in the PE lesson with their peers this week, where they were passing the ball to an adult and taking turns. When working on fine motor skills; children were encouraged to roll the play dough and explore the texture. They then  tried to make a pattern with different coloured beads. During the messy play session, children explored the texture of cornflour mixed with water.

 

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 21.10.24

 

This week, the children in the Puffin room engaged in multiple activities using their fine motor skills and sensory skills whilst exploring different textures. As part of our focus on celebrating diversity week, children were encouraged to create posters using different resources. They used fine motor skills to spread glue and carefully stick down bits of cotton wool. It has been a fun-filled week!

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 14.10.24

 

The children in Butterfly Class have continued to focus on ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’. Together they created a story map with adult support, ordering events from the story correctly. 

Earlier this week, Sameer and Umar visited the Hindu temple with their class. The priest gave the children a tour of the temple. We saw the Hindu idols and he spoke about every idol and their purpose.

 

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 07.10.24

 

This week during story time, the children started building up their own version of the story ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’, using a sequencing thinking frame. Being familiar with the story created an opportunity for all of them to use the pictures from the book and retell what is happening.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 30.09.24

 

This week, the children in the Puffin room were encouraged to participate in a range of learning activities. During their English lessons, they were encouraged to write initial sounds using hand-over-hand support. In the practical area, they were encouraged to grip equipment from the sand tray, and explore different textures. It was a very enjoyable week, filled with a range of sensory activities.

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 23.09.24

 

This week, the children in the Butterfly room used props such as a tiger puppet and cupcake to support their understanding of the story ‘The Tiger who came to Tea’. Humayon even knocked on his table when the tiger knocked on the door without prompting! During the messy play session, the children created handprints by using paint to make our ‘Tree of kindness’, which will go on display. They enjoyed the sensation of the paint on their hands.

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 16.09.24

 

This week, we continued reading the story’ The Tiger Who Came to Tea’. The children in the Beehive room had a tea party and invited the main character from the story; Tiger. Before the party could begin, they designed their own teapots and teacups. It was a delightful sight! 

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 09.09.24

 

In the Puffin room, we enjoy discovering new stories. This week, we explored the book;  ‘The Tiger who Came to Tea’ by Judith Kerr. In this story, a tiger invites himself to tea with a little girl and her mother. The only problem; he consumes all the food and drinks! After listening to the story, the children used their fine motor skills for a painting activity, using brushes as well as their hands. Staff supported some of the children, using the hand-over-hand strategy whilst others worked independently.

Welcome Back! - w/b 02.09.24

 

The children in the Butterfly room have had a productive start to the new school year.   This week, we began each morning with a circle time session, where the adults sang the ‘Good Morning’ song to the children. In turn, the children used their switches/ core boards to greet their adults. The children did this confidently and independently! Following on from this, the children enjoyed it when the adults were blowing bubbles, using the cues;  ‘Ready, steady, go and pop!’. 

2023-24

Learning in the Hummingbird Room - w/b 08.07.24

 

We have been busy little birds in the Hummingbird Room this week! We used building blocks in mathematics and tried to build the tallest tower.

During our Literacy lessons, we read the book 'At the Beach’ by Roland Harvey. We used turn taking to read the story, followed by producing some postcards to Ms Werrin, telling her all about the story we read. 

Finally, during our Sports Day, we all took part in a carousel of different sporting activities.

 

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 01.07.24

 

We had a fantastic week in the Beehive Room! During our “attention bucket” session, we explored a range of different sensory stimulating toys and activities  which helps develop our attention span, which will improve other activities.

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 17.06.24

 

The children in Butterfly Class were enjoying a ‘Tac-pac’ sensory session in the afternoon, where they were listening to various relaxation music whilst the adults were using different sensory props like; a fan, wooden spoons, a small mop and a sponge to massage and tap the children.

Learning in the Hummingbird Room - w/b 10.06.24

 

This week has been a busy one in the Hummingbird Room. First, we visited the forest school, where we made a fire to roast our marshmallows. We also enjoyed resting inside the tent made out of branches. 

Back in school, we have been reading a book called ‘Lucy and Tom at the Seaside’. After reading the book, we talked about what we can see when looking at pictures of the seaside, then wrote, in the first person, about what we will need to take with us to the seaside. Following on from this, we planned a sequence of events in order, based on the story of ‘Lucy and Tom at the Seaside’. We used vocabulary such as; first, next, after and the end.

Finally, with the help of some of our peers from Bronze and Silver classes, we created our mini-beach , based on the story of ‘Lucy and Tom at the Seaside’.

 

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 03.06.24

 

In the Beehive room, children have daily sessions called “Attention Bucket” where they work on building their attention span and also waiting their turn before joining in. They are shown different toys and watch simple activities provided by an adult.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 20.05.24

 

This week, the children in the Puffin Room were encouraged to participate in multiple activities such as building blocks and recognising colours. They were also exploring different textures during messy play, such as rice with paint and soap with water. Children were using the core board independently to request ‘more’. Finally, they were counting numbers in sequence up to 10, matching these to the corresponding numicon.

