Outdoor Learning
Last week’s groups revisited the suncatcher activity. They proudly remembered how their suncatchers needed to be placed in the freezer, as the colder outdoor temperatures weren’t quite enough to freeze them. It was wonderful to see the children’s reactions—full of awe and wonder—as they observed the change from a liquid to a solid. The children then took their suncatchers outside to test them in the sun, noticing the drips as the ice began to melt. This sparked thoughtful discussion, linking back to our hot and cold water investigation, with the children recognising that the warm water suncatchers had frozen more clearly. We’ve had a few rainy days recently, but that didn’t stop the learning—in fact, it made it even more exciting! Outside, the children were fascinated by the rain droplets on the ground, which they described as making “circles.” This provided a lovely learning moment, as Mrs Britton introduced the correct scientific word: ripples. The children eagerly used their new vocabulary while observing the puddles. Next, it was time for a hands-on gardening activity—creating a wormery! The children followed simple, short instructions and worked together to collect soil using trowels. They added sand and fine gravel, discussing why different materials were needed. We then talked about where worms might live, spotting worm holes in the soil before carefully digging. The children were reminded to collect soil underneath the worms so they could be handled safely and gently. There were lots of gasps and smiles—the children were truly in awe! The worms were carefully placed into the wormery, and each child chose a leaf to place on top to finish their creation. To round off the experience, the children shared what they had done with the rest of the class. They showed growing confidence speaking in front of others and did a fantastic job recalling key words and steps from the activity. A wonderful example of learning through play, nature, and curiosity—even on a rainy day!
Nursery
This week we have enjoyed playing and getting to know our new friends who started last week. We have also enjoyed using the shaving foam, making different marks and making ice-cream! We have been learning lots of new songs and rhymes in letters and sounds time and have been enjoying our new books which Father Christmas gave us.
REMINDER: Please remember to put your child’s name on every piece of clothing including gloves and hats. Thank you
Letter sent home this week
Whole School - CEO Letter - Ofsted News - 08.01.2026
Reception
This week we have been developing our understanding of one more and one less from 1-5. We have also been introduced to some new maths resources, including various sized dice. The children have had fun playing games using the dice. In Literacy the children have been writing words to match pictures. E.g. lips, cat ,mat etc Some children went outside with Mrs Britton and dug for worms to make a wormery. This is now in our classroom and we will be watching to see if the worms burrow down into the sand and gravel.
REMINDER: Please remember to bring warm named clothes and your child's book bag daily.
Letters sent home this week
Year 1
The children have been working very hard in English. Some children have been creating independent sentences, using our writing rules. Other children have been practicing their letter formation and learning the letter families. In geography, Banjo returned to from his travels and the children were very excited to see him. We shall see where Banjo goes next. He has visited Morocco in Africa, Japan in Asia and Australia too so far. Where will he go next? The children have been practicing their numbers from 1-20, ensuring they know the order, knowing 1 more and 1 less.
REMINDER: Pebbles Class will be taking a trip to the beach on Tuesday 3rd February and Shell’s Class trip will be Tuesday the 10th February. It will only be a short visit in the morning. Please make sure your child is wearing the appropriate clothing for the weather. This includes wellies, gloves, scarves, hats and additional layers! Our Winter Walk has been re-scheduled to Friday 23rd January. We shall see if the weather behaves this time.
Letters sent home this week
Whole School - CEO Letter - Ofsted News - 08.01.2026
Year 2
This week we have been continuing to learn about money. It has been tricky to recognise what coins to use to make up certain amounts. Please practise this with your child at home! In history, we have been learning about the Great Fire of London, this is usually a topic that the children become really immersed in! Why don’t you take your child to the local library and see if they can find any books about the Great Fire of London? They could then share their knowledge about the topic by writing down a few key facts and sharing them with the class! Science has been interesting as we have been predicting and then finding out how much sugar is in certain drinks.
REMINDER: Seahorse Class will be taking a trip to the beach on Tuesday 20th January and Oyster’s Class trip will be Tuesday 27th January. It will only be a short visit. Please make sure your child is wearing the appropriate clothing for the weather. This includes wellies, gloves, hats, scarves and additional layers!
Letters sent home this week
Year 3
In English we have been writing our own weather poems and performing them. We used actions and practised changing our volume and tone. In maths we have continued to use multiplication and division techniques. We used concrete resources to answer challenging questions.
REMINDER: Please ensure that your child is logging onto TTRS at home. There are weekly challenges to complete so they can beat Year 4
Letters sent home this week
Whole School - CEO Letter - Ofsted News - 08.01.2026
Year 4
In maths we have been continuing to focus on multiplication and division, looking at how division and multiplication facts are related, dividing by 10 and 100 and informal written methods. In English we have written our own poems based on the work of AA Milne, throughout the writing process looking at rhyming words and having a clear focus on handwriting and letter formation. In geography we have continued our topic in the Americas. This week we have looked at renewable and non-renewable natural resources in the Americas and compared this to the UK.
REMINDER: Please continue to read regularly at home and sign our child’s reading diary. PE is Tuesday and Thursday, please ensure that PE kits are in school for both sessions.
Letters sent home this week
Whole School - CEO Letter - Ofsted News - 08.01.2026
Year 5
It has been an exciting week in year 5. We have started our work on multiplication and division using formal written methods. Thank goodness we have excellent times tables knowledge as this really helps! In English we completed our report on the biomes around the world, without which life would not flourish on our amazing planet. We truly are the Goldilocks of the Solar System. In ICT we have begun our work on video clips, look out for them at the next parent's evening!
Our PE lessons are now on Wednesday and Thursdays, please ensure your child has a suitable kit within school, especially as the weather has now become much colder. Reading diaries should be signed as much as possible and remember to continue to practice your times table fluency on TTRS and Maths with a Mouse!
