Category Archives: Lammermuir

Duntarvie, Glendevon, Hopetoun, Lammermuir, Lomond, Ochiltree, Pentland

A Musical Journey Across Our Classes 

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đŸŽ¶ A Musical Journey Across Our Classes 

It’s been a busy and creative time in our music sessions, with learners across the school exploring sound, rhythm and technology in exciting ways. 

đŸŒ©ïž Primary and Lammermuir Classes 

Our younger learners had great fun bringing songs to life. We sang Mr Macarella with enthusiasm and explored the sounds of weather through I Hear Thunder and Rain Rain Go Away. Using a range of instruments—including drums, thunder drums, rainsticks and accordion—students experimented with loud and quiet sounds, creating their own imaginative soundscapes. 

đŸŽ” Pentland Class 

Loopimal interface (c) Yayatoy

Pentland class combined music and technology to create pieces that were both energetic and calming. Using the Loopimal app on iPads, learners built lively beats by swiping shapes onto a timeline, creating music to move to. Afterwards, they used the Bloom app to compose gentle, peaceful soundscapes, perfect for relaxing and unwinding. 

The interface of the Bloom app. A tap creates an circle and corresponding sound that then gently repeats and fades like ripples in a pond. (c) Generative Music

đŸ„ Secondary Cross-Class Groups 

Our secondary learners explored music in a hands-on and playful way using boomwhackers. They investigated how sound is created by looking, listening and experimenting—tapping the tubes on their bodies and classroom surfaces to produce different tones. They also stepped into the world of digital music production, creating uptempo backing tracks in GarageBand, experimenting with genres from rock to house. 

🌟 Soundbeam Adventures 

Soundbeam switches, sensor and console (c) Soundbeam

A highlight this term has been the introduction of our new Soundbeam kit. After staff training, students had the chance to explore this innovative technology, which uses switches and infrared beams to create music. One of the most popular activities was the Jungle scenario, where students triggered animal sounds and video clips while using Soundbeams to play flute and percussion sounds. 

This exciting new resource has already been a big hit, and we’re looking forward to developing our skills and creativity with it even further next year. 

It’s been wonderful to see creativity, curiosity and collaboration shine through music across all classes! đŸŽ¶Â 

Therapy Continues to Inspire 

Around the school, our Music Therapists, Sophie and Ellie, continue their fantastic work with the children, providing engaging and meaningful sessions that encourage communication, self-expression, and wellbeing. Through music-based activities, children are given opportunities to explore sounds, develop social skills, and build confidence in a supportive and nurturing environment. 

Alongside this, Charan’s Dance Therapy sessions remain as popular as ever. The children thoroughly enjoy taking part in movement-based activities that promote creativity, coordination, and self-confidence while offering a fun and energetic way to express themselves. 

Our school choir has also continued to flourish, helping children grow in confidence when using their voices. By taking turns using the microphone, pupils are developing their speaking and singing confidence, while action songs and call-and-response activities encourage participation, listening skills, and teamwork. It has been wonderful to see the children engage with the opportunities to perform and take part. 

These therapeutic and creative opportunities continue to make a positive impact across the school, helping children develop confidence, communication skills, and a love of music and movement. 

Duntarvie, Glendevon, Hopetoun, Lammermuir, Ochiltree

A Busy and Joyful Term in Music

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đŸŽ¶ A Busy and Joyful Term in Music

This term has been a wonderfully busy one for Music, filled with creativity, participation, and plenty of joyful noise. We’ve been fortunate to continue our partnership with Live Music Now, whose visits always bring excitement, inspiration, and high-quality live performance experiences for our pupils. Alongside them, our Music Therapists have continued their invaluable work, supporting children through personalised, expressive sessions that foster communication, confidence, and emotional wellbeing.

🌈 Early Years Musical Adventures

Our younger learners have also enjoyed a rich musical experience this term. Caterpillar Music visited Hopetoun class, with Lammermuir joining in for a series of lively themed sessions full of songs, actions, instruments, and sensory play. Early Years music has also included further activities focused on movement, choosing favourite nursery rhymes, and opportunities for gentle musical relaxation. These sessions have supported early communication, turn‑taking, and joy in shared musical experiences.

