Dear Parents and Carers,
Last weekend, the Boys' Choir had an experience they will remember for a lifetime when they travelled to the Royal Albert Hall to perform in Carmina Burana alongside the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. It was an astonishing show packed full of amazing talent and the boys did themselves proud. The thousands in attendance rose to their feet for a standing ovation and rightly so. I would like to congratulate the boys and Mrs Walker for a stellar performance and say thank you to Southend Boys Choir for inviting us to participate again this year. I continue to be amazed by the feats of our talented children at West Leigh and last Sunday was a perfect example of this. Well done, boys.
Best wishes for a lovely weekend.
Mr Aggus
Principal
Diary Dates
Please note that there will be no After School Club on the last day of each term.
October
- Monday 14th - Forest Schools (5L)
- Tuesday 15th - Year 3 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
- Year 6 Girls' Netball League
- Wednesday 16th - Year 5/6 Tag Rugby A Competition
- Friday 18th - Year 5/6 Girls' Football Competition
- Monday 21st - Coastal Schools 4B
- Tuesday 22nd - Year 6 Girls' Netball League Fixtures
- Girls' Essex Cup @ Benhurst Primary School
- Parent Consultations
- Wednesday 23rd - Individual/sibling photographs
- Thursday 24th - Parent Consultations
- Individual/sibling photographs
- Friday 25th - INSET Day
- Monday 28th - Friday 1st November - Half Term
November
- Monday 4th - Forest Schools (5G)
- Tuesday 5th - Year 6 visit to IWM Duxford
- Year 4 Curriculum Meeting 1.40pm - 2.20pm
- Year 5 Curriculum Meeting 2.20pm - 3pm
- Wednesday 6th - Year 6 Basketball Competition
- Thursday 7th - NCMP Height and Weight checks - Year 6
- Coastal Schools 4C
- Year 3 Curriculum Meeting 1.40pm - 2.20pm
- Year 6 Curriculum Meeting 2.20pm - 3pm
- Year 6 netball match @ Alleyn Court
- Friday 8th - Thorpe Hall Cross Country Competition 10am - 12.30pm
- Monday 11th - Year 6 Test Week
- Tuesday 12th - Year 5 Performance to Parents (5K and 5F)
- Year 5 Book Look - 3.30pm - 3.45pm
- Thursday 14th - Year 5 Performance to Parents (5G and 5L)
- Friday 15th - Year 5/6 Southend Football Competition
- Monday 18th - Coastal Schools 4E
- Tuesday 19th - Year 6 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
- Coastal Schools - 4SW
- Wednesday 20th - Assessments until Friday 29th
- Flu Immunisations
- Year 4 Dodgeball Competition @ Garons
- Friday 22nd - Girls' football @ Alleyn Court
- Monday 25th - Friday 29th: Book Fair
- Test Week in Years 3 - 5
- Tuesday 26th - Year 4 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
- Wednesday 27th - Year 5/6 Dodgeball A Team 9am - 12pm
- Year 5/6 Dodgeball B Team 12.15pm - 3.30pm
- Friday 29th - Non-uniform day - bring a prize for the fayre
- Saturday 30th - FOWLS Christmas fayre
December
- Monday 2nd - Year 6 Christmas decoration morning
- Tuesday 3rd - Year 3 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
- Year 4 Christmas decoration morning
- Wednesday 4th - Year 5 Christmas decoration morning
- Coastal Schools 4B
- Thursday 5th - Year 3 Christmas decoration morning
- Santa Dash
- Year 6 Santa Netball @ Alleyn Court
- Monday 9th - Carol Concert rehearsal @ St. Margaret's
- Tuesday 10th - Carol Concert @ St. Margaret's 7pm
- Wednesday 11th - Christmas dinner and Christmas jumper day
- Year 6 Handball competition
- Thursday 12th - Late Book Look 6pm - 7pm
- Friday 13th - FOWLS Christmas Gift Sale
- Thursday 19th - last day of term - no After School Club
- Friday 20th - INSET
- Monday 22nd - 3rd January - Christmas Holidays
January
- Monday 6th - Spring Term begins
- Thursday 9th - Year 3/4 Sportshall Athletics
- Friday 10th - Year 5/6 Sportshall Athletics
- Monday 13th - Late Book Look 6pm - 7pm
- Tuesday 14th - Year 3/4 RSE Talk for parents @ 2.30pm
- Thursday 16th - Year 5RSE Talk for parents @ 2.30pm
- Tuesday 21st - Year 6 RSE talk for parents @ 2.30pm
- Thursday 23rd - Young Shakespeare Company Year 6
- Friday 24th - Year 3/4 Boys' Football Competition
- Friday 31st - Year 5/6 Hockey Festival
February
- Monday 3rd - Young Voices at the O2
- Tuesday 11th - Safer Internet Day
- Year 6 Girls' Netball League
- Thursday 13th - Late Book Look 6pm - 7pm
- Monday 17th - Friday 21st - Half Term
- Monday 24th - INSET Day
- Wednesday 26th - Year 6 Netball Competition
- Thursday 27th - Year 6 Netball Festival
- Friday 28th - Year 3/4 Girls' Football Competition
March
- Friday 7th - Year 6 Dragonball Competition
- Wednesday 12th - Years 3-5 assessments until Friday 21st
- Friday 21st - Comic Relief
- Monday 24th - Year 6 Mock Week
- Friday 28th - Year 5/6 Aquathlon