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 13.05.24

 

The children in the Butterfly Room were participating in a P.E session by using a ramp and a ball. The adults encouraged and helped the children hold the ball by either prompting them or having a go independently so the ball could travel down the ramp. The children were so excited and loved their session because they were smiling and encouraging their peers to look forward to their turn.

 

Learning in the Hummingbird Room - w/b 06.05.24

 

This week has been so much fun in the Hummingbird Room! During our mathematics lessons, we learnt about telling the time. We focussed on putting events in order and helped the teddies too! Forest school was packed with a range of exciting activities this week; we used magnifying glass to look for minibeasts, helped make a campfire and gobbled up the marshmallows we roasted.

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 29.04.24

 

As part of everyday activities, the children in the Beehive Room participate in a sensory circle activity before they start their learning. Some examples include jumping on a trampoline or bouncing on a bouncy ball, blowing and popping bubbles, playing as a group with an Octaband, pulling its arms and playing “Row the Boat” with their adults.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 22.04.24

 

This week in the Puffin Room, we were engaged in multiple activities, exploring sand texture independently and then filling a mould with sand. Other activities included building blocks with the help of our adults. The highlight of our week was taking part in ‘Earth day’ activities by making our own flower crowns with the help of our adults.

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 15.04.24

 

Every morning in the Butterfly class, children start the day off with a circle time session by singing the “Hello” song. We sign this to individual children and they respond by pressing the switch to communicate with. Afterwards, the children and adults sing and listen to the animal songs, such as; “Five little ducks” and “Old Macdonald had a farm” whilst holding the visual props up for each song.

Learning in the Hummingbird Room - w/b 25.03.24

 

This week has been a busy one for the pupils in the Hummingbird Room, participating in a range of exciting activities. Children attended a ‘Silly Science Workshop’, where they really enjoyed getting involved with each of the thrilling experiments! Later on in the week during RE lessons, children delved into the meaning of Ramadan as well as Easter. Children showed off their creativity when making their Easter bonnets!

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 18.03.24

 

The children at Sir John Heron were sent a batch of eggs recently. We observed, over time, what happened to these eggs. We are happy to report that we have finally met the chicks hatching from these eggs. Children from the Beehive Room paid the chicks a visit and enjoyed gently petting the chicks to feel their soft feathers and their little beaks.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 11.03.24

 

This week, the children from Puffin Room visited the local library. During the visit they looked at a variety of books and enjoyed the story telling session. 

The school’s Reception classes are currently housing eggs and they will hatch into chicks! Puffin Room children were observing these eggs, something they found very interesting. 

Finally, the children enjoy playing in the playground and are using the climbing frame and slide safely. What an exciting week! 

 

 

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 04.03.24

 

The children in the Butterfly Room were using a ramp for their P.E session and choosing one of the coloured balls to hold and push down the ramp, either with adult support or independently. Before they pushed the ball down the ramp, the adults and children said “Ready, Steady, Go!”

 

Learning in the Hummingbird Room - w/b 26.02.24

 

It has been a very creative week in the Hummingbird room! We read the book ‘Handa’s Surprise’ and used this as a stimulus to roleplay scenes, build sentences and retell the story. In mathematics, we made lava lamps by using our measuring skills. Have a look at our learning journey in the photographs below.

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 19.02.24

 

This week, the children in the Beehive Room worked on several arts and crafts projects. Some of them needed hand on hand support to finish their masterpieces. Have a look at the images below for a glimpse of the process!

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 05.02.24

 

This week, the children in the Puffin Room enjoyed a sensory session. They used their core boards to ask for more of the items they would like as well as any other requests. The children enjoyed painting and exploring the feeling of the texture of paint on their hands. During circle time the children are becoming more confident of saying how they feel.

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 29.01.24

 

This week, pupils in Butterfly Class read the book ‘Farmer Duck’. They immersed themselves into the book by making use of their senses, such as touch and listening, to explore the different animals mentioned in the story.

Learning in the Hummingbird Room - w/b 22.01.24

 

The children in the Hummingbird room have been working on a very special project: creating mammals of different sizes and species. In order to do this, they conducted research and found a range of facts about animals during their Literacy lessons. After creating these mammals, they rounded the displayed work off by labelling the different body parts of these animals. Come and have a look in the year 5 and 6 practical area to see these magnificent beasts!

Learning in the Beehive Room - w/b 15.01.24

 

During the water play this week, the children explored how to make bubbles using a straw; they explored the texture, shape and feel of the bubbles using their hands. The children also arranged the stacking cups into piles.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 08.01.24

 

This week, we enjoyed playing the parachute game. We put light objects inside the parachute and we sang songs. During the water play session we were able to ask for more water and the other items using our core boards. We also had an RWI session. We practised the letter 'm' sound and we practised writing the letter 'm' saying the rhyme to the letter.

Learning in the Hummingbird Room- w/b 11.12.23

 

This week has been a busy one in the Hummingbird Room! During our mathematics lessons, we explored measure; we compared the weight of our school shoes to apples. For this activity, we made use of weighing scales. Following on from this, we worked in teams to measure the length of our feet; for this we used a ruler, measuring in centimetres. During afternoon circle time, we went on a bear hunt around the school playground, inspired by the book ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’. We were definitely not scared!

