Congratulations to Yana Uddin – Year 1, Ariya Shah- Year 2, Muhammed Saad- Year 2, Amirahafsa- Year 3, Musab Ibrahim- Year 3, Khadeeja Hassan- Year 4, Salahudeen Idris- Year 4, Aisha Ahmed – Year 5, Yunus Aden- Year 5, Hamzah Abdullah- Year 6 and Muhammad Nooh Ali- Year 6.
We are excited to share that our recent Phonics Workshop was a resounding success! We welcomed many parents who participated in this informative session aimed at helping our children become confident readers.
Workshop Highlights:
During the workshop, we introduced our phonics program and shared valuable insights on how phonics supports early reading skills. Our dedicated team provided guidance on effective strategies that you can use at home to reinforce what your child is learning in school.
We are grateful for the fantastic turnout and the enthusiastic participation from our parent community. Your involvement plays a crucial role in your child’s learning, and together, we can foster a love for reading that will last a lifetime.
Thank you once again for your support. If you have any questions or would like more resources on phonics, please feel free to reach out.
As part of Anti-bullying awareness day, the children were invited to wear their favourite odd socks to school and to express themselves and celebrate their uniqueness. The odd socks also symbolises that everyone is different, and at Buttercup we value everyone for who they are. Children were encouraged to ‘Choose respect’ throughout the week and come together to have discussions about bullying and who to go to for support. Together, we can make a difference and take a stand against bullying and choose respect always.
We ended the week with a whole school assembly where children from each class presented their pioneering personality to each other. Year 2 presented Salman Al Farisi, Year 3 and 4 presented Salahuddin Ayubi and Year 5 and 6 presented Fatima Al Fihriyah. The children highlighted key facts about the lives of these special people and why they were inspirational to us and showcased their fantastic posters and PowerPoint presentations. We were very proud of the confidence and public speaking skills displayed in the assembly!
For Pioneering Personality week, the Early Years focused on the importance of mothers and female role models. We organised a workshop for mums, aunties and grandmas to come and take part in arts and crafts activities with the children. The children learnt the ‘Mother’ Nasheed and performed it beautifully to their family members. This initiative successfully achieved its objectives of enhancing bonding between mothers and children, fostering a strong partnership with the school, and encouraging further family involvement in education and to promote a collaborative community environment.
Nadiyah (Faith in environment project officer at East London Mosque) visited our school to educate the children about the importance of recycling in Islam. She used quotes from the Qur’an and Sunnah to explain Allah’s creation and how we as Muslims need to protect the environment as it has a right to be shielded. The children were engaged in activities where they identified items that could and could not be recycled. The presentation ended with a quiz to test the children’s knowledge. Children took away a strong message that every human is an eco-ambassador, they are all responsible for keeping the environment safe.
On Monday 7th October, the children at Buttercup primary school had the opportunity to cast their vote and have a say in who they want to represent them in the school council. It was a difficult decision for them as all the candidates were so deserving. They also experienced what democracy looks like when you have the right to vote and make your own choice about what you believe in.
This year National Poetry Day coincided with World Smile Day. To celebrate, the children wrote poems about smiling. Key stage 1 wrote acrostic poems, and Key stage 2 wrote rhyming couplets and freeform poetry. Teachers shared their favourite poems with their class and children performed their poems. There were lots of smiles throughout the performances as the beauty of smiling spread amongst the children through poetry!
We acknowledged World Smile Day by inviting children and staff to come to school wearing non-uniform. Smiling is a sunnah (The way of the prophet) in Islam, and is also a form of charity. We want our children to spread smiles and happiness where ever they go! Thank you to everyone who took part. We want the children to make an effort to encourage and remind each other to smile more often however they are and wherever they are!
The shortlisted children presented their manifestos to the school. They were confident, expressive and very persuasive in their speeches. They shared their visions and described what they planned to do for the children and the school if they are voted for. It is going to be a difficult choice to make as all the candidates were fantastic!
The trip to the Galleon Andalucía, a replica of a 17th-century Spanish ship, gave students a vivid insight into maritime history. As they explored the wooden decks, rigging, and cannons, they learned about the ship’s role in trade, exploration, and naval warfare during the Age of Sail. Interacting with the ship’s crew, they discovered the challenges of life at sea, including navigation, ship maintenance, and the harsh conditions sailors endured. The experience left a lasting impact, deepening students’ appreciation for historical exploration, teamwork, and the cultural exchanges that shaped the world during the galleon era.
Our local officer spoke to the children about being ‘street smart’ and how to keep themselves safe outside and online. The children engaged in many discussions about what they should and should not do in different scenarios. He spoke about Stranger danger, online safety, and grooming. PCSO Kassam and his colleagues also shared their own experiences of how they keep the community safe. He was really impressed with how much the children knew and how confident they were with their understanding of these topics. Thank you PCSO Kassam for always supporting the school.
As part of our parent partnership, parents were invited to attend a meeting with the class teachers to be introduced to the school curriculum and everyday life at Buttercup. Online safety was explained to the parents so that they were well informed about how to keep their children safe online and what to be aware of. We also discussed what suitable games and programmes were available for children to access.
As part of Safety week, children in Key stage 2 were given special ‘Safety’ related books to read and discuss in guided reading. The books covered topics on road safety, bullying, online safety, cyber bullying and staying safe on the DLR. The children enjoyed the activities in the books and were able to identify the dangers that could be avoided. Later, they were able to extend this to their environment around the school, outside and even at home.
For safety week, Year 5&6 students had the opportunity to engage with PC Lisa, who provided valuable insights on cybercrime prevention and internet safety.
The session highlighted essential do’s and don’ts, emphasising the importance of not sharing passwords and avoiding illegal activities.
PC Lisa’s guidance not only aimed to educate but also to cultivate skills for those intrigued by hacking.
The interactive workshop with kids actively participating and showing interest, underscored its impact in raising awareness and empowering young minds to navigate the digital world responsibly.
The Year 5 and 6 children took part in the Tower Hamlets Junior Citizenship Scheme that coincided really well with our Safety Week. It took place in the Shadwell fire station where the children got the opportunity to learn citizenship and life skills with agencies such as Met Police Service, London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and Transport for London, Leyton orient football FC to name just a few. The children took part in interactive scenarios that taught strategies for leading a safer and more responsible lifestyle. The children came back with lots of new skills and aspirations of joining these agencies that help keep people safe.
We celebrated special achievements in our whole school assembly. We acknowledged children with the best attendance, best manners and best character amongst others. The Year 5 and 6 children all received medals for winning the inter school football tournament! Ustad Hassan also recognised and awarded children for calling the Adhan, leading the kutbah and leading nasiha. It was a wonderful afternoon of celebration and achievement.!
We planned a great transition afternoon for the children to meet their new teachers, classrooms and classmates for next year. The teachers spoke about preparing to move to a new class/year group. They discussed strategies to manage transitions between classes and key stages. In Key stage 2, teachers spoke about problem solving strategies for dealing with emotions, challenges and change including the transitions to new classes. There was a lot of excitement in the air and it was positive to see the children getting to know their teachers and making new friends. We are excited for the new academic year!
