Dear Parents, Carers,
This has been an exceptionally busy and memorable term at West Leigh Junior School. The undeniable highlight was our spectacular production of Newsies Jr, in which 90 of our talented children took to the stage and delivered performances of truly West End quality, dazzling audiences across three fantastic days. Alongside this, pupils enjoyed a wide range of exciting activities both in and beyond school, including a wheelchair sports taster day for Year 6, a special trip for a group of Year 3 children to Waterstones to choose new books for our library, and a lively staff Bake Off in support of Comic Relief. It has been a fun, energetic, and rewarding term, and we look forward to even more wonderful experiences after Easter.
Mr Aggus
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Competitions - Summer 1 Diary Dates - Year 3 - Year 4 - Year 5
Year 6 - Online Safety - Dinner Menu - Sports News - School News
Online Bookshop - Inspirational Person - Attendance - Outside Achievements
House Points - Sports Awards - Community News - Summer 2 Diary Dates
Summer 1 Term Diary Dates
April
- Monday 13th - Children return to school
- Wednesday 15th - Year 3 Sports Enrichment Day
- 3L & 3H Hook Morning in Old Leigh
- 4E &4SW Field Study
- Thursday 16th - Class photos
- Year 5/6 Boys' Essex Cup Final
- Friday 17th - Year 5/6 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Swim Squad Training
- 3T & 3M Hook Morning at Old Leigh
- Girls' League Football match Vs Bournes Green
- Wednesday 22nd - Year 6 Book Look
- Year 6 Boys' Cricket Competition
- Thursday 23rd - Year 6 Girls' Cricket Competition
- Friday 24th - Year 5/6 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Tennis Competition
- Year 5/6 Tennis Competition
- Tuesday 28th - Portico Multi Sports Festival
- Wednesday 29th - Year 5 Book Look
- Year 5/6 Quad Kids Competition
- Thursday 30th - Creative Dance Festival
May
- Friday 1st - Year 5/6 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Swim Squad Training
- Monday 4th - Bank Holiday Monday
- Wednesday 6th - Year 4 Book Look
- Year 5 IndiRock Visit
- Year 3/4 Quad Kids Competition
- Friday 8th - Year 5/6 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Swim Squad Training
- Monday 11th - Thursday 14th - Year 6 SATs
- Wednesday 13th - Year 3 Book Look
- Thursday 14th - Ilam Hall Meeting with Parents - 7pm
- Friday 15th - Year 5/6 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Swim Squad Training
- Monday 18th - Parent Council Meeting - 4.30pm
- Tuesday 19th - 4B & 4C Performance
- Whole School Photo
- Wednesday 20th - Year 5 IndiRock
- Swim Gala
- Year 6 Sculpture Morning
- Thursday 21st - SEEMSMA Rehearsals
- 4E & 4SW Performance
- Danbury Parent Meeting - 7pm
- Friday 22nd - Big Art Adventure Day
- Monday 25th - Friday 29th - Half Term
Year 3
As we come to the end of a long and busy week, we are so proud of how hard the children have worked during this term. It has been lovely to share the progress your child has made during our learning conferences this week and to see how proud the children were to share their learning successes. It’s also important for them to understand the next steps in their learning and areas to target; we appreciate your continued support in helping your child to achieve these. In English lessons, the children have explored rap poetry. Learning culminated in the children writing the opening rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, based on the character of Demon, our Beast Keeper. Some hilarious and brilliant performances were witnessed at the end of the week. It might be worth asking your children if they can remember them so you get to experience them too! Our sewing is now finished and the bags have been prepared for the gods. We evaluated and thought carefully about whether we have met the design brief and, if not, how we would improve a product if given another opportunity to make it again. Our unit on magnets is also now complete and the children spent time this week testing various items in our classrooms to determine if they were magnetic. We hope you have an enjoyable and restful Easter break and we look forward to seeing the children ready to start our new topic, Old Father Thames.
Year 3 will be participating in a sports enrichment session on Wednesday 15th April. Pukka Pickleball will be visiting West Leigh to deliver a one-hour workshop to each class. Please could all children wear their PE kit on this date. Please note that classes 3L and 3H will still be going on their trip to Old Leigh in the morning and participating with pickleball in the afternoon.
PE Days Summer 1
3T
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3H
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3L
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3M
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
Swimming
- 3H - Monday
- 3L – Tuesday
- 3T – Wednesday
- 3M – Wednesday
Year 4
As we reach the end of a busy term, the children have, once again, celebrated many learning successes. In English, we have continued to study The Jabberwocky poem by Lewis Carroll. After a recap on word classes, the children used their prior knowledge to continue to plan a sequel to the poem. They wrote their verses using the same rhythm as the original and included suitable portmanteau and onomatopoeic words for effect. Some children have performed their poem to others using expression and clarity. As mathematicians, the children have reinforced their knowledge of co-ordinates and have learnt how to translate points on a grid by moving them up, down, left and right. Some groups have also created polygons by joining vertices. In RE, the children have used different sources to find out about the story of Easter and the events leading up to it. They have expressed their thoughts and feelings about the story and the aspect that they felt was the most important.
