porters grange weekly newsletter week ending 24th JANUARY 2025

Diary Dates

January

  • Tuesday 28th - Year 1 Gardening at Garons

February

  • Monday 3rd - Year 3 visiting Focus Point Gallery
  • Tuesday 4th - Year 1 Gardening at Garons
  • Tuesday 11th - Year 1 Gardening at Garons
  • School Council meeting with Chef David
  • Monday 17th - Friday 21st - Half Term
  • Monday 24th - INSET Day
  • Tuesday 25th - Health 4 Life workshop
  • Year 1 Gardening at Garons

March

  • Tuesday 4th - Health 4 Life Workshop
  • Year 1 Gardening at Garons
  • Tuesday 11th - Health 4 Life Workshop
  • Wednesday 12th - Infant Music Festival
  • Year 6 Essex Fire & Rescue visit
  • Tuesday 18th - Health 4 Life Workshop
  • Tuesday 25th - Health 4 Life Workshop

April

  • Tuesday 1st - Health 4 Life Workshop
  • Wednesday 2nd - Thursday 3rd - Parents Evening
  • Monday 7th - Thursday 17th - Easter Break
  • Friday 18th - Good Friday
  • Monday 21st - Bank Holiday Monday
  • Wednesday 30th & Thursday 1st April Years 3 & 4 Spring Performance

May

  • Monday 5th - Bank Holiday Monday
  • Monday 12th - Thursday 15th - KS2 SATS Week
  • Wednesday 21st - Reception Height & Weight, vision & hearing checks
  • Monday 26th - Bank Holiday Monday
  • Tuesday 27th - Friday 30th - Half Term

June

  • Monday 2nd - INSET Day
  • Monday 9th - Friday 13th - Phonics Screening Check
  • Wednesday 11th - Class Photos
  • Monday 16th - Wednesday 18th - Year 6 Residential
  • Monday 23rd - Friday 27th - Year 5 & 6 Swimming Week

July

Wednesday 23rd - Last day of term

Nursery

This week we have been enjoying our letter and sounds and story time as a smaller group. We have tried so hard with the new routine and have really enjoyed learning lots of new rhymes. We have also enjoyed using the garden for lots of climbing, making up stories about volcanos.

REMINDER: Please continue to provide your child while the weather is extremely cold with hats and gloves. Thank you

Reception

This week we have continued to read our core text ‘5 minute stories’ which includes traditional tales, this week we have read the stories ‘The Frog Prince’, ‘The Lion and the Mouse’.

In Maths we have been learning conceptual subitising and the composition of 5 which is where the children find groups of numbers within 5, such as 3 and 2 makes 5, 1 and 4 makes 5.

In our Phonics and handwriting sessions, we have been learning to form our letter correctly ensuring we start and finish in the correct place and use our pencil with control. In Art we have been using clay to make sculptures of snails.

REMINDER: Thank you to everyone who attended our reading workshop this week.

Year 1

As part of their emersion into the next unit of work, the children have been reciting 'Jack and the Beanstalk' in groups. The children have loved playing the different characters.

In maths we have continued to practise using our maths jotters. As a class we looked at comparing numbers using the symbols; < > =

In art we have been painting! The children have really enjoyed identifying the different shades of colour on the colour wheel.

REMINDER: Year 1 will be doing outdoor learning with Mrs Britton over the next few weeks. It is being done in small groups of 10. When it is your child’s turn, we will inform you. Any questions ask your class teacher.

Reading books need to be in school every day.

Year 2

The children have been looking at the features of a non- chronological report. They enjoyed writing their own facts. The children have started a new unit in maths which is ‘money’. It was great fun practically handling different coins, grouping them and starting to understand their value. In science, the children are continuing the topic of materials and they explored different items and spotted everyday objects which were made from two materials or more!

REMINDER: If your child is wearing laced boots or shoes to school, then please make sure they can tie their laces independently. If they can’t then please practise this skill at home with them.

Year 3

This week Lobster enjoyed their visit to Focal Point gallery and The Forum. In English we have been reading and adapting a story called 'The Necklace of Raindrops' and in maths we have been dividing 2-digit numbers using our times table knowledge to help us. Geography has seen us looking at different instruments to measure the weather and we have recorded some weather data. We have also begun to investigate magnets in science.

REMINDER: Please make sure to practise Times Table Rockstars at home as often as you can as well as continuing to read regularly. Don’t forget Starfish will be going on their trip to Focal Point and The Forum on Monday 3rd February.

Year 4

This week in English lessons we have been learning and writing about Frida Kahlo. She was an artist from Mexico which links to our geography topic of The Americas. In maths we have continued to learn about related facts and have used our knowledge of times tables, multiplying by 10 and 100 and division. In science we have conducted an experiment about freezing liquids.

REMINDER: Don’t forget to write in your child’s reading record as much as possible. They can also write in what reading they have completed.

Year 5

This week in English, the children have been looking at persuasive letters. They received a letter from another class in our academy about the negative impacts of deforestation. As a class, we wrote a letter to our local MP encouraging them to make a change!

In science, the children have planned an investigation to turn a liquid into a gas. Next week, they will carry out the experiment and see if their predictions were correct.

