Dear Parents and Carers,
Thank you to all of you who supported our open evening on Thursday. We hope you enjoyed seeing all the work across the school as well as the choirs, recorder group, ukulele group, the Portico Art and Design Exhibition and our French presentation (and managed to sample some of the delicious treats created by our Baking Club). I hope you will agree that the staff put on a wonderful show of your children's work.
We're all looking forward to the last week of term, especially our sports morning on Tuesday, at Belfairs. I hope that you (and the sun) will join us!
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.
Best wishes,
Mrs Woolf
Executive Headteacher
Diary Dates
New dates in italics
Advance Notice: End of year school reports will be sent home on Friday 12th July to your personal email address held in the school office.
July 2024
- Saturday 13th - Sunday 14th Leigh Art Trail Exhibition - Selected children exhibiting @ St Pierre School
- Monday 15th - Year 6 House Team Swimming Gala
- Tuesday 16th - Sports Morning 9am - 12pm @ Belfairs
- Wednesday 17th - Anti-Bullying Ambassador training
- Thursday 18th - Year 6 Leavers' Assembly 2pm - 3pm
- Friday 19th - Last Day of Term
- No After School Club
- Monday 22nd - INSET DAY
Year 3
The penultimate week of the summer term in Year 3 has been a very exciting one! We were lucky enough to be visited by Southend High School for Girls who performed a wonderful concert to us on Monday afternoon. The children were blown away by their talents on display, ranging from the flute to the piano. Continuing the musical theme, on Tuesday, the Music Man Project visited West Leigh and performed a range of songs to the school, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. On Wednesday, the children met their new teachers for Year 4 and enjoyed an exciting morning in their classroom for next year. They were also entertained on Thursday morning when Eddie from Year 3 performed his famous Punch and Judy show which was both entertaining and remarkable!
In English, the children wrote persuasive letters to the local MP, encouraging him to reduce plastic pollution in Leigh-on-Sea. They applied their persuasive skills from last week and included facts to further convince him.
Fractions have been a focus in maths lessons this week, including adding, subtracting and ordering fractions. The children also explored equivalent fractions using a fraction wall.
The children applied all of their learning from our ‘Old Father Thames’ topic in Connected Curriculum lessons this week by creating a Leigh-on-Sea leaflet. They linked the persuasive features learned in our English lessons to encourage a tourist to visit the town. Their leaflets included information about the local restaurants, pubs, shops, the library and Belfairs Woods.
Thank you to those who have offered to help on 3L and 3N’s rescheduled trip to the beach on Monday 15th July. Please ensure the children bring a packed lunch.
Year 4
The penultimate week of the school year has flown by with continuing hard work and good humour from the children.
Our final science lesson assessed the children’s understanding of classification. They gathered information from around the school before sorting and classifying their findings.
In maths lessons, we have been reviewing division facts and making links with fractions. In some classes, we have also practised long or expanded division which has also enabled the children to review their quick recall of times tables facts.
Finishing our final layered reading text of the year left many children experiencing a shiver down their spine as they discovered the twist in the tale. They have loved The Butterfly Lion and enjoyed creating their own Adonis Blue butterfly with their thoughts and reviews of their favourite part of the story.
In other English lessons, the children have had the opportunity to research the question, ‘Is it right to keep animals in captivity?’ Researching facts for both sides of the argument, they have honed their debating skills and there have been some passionate and entertaining discussions.
Year 5
Throughout our penultimate week before the summer, the children continued to demonstrate exceptional commitment and determination. Despite persistent damp weather, they enthusiastically embraced our outdoor geographical field study. A central question guiding their exploration was whether cocoa could thrive in Essex. Engaging in a variety of activities, they meticulously measured weather conditions, compared them against optimal parameters, examined soil diversity, studied environmental species, and sketched the varied landscape. It was truly gratifying to see the children analyse data and draw connections to their previous learning. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all parents for their invaluable support as this field trip would not have been possible without your help.
Year 6
In their penultimate week as pupils of West Leigh Junior School, Year 6 have been, as ever, rather busy. On Wednesday and Friday, two classes travelled to Southend to complete a geographical field study. In addition to this, the highlight of the trip was the opportunity to learn more about the impressive and thought-provoking sculpture, located at the north end of Southend High Street – The Knife Angel. This experience was certainly very poignant, and we were very much impressed with the depth of questions our pupils put to the experts and police to whom they were speaking.
