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Celebrating World Music Day Across Portico Academy Trust
Last weekend, pupils and staff from across all five schools in Portico Academy Trust came together to celebrate World Music Day in a truly special way. Our joint music video, featuring the uplifting song "Make Your Own Kind of Music", showcases the incredible talent, creativity and community spirit that exists across our Trust. From singing and dancing to playing instruments and performing with confidence, every child involved helped create something memorable. The project highlights the power of music to bring people together, strengthen connections and celebrate individuality – perfectly reflecting the message of the song itself. We are incredibly proud of all the children and staff who took part and would like to thank everyone who helped make this collaboration such a success. Take a look at the video and see if you can spot your child!
Summer 2 Term Diary Dates
Please note that there will be no After School Club on Tuesday 14th July or Friday 17th July.
June
- Monday 29th - Quiz Club Finals at Oxford University
- Coastal Schools (4C)
- Tuesday 30th - Year 6 visit to The Oval/Cricket World Cup
- King John Transition Day
- Year 5 girls football trials
July
- Wednesday 1st - All children to wear PE kit
- Year 5 Cricket World Cup Taster
- Thursday 2nd - All children to wear PE
- Coastal Schools
- Lower School Summer Safety Assembly
- Swimming Gala
- Friday 3rd - Whole School Transition Morning
- Year 6 transition day
- Monday 6th - Thursday 9th - School Photo
- Fun Swim
- Tuesday 7th - Football Trails (4B, 4SW & 5G)
- Wednesday 8th - Principal for the Day
- Football Trials (4E, 5A & 5F)
- Thursday 9th - Friday 10th - Year 3 Danbury
- Friday 10th - Non-Uniform Day (bring something for the fayre)
- Year 6 Swimming Gala
- Annual School Reports
- Saturday 11th - Summer Fayre
- Tuesday 14th - Year 5 & 6 - Brownes Boot Camp
- Open Evening - 5pm - 7pm
- No After School Club
- Wednesday 15th - Rescheduled Sports Day
- Thursday 16th - Leavers Assembly to Parents
- Friday 17th - Last Day of Term
- No After School Club
Year 3
This week, our classes travelled all the way to Australia through our learning! In maths, we explored coordinates by playing a fun game of Battleships with a twist. Instead of ships, we searched for colourful coral reef creatures and objects, helping us practise reading and plotting coordinates in an exciting way. In Art and Science, we discovered the important issue of coral bleaching. We learned how changes in the ocean affect coral reefs and their vibrant colours. Using watercolours or felt tip pens, we created beautiful side-by-side artwork to show the difference between healthy, colourful coral and bleached coral. This helped us understand how environmental changes impact marine life. In English, we learned about the features of persuasive texts, including powerful vocabulary, facts, and clear arguments. We used iPads to research plastic pollution, finding out how it harms oceans and how we can help prevent it. We then created our own persuasive posters, encouraging others to reduce plastic use and protect marine habitats. Classes also explored Aboriginal culture, learning about traditional didgeridoos and enjoying a special visit from Mrs Carr, who brought in her own didgeridoo for us to see – it was great fun! We also created Aboriginal-inspired artwork using dot painting techniques, producing colourful and meaningful designs. We have loved learning about Australia and how we can help look after our planet!
PE Days Summer 2
3T
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3H
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3L
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3M
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
Swimming
- 3H - Monday
- 3L – Tuesday
- 3T – Wednesday
- 3M – Wednesday
Year 4
Once again, we have come to the end of a very warm but hard-working week. In English, the children have studied the wordless picture book, Window, by Jeannie Baker. They identified the meaning within the story and how it evolved over time. They examined each of the pictures in detail and created a range of figurative phrases to describe what they could see, including: similes, metaphors and personification. They applied these phrases to write a poem using a layout of their choice. As mathematicians, there has been a focus on geometry, where the children have revised the various types of angle. They have used the correct mathematical vocabulary to identify and sort a range of polygons, including triangles and quadrilaterals, based on their properties. Using iPads, they have also used a variety of apps and games to reinforce this knowledge further. In science, the children have investigated how classification keys are used to identify living things. Using pictures of well-known sweets, the children devised questions in order to identify them and created branching databases to show this information. Year 4 have also been having great fun becoming mechanical engineers this week! As part of our D&T project, the children have been challenged to design a brand-new spinning fairground ride for the Bedford Resort theme park. They carefully analysed a design brief and considered how to meet its requirements. Each child sketched their chosen ride from multiple perspectives, thinking creatively about how a motor could be incorporated to make it spin. It’s been wonderful to see their imaginative ideas come to life.
