Happy New Year and welcome back to the Spring Term. We’ve had such a great start to the term, meeting all our new Robins whilst also welcoming back our existing children. Snow fell on the first day back and lots of fun was had, exploring the ice and frost. It’s great to experience different types of weather, so we therefore stomped back to class whilst listening to the crunchy sounds underneath our feet. 

During the course of this half term, we will be participating in Birdwatch. Being around nature is truly wonderful and it supports children’s emotional wellbeing. We therefore popped on our all-in-one suits and ventured around the school grounds. I showed the children our identification sheets and we spoke about the different types of birds. Afterwards, the children had the freedom to walk around, looking and listening for birds.

During this time we listened to the sounds of nature and it was lovely to hear the birds singing, high up in the trees. Birdwatching promotes scientific enquiry and it also fosters empathy for wildlife whilst also supporting children’s observational skills. On our way back, we stopped at the Paddock for a warming hot drink. Miss Ruby and I were very impressed with the children’s manners and it was lovely to hear the children remember to say please and thank you. 

Before going back to class and as a special treat, we stood by the fence and waited patiently to spot trains through the fence. For the train enthusiasts in class, this was great. We saw a couple of freight trains and then the super long car train which transported lots of new cars. The excitement on the children’s faces was clear to see. 

Air clay was used to create bird models, along with a variety of feathers and finally, straws for the bird beaks. The children used the bird identification sheet to support their understanding of how to create a bird model. Mindfulness on the CTouch was enjoyed by all and it was nice to embrace some quiet time, listening to the wonderful sounds of nature. The children were able to identify a variety of garden birds as they popped on the screen. 

Continuing with the bird theme, the children enjoyed learning about the many varieties of birds. With the use of the Birdwatching mat, they were able to identify magpies, robins, pigeons and bluetits. Perhaps you could also support this topic at home and observe the birds in your garden or at the park. 

Miss Ruby enjoyed reading stories to the children and we listened to a story about a little girl who had started school, making connections to some of our new children.

Our cookery creations consisted of focaccia bread, banana cake, white crusty rolls and bird biscuits. The children enjoyed mixing, patting, poking the bread dough and rolling the biscuit dough. 

The Robins took part in our sensory circuit and it was great to see how much their confidence has improved during their time with us. They jumped, climbed, balanced and listened to instructions during their PE session. It’s important to provide children with a variety of challenges but also for them to think of their own ideas. Therefore, lots of fun was had in the Russell Hall with the use of balls, beanbags, hoops and spots. The Robins used the resources in a variety of ways and they also used their super fast legs to run around. 

At the start of every term, we complete a class fire practice and we teach the children what to do in the event of a fire. Some of our Robins were able to identify that the green and white sign is a fire exit sign. I explained that the sign directs us to the quickest available exit. 

There were lots of birds visiting our feeding station behind class. We observed blue tits, great tits, robins, magpies and pigeons. An empty (and washed) milk carton was used to make a bird feeder for our front garden. The children took turns to carefully fill it with the use of a spoon. We will monitor the amount of seed eaten and hopefully spot some birds visiting our special feeder.

The Form 6 helpers returned this week and it was lovely to see all the children play so harmoniously. The older children spent time with us during snack time and they also managed to play alongside the Robins and read stories to them.

Everyone enjoyed their yummy bird-shaped toast during snack time, along with a variety of fruit and vegetables. 

Next week’s topic is Houseplant Week and we will also continue to explore nature by carrying out some birdwatch tasks. We encourage children to bring in something from home (just not too big please). This can be related to our weekly topic or anything else they would like to share or celebrate with us. The children enjoy sharing their objects from home during carpet time and it is a fantastic way to build effective communication and listening skills. Have a lovely (possibly snowy) weekend.