West Leigh Juniors Weekly News 13th September 2024

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope that you have all had a fantastic summer. It has been wonderful to see the children return to school full of energy and excitement for the year ahead. Whilst the weather seems to have turned this week, it hasn’t dampened the enthusiastic atmosphere around the school. The children are settling in well to their new surroundings and new routines, as am I, and it has been a really positive start to the year.

It was nice to meet with Natasha and Simon from FOWLS this week to discuss the brilliant work they continue to do for the whole West Leigh community. The time and energy which is required by everyone involved, is really appreciated and the children’s school experiences are enriched as a result. I look forward to working with them over the years to come. I know they would be grateful for additional volunteers to help run future events; plans for the Christmas fayre are already taking shape and I am sure you will hear more about that soon.

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.

September 2024

  • Wednesday 18th - Boys' Table Tennis Competition AM
  • Year 5 residential to Mersea/Southend Visit
  • Girls' Table Tennis Competition PM
  • Thursday 19th - Year 3/4 Cross Country Trials
  • Monday 23rd - Forest Schools (5K)
  • Tuesday 24th - Year 6 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
  • Thursday 26th - Cross Country Squad Training
  • Monday 30th - Forest Schools (5F)

October

  • Tuesday 1st - Year 5 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
  • Thursday 3rd - Cross Country Squad Training
  • Year 5/6 boys' Football @ Wickford Football Ground 12pm - 3pm
  • Tuesday 8th - Portico Sports Day
  • Tuesday 8th - Year 4 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
  • Wednesday 9th - Year 5/6 Tag Rugby B Competition
  • Thursday 10th - Cross Country Squad Training
  • Year 6 Boys' Football match @ Northwick Park Primary 2.45pm - 5pm
  • Friday 11th - Southend Cross Country Competition @ Garons
  • Team Challenge
  • 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
  • Tuesday 22nd - Year 6 Girls' Netball League Fixtures
  • 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
  • Year 3 Curriculum Meeting 1.40pm - 2.20pm
  • Year 6 Curriculum Meeting 2.20pm - 3pm
  • Friday 8th - Thorpe Hall Cross Country Competition 10am - 12.30pm
  • 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
  • Tuesday 19th - Year 6 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
  • Wednesday 20th - Assessments until Friday 29th
  • Flu Immunisations
  • Year 4 Dodgeball Competition @ Garons
  • Monday 25th - Friday 29th: Book Fair
  • 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

  • Tuesday 3rd - Year 3 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
  • 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

February

  • Thursday 13th - Late Book Look 6pm - 7pm

March

  • Wednesday 12th - Years 3-5 assessments until Friday 21st
  • Monday 24th - Year 6 Mock Week

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

We have had a very successful start to Year 3. The children have come back refreshed and eager to learn. They are all starting to understand the expectations of the junior school and have shown a mature and responsible attitude.

The children very much enjoyed their hook day last Friday when they were immersed in Stone Age activities, from lighting fires to jewellery making. A highlight was creating cave paintings in the dark, crouched beneath their desks and understanding some of the struggles of the Stone Age civilisation. This week, the children have continued learning about what cave paintings tell us about life in the Stone Age and some of the materials used to create them. They also worked as history detectives using their detailed observation skills, to examine artefacts and decipher what they may have been used for.

In maths lessons, we have been learning about place value and reading and writing numbers to 1000. All the children have now had an opportunity to log into TT Rock Stars and complete 10 rounds in the studio session, giving them their current rock status. Thank you for your support at home with this; we have asked the children to spend 20 minutes practising each week to improve their fluency and speed in times tables recall.

The children all now have a reading book and this has been recorded in their reading record found in the communication book. Please sign these each week and check the targets page to support your child with their reading. Reading books are changed regularly so please bear with us whilst the children are learning this new system.

There has been a slight change to PE days for 3M – please see the updated timetable in your child’s communication book - apologies for any confusion caused by this.

We are very excited to be going on our first outing to the woods. All information on this can be found in your child’s communication book; any volunteers available to accompany us would be appreciated.

