Butterflies (FS1 Mrs Lloyd)
Welcome to our Class Page!
Welcome back Butterflies as we begin Spring term. Mrs Lloyd and Mrs Bool would also like to welcome our new children and their families starting this term in Butterfly class. 
We’re excited to share what’s happening in our classroom and provide you with helpful resources to support your child’s learning at home. This stage is all about developing a love for learning through play, exploration, and positive relationships.
Our theme is 'Paws, Claws & Whiskers'
Our texts are:
What are we learning in Spring 1?
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Our Theme: Amazing Animals! ⭐ How Learning Works in F1 (Nursery): Theme-Based Learning In F1, we plan learning around a theme such as Animals, Transport, or All About Me. A theme helps make learning fun, meaningful, and connected for young children. It also reflects how children learn best—through play, exploration, and links between ideas.
⭐ Why we teach this way
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Personal, Social & Emotional Development 🤗 ∙To play with other children, extending and elaborating play ideas. ∙To develop their sense of responsibility and membership of a community. ∙To take turns and share fairly. |
Reminders: 🕑 *4 reads a week, sign planner *Homework learning Menu *Remember to go on NumBots (please ask if you need a new login) *Pe kit |
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Communication and Language 👥 ∙To ask questions to check they understand what has been said to them and find out more. ∙To listen to and talk about selected non-fiction to develop a deep familiarity with new knowledge and vocabulary. To use talk to work out problems, organise their thinking and explain how things happen and why they might occur. ∙To use new vocabulary in different contexts. |
Class Experiences/Memorable Moments: 💡 ∙Hatching chick eggs ∙Caterpillar eggs to Butterflies ∙Chinese New Year ∙Shrove Tuesday- linked to Mr. Wolfs Pancakes story ∙Tiger who came to tea party |
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Physical Development: Gross motor 🏃 ∙Travelling safely and confidently in several ways such as running, jogging, jumping hopping, skipping, galloping, jogging backwards and forwards. Physical Development: Fine Motor 🏃 ∙Developing a comfortable grip with good control when holding pens and pencils (Daily Dough Disco, Squiggle, Wiggle activities and lots of mark making opportunities) |
Parental Partnership 👥 ∙This half term there will be no performance to attend but parents will be invited in to see the chicks and |
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Maths ➗ ∙Exploring numbers with number names, counting, rhymes, fingers and concrete objects. ∙Exploring 2D shape and 2D shape within the environment Phonics 📗 ∙Exploring rhyme and rhythm (spotting and suggesting rhymes) |
Characteristics of Effective Learning 📌 ∙Playing and exploring; being willing to have a go ∙Active learning; to keep trying ∙Creative and critical thinking; to develop their own ideas |
Developing our fine motor skills
The ability to make small, precise movements with the hands and fingers, is crucial for children's development and daily life. They impact everything from self-care tasks like dressing and eating to academic activities like writing and drawing, and even social interactions. Developing these skills early on is essential for independence, academic success, and overall well-being. To promote the development of these early fine motor skills, children will participate in a daily dough disco activity. Disco Dough helps to strengthen children's fine motor muscles to enable them to develop their pencil grip, which in turn will help to develop their writing skills. But most of all, it's fun!
In addition, sensory experiences are crucial for developing fine motor skills in children. These experiences will be explored on a daily basis. Activities involving different textures, manipulating objects, and using hands and fingers strengthen small muscles and improve hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and grip strength, all of which are essential for tasks like writing, dressing, and eating.
Useful information
Butterfly class will participate in PE lessons on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. Please note these days may occasionally change, so it is advisable to send your child's PE kit on a Monday to be left on their peg, ready for the week.
Below, you’ll find useful websites and activities to support your child in key areas such as phonics and number recognition.
✏️ Phonics Support
Phonics is a vital part of early reading and writing. We use a structured, multi-sensory approach to help children link sounds to letters and blend them into words.
Here are some fun and engaging websites you can use at home:
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🔤 Phonics Play
Free games and activities sorted by phonics phases. Great for practising blending and segmenting. -
📚 Teach Your Monster to Read
A fun, interactive game that supports your child’s reading journey from letters and sounds to full sentences. -
📖 BBC Bitesize Phonics
Short videos and activities that reinforce phonics sounds and blending. -
Ruth Miskin Read Write Inc
🔢 Number Recognition & Early Maths
We love exploring numbers through stories, songs, games, and real-life play. Helping your child recognise numbers and understand basic counting is a great start.
Here are some recommended sites:
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🎲 Topmarks – Number Games
Interactive games to help your child practise counting, number order, and matching numerals. -
📏 Numberblocks on CBeebies
A favourite in the classroom! Numberblocks makes learning numbers visual and fun. -
💡 ICT Games – Early Maths
A range of teacher-created maths games to support number formation, counting, and early problem-solving.
🏡 How You Can Help at Home
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Read with your child every day—even five minutes makes a difference.
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Count things together: steps, toys, or food items.
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Play simple board games or card games that involve numbers and turn-taking.
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Practise writing letters and numbers using chalk, finger painting, or sand.
If you have any questions or would like personalised ideas to support your child, feel free to contact us via the school office or during drop-off and pick-up.
Thanks for being part of your child’s learning journey! 🧠💬💛