Diary Dates
May
- Monday 20th - Making the Band Day Y5/6
- Thursday 23rd
- Danbury Parent Meeting - 3.30pm
- Monday 27th - BANK HOLIDAY - School Closed
- Tuesday 28th - Friday 31st - May Half Term
June
- Monday 3rd - INSET DAY
- Wednesday 5th - Drumming Workshop
- Monday 10th - Friday 14th - Healthy Eating Week
- Tuesday 11th - KS2 Borough Sports
- Tuesday 18th - Class Photos
- Thursday 20th - Southend School Gotta Dance - Palace Theatre
July
- Thursday 4th - KS2 Sports Afternoon at Southchurch Park
- Friday 5th - Year 6 Transition Day
- Wednesday 10th - Friday 12th - Danbury Residential trip
- Friday 19th - Last Day of Term
Nursery
This week we have been looking at the changes in our bean seeds we have planted. We have talked about the changes, the parts of the plant and what we need to do to continue to care for our bean plant. We have also enjoyed finding out what we need to keep our teeth healthy and joined in lots of fun oral health activities.
REMINDERS: Please continue to bring in any favourite stories from home. Thank you
Letters send home this week
Reception
We have had a busy week outside, looking at all the changes to the environment now that the weather is becoming warmer and sunnier.
In maths we been playing games with teen numbers, ‘Which number comes before and which after?’ ‘Which number is missing?’
The children have also been acting out stories they have written at home.
We enjoyed sharing with our adults, how to keep our teeth healthy.
REMINDER: Don’t forget to apply sun cream now our days are getting warmer.
Letters send home this week
Year 1
This week in English we have been learning the story of the Gruffalo and spotting adjectives. We will also be creating our own monster and learning how to describe it. In Maths we have been learning about fractions, recognising half of a shape and half of a quantity. In Geography, we have been learning about Kenya and making a comparison to the UK. Next week, we will be carrying out a field study comparing the weather between Kenya and the UK. Help your child take note of the weather this weekend, we can use it as a discussion point in our teaching!
REMINDER: Please make sure your child only wears studs to school as it poses a health and safety risk in school when they wear hoops.
Letters send home this week
Year 2
This week in English, we learned about the first person and practiced writing sentences from our own perspective. We also explored the features of a postcard and had fun writing postcards about a holiday in Southend and the famous landmarks we visited in London. In Maths, we continued our work on time and statistics, enhancing our skills in these important areas. In Geography, we compared weather patterns between Brazil and the UK. We expanded our vocabulary with words like climate, equator, precipitation, North Pole, and South Pole. In Computing, we designed, created and tested mats for our floor robots, putting our problems-solving skills to the test.
REMINDER: Please remember to continue listening to your child read every day. Also, ensure your child’s PE kit is in school for our Tuesday PE session.
Letters send home this week
Year 3
This week in English we have started exploring a new narrative text ‘Emily’s Quils’ this text focuses on individual strength and mental health, the children are able to take part in discussions about their strengths and things they want to improve on. Within our lessons we have explored summarising information and adding speech with inverted commas. In Math’s we have begun to explore time first looking at Roman Numerals and counting round the clock face in 5’s.
REMINDERS: Please encourage your children to be logging in to TTRockstars at least 3 times a week, we are really pushing this right now to improve fluency.
We also have been given the opportunity to visit Garons on an outdoor workshop looking at growing crops. Please look out for a letter coming home with your children this week for more information.
Letters send home this week
Year 4
In English, we have started learning about reports. We have read about the Vikings and are starting to write our own reports about natural resources and recycling. This links with our geography lessons and we are starting to think about how we use non-renewable resources in Southend. In maths, we have continued learning about decimals and are now ordering and rounding decimals. In science, we have learnt about materials that are electrical conductors and electrical insulators. In PSHE, we have been thinking about diversity and how being a diverse school helps us all.
REMINDER: TT Rockstars homework is set weekly.
Please help your children learn their times tables so they are ready for their Multiplication Tables Check in June.
Letters send home this week
Year 5
This week in English, the children have been looking at persuasive speech. They have read a persuasive piece linked to our geography topic, coastal management systems. They created a plan based on the positive impact of flood defences.
In reading, they went to the school library and had a cosy reading session with pillows, blankets and their favourite toy!
REMINDER: Please ensure that only water is being brought in to drink. Snacks at break should be either fruit or vegetables.
Year 6
The children have worked incredibly hard this week to complete their SATs tests. In English, we have been studying newspaper reports and creating our own headlines using humour and word play. We have enjoyed some extra games time on Friday after all of our hard work!