REMINDER: Spellings and TTRS need to be practised at home.

Year 6

In English, everyone has been busy writing their own Greek myths. Successful stories have had lots of descriptive language eg towering marble columns framed the entrance like soldiers guarding a secret realm. In maths, we all used our ratio knowledge to answer word problems and have started algebra. Algebra in Year 6 focuses on seeing patterns and describing them eg add 5 to each number to find out the answer. In history, we have compared life in Athens and Sparta, which were both big cities in Ancient Greece. In PSHE, we have carried on learning about the impact of other people on our thoughts and prejudices. This included thinking about the impact of watching videos on apps like TikTok on how we view the world.

In art (stop motion using ipads), we have been looking at how we animate people. It’s great fun and there are free stop motion apps that can be downloaded onto your phones and tablets.

REMINDER: Homework is given on Thursdays and due on Wednesdays. Your child can ask their teacher for support at any time before Wednesday.

French

This week, year two have been creating combined sentences in French about the month of January and the weather; year five have been working on memory skills and producing language about independence; year four have been practising similar skills on the topic of where people live.

Music

Future Events

  • Infant Music Festival – 12th March (Music Making Club)
  • Southend Makes Music – date to be confirmed (Choir)
  • Cliffs Pavilion Music festival – June

Music Clubs

  • Band – Tuesday 12.00-12.30
  • Music Making – Tuesday 3.30-4.15
  • Choir – Thursday 3.30-4.15

Instrumental Tuition

  • Tuesday am Guitar – Mr Brown
  • Wednesday am Guitar – Mr Elliot
  • Wednesday am Keyboard – Mr Hockey
  • Wednesday am Drums – Mr Peters

Online Safety

Over time, more and more fitness apps have been finding their way into circulation. Usually free to download – at least initially – these apps claim to offer helpful advice and assistance in routine management to those looking to lead a healthier lifestyle.

While these platforms can be useful, they do present several safety concerns. These issues become more significant when we consider that children and young people can use these apps to stay active – whether out of concern for their own health or for reasons of body image. Our free guide breaks down the risks of health and fitness apps and offers expert advice on how to address these concerns to safeguard younger users.

Year 1 visit Garons Park

A group of ten Year One children visited Garon Park this week. They rolled up their sleeves and carefully planted beans in soil and worked in pairs to dig holes to plant saplings, and even gave their new trees a name! The children enjoyed the fresh air as they worked together and they really felt they had a positive impact on our local environment.

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. 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.

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

Attendance

Congratulations

We have had a really wonderful week with attendance, despite some lingering sickness bugs we had five class that achieved an attendance certificate this week.

Punctuality Week

We are soon approaching a mid-point in the year where we will have a focus on Punctuality!

"If your child does not attend, they cannot attain".

Thursday Attendance Meetings/ Attendance Drop In

Thursday morning attendance support meetings have resumed with Mrs Morris. If you are invited to a meeting on a Thursday, please ensure you attend or let us know that you cannot so that it can be rearranged. If you are unable to attend, but you are able to speak to us over the phone, please do let the attendance team know after you have received the invite, and the meeting can also be held over the phone.

“When pupils improve their attendance, they improve their academic prospects”

Reminder! – Contact the school with a reason for your child’s absences

Thank you to all those parents that remembered to let the school know the reason for their child’s absence. We have noticed that we are making much less calls because you have emailed, phoned in or left a message. It makes so much difference to the team attendance spending less time calling families, our time can then be spent supporting families in need.

“Being here is half the battle won!”

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 and ask to speak to, Mrs S. Wyer, Attendance Administrator or Mrs D Morris Assistant Principal and Senior Leader for Attendance, you can also pop in to the school office to request to speak to one of us face to face, alternatively you call the school or send us an email to attendance@pgps.porticoacademytrust.co.uk we are here and we are always happy to help!

“Being ready for every day and getting in on time is the challenge you set yourself to achieve greatness!”

Weekly Attendance Report

Dinner Menu

Week 1

Monday
  • Baked Sausages with Crushed Potatoes & Gravy
  • 3 Veg Macaroni Cheese
  • Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce
  • Baked Beans & Peas
  • Chocolate & Beetroot Brownie
Tuesday
  • Beef & Vegetable Pie
  • Vegan Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Coconut Curry with Steamed Rice
  • Jacket Potato with Baked Beans - Sweetcorn & Broccoli
  • Courgette & Oat Cookie
Wednesday
  • Roast Chicken Fillets with Gravy
  • Vegan Squash, Sweet Potato & Bean Hot Pot
  • Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce - Roast Potatoes, Seasonal Greens & Carrots
  • Vanilla Ice Cream
Thursday
  • Beef & Vegetable Ragu with Penne Pasta
  • Vegan Vegetable & Chickpea Ragu with Penne Pasta
  • Jacket Potato with Cheddar Cheese
  • Cauliflower & Roasted Carrots
  • Apple & Parsnip Sponge
Friday
  • Fish Fingers, Chips & Ketchup
  • Vegan Vegetable Fingers, Chips & Ketchup
  • Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce
  • Baked Beans & Peas
  • Fruit Jelly

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.