April
- Tuesday 1st - Learning Conferences
- Thursday 3rd - Learning Conferences
May
- Monday 12th - Year 6 SATs Week
June
- Monday 9th - Assessments in Years 3 - 5
- Monday 23rd - Friday 27th - Ilam Hall Residential and Southend Activity Week
July
- Tuesday 15th - Open Evening 5pm - 7pm
- Friday 18th - Annual School Reports
- Wednesday 23rd - Last day of term
Year 3
As autumn sets in, Year 3 has been as busy and varied as ever.
We have continued to explore the life of Mary Anning using our brilliant book, Stone Girl, Bone Girl, writing questions that we would love to have been able to ask her as well as getting into character to recount an important day in her life in the form of a diary entry. In our layered reading lessons, the children have been searching for evidence in our book Stone Age Boy, to help them to decide whether he really did time travel to the Stone Age or if it was all just a dream.
In maths, the children have been revising and developing their understanding of time. This has included units of time, reading calendars and telling the time using analogue and digital clocks. This is an area that some children find challenging and any help that you can give at home would be much appreciated.
In science, the children have continued to investigate the skeletons of different animals, including humans.
In our Connected Curriculum lessons this week, the children put all of their foraged art materials to good use. They experimented by using them to create different textures with paint as our Stone Age ancestors may have done. They have also been learning how Stone Age weapons and tools evolved through the Bronze and Iron Ages.
Letters sent home this week
Year 4
The week got off to an exciting start for 4C. They took their turn in Coastal Schools to become beach detectives for the morning. As always, great fun was had by all as they explored the coastal environment.
Our focus this week in maths has been the on addition and subtraction. The children have been working to extend and apply their understanding of formal methods. Many of the children have been using the inverse to check the accuracy of their calculations. Some groups applied their understanding to solve a range of written problems and puzzles, including those with more than one step.
Food chains have been our learning focus for science. The children had to identify the producers and consumers within a food chain. Applying their understanding, they worked in groups to construct and label a series of food chains - each one starting with a green plant.
In English, we have used Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb as our focus. The children have used a journalistic structure to write a news report about this event. They have included linguistic features such as fronted adverbials, conjunctions, relative clauses and accurately punctuated quotes.
As artists, the children have used their previous knowledge of canopic jars to design their own creative versions. This is in readiness for making their own canopic jars with clay in the coming weeks. Please ensure that your child has either an art apron or old shirt in school for our art lessons from next week.
In RE, we have been studying the worship ritual performed by Hindus called Puja. Shrines were set up in the classroom and the children demonstrated their understanding by taking photos of the artefacts involved and explaining their purpose.
Letters sent home this week
Year 5
This week during English lessons, the children have become journalists. Building upon previous learning, they demonstrated their knowledge of the features of journalistic writing. They expanded their understanding with a focus on the inclusion of suitable journalistic language, correct use of direct or reported quotes and how to conclude the article with a re-orientation paragraph.
Applying their knowledge of multiplication from last week, the children have focused on using the inverse. In some classes, the children have looked at how to divide numbers by 10 and 100, in turn reviewing the value of decimal. Formal methods, including the use of long division, have also been revised, including questions with remainders and those requiring rounding. This process will provide the children with the understanding they will need when dividing by more than one digit.
Science lessons introduced the terms water resistance and streamlining. The children reviewed ways of counteracting water resistance and considered how a swimmer or a boat could be more streamlined and therefore able to move faster and more efficiently through the water. They will test their theories next week in our end of unit assessment test.