Creative Work in the Beehive Room - w/b 04.12.23

 

Children in the Beehive Room were very creative this week. They used mark making skills to create Christmas prints, using stencils.

Learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 27.11.23

 

In the enchanting world of the Puffin Room, children have embarked on a delightful artistic journey, immersing themselves in Christmas-themed activities aimed at fostering sensory play. The young minds eagerly delved into the creative process, utilising an array of sensory items to craft unique decorations that will soon adorn the hall, infusing it with a festive feel. Cotton wool became the fluffy material of choice for Santa's beard, adding a tactile element to their imaginative creations. Vibrant festive colours painted a cheerful palette as the children translated their holiday spirit onto paper. This engaging exploration not only hones their artistic skills but also cultivates a rich sensory experience, allowing the children to connect with the magic of Christmas in a hands-on and vibrant way.

Creative work in the Butterfly Room - w/b 20.11.23

 

This term in the Butterfly Room the children have been studying different festivals and celebrations. Using a range of media, they created firework pictures for Diwali and Guy Fawkes night, made Pudsey Bear masks and ears for ‘Children in Need’ as well as  snowflakes for Christmas. Have a look at our wonderful work!

Language and Communication in the Hummingbird Room - w/b 13.11.23

 

This week, children in the Hummingbird Room have used a range of skills during their English lessons. Yousuf has ordered and put together sentences that have been cut up. Following this, he has started to copy the sentences by himself into his book. You might notice that Yousuf's pencil grip has improved; his grip is much firmer now! 

In Reading, Oahian has progressed onto Pink books. Well done Oahian; you are trying to read the book independently! Samir enjoys reading his ditty sheets in RWI.

Zahara has been using her phonics knowledge to read alien words, as well as her own written work. 

Well done, Puffin Room learners! 

 

Sensory learning in the Puffin Room - w/b 06.11.23

 

In the vibrant Puffin Room, a haven for budding minds and energetic spirits, children are immersed in a kaleidoscope of activities designed to nurture their fine and gross motor skills while fostering cognitive development. They were engaged in a host of activities in order to help develop their control of their bodies by climbing and going down the slide within the sensory circuit. 

The tactile delight of squishing through soft fabrics, the visual stimulation of vibrant hues, and the soothing melodies that accompany their play create an enriching environment that not only ignites their senses but also cultivates a foundation for cognitive growth. In the Puffin Room, every giggle, every curious glance, contributes to the holistic development, making it a playground where learning is an adventure and every moment is a step towards a brighter future.

 

Music in the Beehive Room - w/b 30.10.23

 

In the Beehive room, our little explorers have been delving into a world of musical instruments, and the advantages of music therapy are shining through. Through this musical journey, they are not only having fun but also enhancing their cognitive development, fostering emotional expression, and connecting with the world of sounds and rhythms in a profound way. Music is a universal language, and for these children, it's a gateway to a world of creativity and learning.

 

 

Learning in the Butterfly Room - w/b 16.10.23

 

The children in Butterfly Class have been working on a range of activities, such as listening to stories using different props to support the understanding of the story. They have also been exploring different textures through messy play and developed their coordination using nets to fish for ducks.

Language and Communication in the Hummingbird Room - w/b 09.10.23 

 

During circle time, we are using sentence strips to communicate our feelings and ask about our friend’s feelings. When doing this, we are encouraged to use full sentences.

During messy play, we use full sentences to ask and answer questions. We also use colourful semantics to read and write sentences during English lessons.  We are continuing to develop our writing, working through cut up sentences.

 

Week beginning 02.10.23

 

This week, the children in the Beehive room participated in a range of exciting activities. During the 'attention bucket' session, Mohammed played with the rainbow ribbon and even tried to place his hand in the middle of the rainbow circle! 

Sumayya shook the parachute whilst playing parachute games and Akash played the tambourine during the music lesson. 

 

Week beginning 25.09.23

 

This week the children have been engaged in a delightful journey of messy play, discovering new textures, and using their communication tools to choose the activities they wish to explore. One of the highlights of our messy play sessions has been the enchanting world of bubbles. Bubbles are not only mesmerising but also a fantastic way for children to practise their fine motor skills. 

As the children blow bubbles, they learn about cause and effect while giggling with joy as they chase and pop them. This activity encourages them to communicate their excitement and share the fun with their peers. Another messy play adventure that has captivated our young explorers is playing with shaving foam. The squishy and fluffy texture of shaving foam is a sensory delight, engaging their tactile senses as they squish, mould, and explore. This activity encourages communication as children express their preferences and delight in the sensations they experience.

 

Week beginning 18.09.23

 

In the Butterfly Room, the children have been engaged in an exciting and interactive activity using a parachute as a tool to improve their ability to follow instructions. With the guidance and support of adults, the children have been actively shaking and moving the parachute up and down. This fun and cooperative exercise not only enhances their listening skills but also fosters teamwork and coordination among the young learners. Through this hands-on experience, the children not only develop their capacity to follow directions but also cultivate important social and physical skills, making learning an engaging and enjoyable adventure in the Butterfly Room.

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