Please note that the following dates have been arranged for Coastal Schools:
- 4B - Thursday 2nd July
- 4C - Monday 29th June
- 4SW - Wednesday 1st July
- 4E - Tuesday 7th July
PE Days Summer 2
4B
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4E
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
4SW
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
4C
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
Swimming
- 4B - Monday
- 4SW - Monday
- 4C - Wednesday
- 4E - Friday
Year 5
Despite the heat, the children have remained cheerful, focused and wonderfully positive. They have continued to engage with their learning and have shown real enthusiasm across all areas of the curriculum. Some of our Year 5 children have also had the opportunity, while Year 6 enjoy their Ilam and Southend adventures, to take on a range of roles of responsibility within the school. These have included helping as tuck monitors and carrying out prefect duties. We have been incredibly proud of how maturely they have approached these roles and how confidently they have risen to the challenge. Their enthusiasm, reliability and teamwork have shone through, and we know that next year the school will be in very safe hands. Their experiences this week have given them a real taste of leadership and responsibility, and they have embraced both with positivity and pride. In maths, the children have been learning about the difference between capacity and volume. They explored this through practical investigations, building shapes with cubes to discover that different structures can share the same volume. This hands‑on approach helped them recognise and compare shapes more confidently. The children then reviewed their prior knowledge of capacity by examining containers of different shapes and sizes, estimating how much liquid each might hold. They discussed how tall, narrow containers can appear to hold more than short, broad ones, even when the capacity is identical. To complete the unit, the children converted between units of capacity, including litres, kilolitres and megalitres, applying their understanding in increasingly challenging contexts. In English, the children have been working hard to review their planning and refine their writing. They have thoroughly enjoyed creating their own imaginative short stories from a different culture, drawing on everything they have learned throughout the year. They have focused on cohesion, detailed and sophisticated description, and engaging the reader through a wide range of figurative language. It has been wonderful to see them putting their skills into practice with such confidence and creativity. They are very much looking forward to sharing their completed stories with parents and carers during our upcoming open evening. Although some classes were unable to cook their chilli due to the heat, all children had the opportunity to learn how to safely prepare vegetables and practise safe cutting techniques. They also explored how to scale a recipe up or down for different numbers of people, applying their multiplication and division skills in a real‑life context. The children examined food packaging, discussing how images, colours and language are used to entice consumers. They then applied their mathematical knowledge by creating their own packaging using nets, linking their learning back to shape and structure. The recipe and full instructions are available on Showbie for any children who were unable to cook. An evaluation form is also included, and we would love to see photos and reflections uploaded. In science this week, the children have been learning about what happens when materials burn. They discovered that burning creates new materials, and that this type of change is not usually reversible. Through discussion and practical demonstrations, they explored the three elements needed for a fire to burn — oxygen, heat and fuel — and learned that removing any one of these will stop a fire. They also examined different methods used to extinguish fires, including water, foam and fire blankets, and considered why each method is effective. The children were able to explain, using real‑life examples, why burning results in a permanent change.
PE Days Summer 2
5G
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5A
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
5N
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
5F
- Indoor PE - Thursday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
Swimming
- 5N – Tuesday
- 5F – Tuesday
- 5G – Thursday
- 5A – Thursday
Year 6
As Year 6 have been in Derbyshire or in and around Southend all week, we look forward to hearing about all their exciting experiences in next week's newsletter.
