Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that you managed to find time to rest at what is always a busy time of the year. Whilst the festivities may be over, the spring term is just as busy; there is always something going on at West Leigh!
We look forward to seeing you over the coming weeks and hope that spring arrives early this year.
Have a lovely weekend,
Mr Aggus
Diary Dates
January
- Monday 13th - Individual and sibling photographs
- Year 3/4 girls' football trials
- Tuesday 14th - Individual and sibling photographs
- Year 3/4 RSE Talk for parents @ 2.30pm
- Family Fun Cooking Session
- Wednesday 15th - Year 3 visit Leigh Library (3T & 3M)
- Thursday 16th - Year 5 RSE Talk for parents @ 2.30pm
- Family Fun Cooking Session
- Year 6 netball versus Alleyn Court
- Friday 17th - Year 3 disco
- Year 5/6 Boys' Football vs Rayleigh
- Monday 20th - Visit to The Natural History Museum (5F & 5K)
- Year 3/4 Girls' Football Trial
- Tuesday 21st - Visit to The Natural History Museum (5G & 5L)
- Year 3 visit to the library (3H & 3S)
- Year 6 RSE talk for parents @ 2.30pm
- Year 3/4 Girls' Football Trial
- Family Cooking Fun
- Thursday 23rd - Young Shakespeare Company Year 6
- Family Fun Cooking
- Friday 24th - Year 3/4 Boys' Southend Football Competition
- Monday 27th - Years 3/4 Boys' Football V Downhall
- Pentathlon Swimming Gala
- Tuesday 28th - Family Fun Cooking Session
- Year 6 basketball competition
- Girls' football friendly @ Hinguar
- Thursday 30th - Girls' Essex Q/F Cup vs George Carey
- Family Fun Cooking Session
- Friday 31st - Year 5/6 Hockey Festival
February
- Monday 3rd - Young Voices at the O2
- Tuesday 4th - Family Fun Cooking Session
- Thursday 6th - Year 5/6 Boys' Football vs Chalkwell
- Family Fun Cooking Session
- Monday 10th - Year 5/6 Boys' Football V. Fairways
- Tuesday 11th - Safer Internet Day
- Year 6 Girls' Netball League
- Wednesday 12th - Year 6 Cyber Security Workshop
- Year 5/6 Essex Tag Rugby Finals
- Year 3/4 Boys' Football @ Chalkwell
- Monday 17th - Friday 21st - Half Term
- Monday 24th - INSET Day
- Wednesday 26th - Year 6 Netball Competition
- Thursday 27th - Year 6 Netball Festival
- Friday 28th - Year 3/4 Girls' Football Competition
- School Nurse drop-ins for Parents
March
- Monday 3rd - Year 3 Dogs Trust visit
- Tuesday 4th - Southend Makes Music
- Wednesday 5th - General Knowledge Quiz Club Area Heat
- Thursday 6th - Year 4 Colchester Castle
- Year 5/6 Quad Kids Trial
- Friday 7th - Year 6 Dragonball Competition
- Monday 10th - Year 3/4 Boys' Football
- Parent Council Meeting
- Tuesday 11th - Year 6 Openroad Drug Safety Workshop
- Wednesday 12th - Years 3-5 assessments until Friday 21st
- Year 4 Tag Rugby Competition
- Thursday 13th - Year 5/6 Boys' Football vs Greenways
- Tuesday 18th - Year 6 Openroad Drug Safety Workshop
- Wednesday 19th - Year 5/6 Sports Hall Finals
- Thursday 20th - Cross Country training Essex Final Squad
- Friday 21st - Comic Relief
- Monday 24th - Year 6 Mock Week
- Tuesday 25th - Year 6 Girls' Netball League
- Year 4 presentation @ 2pm (4B & 4C)
- Thursday 27th - Year 4 presentation @ 2pm (4E & 4SW)
- Friday 28th - Year 5/6 Aquathlon
April
- Tuesday 1st - Learning Conferences
- Wednesday 2nd - Cross Country Essex Finals
- Thursday 3rd - Learning Conferences
- Monday 7th - Monday 21st - Easter Holidays
- Thursday 24th - Year 5 Transition and Selection meeting
- Friday 25th - Year 3/4 Tennis Competition @ 9am
- Year 5/6 Tennis Competition @ 12.15pm
- Monday 28th - Year 5 Geography Field Trip
- Wednesday 30th - Year 3/4 Quad Kids
May
- Thursday 1st - Dance Festival @ Alleyn Court
- Wednesday 7th - Year 5/6 Quad Kids
- Monday 12th - Year 6 SATs Week
- Tuesday 20th - Year 3 Presentation @ 2pm (3M & 3S)
- Wednesday 21st - Maths Quiz Club Area Heat
- Swimming Gala @ Garon Park
- Thursday 22nd - Year 3 Presentation @ 2pm (3T & 3H)
- Friday 23rd - Year 6 Rounders Festival
- Monday 26th - Friday 30th - Half Term
June
- Monday 2nd - INSET Day
- Wednesday 4th - Year 6 Cricket Competition (boys)
- Thursday 5th - Year 6 Cricket Competition (girls)
- Friday 6th - Careers Day
- Monday 9th - Wednesday 18th - Assessments in Years 3 - 5
- Monday 9th - Thursday 19th - Year 6 Bikeability
- Wednesday 11th - Borough Sports
- Thursday 12th - Year 4 Transition
- Friday 13th - SEESMA Concert
- Monday 23rd - Friday 27th - Ilam Hall Residential and Southend Activity Week
- Tuesday 24th - Super Sports - Track
- Year 6 Induction King John
- Wednesday 25th - Super Sports - Field
- Year 6 Induction King John
July
- Friday 4th - Year 6-7 Transition Day
- Monday 7th - Sports Day
- Tuesday 15th - Open Evening 5pm - 7pm
- Friday 18th - Annual School Reports
- Monday 21st - Year 6 Swimming Gala
- Wednesday 23rd - Last day of term
Year 3
