Porters Grange Weekly Newsletter 19th September 2025

Nursery

We have had a wonderful week at nursery. Lots of new starters, who have settled extremely well. Thank you to our older children who have made them feel so welcome and have started including them into their play.

We have enjoyed lots of water play, collage and outside play.

An amazing start to our nursery year.

REMINDER: Please remember to label everything your child wears to nursery with their name.

For reference our core books at nursery this half term are ‘The whales on the bus’ and ‘Brown bear Brown bear what do you see’.

In case you would like these texts at home too.

Reception

The children continue to attend part time. This is giving them time to settle, make new friends and form relationships with the adults.

They have had great fun exploring their new environment whilst learning the rules of reception.

It was lovely to see so many of you at the shared lunch.

REMINDER: Please send in a spare set of labelled clothes for your child.

Year 1

Year 1 continue to impress us with how well they have settled into their new routine. The children are working hard in phonics, practising the sounds they know as well as segmenting to spell and decoding to read independently. In maths we have been talking about one more and one less and how we know the difference. We talked about the continents and oceans in geography this week, so if you hear your child singing about Asia and Africa or the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, this was us!

REMINDER: Reading books and reading records must be in school every day. The children read with lots of different adults. Please read at home too.

Don’t forget – PE is on Thursday. No earrings etc to be worn.

We have noticed that children are bringing in water bottles. They do not need them. They have access to cups, that are cleaned after every use and they drink filtered water, so they stay hydrated during the day.

Year 2

This week the children have been learning about the difference between statements, commands and questions. It has been good fun making up commands and telling them to each other, the children’s favourite was “Go and tidy your room!”.

In maths, the children have been writing numbers to 100 in words. A lot of children were able to recognise numbers as words and make a plausible attempt at writing them. However, please practise writing numbers as words (e.g. ninety- two) at home. This skill will help them in their future maths lessons! In geography the children are learning about Southend- on- Sea and what makes the place we live a city. They have explored the area further, identifying human and physical features.

REMINDER: Please make sure you read with your child on a regular basis and make a note of how they have read in their reading records.

The children have been noticing a change in routine compared to Year 1. We now teach more formal lessons throughout the day. It will take time for your child to settle in to the new routine but we will support them all the way!

Year 3

This week in Year 3, we have planned and written our own poems called Our World. The children used their five senses and wrote what was special to them. It was lovely to read such imaginative poems!

In maths, we have looked at number lines to 1,000. The children had a go at working out what the intervals were worth by dividing. It was a challenge but they persevered and didn’t give up!

REMINDER: Please ensure that your child is practising their weekly spellings. These are written in their homeschool diaries on a Monday. They will be tested on them on a Friday.

Year 4

This week in year four we have been learning lots more about the place value of numbers up to 10,000. The children have been partitioning numbers in different ways and can identify the value of high numerals. In English we have continued writing poetry but this time it is all about us! In science we are learning about the digestive system (which can be a little bit gross) but the children are being very mature and learning lots of cool scientific vocabulary.

REMINDER: Remember, PE kits should be in school by now and reading books should be in school every day.

The children should be reading at home regularly and can record what they have read in their records. If a grown up could comment and sign that would be even better!

Year 5

This week, year five have been getting poetic, literally, as we started writing our own figurative language poem about a planet we imagined. In maths, we continued looking at place value, learning how to use number lines and dividing large numbers by 10. On Wednesday, we started our new PSHE unit, with Place2Be, who delivered a thought provoking lesson looking at our identity and how we can express ourselves.

REMINDER: There are still a large number of children with no PE kit. As the weather gets colder, it is essential the children have the right equipment in school.

Year 6

We have had another busy week in Year 6! In English, we have used all the great language we collected to write poems about Sherlock Holmes’ sitting room. Some examples of the language are: the fire danced, the armchair hugged its visitors like a mother comforting their child. This is excellent and we very proud of them!

In maths, we have continued to learn about place value, focussing on rounding and ordering numbers to one million. In PSHE, we started a series of lessons led by Place2Be. This week we focussed on our identities and what makes us unique. In art, we have continued to improve our skills with colour blending techniques.

REMINDER: It is time to apply for your child’s secondary school! Apply here:

PE is on Mondays and Fridays, Earings must be taken out for PE (for safety reasons) so please make sure your child can take out their own earings, thank you.

Please support your child to learn their spellings and read at home.

Letters sent home this week

• Year 6 - Secondary School Admissions Information - 16.09.2025
• Year 6 - Secondary School Open days - 16.09.2025

Music

IMPORTANT: if you have a choir polo shirt at home, please return it ready for the next performance.

Music Lessons

• Tuesday Guitar - Mr Brown
• Wednesday Guitar – Mr Elliott
• Wednesday Keyboard – Mr Hockey
• Wednesday Drums – Mr Peters

We have availability - if your child is interested in learning a musical instrument, please contact Mrs Baines for more information.

These lessons take place within the school day.

French

Next week we celebrate the European Day of Languages on Friday. Be ready for playground challenges and a competition to create 5 words or a sentence in an alien language.

Online Safety

With over 900 million monthly users, Snapchat continues to be a favourite among children and young people; however, with its ever-evolving features, the risks have evolved too. From AI-generated filters and chatbots, to disappearing messages and the Snap Map location-sharing tool, it’s easy for children to stumble into unsafe territory. This guide breaks down the latest updates, including the Lens+ subscription service, and web browser access.

We’ve also unpacked the risks of sextortion scams, overuse, and inappropriate content that may slip through the app’s moderation systems. With expert advice from online safety consultant Dr Claire Sutherland, this guide is a must-read for anyone helping young people navigate Snapchat responsibly and confidently.

Cost of Living

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.