In PSHCE lessons, the children have considered how the media can promote negative and prejudiced views of refugees. To help them build empathy for the situation that many refugees face, the children were asked to consider what they would take with them if they only had half an hour to leave their home. They were then told the rucksack had to be shared and they could only take three personal items. Finally, they were asked to consider how a child who had faced prejudice might feel and how we could help them feel welcome and part of the community.
Letters sent home this week
Year 6
In another busy week of learning, there have been many wonderful opportunities for the Year 6 pupils.
As mathematicians, they have been deepening their knowledge and understanding of fractions and percentages, using a diverse range of approaches, including digital games and matching activities. This has enabled them to develop their fluency and also apply a range of problem-solving skills.
Within English, They have studied the classic narrative poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, and enjoyed learning about both the context of the story historically as well as delving deeper into the motives and actions of the characters within this dramatic classic piece.
In Connected Curriculum, they have further developed their understanding of how linear perspective can be used in art to create more realistic drawings, and have begun to consider how this could be applied in the context of a piece of artwork inspired by the Second World War. Although the skill itself is challenging, with practise and the opportunity to learn from their mistakes, they are making positive progress and it will be fascinating to see how their artwork develops over the coming weeks.
Letters sent home this week
Online Safety
Fortnite is a game well-known for its popularity with younger players, as well as its many different modes and expansions intended to keep the experience fresh for long-time fans. One such addition has been LEGO Fortnite – a kind of “survival mode” where players take control of LEGO characters, craft tools, and build structures in a manner similar to the toy set of the same name.
While the content of LEGO Fortnite has been rated as suitable for children of 7 and older in the UK, it – like any online game – carries inherent safety concerns. For this reason, parents and educators should consider keeping themselves apprised of any potential dangers posed to children who enjoy this title. This guide offers plenty of insight into the most prominent risks associated with this title, and lets you know how to ensure children can safely enjoy their time with this expansion.
Inspirational Person
This year, our inspirational people will link to our golden values of empathy, responsibility and integrity. We will study people who have embodied these values and demonstrated them through their actions, and will consider what we can learn from them.
This half term's inspirational person is Jorge Munoz. Jorge used empathy when he came across many hungry, homeless people, waiting to be chosen for small jobs to make just enough money to feed their families. Many had gone without food for days. He thought about how that would feel and then decided that he needed to help. He started by making extra lunches and delivering them to these people, but over time this grew and he used money from his own pay cheque to prepare hot meals for workers. Since he started, Jorge and his family have served over 100 000 meals to people in need. By showing a little empathy, Jorge was able to make a difference to their lives.
The Showbie challenge is an optional task that links to the inspirational person. It can be found in your child's Showbie account within the 'Inspirational People' folder. There are prizes every half term for those who take part.
Jorge was presented with an award from the president for his work helping others. For this half term's Showbie challenge, imagine it is twenty years in the future and you are receiving an award for your own efforts in helping people. What would the award be for? What would you have done? Your answer can be written in the comment box, or you can use the template to design your own award.
Portico Sports Festival
Children from Hamstel Infant and Junior Schools, Porters Grange, Friars Primary School and West Leigh participated in an afternoon of sporting fun on Tuesday! The children selected were a credit to our academy. They enjoyed sports such as dodgeball, boccia, benchball and archery. We were so impressed with the children's attitude and behaviour throughout the afternoon. All of the children displayed the school games values which we look for at all sporting events and competitions:
- determination
- teamwork
- passion
- honesty
- self-belief
- respect
Well done children! We look forward to you representing the school again soon.
Fire Safety Assembly
Whether it’s during a major event like bonfire night or simply while using a heater on a chilly day, fire safety is a vitally important topic on which to educate children and young people. One mistake with fireworks, electronics or open flames can have catastrophic consequences: damage to property, serious injury or even worse.
As parents and educators, it's vital that we teach the children in our care how to protect themselves around fire and flammable materials in a mature and responsible manner. This week, Year 3 and 4 had an excellent assembly on how to stay safe when around fireworks and at Halloween. This guide offers expert advice on how to educate children and young people on fire safety, detailing what precautions can be taken to keep them as safe as possible when exposed to fire-related dangers.
Key Notices this Week
School Lunch Bookings: Please remember to book school lunches before the 8.00am cut off. If you miss the cut-off, please provide your child with a packed lunch as the children are unable to order a meal in class.
Breakfast Club: There are a small number of children who are currently attending breakfast club in addition to a morning extra curricular club. To reflect that they are only in breakfast club between 7.30am and 8.00am, we are trialling a reduced fee of £3 for these children. This will appear as an option on Parenpay from next week. We are not able to waive the fee completely as we must ensure that appropriate levels of adult supervision are on site from 7.30am. Unfortunately, this will not include breakfast as the staff will still be welcoming children during this time and breakfast is served after 8.00am. If your child is attending a morning extra curricular club, please ensure that they have breakfast at home. We hope that this change will be a welcome one for those families affected.