Letters sent home this week
Whole School - CEO Letter - Ofsted News - 08.01.2026
Year 6
We have been busy cooking this week and hope you have enjoyed the vegetable pasta your child made. We used the different cutting techniques we learnt last week to cut different vegetables in different shapes and sizes so that they were all cooked at the same time. In English, we have written class myths with a focus on building tension - trying to scare our readers with our descriptions of mythical beasts and monsters. In PSHE, we have continued our learning about healthy positive relationships. We’ve talked about our responsibilities as friends and family when taking and sharing photos online. In gymnastics, we have been revising and improving our forward, backward and straddle rolls.
REMINDER: We are cooking again so your child needs to bring a container to school so they can bring their next cooking home. Thank you. Homework is due on Thursdays. If your child would like some help, homework club is Monday and Tuesday lunchtimes. PE is on Tuesdays and Fridays. It is very difficult to learn gymnastics without the appropriate kit. Please ensure your child has shorts, t-shirt and trainers/plimsols on Tuesdays and Fridays. Also if they are unable to remove ear rings themselves, please take them out before they come to school.
Letter sent home this week
Music
Instrumental Lessons Tuesday Guitar - Mr Brown Wednesday Guitar – Mr Elliott Wednesday Keyboard – Mr Hockey Wednesday Drums – Mr Peters Keyboard lessons resumed this week. All other lessons will commence next week
French
In French, years 2, 5 and 6 have continued their work on numbers, the weather, days and the schools.
Online Safety
Digital devices are woven into everyday life for children and young people, but balancing the benefits with potential risks can feel challenging. This #WakeUpWednesday guide explores how screen use can influence sleep, emotional regulation, physical health and online experiences, offering clear context around why concerns about wellbeing are growing. Written with schools and families in mind, the guide shares practical, realistic advice for setting boundaries, encouraging open conversations and building digital literacy. With insights from an experienced mental health professional, it supports adults to help children develop healthier, more mindful relationships with technology.
Second Hand Uniform
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 (cash only please). 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.
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 8.30am - 4.00pm. Thank you so much for doing this for the school as it helps our parents out tremendously.
Attendance
Weekly Class Attendance Celebration!
We love celebrating great attendance at our school! Each week, any class achieving 96% or more attendance earns a special Class Attendance Reward. The reward is chosen during our Friday Celebration Assembly using our exciting randomised Attendance Picker Wheel—a fun way to recognise and motivate excellent attendance! Please take a look at our end-of-week class attendance figures, attached, to see how your child’s class did this week. Well done to all the classes working hard to be in school every day—your efforts make a big difference to learning and progress.
Let’s keep aiming high—every day in school counts!
Attendance Matters!
At our school, we believe that good attendance is key to success. Every day in school counts towards your child’s learning and future opportunities. Our expectation is that all pupils aim for 96% attendance or higher throughout the year. When attendance falls below 91%, it becomes a cause for concern. In these cases, the school will contact parents to let you know that attendance is low. We may also invite you to a meeting to clarify the facts, discuss any barriers, and plan support together. We want to say a big thank you to all parents who have attended attendance meetings so far this school year. Your partnership with us is making a real difference—improved attendance means improved learning opportunities and outcomes for pupils.
Let’s keep working together to ensure every child gets the best start possible!
Contact us
Please ensure the school is kept informed of the circumstances for any absence, that way you will know if an absence has been authorised or unauthorised. If you need to talk to someone for advice on a planned absence or about support with difficulties around pupil attendance or punctuality, please do not hesitate to contact the Attendance Team. You will need to speak to, Mrs Dowd our Attendance Administrator or Mrs D Morris our 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!
Thank you for your continued support in helping every child achieve excellent attendance.
School Lunch
Week 3
Monday
- Beef & Bean Chilli with Steamed Rice
- Vegan Bean Chilli with Steamed Rice
- Pasta with Tomato & Vegetable Sauce
- Sweetcorn & Carrots
- Jam Sponge
Tuesday
- Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza with Spiced Baked Wedges
- Homemade Margherita Pizza with Spiced Baked Wedges
- Baked Potato with Baked Beans
- Sweetcorn & Broccoli
- Spiced Carrot Cake
Wednesday
- Herby Roast Chicken with Gravy
- Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Loaf with Gravy
- Baked Potato with Baked Beans
- Roast Potatoes, Carrots & Seasonal Greens
- Chocolate & Beetroot Brownie
Thursday
- Beef Meatballs in a Roasted Tomato & Basil Sauce with Pasta
- Vegan Bean Bolognaise with Pasta & Garlic Bread
- Wholemeal Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce
- Steamed Peas & Carrot
- Oaty & Sultana Cookie
Friday
- Fish Fingers, Chips & Ketchup
- Vegetable Burger with Chips & Ketchup
- Pasta with Squash & Tomato Sauce
- Baked beans & Peas
- Fruit Jelly
Served Daily
Pabulum Salad Bar Fresh Fruit Yoghurt Jelly
Cost of Living
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.
Credits:
Created with images by Fabio Principe - "A diary open with instruments for writing. Pencil, eraser and notebook on white background. Close up of a wooden pen orange and black, an eraser green and a booklet black. " • Ekaterina Pokrovsky - "French national flag" • Pungu x - "Username and password (Login) with biometric identification fingerprint scanner, encryption for technology cyber security internet and networking system. Businessman hand typing notebook (Laptop)." • Pixel-Shot - "School uniform on color background" • Tetiana - "Generative AI picture of delicious food meal in school canteen" • Vitalii Vodolazskyi - "Cost of living written in a notebook and calculations of home finances."