😌 Dance Therapy: Movement, Music, and Mindfulness

Our Dance Therapy sessions with Charan have also been a highlight. In addition to regular groups, a special Thursday lunchtime session has been running, where Charan collaborates with Gordon, who provides flute accompaniment.

The combination of gentle melodies, soft percussion, and expressive movement has created a calm and relaxing space for the children. It’s been lovely to see pupils engaging in this soothing environment, with singing and vocalisation in response to the calm movement and sounds.

🎧 Making Musical Choices: ASDAN Awards

Several of our secondary pupils have been working hard toward their ASDAN awards, focusing on skills such as making choices and expressing preferences in Music. Using switches, students have been selecting pieces of music and choosing which songs they’d like to hear in full.

The range of musical tastes has been fantastic—from rock classics and ABBA favourites to Gigglebellies, Louis Armstrong, and more. The sessions have often been full of energy, with pupils showing good attention and engagement. Scarves and ribbons have added extra fun as the children move, sway, and dance along to the music they’ve chosen.

It’s been a term full of creativity, expression, and meaningful musical moments. We can’t wait to see what next term brings!

Lammermuir

Lammermuir Term 1

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We have had a busy start to our year in nursery.  We have been to Space with our topic where we shared interactive stories, used our sensory tuff tray and made some space themed goodies during cooking activities.  In art we made some flying saucers and decorated our own planets using a salad spinner.

We went for an autumn walk to collect some pinecones, fallen leaves and twigs to use in class as part of our autumn theme.  In cooking we made some muffins and some shortbread biscuits which we cut into pumpkin shapes.  We also explored our sensory tray with some scented oranges and cinnamon sticks.

 

Lammermuir

Lammermuir – End of Term

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I can’t believe we are so close to the end of term.  What a  busy term it has been! We have been focusing on our community this term. We have had lots of opportunities to get out and about on local walks, looking for signs of spring, visits to xcite cafe, Pumpherston park, Craigmair nursing home, Jaks’ Den and Almondale farm! The children have really enjoyed these new experiences and have got lots out of the different visits.

The parks proved popular with everyone, the swings, trampolines and sand pits were definitely favourites.  We also really enjoyed our own garden and playground and have been making the most of the nice weather by splashing in our paddling pool too!

We enjoyed making cards for people in the community that help us and we also raised money for a local charity, Jaks’s den by baking sweet treats and selling them in school.  We raised a whopping ÂŁ300!

I have been so impressed by all of the children’s progress this term too. Each and everyone of them has worked so hard on their targets and made really positive steps. I hope everyone has a well earned rest over summer and we look forward to seeing you all soon!

Lammermuir

Term Three in Lammermuir

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We have had a busy term in Lammermuir.  We have had lots of events such as World Book Day,  Science week and Red Nose Day. We have enjoyed exploring all these themes with fun messy play activities, art Activities, baking and Sensory stories.

For world Book Day we enjoyed the Hungry Caterpillar story and activities in class and we enjoyed an outdoor book hunt and the Goldilocks and three bears story and some puppet shows!

The Red Nose Day cafe was great fun we loved baking our empire biscuits and using the photo booth.  We also danced along to the Red Nose Day song.

For science week we made some seed bombs and gave them to our mums for Mothers Day and we also made a grass head which we water in class.

We have been getting some new things for our garden and have enjoyed exploring them.  We got some new outdoor chalk boards, some musical toys and mirrors and also some mud kitchen toys.  We have been enjoying some nicer weather and making the most of it in our outdoor space.

We have been learning about spring and Easter too.  We enjoyed an egg hunt in the garden and also decorated some Easter eggs.

What a busy term, the children have all worked so hard on all their targets this term too and we have seen lovely progress! We hope everyone enjoys their well earned break!

Lammermuir, Uncategorized

Topic, Topic Topic!

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Lammermuir have been busy bees since coming back from the Christmas break.  We have had lots of fun activities arranged around our topics of Winter, Robert Buns, Chinese New Year and Valentines.