Thank you again for your support in preparing your children for starting the junior school and for your patience during this time of settling in. Wishing you a restful and enjoyable weekend with your families.

Letters sent home this week

Year 4

It has been so lovely to welcome the children back after the summer holidays. We look forward to a hard-working, fun-filled year.

In English, the children have been analysing story openings using the 5Ws (what, when, where, why and who) using Tadeo Jones as the character, and they have been using the five senses to describe his experiences. We have also studied fronted adverbials and how they can be used to further enhance our writing. Applying these skills, the children have written an exciting story opening based on the adventures of Tadeo Jones so far. They have used their creative skills to generate a plan of where the story will take them next week…….

As mathematicians, the children have demonstrated their knowledge of place value by identifying the value of each digit within numbers up to 10,000. Some groups have used this knowledge to round numbers to 10 and 100 and to solve a range of problems and puzzles relating to place value. We would like to encourage all the children to complete a couple of garage sessions on TTRockstars each day to help them practise their multiplication table facts.

Science has been messy but great fun this week! The children have looked closely at the human digestive system and have labelled parts of the human body and their functions. The practical activity involved using tights, cream crackers, bananas, orange juice, water and paper cups to represent the process. The children have also investigated the role of teeth and their part in the digestion process. They have focused on using correct scientific vocabulary to name the types of teeth and their purpose.

We launched our new topic Tomb Raiders with our Hook Day, where the children became Egyptologists. In groups, they used their problem-solving skills, such as code-breaking, to work through a range of tasks. They did this diligently and enthusiastically. As historians, they also studied various images of artefacts, including those from Ancient Egypt, to build a profile of the owners’ lifestyles.

As part of PSHE, the children have designed a healthy meal and have explained the reasons for their food choices. They have also studied the Eatwell Guide and the importance of eating well-balanced meals.

Letters sent home this week

Year 5

Our first full week with Year 5 has been full of fun and learning. The children have settled well into new routines and are demonstrating a pleasing level of maturity, despite expectations for behaviour and work being that much higher.

In the early part of the week, history was certainly brought to life with each class having the chance to experience what life would have been like in Saxon England. In their costumes, they looked like a true hoard and thoroughly enjoyed the varied and exciting activities. Lead by their Saxon Chief, Althelgard Fishlips, the children chose their own Saxon names and the jobs they would have liked to have had if they had been alive in those times. Some certainly changed their minds, when they discovered how disgusting much of life in Saxon times was! They thoroughly enjoyed looking at and guessing how artefacts were used. They also tried on some garments fashionable in Saxon times and with varying degrees of success, tried to lift a chainmail shirt. The final activity was certainly the most popular. The children became Saxon soldiers where they learnt battle phrases and how to form a shield wall.

Maths groups have begun and the children have settled quickly and happily back into their sets. Our learning has focused on place value, recognising numbers, digits and their values including comparing and ordering.

In English lessons, we have used our Layered Reading text The Firework Maker’s Daughter as the inspiration for diary writing. The children have also reviewed verb tenses including simple past, present and perfect tense and how to expand noun phrases to bring colour and interest to their descriptions.

Reviewing understanding of forces including balanced and unbalanced forces has been a focus in science lessons. The children had the opportunity to use a force metre to measure forces, including drawing detailed, scientific diagrams.

We hope the children have a restful weekend in preparation for their trips to Mersea or Southend next week.

Letters sent home this week

Year 6

It’s hard to believe that the pupils have only been members of Year 6 for a mere eight days for in that time, they have covered so much, learned many new skills and had a diverse range of wonderful opportunities.

In English, as a part of our layered reading studies, they have been introduced to the amazing book Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll, which links to our Connected Curriculum topic as it is set in 1942. As writers, there has been further development of many technical skills, and also a focus upon developing a more original and creative approach to writing for those pupils who will be tackling the selection papers soon.

Within their studies of Connected Curriculum, they have learned about the complex nature of the events that led up to the outbreak of the Second World War, showing great enthusiasm to understand the cause and effect of many of the decisions and choices made by political leaders.