End of Day Arrangements: If your end of day arrangements change, please contact the office before 3.00pm to let us know so we can ensure that all important messages are shared.
Dinner Menu
Week 1
Monday - Homemade Creamy Cheese and Vegetable Bake - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Granary Baguette with Tuna Mayonnaise - Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Cocktail
Tuesday - Pork Sausage Toad in the Hole - Vegan Sausage Toad in the Hole - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Saute Potatoes, Carrots/Peas and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Iced Finger
Wednesday - Homemade Mild Chicken Curry with Rice - Homemade Mild Chickpea and Vegetable Curry - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Rice and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Apple Crumble
Thursday - Homemade Beef Cottage Pie - Homemade Quorn and Vegetable Cottage Pie - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Carrots/ Peas and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit Yoghurt or Banana Cake
Friday - 100% Fish Fingers - Vegetable Fingers - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Potato Wedges, Baked Beans and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Jelly
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
- 3H
- 4B
- 4SW
Tuesday
- 3M
- 5L
- 5K
Wednesday
- 3S
- 4C
- 3T
Thursday
- 5G
- 5F
Friday
- 6D
- 6A
- 4E
- 6P
- 6W
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.
First Half Term:
3M
- Indoor PE: Wednesday
- Outdoor PE: Thursday
3S
- Indoor PE: Tuesday
- Outdoor PE: Friday
3H
- Indoor PE: Tuesday
- Outdoor PE: Thursday
3T
- Indoor PE: Monday
- Outdoor PE: Friday
4B
- Indoor PE: Wednesday
- Outdoor PE: Tuesday
4E
- Indoor PE: Monday
- Outdoor PE: Thursday
4SW
- Indoor PE: Friday
- Outdoor PE: Thursday
4C
- Indoor PE: Monday
- Outdoor PE: Tuesday
5K
- Indoor PE: Friday
- Outdoor PE: Monday
5F
- Indoor PE: Friday
- Outdoor PE: Monday
5L
- Indoor PE: Thursday
- Outdoor PE: Wednesday
5G
- Indoor PE: Tuesday
- Outdoor PE: Wednesday
6D
- Indoor PE: Wednesday
- Outdoor PE: Tuesday
6A
- Indoor PE: Thursday
- Outdoor PE: Monday
6P
- Indoor PE: Thursday
- Outdoor PE: Tuesday
6W
- Indoor PE: Thursday
- Outdoor PE: Monday
Attendance
Congratulations to 3H who achieved the best attendance this week with 99.62%.
Messages from FOWLS
The Christmas Fayre is getting closer (Saturday 30th November) and we would still welcome more volunteers on the day. There's various shifts and a shift covering a stall is just 2 hours which gives you 2 hours still to go around the fayre with the family. If you can help please click on the QR code in the poster below and sign up or contact your class rep for the link.
The Christmas Art project is underway and the children's amazing Christmas designs will be coming home before half term. The order form is on the back of the design and must be returned back to School no later than the 5th November. Please ensure the order form is not cut, bent or damaged as that will show on the printing. If you have any questions just ask your class rep and your class rep will also be able to confirm payment details. For any Junior children that would like to take part in the Art project, templates can be collected from the Junior School office
Do you know about Friends of West Leigh Lotto? The draw takes place every month with CASH prizes whilst also raising funds for the schools. It’s super easy to sign up so if you fancy a chance to win a cash prize or would like to find out more contact Oanh Ly who runs our Lotto: fowlslott@gmail.com
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE ABOVE, PLEASE EMAIL simontaylor7472@gmail.com
Our Parent Council has been extremely successful over the past years and has been instrumental in driving forward positive change within our school. The council meet once every term at 4.30pm to discuss views on a range of important issues and councillors will be able to use our After-School Club on this evening (free of charge) if required to help with childcare. Our first meeting this academic year will take place on Monday 11th November at 4.30pm.
At present, we have vacancies in 4E, 4C, 4SW and 6P. It would be a shame if the views of the parents in these classes were not able to be considered at our meetings - if you feel you could spare three evenings a year to represent your child's class, it would be much appreciated. The role could even be shared between more than one parent if needed.
If this is something you are able to offer, please get in touch with Mrs London via the school office.
We very much hope that we will be able to find parents in these classes to represent the majority views amongst our parent community.