porters grange weekly newsletter week ending 4th july 2025

Remember to book your Disco Ticket either on Parent Pay or at the School office £2 including a drink and crisps! If your child's name is not on the list they will not be able to attend.

Book Fair News

Monday 7th July to Friday 11th July the travelling book fair will return with an amazing special offer of 3 for the price of 2 on all their books! This is a great way to get some new reads for the summer and raise money for new books for our school.

Don't forget: Thursday 10th July Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 Sports afternoon and picnic at Southchurch Park

Nursery

This week we have been talking about keeping safe in the sun. We have enjoyed playing outside in the shade. With our children who are transitioning into Reception class in September, we have started talking about what will happen soon. We have also enjoyed lots of water play in the garden and in nursery.

REMINDER: As we only have a few weeks left of the term, can you please check that all school uniform, especially jumpers and coats are your child's and that they haven’t been taken home by mistake. Thank you.

Reception

This week we have been learning about Sports day, what it is and how to work as a team and how to run each of our races.

We have been learning how to keep safe in the sun and how to apply our sun lotion independently. We have started to talk about transition into Year One and we have been thinking about any questions we may have for our new teachers. In Music we have been learning to listen to the rhythm and move to the beat.

REMINDER: Can you please practise with your child how to apply suncream. The children have to apply it by themselves, we cannot do it for them. The roll-on sun creams or ‘once a day’ suncreams are great for school.

Year 1

Year 1 have been working very hard creating who am I reports. The children have had to use adjectives, verbs with ‘ing’ and connective conjunctions.

In maths, we have completed our unit of work on position and direction.

The children had a chance to take part in a democratic vote in PSHE this week by choosing who they wanted to be Principal for the day. We discussed ‘Democracy’ and what that means.

REMINDER: Sun-cream is a must with the hotter weather. Your child needs a hat too with their name on please.

Year 2

Year Two have been looking at persuasive writing and learning how to encourage someone to come to Porters Grange Library and Southend-on-Sea. The children used lots of descriptive words and persuasive phrases. They have finished the unit of position and direction and have learned to recognise which way shapes have turned either clockwise or anti-clockwise. This was tricky, so if you have time, please practise this learning at home. In Science, the children completed an investigation using cress. They planted four sets of cress but are keeping two with and two without water and also placing them in the light and dark.

REMINDER: Remember Oyster’s beach morning is Tuesday 8th July.

Year 3

This week we have been writing an explanation text of the life cycle of a plant. We have included technical vocabulary, illustrations and diagrams. In history we have been making 3D Roman town using paper to create columns, colosseums and villas. In maths we have been learning about angles and can identify right, acute and obtuse angles.

REMINDER: Next week is Sports day. Please don’t forget to bring your correct coloured t- shirt and your PE kit.

Year 4

This week year four have had the exciting opportunity to go on the climbing wall from Indirock. The children were very excited and had a great time. In maths we are continuing learning about time, dates and months and actual clocks. English lessons are based on discussion texts and arguing our opinions. We have learned some very persuasive sentences to use.

REMINDER: PE should be back in school now that our trip is done. The children will get very hot being in their uniform all day so they really need to get changed.

Year 5

This week, year five also got to experience the exciting climbing wall – courtesy of local rock-climbing centre, Indirock. The children who took part had an amazing time and it was an incredible experience. In English this week, we started our new unit looking at persuasive debates, and things got heated (not just due to the weather) as the pupils engaged in a fair spirited, structured debate in class. In maths, we have finished our converting measure unit, learning how to convert metric and imperial measures.

REMINDER: Swimming sessions have now finished so please ensure your child has suitable PE kit within school for Monday and Thursday - thank you.

Year 6

This week year 6 have been preparing for their leaver’s performance – have tissues ready because there will be tears of laughter and sadness! In science, the children learnt about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. Year 6 had a lesson with the School Nursing Service about moving to secondary school and how they can help themselves prepare for this transition. The children received a booklet, with helpful hints and tips, to support this.

REMINDER: Please remember to bring a water bottle into school and apply suncream as the weather is going to continue to be hot.

The children must continue to read daily and record in their home school diaries.

Music

Would you like your child to learn a musical instrument?

We are currently organising lessons and tutors for September. These lessons are either 1:1 with the tutor, or 2 pupils sharing the time. If you would like your child to take up this opportunity, please collect a letter from the school office. This letter will provide details of the instruments available and the costs involved (Funding is available for recipients of free school meals). Students currently having lessons are guaranteed a place to continue and will receive a separate letter confirming this.

French

This week, year one enjoyed learning about parts of the body through a song; year three performed a fantastic spoken paragraph about the night sky; year six continued their nature topic with a study of the largest sand dune in Europe, which is in southwestern France.

Sport

REMINDERS

• Reception sports afternoon will be confirmed by your class teacher.
• KS2 sports afternoon and picnic is Thursday 10th July.

Online Safety

iPads are a familiar fixture in many households and classrooms, offering access to educational tools, entertainment, and the internet in one sleek package; however, with great versatility comes notable risk. From accidental spending and data privacy breaches to excessive screen time, there’s plenty for parents and educators to consider before handing over the device. While Apple offers built-in safeguards such as ‘Screen Time’ and ‘Family Sharing’, these features must be correctly set up and actively managed to be effective.

Our guide walks you through these options and highlights some of the more surprising ways children can get around restrictions – including with Siri – while offering practical advice on how to help keep young users safe and healthy online.

Second Hand Uniform Shop

Our Uniform shop is located within the front reception area of the school and is open Monday-Friday 8.30am - 4.00pm. All items are 50p each (cash only please). We always have a good selection of skirts, trousers, jumpers, tops, dresses and P.E items. Please ask at the office to point you in the right direction.

Donations

We always welcome school uniform donations for us to sell at our school uniform shop. Could we please ask that the clothes are in good, clean condition. All items can be dropped off at the school office between 8.30am - 4.00pm. Thank you so much for doing this for the school as it helps our parents out tremendously.

Thank you

Community

Cost of Living Advice

Click here to access cost of living advice from Southend City Council. It contains information on housing support, energy cost advice and benefits and support for those with children.