PE Days Summer 2
6D
- Indoor - Wednesday
- Outdoor - Monday
6K
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Wednesday
6W
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Wednesday
6S
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
Swimming
- 6D - Thursday
- 6S - Friday
- 6K - Friday
- 6W - Friday
Year 6 Summer Fayre Helpers
It has been a Fayre tradition to invite Year 6 students to help on a stall at the Fayre. They can choose a friend they would like to do it with. We just ask that they follow the rules of the game and only give prize stamps in line with the rules of the game. It’s a fun experience for them and we love them being part of our Fayre. If your child/children would like to volunteer, please complete the form below which is your consent allowing them to be at the Fayre on the 11th July. If you put their friend's name down, please check the friend's parents/carers have also completed the form. Thank you very much and we look forward to seeing you and them at the Fayre.
Online Safety
Invoice fraud can affect schools in costly and disruptive ways, particularly when criminals exploit busy finance processes or familiar supplier relationships. This guide explains how fraudsters may use convincing invoices, small email changes and pressure tactics to trick staff into sending payments to the wrong account. It also highlights practical warning signs to watch for, including unusual wording, discrepancies against previous invoices and unexpected requests to update bank details. With clear advice on verifying details, cross-checking invoices, using dual approval and reporting concerns quickly, the guide supports schools in strengthening their fraud awareness.
School News
Principal for the Day
Over the past few weeks, four Year 5 candidates have been busy on the campaign trail, working hard to secure votes for Principal for the Day. Eddie, Grace, Josh and Havisha all impressed with their applications and went on to create posters and videos, speak at lunchtime meetings, and even deliver speeches to the whole school. With a range of exciting campaign promises – including ideas for lunchtimes, non-uniform days and fun lesson activities – the children of West Leigh had a tough decision to make: who would they choose as their Principal for the Day? In true election style, every child cast their vote last Thursday. They visited the polling station, stepped into the voting booth and placed their ballot into the box. There was a real buzz of excitement in the corridor as pupils eagerly took part in this democratic process. The results were announced in Friday’s assembly, and we are delighted to share that Josh has been elected as our Principal for the Day! Over the coming weeks, he will begin putting his campaign promises into action, ahead of officially taking on the role on Tuesday 8th July.
Sports News
Super Sports Success
Twelve children competed in their track events at Super Sports on Tuesday. It is an incredible achievement to even qualify for this event, competing against the best athletes across Southend. Our athletes competed fantastically in challenging conditions. Max was the champion of the Year 4 boys' sprint, Evie was the champion of the Year 3 girls' 400m race and George was the champion of the Year 5 boys' 600m race. There was success in the relay races too as our Year 5 girls and Year 4 boys both finished in second place. A special mention to Zara and Herbie who competed in their 600m and 400m races - they raced brilliantly and fought right up until the finish line, representing West Leigh perfectly! Well done, athletes! What a pleasure it was to see you showcase your talents!
Dinner Menu
Week 2
Monday - Homemade Creamy Cheese and Vegetable Pasta Bake with Garlic Bread - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayo - Wholemeal Wrap with Egg, Sweetcorn, Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Salad Tuesday - BBQ Chicken - BBQ Quorn - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Steamed Rice and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt and Fruit Biscuit Wednesday - Pork Sausage - Vegan Sausage - Granary Baguette with Tuna Mayonnaise - Yorkshire Pudding, Potato Slices, Peas & Sweetcorn and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Raspberry Mousse Thursday - Homemade Beef Spaghetti Bolognaise - Homemade Quorn Spaghetti Bolognaise - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Peas & Sweetcorn and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Cherry Chocolate Cake Friday - Margherita Pizza with Tortilla Chips - Vegan Pizza with Tortilla Chips - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn Tortilla Chips - Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Jelly
Inspirational Person - Paddington Bear
A huge well done to all children who entered last half term's Showbie challenge - there were some superb medals and trophies created for Ernest Shackleton. As we approach the end of the school year, we are celebrating an inspirational character rather than a real-life figure — the much-loved Paddington Bear! Paddington is a wonderful example of our Golden Value of responsibility. Although he sometimes finds himself in tricky situations, he always does his very best to make things right. He takes ownership of his actions, shows honesty when things go wrong, and demonstrates resilience in putting them right again. What makes Paddington truly special is his determination to always do the right thing, even when it isn’t easy. Paddington reminds us that everyone makes mistakes, but it is how we respond to them that really matters. The last Showbie challenge of this year involves responding to a problem that Paddington has found himself in: he has been helping with the decorating but has made a huge mess! Your challenge is to decide how Paddington will fix the problem responsibly. You could complete this in a variety of ways: draw a picture to show his solution; write a short story to describe the problem and what Paddingotn does next or even create a comic strip to show Paddington’s response. Add your entries to Showbie or hand them to Mrs London - every entry receives a prize!