REMINDER: Please ensure that children have the Porters PE kit (blue shorts and white t-shirt) in school for their Wednesday and Friday PE lessons. They also need plimsolls or trainers.
French
This week year two, three and five have enjoyed revising and perfecting their most recent topics, and creating some interesting project work to summarise their learning in French.
Music
Music Clubs
- Tuesday 12.00pm: Band
- Tuesday 3.30: Music Making (Yrs 1,2)
- Thursday 3.30pm: Choir (Yrs 3,4,5,6).
Instrumental Lessons
We do have a few vacancies, please contact Mrs Baines if your child would like to learn an instrument.
- Tuesday am: Guitar (Mr Brown)
- Wednesday am: Keyboard (Mr Hockey)
- Wednesday am: Guitar (Mr Elliot)
Nb. We are currently looking for a tutor in order to continue offering drum lessons.
Future Events
- 13th June Junior Music Fesitval - KS2 Choir
Healthy Schools
Between 13 May and 13 June 2024, the Oral Health Foundation will be raising awareness of important oral health issues with the theme: Love Your Smile
Here at Porters Grange we will be joining in this campaign as a whole school event and teaching the children the importance of having good Oral health and promoting the value of a healthy smile.
Online Safety
Exam stress – sometimes referred to as test anxiety – is of course a long-running issue for children and young people. Many experts have suggested that the enforced break to traditional testing during the pandemic (specifically the relative lack of familiarity with exam situations) has exacerbated this problem for those who are currently in education.
The possible impact of exam stress on children’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing is difficult to overstate – and students’ need for support is seldom greater than during these periods of their academic life. Our guide offers you ten practical tips for helping young people to manage exam stress and minimise its potentially detrimental effects.
Second Hand Uniform Shop
Our Uniform shop is located within the front reception area of the school and is open Monday-Friday 8.15am - 4.00pm. All items are 50p each. 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.
School Uniform 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 8.15am - 4.00pm. Thank you so much for doing this for the school as it helps our parents out tremendously.
Attendance
Congratulations Attendance Awards
Congratulations, Octopus and Porpoise classes for achieving a certificate this week. Well Done also goes to Pebble Class who achieved the highest attendance in key Stage 1.
Being ready for every day and getting in on time is the challenge you set yourself to achieve greatness!
This week we had 357 children who achieved 100% attendance, well done to all of those children who were in every day and on time, helping to better their learning and make more progress.
Being here is half the battle won!
Attendance meetings Thursdays
This week we had a great turn out at our Attendance meetings, thank you to all the families s that attended.
Please remember, if you are invited to an attendance meeting on a Thursday morning and you unable to make it please do get in contact with the attendance team to rearrange the meeting for a day and time that suits you. We understand everyone leads a busy life, Mrs Morris often has availability at the start of the day just after you drop off in the morning, or just before you collect your child at the end of the day, to have this meeting which is a short catch up about attendance for your child.
Contact us
If you would like to talk to someone for support or advice on attendance or punctuality, please do not hesitate to contact the Attendance Team, Mrs S. Wyer, Attendance Administrator or Mrs D Morris Assistant Principal and Senior Leader for Attendance, you can pop in to the school office to speak face to face, alternatively you call the school or drop an email to attendance@pgps.porticoacademytrust.co.uk we here and we are always happy to help!
From the first day of term to the last, the small moments in a school day make a real difference to your child.
Dinner Menu
Week 3
Monday - Chicken & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Tomato Sauce & Penne - Vegan Roasted Ratatouille with Penne - Baked Jacket with Grated Cheese - Carrots & Broccoli - Orange Shortbread Biscuit
Tuesday - Fajita Spiced Turkey & Vegetables with Steamed Rice - Vegan Burrito - Pasta & Tomato - Sweetcorn & Peas - Carrot Cake
Wednesday- Herby Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes & Gravy - 3 Vegetable Mac n’ Cheese - Baked Jacket with Baked Beans - Seasonal Greens & Broccoli - Chocolate & Beetroot Brownie
Thursday - Macaroni & Cheese Bolognaise Bake - Vegan Chickpea & Spinach Korma with Steamed Rice - Pasta & Tomato Sauce - Cauliflower & Carrots - Vanilla Ice Cream
Friday - Breaded Fish Fingers with Chips & Ketchup - Vegan Bubble & Squeak with Chips & Ketchup - Baked Jacket with Grated Cheese - Peas & Baked Beans - Apple & Parsnip Cake
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.