Unsurprisingly, there have also been further rehearsals this week for the upcoming leavers assembly, and although there is more work to do, they have made significant progress in all aspects of their production. There has been much laughter and joy within the sessions which is as important as the production itself. We look forward to seeing many of you next week at the performance on Thursday afternoon.
SHSG Performance
In Year 3 this week, the children were treated to some wonderful performances from Year 10 and Year 12 students from Southend High School for Girls. Many of the students are studying GCSE and A-level music and were keen to perform. Our children were a wonderful audience and were very impressed by the singers and instrumentalists who demonstrated how, with practice and dedication, it is possible to become a very proficient musician. During the recital they listened to music from Chopin, Mozart and even Harry Styles. We look forward to further opportunities with SHSG next year.
WLJS Chess Club
Our chess club has been a huge success this year. Thanks to the hard work of our two parent volunteers, Mrs Dos Santos and Mr Rice, the children have played games, become confident chess players and greatly improved their skills,
For several years, we missed having a chess club in school - and it is only thanks to Mr Rice and Mrs Dos Santos that we have been able to re-establish this club. Unfortunately (although we wish them well!) Mr Rice and his family are relocating and therefore he will be unable to continue running our chess club.
Mrs Dos Santos has kindly agreed to keep running the club, but will need someone to share this responsibility with. If there are any parents, ideally with a chess background/love of chess, who are able to help with this, we would be very grateful. Mr Rice will be here in September, enabling a smooth handover, and training is available. Please get in touch with Mrs London via the school office if this is something you would be able to do.
Music Man Project
On Tuesday afternoon, the Music Man Project, with David Stanley, performed for the whole school. In a packed dining hall, it was a wonderfully magic afternoon where the children were encouraged to listen and also participate in a number of the songs which the MMP Ambassadors have performed all over the world – they have just returned from a very successful trip to Canada. We feel very lucky to have a special relationship with David and the Music Man Project and we hope they will continue to visit us for many years to come.
Online Safety
The National College and Online Safety
If you still need to sign up to the Online Safety portal, please follow the link https://nationalcollege.com/enrol/west-leigh-junior-school and add yourself as a parent.
Key Notices this Week
Picnic Blankets Required: As we are planning on eating a picnic-style lunch on the playground after sports morning on Tuesday, please could children bring a picnic blanket to school on Monday.
Chess Club Next Year: Mrs Dos Santos has kindly agreed to keep running chess club next year, but will need someone to share this responsibility. If there are any parents, ideally with a chess background/love of chess, who are able to help with this, we would be very grateful. Mr Rice will be here in September, enabling a smooth handover, and training is available. Please get in touch with Mrs London via the school office if this is something you would be able to do.
Sports Day Lunch: Please remember to pay for your child's sports day lunch which is listed as a payment item on ParentPay. Please do not order in the usual way. Any meals already booked on 16th July will be cancelled. The children will be asked what they want in class and all allergies will be accounted for.
After School Club: Please don't forget that there will be no After School Club on the last day of term.
Attendance Changes: There are changes coming in September regarding unauthorised absences (including holidays) and penalty fines. Please keep your eyes open and keep checking the attendance section of the website for more details.
School Payments: Please ensure that all debts are cleared before the start of the summer holidays, including school meals, Breakfast Club, After School Club, extra-curricular clubs, trips, swimming contributions, 11+ Summer school and residential instalments.
Inspirational Person
Our final inspirational person for this year is Favio Chavez. He is known for his work with the Cateura Orchestra of Recycled Instruments - an orchestra formed of young people living in Cateura, whose parents spend their days working on a rubbish dump, locating materials they can sell. In this town, a real musical instrument would be worth more than a house, so it would be dangerous for children to own one. Instead, Favio worked with the children to create instruments using recycled materials and taught them to play at a very high standard. He is an inspiration as he took something that others would consider worthless and used it to change the lives of children.
A huge well done to all those who completed last half term's Showbie challenge - make sure that you see Mrs London for your prize. For the final Showbie challenge of the year, you need to design something from rubbish! You could design a musical instrument like Favio, or it could be something else completely – but whatever it is, it must be something useful. You could draw and label your design, or even make it if you are feeling really creative! Drawings or photos of your creations can be uploaded to Showbie.