Sports Awards
Sports performer of the week: Jack Johnson (4C) for a tremendous range of attacking shots played in the Year 4 cricket competition. Most improved in sport and PE Ciara Quy (5G) for improvements in her sprinting, helping the Year 5 girls’ relay team to achieve 2nd place at Super Sports!
Outside Achievements
We are delighted to share some wonderful news about Isaac, who reached two incredible milestones last weekend. Isaac completed his 100th 5k parkrun - a remarkable achievement that reflects his dedication, perseverance, and commitment to staying active. Reaching 100 parkruns is a significant accomplishment and one that should be celebrated with pride. In addition, Isaac also successfully achieved his yellow belt in karate. This milestone is a testament to the hard work, discipline, and determination he has shown throughout his training. Isaac has worked exceptionally hard towards both of these achievements, and we are incredibly proud of all that he has accomplished. Well done, Isaac - what a fantastic weekend of success!
National Entertainment Awards Success at The O2
On Sunday 14th June, several girls from Years 3, 4 and 5 performed at the iconic O2 with Expressions in the final of the National Entertainment Awards. Performers from across the UK had reached this stage following success in their regional performances and competitions. Expressions were nominated for four awards and were delighted to win the most prestigious accolade of the evening – National Dance School of the Year. We are incredibly proud of all the girls for their dedication, commitment and hard work. Performing at such a prestigious venue was a fantastic experience and one they will no doubt remember for years to come. Well done to all involved on this outstanding achievement!
National Champions!
Following their national football finals event at the weekend, George and Frank have been crowned National Champions in the Junior Premier League. Both boys were selected at the start of the season to represent London and the South East in a regional squad. Their hard work and dedication throughout the year culminated in the national finals, held in Derby last weekend. Competing against the very best regional squads from across the country, George and Frank helped their team secure victories throughout the day to become Junior Premier League National Champions. We are incredibly proud of this fantastic achievement and of the commitment, teamwork and determination both boys have shown throughout the season. Congratulations, George and Frank, on an outstanding success!
PTA
Community News
We've created a dedicated space on our website to share flyers for local events and community support. Click the link below to explore what's happening in our area.
Summer HAF programme 2026
We are delighted to share that HAF bookings will open on Wednesday 17 June 2026. The HAF programme is for pupils who receive Benefits Related Free School Meals. Eligible pupils can attend up to 16 days over the summer holidays. The Eequ booking system will recognise eligible pupils. The HAF page on Livewell Southend will soon announce the list of providers.
SNAP Survival Guides
SNAP Charity offers a variety of survival guides designed to help families cope with the summer holidays, school transitions and more. These guides provide key tips and ideas, along with useful information to make those sometimes difficult periods in the year a little easier.
Autumn 1 Term Diary Dates
September
- Tuesday 1st - Inset Day
- Wednesday 2nd - Children Return to School
- Wednesday 9th - Friday 11th - Year 5 Mersea Residential
- Monday 21st - Whole School Flu Vaccination
October
- Friday 23rd - INSET Day
- Monday 26th - Friday 30th - Half Term
Credits:
Created with images by mnirat - "Closeup Colorful drawing pins on Calendar page with date." • tatomm - "close up of calendar on the orange table background, planning for business meeting or travel planning concept" • ImageFlow - "Kid boy with phone, cybersecurity hologram and padlock circuit" • Pixel-Shot - "Female hands with newspapers on color background" • Kaspars Grinvalds - "Tablet with sports news website on stack of newspapers.,All contents are made up." • ercan senkaya - "full lunch service station" • Dusan Petkovic - "Adorable curious caucasian little girl with eyeglasses standing in bookstore and reading interesting book. All around are books on shelves." • New Africa - "Trophy and confetti on light background, top view with space for text.,Victory concept" • Morakot - "Men are reading books in the library." • mnirat - "Closeup Colorful drawing pins on Calendar page with date."