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Summer 2 Diary Dates - Year 3 - Year 4 - Year 5 - Year 6 - Online Safety School News - Sports News - Dinner Menu - Online Bookshop - Attendance House Points - Sports Awards - Outside Achievements - PTA - Community News Autumn 1 Diary Dates
Summer 2 Term Diary Dates
Please note that there will be no After School Club on Tuesday 14th July or Friday 17th July.
June
- Monday 8th - Parent Council meeting at 4.30pm
- Tuesday 9th - Year 6 Field Trip to Southend
- Wednesday 10th - Borough Sports
- Thursday 11th - SEESMA Rehearsal & Concert
- Friday 12th - Sports Morning at Belfairs
- Monday 15th - Coastal Schools (4E)
- Tuesday 16th - Year 3 Field Study - Old Leigh
- Year 6 Respect Assembly
- Year 4 Girls' football trials
- Wednesday 17th - Year 4 Rounders Competition
- Quiz Club Online Maths Final
- Thursday 18th - Principal for the day Election
- Online Science Quiz Club Final
- Boys' Football Trials - 4C & 5N
- Toy Swap
- Year 3/4 Water Safety Assembly
- Year 2 to 3 Transition Meeting for Parents - 7pm
- Friday 19th - Year 3 Home Safety Talks
- Year 4 Cricket Competition
- Significant Male Sale
- Monday 22nd - Friday 26th - Year 6 Ilam Hall Residential
- Monday 22nd -Year 3 Inspire Dental Visits
- Tuesday 23rd - Super Sports - Track
- Wednesday 24th - Super Sports - Field
- Monday 29th - Quiz Club Finals at Oxford University
July
- Wednesday 1st - Year 5 Cricket World Cup Taster
- Team Assemblies - Wyvern & Phoenix
- Thursday 2nd - Lower School Summer Safety Assembly
- Friday 3rd - Whole School Transition Morning
- Monday 6th - Thursday 9th - Fun Swim
- Wednesday 8th - Principal for the Day
- Thursday 9th - Friday 10th - Year 3 Danbury
- Friday 10th - Year 6 Swimming Gala
- Saturday 11th - Summer Fayre
- Tuesday 14th - Year 5 & 6 - Brownes Boot Camp
- Open Evening
- Thursday 16th - Leavers Assembly to Parents
- Friday 17th - Last Day of Term
Year 3
It has been a wonderful start to the last half term of the year. The children have returned refreshed, positive and are looking very grown up all of a sudden. There has been lots of enthusiasm displayed this week with the introduction of our narrative writing in English lessons. The children watched a short animation called The Lighthouse which has no dialogue but uses powerful imagery and music which certainly left them inspired. They began by identifying the 5 points in the story, noticing when the mood changed and linking that to our work on emotional literacy. They went on to write in character as the lighthouse keeper, creating diary entries at two different points within the story, noting how his mood and perspective had changed. The final lesson saw the children write a powerful setting description, setting the tone for the events that were to unfold. We are all excited to continue with this work and publish our stories over the coming weeks. Maths has been an opportunity to review many of the skills, knowledge and understanding that has been covered so far this term. The children have all reviewed the four operations, place value and tackled word problems. 'Let there be light' is the focus of this half term's science learning. The children sorted items according to whether they are a light source - with lots of discussion over the moon. The children were quite surprised to find out that it only reflects light and is not actually a source of light. The children have been working as designers and creators in their DT lessons this week. After careful consideration of the design brief, they began designing a pneumatic toy to represent wildlife found in and around the River Thames. They created an exploded design, including detailed sketches of the pneumatic mechanism and how it would operate within the toy. Some classes have also begun the construction phase so their designs are already coming to life. We look forward to seeing these projects develop over the coming weeks. Due to our termly test weeks having started this week, we will not be sending spellings home but it would be useful to review the spellings learnt this term. These can be accessed within Spelling Shed or your child’s communication book. We are extremely grateful to those parents who have volunteered to join us on Tuesday 16th June for our geography field study. We do, however, still need more help for the visit to go ahead. If you are able to spare some time, please let your child's class teacher know through the communication book. Although we are in the summer term and we were treated with some glorious weather over the half term break, there are a number of children arriving at school without jackets. Unfortunately, we have had a fair amount of rain this week and the children do need to bring a light layer with them for this great British summer weather.
