21st June 2024
SAVE THE DATE
Thursdays: Tiny Tiddlers: 9am
Monday 24th June – Wednesday 26th June – Year 6 PGL
Tuesday 25th June – Tea & Talk: Reception to Year 1 transition – 8.50am
Friday 28th June – School Uniform Direct Pop-up Shop – 3.10pm
Friday 5th July – Whole school transition day
Friday 19th July – Summer Fete – 3.30pm – 6pm
Tuesday 23rd July – Year 6 Leavers Disco
Wednesday 24th July - Year 6 Leavers Assembly
Wednesday 24th July - Last day of term – 1.15pm collection
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear parents/carers,
I would like to start keeping in touch this week with baby news. Miss Lynch, our lovely KS1 Assistant Principal and phonics lead has begun her maternity leave this week. She has always been committed to ensuring children achieve their best in phonics and stayed until the very end of the last week to make sure she carried out the screening check with the children. She truly deserves to take a minute and prepare for the baby. We cannot wait to hear the news and meet the little one. She may even come along to Tiny Tiddlers. I know that Miss Wise will be ready to cuddle the baby, as today, a 9 day old attended and Miss Wise was overjoyed. Tiny Tiddlers is a wonderful group of supportive parents that love to come together each week. I enjoy popping in and saying hello. It is good for the soul!
Some children also wanted to wish Miss Lynch all the very best with pictures and messages.
I know you will join me in thanking the PE team for a fantastic sports day. All four sessions went seamlessly with everyone engaged and having fun. Thank you for coming along and making it such a community event – it was a great atmosphere! I have experienced many a sports day and can whole heartedly say that Mr Felton and Mr Blewett know how to put on a ‘sports day special’. The cheer squad ‘DA Darlings’ came along to open the KS2 events sharing their special dance routine and message ‘Try Everything.’
Sports days wouldn’t be traditional without the parent and toddler races – thank you! The staff were very competitive at the tug of war too!
This week ended with Year six Business Enterprise Day. We have certainly got some young entrepreneurs amongst us. Children across the academy enjoyed attending and every penny spent will contribute to the year 6 legacy fund.
Next week, our year six’s set off for their residential to Marchants Hill, and those that remain have their very own PGL at home. Whether they are home or away, they will have the best time I am sure. I still remember my junior school residential to Butlins in Bognor Regis. We had to wear the school colour bobble hat and it was freezing! Year Six – count yourselves lucky!
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and as always, enjoy your family time together.
Mrs Nicholls
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Junior Music Festival
Last Friday, KS2 choir attended the Junior Music Festival at the Cliffs Pavilion. This year’s theme was ‘School Days’ and the choir sang a variety of songs all linked to their time at school and the lessons they may have. Some of their favourites being a history song about Henry VII’s wives from the musical ‘SIX’, learning other languages in ‘It’s a small world’ and a science song looking at the human body with the song ‘Dem Bones’. They also loved the dance routine to ‘5. 6, 7, 8’.
Our choir showed real determination to learn all the songs ready for their performance. This event, run by SEESMA, is an amazing opportunity to be part of as it provides them with a sense of belonging through singing with other local schools from the area and confidence to stand up on stage and perform to a packed audience. They all performed with the biggest smiles on their face and shone like stars. Well Done KS2 choir, I am very proud of you all!
Year 5 trip to Chase High
Last Friday, Year 5 took part in the annual taster day session at Chase High School.
After a brief welcome in the canteen, we started our carousel of activities.
Our first activity was a sporting one with either rounders or a cricket-like game on the astro pitches. Afterwards, the children were led to the classrooms by some familiar former Darlinghurst pupils into the main building and we had an English language writing lesson. The task was to create a sweet packet for magical sweets with a delicious or gross description on the back. There were some amazing creations!
We then regrouped in the main theater for a science demonstration that showcased physics, chemistry and biology with some explosive and colourful results.
The children had a fabulous time and were engaged and involved throughout all aspects of the day. Well done Y5.
National Writing Day
There was a buzz around the academy this week as we celebrated National Writing Day, June 19th. Children shared a Writing for Enjoyment lesson which gave them the opportunity to write freely and creatively. Classes played games including guess the character and ‘sunny day, rainy day’ where something good happens to a character followed by a not so good event! It was wonderful to see the children engaging with their partners, using rich and exciting vocabulary and enjoying sharing their thoughts and ideas before being given a chance to write about anything they wanted.
Children across the academy produced amazing, imaginative work that they were so keen to share with their friends and teachers. The children in Reception drew some beautiful, colourful pictures and wrote about them. Year 6 created poems, horror stories and diary entries to name just a few and our Year 5 children shared stories about alien sports day – very topical this week! It has certainly inspired them and we look forward to more opportunities to celebrate our love of writing next academic year.
Dolphin Bay
This week in Dolphin Bay, we have written our own adventure story where we found a fosil. We have looked at real life fossils and made our own with plaster. To end the week, we created our own fossil hunt using sand, card and lots of glue.
Belfairs Summer Showcase
Belfairs Academy would like to invite our families to their annual Summer Showcase on the 2nd July 4pm – 6pm. They will be exhibiting Art, Photography, Textiles and 3D design work, along with canapes provided by Hospitality and Catering students. This would be a great opportunity for prospective students to have an insight into the creative work produced at Belfairs Academy and build aspirations.
School Uniform Direct Pop-up Shop
School Uniform Direct will be holding a pop-up shop on Friday 28th June. They will be in the main hall from 3.10pm where you can purchase
Tea & Talk
GET IN TOUCH
Darlinghurst Academy
Pavilion Drive
Leigh on Sea
Essex
SS9 3JS
CONTACT US
T. 01702 478379
F. 01702 509207
E. generalenquiries@darlinghurstacademy.org.uk