As scientists, having begun a topic on electricity, they have developed their understanding of the importance of standardised symbols and how these are used to communicate ideas relating to electrical circuits. They are aware of the importance of attention to detail when drawing such diagrams and very much enjoyed constructing the circuits they had drawn.

One of the highlights of the week, was when the entire year group went to fields together to participate in a PE session involving cross-country. Across the year group, there was a great deal of effort on display, and it was lovely to see how many of the pupils took the opportunity to encourage each other.

Letters sent home this week

Online Safety

With most children today having access to their own tablets, phones, computers and other devices, it’s vitally important that parents and educators know how to keep young people protected while using them. Between targeted adverts, age-inappropriate content, and other online safety concerns, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to keep on top of this.

Parental controls, present on most devices and several apps, can make this job significantly easier – but a certain amount of knowledge is required to use them effectively. This free online safety guide will provide you with the information you need to activate and maintain parental controls on children's devices.

Key Notices this Week

Uniform: We would like to say a big thank you to everyone for the way in which the children have returned to school. They have started the new year looking very smart, adhering to our school uniform policy. There are just a couple of reminders that we would like to give at this early stage of the year to make sure that everyone is aware.

  • Earrings must be small silver or gold, plain studs.
  • Hair accessories must be black, brown or gold (school colours). Please note that oversized bows and claw grips must not be worn.
  • Footwear must be plain black.
  • Jumpers and cardigans for the junior school are shown below. When purchasing new items of uniform, please ensure that you specifically ask for West Leigh Junior School uniform as there are some small differences from the infants.

Fire Evacuation Procedures: If a fire bell were to sound before registration (prior to 8.55), the school gates would be closed immediately. Children in school would assemble at their usual assembly points.

If a fire bell were to sound between 3.00 and 3.30pm, parents would be asked to leave the school site and we would assemble the children as usual to be registered. Once the school site has been deemed safe, we would invite parents into school to collect their children.

Messages and Letters: If you need to share a message with your child's class teacher, please pop this in the Communication Book and make your child aware that they will need to share this with their teacher. As the office can become incredibly busy first thing in the morning, we also kindly ask that return slips and/or money are sent in with your child, rather than handed in at the office by parents. This will also help us to build on the importance of taking responsibility.

Dinner Menu

Week 3

Monday - Homemade Macaroni Cheese - Garlic Bread - Jacket Potato with a choice of Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayo - Wholemeal Wrap with Tuna Mayo - Coleslaw and Salad bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Raspberry Yoghurt

Tuesday - Pork Meatballs in Tomato Gravy - Vegetable Ravioli with Garlic Bread - Jacket Potato with a choice of Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayo - Vegetable Rice - Green Beans and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Chocolate Cherry Cake

Wednesday - Chicken Nuggets - Vegetable Nuggets - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Curly Fries - Spaghetti Hoops and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit. Yoghurt or Fruit Biscuit

Thursday - Homemade Beef and Spaghetti Bolognese - Vegetable and Quorn Bolognese - Jacket Potato with a choice of Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayo - Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Biscuit

Friday - Cheese and Tomato Pizza with Tortilla Chips - Vegan Pizza with Tortilla Chips - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Homemade Coleslaw 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 3S who had the best attendance this week with an impressive 100%!

Awards

Sports Awards will begin from next week.

Team Points

Messages from FOWLS

FOWLS - AGM & XMAS FAYRE

Welcome back to school and we hope you enjoyed a great summer. For those who are new to the school, FOWLS (Friends of West Leigh Schools) focus on fund-raising activities for both schools.

We would like to invite everyone to our annual AGM for FOWLS on 24th September at 7.30pm in the main dining hall. During this meeting, we will cover all the exciting plans for the year ahead and provide details of personnel changes, our full financial position etc.

Everyone is welcome and we would love to have your input on what else you would like to see from FOWLS and feedback on what we can do better. We look forward to seeing you.

Also, we are already hard at work putting together this year's Christmas Fayre. We now have a date confirmed for Saturday 30th November at 12pm and this year will be our best yet. The whole event is manned by volunteers and we will need as many as we can get. Can you spare an hour or two on the day? If so, please message simontaylor7472@gmail.com and we will include you.

Thanks and have a great weekend.

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