A reminder that PE days have switched to the Summer 2 timetable, so please ensure your child is wearing their kit on the correct days. There have also been a number of children forgetting their swimming kits this week. Swimming days do not change half termly and it is very important that your child has their kit in school on their swimming day so they don’t miss out on their lesson. Wishing you all a restful weekend.
PE Days Summer 2
3T
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3H
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3L
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3M
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
Swimming
- 3H - Monday
- 3L – Tuesday
- 3T – Wednesday
- 3M – Wednesday
Year 4
We have welcomed the children back from their half term break and are all looking forward to what we are sure will be a very busy but hard-working half term. The children are to be commended for the positive start they have made to their tests. In English lessons, the children have continued exploring biographies, focusing on the naturalist, David Attenborough. They have enhanced their writing skills by using conjunctions and relative clauses to create complex sentence structures. They completed the week by writing biographies of their own, incorporating all the skills they have been refining over the last couple of weeks. As mathematicians, the children have been revising for the upcoming tests and have focused on improving their arithmetic skills, especially times tables recall. The continued focus of our Connected Curriculum lessons has been a continuation of our Lowry inspired artwork. The children have used watercolours to create backgrounds, fairground rides and buildings. Some children have begun to add their ‘matchstick’ figures. Immense fun was had in our Connected Curriculum lessons, where the children worked in groups using the Lego WeDo to build a spinning ride and program it to move in various ways. They assigned roles for specific tasks and showed effective teamwork skills.
Please note that the following dates have been arranged for Coastal Schools:
- 4E - Monday 15th June and Tuesday 7th July
- 4B - Thursday 2nd July
- 4C - Monday 29th June
- 4SW - Wednesday 1st July
PE Days Summer 2
4B
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4E
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
4SW
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
4C
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
Swimming
- 4B - Monday
- 4SW - Monday
- 4C - Wednesday
- 4E - Friday
Year 5
It was wonderful to welcome our Year 5 children back on Tuesday — relaxed, refreshed, and ready to begin their final half term in Year 5. They have returned with enthusiasm and a real eagerness to learn. In this week's science lessons, the children explored the three states of matter and investigated whether the changes between them are reversible. Their main challenge was to separate different solids and they worked together to select the most suitable equipment and justify their chosen methods. Their teamwork, problem‑solving and scientific reasoning were excellent and it was fantastic to see them so engaged in practical enquiry. Across the year group, the children have been revisiting a range of key skills in preparation for their upcoming assessments. In many classes, the focus has been on fractions, decimals and percentages, with learning applied to a variety of problems. Alongside our much‑loved layered reading text, Dragon Mountain, we have introduced Cloud Tea Monkeys - a story from another culture. This text will underpin much of our English learning for the remainder of the half term. We began by exploring cultural clues from the front cover and illustrations, encouraging the children to infer where in the world the story might be set. They went on to skimming and scanning the text to find figurative language describing the setting and characters. These examples will support them later when they write their own stories from a different culture, linked to our Mesoamerica topic. Building on their knowledge of the environment of Central America, the children investigated how the region is changing and the causes of these changes. Using information from the WWF, they researched climate change, global warming and other ecological challenges affecting the area. Working in groups, they wrote speeches outlining the issues, their impacts and possible solutions. Their passion and sense of responsibility were inspiring, and we certainly have some dedicated eco‑warriors among us. The future of the planet looks bright in their hand.