Animals in Action Photography Competition
This summer, Portico Academy will be running their second photography competition which will also become an online exhibition.
We would like to invite you all to take some snapshots that are linked to nature and the beautiful world of animals in action. You may take inspiration from interesting insects or animals found in your natural environments. Why not snap your own pet in action? Your entry must showcase animals ‘in action’, whether that is indoors or outside in the natural world. Whilst out and about this summer, can you find some minibeasts in action? Or maybe a naughty seagull along the seafront?
Please send your photographs to: ArtSubjectLeaders@porticoacademytrust.co.uk along with a title for your photography entry. You must include your full name, school and new class for September 2024. Please only send in one entry per child.
Last Year's Winner
Well done to Isla in Year 5 for her winning entry in this year's Portico Academy competition. Please see Isla's entry below:
Dinner Menu
Week 1
Monday - Homemade sausage, tomato & vegetable wholemeal pasta - Jacket potato with baked bean, cheese or tuna mayonnaise - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Sweetcorn, Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Cocktail
Tuesday - Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce - Quorn Meatballs in Tomato Sauce - Granary Baguette with Tuna Mayonnaise - Pasta, Sweetcorn and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Flapjack
Wednesday - Traditional Roast Chicken with Yorkshire Pudding - Quorn in Vegetable Gravy with Yorkshire Pudding - Wholemeal Wrap with Ham and Tortilla Chips - Roast Potatoes, Carrots/Green Beans and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Banana Cake
Thursday - Bacon and Cheese Quiche with Shortcrust Pastry Base - Cheese and Onion Quiche with Shortcrust Pastry Base - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Baby Potatoes, Homemade Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Carrot Cake
Friday - 100% Fish Fingers - Vegetable Fingers - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Potato cubes, Baked Beans and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt, Ice Lollies/ Ice Cream Sponge
Don't forget to check out our new online bookshop here.
Swimming
Please ensure that your child has their full kit with them on swimming days as we will no longer be phoning home for forgotten kits.
Monday
- 3M - Mrs Millham
- 4B - Mr Boylan
- 3N - Mrs Nash & Mrs Mitchinson
Tuesday
- 3L - Miss Playfair
- 4G - Mrs Garrett & Mrs Nash
- 4S - Miss Street
Wednesday
- 3T - Mrs Thompson
- 5K - Miss Chapman
- 5R - Mrs Lewis
Thursday
- 6D - Miss Fletcher
- 5J - Mrs Wilson
- 5F - Mrs Flower
Friday
- 6W - Mr Dunn
- 4E - Mrs Rodger
- 6P - Miss Poysden
- 6A - Mrs Mears
PE Lessons
Please ensure that your child is wearing their full kit on PE days as we will no longer be phoning home for forgotten kits.
Second Half Term:
3L
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3M
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3N
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3T
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4B
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
4E
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursdasy
4G
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4S
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
5F
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5J
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
5K
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5R
- Indoor PE - Thursday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
6A
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
6D
- Indoor - Wednesday
- Outdoor - Monday
6P
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
6W
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
Attendance
Well done to 5K who achieved the best attendance this week with 99.62%.
House Points
FRIENDS OF WEST LEIGH SCHOOLS (FOWLS) NEEDS YOUR HELP
Is everyone fully aware of Friends of West Leigh Schools (FOWLS)? We are a registered charity and our purpose is to raise additional funds for both the Infant and Junior schools.
Our aim is to create amazing experiences for the children. Last year, FOWLS raised a staggering £53,000 for the schools and this has paid for books, iPads, screens, a new library, playground equipment etc. What some of you may not know is that FOWLS is 100% manned by parent volunteers. We all have children at the school just like you and we are passionate about them having the best school life they can, which often comes with a price tag attached.
Despite the great amount raised, this is just scratching the surface of what we can do. We can do so much and raise so much more but we lack the manpower. Are you able to help us expand? We desperately need volunteers with varying skill sets and even if you could just spare an hour a week, we can still use you. Below are a list of key current vacancies, so if you can help in any way to enhance the children's experience at West Leigh, please email us at friendsofwls@outlook.com or contact us via facebook/Friends of West Leigh Schools.
- Treasurer
- Ticket Fundraiser
- Fayre/Raffle Co-ordinator