For our Winter topic, we made snowman sensory bags, played with real snow in the garden, made our own snow and also explored some hot chocolate powder and marshmallows in our messy play sessions. We made igloo paintings and melted snowmen in art, using white paint.  We used lego bricks to print our igloo pictures.  We explored winter treasure baskets and also enjoyed playing games like building up a big snowman made of boxes and trying to knock him down. This activity was one of our favourites and we were all really good at turn taking.

For Chinese New Year we enjoyed listening to Chinese  music, exploring the treasure baskets and playing Chinese restaurants with the home corner materials.  We made Chinese lanterns in art and explored some rice and noodles in messy play.

We had good fun learning about Robert Burns too. We made our own tartan pictures using pieces of paper and done some mark making to colour in our Robert Burns picture.   We dressed up in tartan items and enjoyed our whole school ceilidh and Linda’s son, Isaac  came in and played the pipes for us too.  We really enjoyed it. Some of us tasted porridge for snack and some of us explore it with our hands for messy play too.

We explored some red jelly and angel delight for valentines messy and play also red water play with heart shapes.  We made some canvas pictures and sun catchers for Valentines too.

We are all looking forward to the February break for some well earned rest, ready to tackle the next term!

Duntarvie, Glendevon, Hopetoun, Lammermuir, Lomond, Ochiltree, Uncategorized, Whole School

Harvest Cafe and Foodbank

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Last week we celebrated harvest time by hosting a cafe for all our friends and families.  There were lots of visitors. The pupils made some delicious autumn treats to share with everyone. There was also a collection for the foodbank and a raffle. In total we made £134 and also had lots of donations of tins and packets of food. The secondary pupils are looking forward to visiting the shops to spend the money buying other essential items for the foodbank. Great work everyone!

Global Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing

Global Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Lammermuir

Elmer

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Our topic is Elmer the Elephant this term.  We have been doing lots of fun activities linked to the book.  We read an interactive version of the story and all the children enjoyed feeling the animals and using the switch.

We have done some messy play activities with colourful rice, ice cubes and pom poms! Everyone explored the different textures and colours really well. In art we made our very own Elmer using milk cartons and tissue paper, we also used colourful paint in lots if ways to make some wonderful pieces of art. We explored paint, pens and crayons in theses activities.

We did a little science experiment with skittles and watched all the colours spreading around the plate and we played with coloured ice cubes and watched the colour mixing as the melted too! We have been exploring colour in our colour group too, the children enjoyed choosing different items to explore in this group.

 

What a fun topic this has been!

Duntarvie, Glendevon, Hopetoun, Lammermuir, Lomond, Ochiltree, Pentland

Music Autumn 2023

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This term we have focused on making choices in Music. Lammermuir joined Hopetoun for some fun for Hairy Scary Castle, first choosing spooky sounds from switches for Halloween and then using symbols to select animals to sing about for Old McDonald’s Farm. Pentland also made musical choices with instruments and symbols and appreciated movement and relaxation.

In Lomond the children greatly enjoyed coming together, singing nursery rhymes and  playing along with instruments. Sometimes this could be up tempo or more relaxed, depending on the needs of the day.
Glendevon focused on our regular routines, structure, and exploring instruments, including playing along on wooden instruments and dancing to a percussion track by Moondog – an American improvisational composer and performer.
Duntarvie worked towards their SQAs by playing different ranges of instruments for different moods and textures, such as tuned instruments in A minor or wooden instruments. This is to work towards a project in 2024 with Ochiltree, who followed similar lessons.
All the classes enjoyed some Song Massage with All the Leaves and then All the Snow as we got to December. The children had a great time moving to some Christmas songs and playing along to Jingle Bells. In case things felt too busy, we also had some sensory music time, taking some time to relax while exploring instruments to gentle music with subdued lighting and festive lights.
Lammermuir

Lammermuir Term 2

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This term in Lammermuir we have been busy celebrating lots of different events – From Children in Need to St Andrew’s day, World Children’s Day to Christmas.  We have taken part in cooking and baking activities, arts and crafts activities and some relaxing activities.

We hope you all have a lovely Christmas and Happy New Year!

From everyone in Lammermuir