Reminders Please remember that straight after Easter, we will be visiting Southend for our geography field study: 4E and 4SW - Wednesday 15th April 4B and 4C on Friday 17th April.
PE Days Summer 1
4B
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
4E
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4SW
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4C
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
Swimming
- 4B - Monday
- 4SW - Monday
- 4C - Wednesday
- 4E - Friday
Year 5
It was wonderful to see so many parents and guardians at our Learning Conferences this week and to share your children’s achievements, as well as how we can continue supporting them together. In English, the children have practised using figurative language and correctly punctuating speech in their stories. Building on last week’s planning and inspired by the issue of plastic waste in our oceans, they produced emotive, moral narratives that challenged their descriptive and organisational skills. Many showed a real flair for drama and expanded their vocabulary with great success. In maths, problem‑solving activities helped reinforce and extend their skills. They explored a range of word problems involving the four operations, as well as measure, time and money, revisiting prior learning and deepening their understanding across these areas. Linking to our Great Wave stories, the children demonstrated impressive artistic talent using watercolours and various techniques. Their expressive interpretations paid creative homage to Hokusai’s original, with many transforming the wave into imaginative creatures such as monsters and animals. The results are truly outstanding. In our final science lesson of the term, the children considered how best to represent human development. They chose to measure different body parts - such as forearm length, arm span and foot length - and, with help from children across the school, recorded measurements, plotted scatter graphs and analysed their findings, identifying conclusions and any anomalies. The Year 5 team wish you a happy, healthy Easter break and look forward to welcoming the children back for their final term!
PE Days Summer 1
5G
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
5A
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5N
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5F
- Indoor PE - Thursday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
Swimming
- 5N – Tuesday
- 5F – Tuesday
- 5G – Thursday
- 5A – Thursday
Year 6
Year 6 have had a creative and thought‑provoking week, using their skills across lots of different subjects. In English, children have been planning imaginative reports about their own invented Flanimal. They showed fantastic creativity in designing unique creatures and then began turning their ideas into clear, structured writing. In Connected Curriculum, children explored global trade, looking at how goods are made, transported and sold around the world. They thought carefully about how countries are linked and how this affects both economies and the environment. Children also developed their map skills while considering how everyday objects connect us to people and places worldwide. In Design and Technology, children used their knowledge of electrical circuits to design their own rainforest‑themed electronic games. They explored how circuits could make their games interactive, bringing together creativity and technical understanding. The ideas they produced were inventive and showed a strong grasp of both design and function. Throughout all areas of learning, children have continued to show imagination, curiosity and growing confidence in applying their knowledge in meaningful and engaging ways.
PE Days Summer 1
6D
- Indoor - Wednesday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
6K
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
6W
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
6S
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
Swimming
- 6D - Thursday
- 6S - Friday
- 6K - Friday
- 6W - Friday
Online Safety
As exams approach, many young people fall back on familiar revision habits like re-reading and highlighting. While these can feel reassuring, they often do little to support long-term memory. This guide explains why passive techniques can lead to misplaced confidence, gaps in understanding and increased stress when pupils struggle to recall key information under pressure. Focusing on simple, evidence-informed strategies, supports parents to guide more effective revision. From active recall and spaced practice to building manageable routines, this guide offers practical ways to improve retention and confidence. With expert insight, it encourages a balanced approach where challenge supports learning without overwhelming pupils.
Dinner Menu
Week 1
Monday - Homemade sausage, tomato & vegetable wholemeal pasta - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Sweetcorn, Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Cocktail Tuesday - Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce - Quorn Meatballs in Tomato Sauce - Granary Baguette with Tuna mayonnaise - Pasta, Sweetcorn and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Flapjack Wednesday - Traditional Roast Chicken in Gravy - Quorn in Vegetable Gravy - Granary Baguette with Egg Mayonnaise - Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, Carrots, Peas and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Jelly
Thursday - Beef Lasagna - Vegetable Lasagna - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Garlic Bread and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Cornflake Crunch Friday - 100% Fish Fingers - Vegetable Fingers - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Potato cubes, Baked Beans and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Ice Cream
Sports News
Essex Cross Country Finals
Our cross-country Essex finalists battled just about every weather possible on Wednesday when they competed against the best runners in Essex. We are so proud of how the children ran and supported each other through the competition in really tough conditions. All runners did West Leigh proud! There were 2nd place finishes for the Year 3 Girls, Year 4 Girls, Year 4 boys and Year 6 girls. Year 5 girls narrowly missed out on 3rd place by just one point and the Year 6 boys achieved 5th place. Well done to Sophie and Sienna who qualified as individuals and ran superbly in the Year 4 girls' race. Well done runners! It's never too early to start training for September's cross-country trials...