PE Days Summer 2
5G
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5A
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
5N
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
5F
- Indoor PE - Thursday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
Swimming
- 5N – Tuesday
- 5F – Tuesday
- 5G – Thursday
- 5A – Thursday
Year 6
Year 6 have continued to demonstrate creativity, maturity and resilience across another busy and engaging week of learning. In English, pupils planned and wrote the first draft of a new section of The Explorer, carefully linking their ideas to the established plot and existing characters from the novel. They particularly enjoyed developing dialogue, showing an increasingly sophisticated understanding of characterisation by ensuring that speech and actions matched the known personalities and traits of the characters created by Katherine Rundell. In maths, pupils focused on the valuable problem-solving strategy of guessing and checking. They applied this method to increasingly complex puzzles and investigations, developing resilience and logical thinking as they refined and adapted their approaches to reach accurate solutions. As geographers, pupils further developed their understanding of Ordnance Survey maps and practised using four-figure grid references with increasing confidence and accuracy. They enjoyed applying these practical mapping skills to a range of activities linked to real locations in their own city. Two Year 6 classes also took part in an important workshop relating to knife crime awareness, with the remaining classes scheduled to participate later this term. Pupils approached the session with maturity and thoughtful engagement. In RE, pupils began exploring links between religious beliefs and the important global issue of climate change. They have begun to consider how faith and values can influence attitudes towards environmental responsibility and caring for the world around us. Excitement is also beginning to build for the Leavers’ Assembly, with the first round of auditions having taken place within classes this week. It has been wonderful to see so many pupils showing confidence, enthusiasm and a willingness to step out of their comfort zones as preparations begin for this special end-of-year celebration.
PE Days Summer 2
6D
- Indoor - Wednesday
- Outdoor - Monday
6K
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Wednesday
6W
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Wednesday
6S
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
Swimming
- 6D - Thursday
- 6S - Friday
- 6K - Friday
- 6W - Friday
Year 6 Summer Fayre Helpers
It has been a Fayre tradition to invite Year 6 students to help on a stall at the Fayre. They can choose a friend they would like to do it with. We just ask that they follow the rules of the game and only give prize stamps in line with the rules of the game. It’s a fun experience for them and we love them being part of our Fayre. If your child/children would like to volunteer, please complete the form below which is your consent allowing them to be at the Fayre on the 11th July. If you put their friend's name down, please check the friend's parents/carers have also completed the form. Thank you very much and we look forward to seeing you and them at the Fayre.
Online Safety
Strong oral language skills help children feel confident, connected and ready to learn. This guide explores simple, everyday ways that parents and carers can support children’s speaking, listening and understanding, from shared conversations and story time to naming feelings and building vocabulary through play and routines. It also highlights the value of working closely with nurseries, schools and early years settings, using evidence-based approaches and spotting possible language needs early. With expert insight from OxEd, the guide offers supportive advice to help children become confident communicators as they prepare for school.
School News
Big Art Adventure Day
School was transformed into a vibrant hub of imagination and creativity during a very special whole-school Art Day, inspired directly by feedback from the School Council. Following thoughtful discussions, children shared their desire for greater freedom of choice in their artistic experiences - and we were delighted to bring this vision to life. The entire day was devoted to art, offering the children a unique opportunity to explore their creativity in new and exciting ways. All children were invited to select from an impressive range of over 20 different artistic techniques and skills. These included silk printing, quilling, environmental art, sugar-craft, observational drawing, mosaics, junk modelling and digital art - just to name a few. One of the most enriching aspects of the day was the opportunity for children to work alongside peers from across the school. This not only fostered a strong sense of community but also encouraged collaboration, independence and confidence as they stepped outside their usual classroom environments. Throughout the day, every corridor and classroom buzzed with energy and enthusiasm as children immersed themselves in learning new skills and experimenting with different materials. The results were truly remarkable, with each child creating their own unique masterpiece to be proud of. The day was a tremendous success, thoroughly enjoyed by both pupils and staff alike. It was wonderful to see creativity flourish in so many different forms and to witness the joy that comes from having the freedom to explore and express ideas. We are incredibly proud of how the children embraced this opportunity and we are confident that this inspiring day will remain a treasured memory for many years to come
Portico Public Speaking Competition
We were delighted to host our very first Portico Public Speaking event on Thursday, welcoming pupils from both West Leigh and Friars Primary School for an inspiring and thought-provoking afternoon. Children from Years 3-6 took part, working in teams made up of a captain, chairperson, speaker and questioner. Each team demonstrated excellent teamwork and organisation as they introduced one another and shared the values of their respective schools with clarity and pride. The speakers delivered speeches on important and meaningful issues, showing maturity, insight and a strong sense of purpose. Following their presentations, teams posed carefully considered and respectful questions to their opposing team, demonstrating not only their listening skills but also their ability to think critically in the moment. The audience was then invited to contribute their own questions, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere throughout the event. The standard of the children’s presentations was incredibly high, making the judges' decisions extremely tough! Their confidence, eloquence and thoughtful engagement were truly impressive and every participant should feel proud of their contribution. We are very excited about the future of this event and look forward to it becoming a valued tradition within the Portico community.
Principal for the Day – Campaigns Underway!
At lunchtime today, children had the exciting opportunity to meet the candidates standing for Principal for the Day and put forward their questions. The event was a tremendous success, with large numbers of children attending and eagerly putting the candidates to the test! The candidates rose to the challenge brilliantly, responding thoughtfully and confidently to a wide range of questions. It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm, curiosity and respectful debate from everyone involved. The excitement is certainly building as the election approaches. Over the next two weeks, candidates will deliver speeches in assembly and campaign across the school with persuasive posters. All of this will lead up to our whole-school general election on 18th June, when every child will have the opportunity to cast their vote and decide who will take on the role of Principal for the Day.
Sports News
Platinum School Games Award
We are delighted to have been awarded the School Games Platinum Mark for consecutive years, recognising our continued commitment to providing high-quality sporting opportunities for all pupils. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and remain committed to inspiring every child to enjoy and succeed in physical activity and sport. We have made changes to our approach this year in order to engage even more children, balancing elite competitions with a huge offer of inclusive opportunities. We are so proud that over 330 children have competed in sporting events during this academic year and over 300 children have participated in extra-curricular sports clubs!
Swimming Gala
A total of 36 children proudly represented our school at the recent swimming gala. Every single swimmer demonstrated outstanding commitment, determination and sportsmanship throughout the event, giving 100% effort in each of their races. The children competed with great enthusiasm and confidence, showcasing the skills they have developed through their hard work and dedication. Their excellent performances were reflected in the impressive results, with our swimmers bringing home numerous medals and trophies across a range of events. The day was made particularly special in the way the team supported and encouraged one another, displaying fantastic teamwork and school spirit from start to finish. Their positive attitudes, resilience and determination were evident both in and out of the pool. We are delighted to share that, thanks to their collective efforts, our school was crowned overall winner of the gala. This is a wonderful achievement and the entire team should be incredibly proud of their success. Congratulations to all 36 swimmers. They were excellent ambassadors for our school, and we are extremely proud of each and every one of them.
Dinner Menu
Week 2
Monday - Homemade Creamy Cheese and Vegetable Pasta Bake with Garlic Bread - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayo - Wholemeal Wrap with Egg, Sweetcorn, Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Salad Tuesday - BBQ Chicken - BBQ Quorn - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Steamed Rice and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt and Fruit Biscuit Wednesday - Pork Sausage - Vegan Sausage - Granary Baguette with Tuna Mayonnaise - Yorkshire Pudding, Potato Slices, Peas & Sweetcorn and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Raspberry Mousse Thursday - Homemade Beef Spaghetti Bolognaise - Homemade Quorn Spaghetti Bolognaise - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Peas & Sweetcorn and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Cherry Chocolate Cake Friday - Margherita Pizza with Tortilla Chips - Vegan Pizza with Tortilla Chips - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn Tortilla Chips - Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Jelly
Library Reading Challenge
We are delighted to celebrate the achievements of our young readers as they work through our Library Reading Challenge! Children begin by completing the Bronze Challenge, reading with a librarian on five occasions. They then move on to the Silver Challenge, where they reflect on two books they have read by writing either a summary or a book review for each one. For the Gold Challenge, children can either create an illustrated fact-file or write a biography about their favourite author. Our librarians are always on hand to offer support, encouragement and advice throughout the challenge. Once children have successfully completed the Bronze, Silver and Gold challenges, their bookmark is mounted and laminated before being proudly presented during assembly. In this section of the newsletter, we will celebrate the children who have completed the challenge and recognise their commitment to reading.