Portico Football Festival
West Leigh competed in the annual Portico Football Festival on Thursday and what a day it was! The sun was shining and there was some glorious football played in the event. There were both boys' and girls' teams competing during the afternoon. For the first time, a Portico football team was formed, made up of children from each school. It was lovely to see the children introducing themselves to one another and quickly understanding their strengths as a team. It was a tightly contested event with goal line scrambles and last-minute winners! Well done to all of the children across Portico who participated.
School News
Parking Patrol
This week, members of the West Leigh Junior School Council have been arriving early each morning to launch their latest initiative: Parking Patrol. Inspired by discussions in school council meetings and their recent visit to the Houses of Parliament, where they spoke with our local MP, the children felt strongly that they wanted to take action to improve the safety of our school environment. They have become increasingly concerned about unsafe parking around the school, particularly cars stopping on yellow lines or blocking driveways. These actions can make it difficult for children and other pedestrians to cross the road safely, as their visibility is reduced. Equipped with politely worded leaflets, our Parking Patrol team spent the week identifying instances of unsafe parking and offering gentle reminders to motorists. Their aim is simple: to encourage safer parking choices that protect everyone in our community. Thank you to all those who listened to the children’s messages, chose safer places to park, or left a little earlier to allow time to walk part of the journey. Your support helps our children feel heard—and helps keep everyone safe. Parking Patrol will continue their initiative after the Easter break.
Visit to Hive Nature School
A group of our Year 4 children had a brilliant trip to the Hive Nature School at Garon Park today, where they spent the entire day learning and exploring outdoors. The visit was packed with exciting activities designed to build teamwork, confidence and a love of nature. Throughout the day, the children worked together on a variety of team-building challenges. They showed great creativity and co-operation while den building, carefully constructing shelters using natural materials. Archery was another highlight, where they practised their aim and developed new skills with enthusiasm. During pond dipping, the children were fascinated by the range of wildlife they discovered (especially the newts!), and the scavenger hunt encouraged them to explore their surroundings more closely. One of the most energetic parts of the day was the Nerf battle, which had everyone laughing and working together as a team. However, for many children, the true highlight was gathering around the fire to toast marshmallows—a perfect way to relax and enjoy the outdoor experience. It was a fantastic day filled with fun, learning, and teamwork. The children represented the school brilliantly, and we are already looking forward to returning with another year group in the near future.
Inspirational Person - Bethany Hamilton
Last half term's Showbie challenge was taken up by so many children and hopefully we have managed to make a difference to the planet through our actions. As part of their challenge, Fearne and Jude Rochester asked us to share the link to the following petition for a new law called the Living Planet Act, so that as many parents as possible can sign up: https://www.wwf.org.uk/act/living-planet-act This half term, our inspirational person is Bethany Hamilton. Bethany’s story is one of courage, determination and heart. After losing her arm in a shark attack at the age of 13, she showed incredible resilience by returning to the sport she loved and continuing to compete at the highest level. Rather than giving up, she chose to face her challenges with bravery and a positive mindset. Bethany reflects our school values in powerful ways. We thought about a new way to define integrity: staying true to who you are, even when life becomes incredibly difficult. Bethany didn’t give up on her passion and she continued to work hard – when in fact, no-one would have blamed her for quitting! Just like Bethany riding a wave, we all have challenges to face. And even if the wave feels big and scary, we can be brave enough to try again. The challenge for this half term is to use the surfboard template on Showbie to create a ‘Golden Values’ surfboard. This could be decorated with words to represent the values, symbols or even a personal goal that you are surfing towards!
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.
Summer 2 Term Diary Dates
June
- Monday 1st - Inset Day
- Tuesday 2nd - Friday 12th - Year 4 MTC
- Tuesday 2nd - 2Johns Parents Meeting - 6.30pm
- Thursday 4th - Public Speaking Competition
- Year 4 Transition & Mersea Meeting - 7pm
- Wednesday 10th - Borough Sports
- Thursday 11th - SEESMA Rehearsal & Concert
- Friday 12th - Sports Day
- Tuesday 16th - Year 3 Field Study - Old Leigh
- Wednesday 17th - Year 4 Rounders Competition
- Quiz Club Maths Final
- Thursday 18th - Year 2 to 3 Transition Meeting for Parents - 7pm
- Friday 19th - Year 3 Home Safety Talks
- Year 4 Cricket Competition
- 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 - Portico Sports Day
- Quiz Club Finals at Oxford University
July
- Thursday 2nd - Lower School Summer Safety Assembly
- Friday 3rd - Whole School Transition Morning
- Monday 6th - Thursday 9th - Fun Swim
- 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
- Friday 17th - Last Day of Term
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