Outside Achievements
During the half-term break, Henry Gray (3L) took part in the National UKA Ballroom Dancing Competition, held in the prestigious Winter Gardens Ballroom in Blackpool. In the lead-up to the event, Henry worked incredibly hard to learn his routine and perfect his technique. His dedication and commitment were rewarded with an excellent 5th-place finish in the Jive category against strong competition from across the country. We are delighted to celebrate Henry's success and congratulate him on this fantastic achievement. Well done, Henry!
We are also delighted to celebrate the achievement of Arthur Sim, who recently took part in the RNLI's Mayday Mile challenge. The challenge encourages participants to run, walk, swim, or cycle one mile every day throughout May to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Demonstrating great determination and commitment, Arthur completed an impressive total of 81 miles, made up mostly of runs and some walks, alongside his usual busy schedule. Through his efforts, Arthur also raised an outstanding £240 for this worthwhile charity. We are incredibly proud of Arthur's dedication, resilience, and community spirit, and congratulate him on completing this fantastic challenge.
We are delighted to share a wonderful fundraising achievement by Stanley (3H), his brother, and a friend, who set up a lemonade stand over the weekend in support of Cats Protection. The trio sold ice-cold lemonade to thirsty passers-by and, through their hard work and enthusiasm, raised an impressive £40 for the charity. We are very proud of their kindness, initiative, and commitment to helping animals in need. Well done to all three on this fantastic effort!
PTA
Community News
We've created a dedicated space on our website to share flyers for local events and community support. Click the link below to explore what's happening in our area.
SEND Information Day - 16th June 2026
Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) and the SEND Local Offer Team are thrilled to invite you to our 2nd Southend SEND Information Day!
Whether you’re a parent carer or a professional, this is the place to be on 16 June. We’re bringing together local support services, expert teams, and a lineup of informative talks, all under one roof.
We know how vital it is to have clear, accessible information. That’s why we’ve organised a packed day full of:
- Direct access to local support services.
- Informative talks on key topics.
- A space to connect with other parent carers and professionals.
Save the date: 16 June from 9.30 to 2.30pm Venue: Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6ER Pre-register now: www.livewellsouthend.com/SENDInformationDay
Autumn 1 Term Diary Dates
September
- Monday 1st - Inset Day
- Tuesday 2nd - Children Return to School
- Wednesday 9th - Friday 11th - Year 5 Mersea Residential
- Monday 21st - Whole School Flu Vaccination
October
- Friday 23rd - INSET Day
- Monday 26th - Friday 30th - Half Term
Credits:
Created with images by mnirat - "Closeup Colorful drawing pins on Calendar page with date." • tatomm - "close up of calendar on the orange table background, planning for business meeting or travel planning concept" • ImageFlow - "Kid boy with phone, cybersecurity hologram and padlock circuit" • Pixel-Shot - "Female hands with newspapers on color background" • Kaspars Grinvalds - "Tablet with sports news website on stack of newspapers.,All contents are made up." • ercan senkaya - "full lunch service station" • Dusan Petkovic - "Adorable curious caucasian little girl with eyeglasses standing in bookstore and reading interesting book. All around are books on shelves." • New Africa - "Trophy and confetti on light background, top view with space for text.,Victory concept" • Morakot - "Men are reading books in the library." • mnirat - "Closeup Colorful drawing pins on Calendar page with date."