It has been a great first week of term, starting off with our hook day which allowed the children to immerse themselves into their new topic about ancient Greece. The day started with an introduction to Greek vocabulary and the opportunity for the children to write their names using the ancient Greek alphabet. They went on to sample some traditional Greek food including olives, dates and pitta bread dipped in Tzatziki. Afterwards, they learnt about Greek theatre when they created comedy and tragedy sketches and even made some traditional theatre masks. The next activity required some precise cutting in order to craft olive leaf crowns and learn about how the ancient Olympians would have been awarded these when winning their events. To round off the day, the children became Olympians, taking part in our own mini Olympics. They competed in house teams, completing events including thumb wrestling, sprints, javelin and bean bag throws. The winners took part in a victory lap, donning their olive crowns. The day’s events have certainly given the children a great flavour of this new area of the curriculum.
In maths, we have been learning about lines and angles as part of our unit on shape. The children have identified pairs of parallel and perpendicular lines and hunted for right angles using angle eaters.
In our English lessons, we have been introduced to this term's layered reading book - Beast Keeper by Lucy Coates. The children have used clues from the text to create mind maps about the main character, Demon. They have also looked at his family tree and his relationship to the gods on Mount Olympus. We wouldn’t be learning about ancient Greece without reading some Greek mythology so we have also read Pandora’s Box and discussed her dilemma with the temptation of wanting to open the box. The children wrote in character as her good friend Athena, giving Pandora advice on the predicament she found herself in.
Year 3/4 Boys' Football Trials: Thank you to all of the children who attended the boys' football trials. We were so impressed with the talent on show. A team has now been selected for the Southend tournament. We have several fixtures organised later in the year in which more children will be able to compete. Letters will be given to children when these fixtures are approaching.
Reminder: On Wednesday 15th January, 3T and 3M will be visiting Leigh Library to encourage reading in the community. As we will be walking, please ensure your child has suitable footwear and a warm coat. Please could they bring a snack to carry in their pocket as we will not be in school to purchase snacks.
Letters sent home this week
Year 4
It has been wonderful to welcome the children back after their well-earned Christmas break.
In English, using The Day The Crayons Quit as a focus, the children have considered the emotions of the characters and how they would behave if they were in the classroom. Using their knowledge of direct speech, the children wrote a conversation between the characters. They also used the correct structure to write a formal letter of complaint from a character in the story.
We have also started to read our new Layered Reading book, The Roman Quest – Escape From Rome, where the children have been introduced to some of the characters within the story so far.
In maths, the focus has been on Roman numerals, where the children have demonstrated their place value knowledge to convert between numbers and Roman numerals. In some groups, the children have also looked at metric units of length and have begun to convert between them.
As scientists, we have begun a new topic on states of matter. The focus this week was solids. The children examined a range of different solids and described their characteristics.
In Connected Curriculum, our new topic for this term is Don’t Forget Your Passport. This began with our exciting hook day which took place on Wednesday, where the children learnt about all things Italian. They used atlases and iPads to locate Italian cities and landmarks and also made virtual trips through Rome, Naples and Venice whilst learning some Italian vocabulary and phrases. As part of their virtual trip around Italy, the children learnt how to create photo snapshots as if they were there. They also enjoyed learning about different Italian celebrations and traditions and how these are honoured.
Year 3/4 Boys' Football Trials: Thank you to all of the children who attended the boys' football trials. We were so impressed with the talent on show. A team has now been selected for the Southend tournament. We have several fixtures organised for more children to compete in. Letters will be given to children when these fixtures are approaching.
Letters sent home this week
Year 5
It has been wonderful to welcome the children back to their classrooms this week. They are well-rested and ready to learn but have also been eager to share stories of their holiday fun and presents.
There has been a real buzz of excitement in the classrooms during English lessons as we have introduced our new writing unit - The Ridge. Our inspiration has been from a video of the incredible journey of Danny McCaskill - a champion mountain biker who challenged himself to ride and climb the In Pin (inaccessible pinnacle) in the Cuillin Mountains on the Isle of Skye. Whilst the children watched the amazing skill and bravery of this athlete, there was a tangible emotional response including oohs and ahhs of disbelief. The children reviewed vocabulary and how to ‘up-level’ to improve their descriptions, including developing expanded noun phrases. They also produced an emotion map of the journey and considered how music enhances the viewing experience. We reviewed the use of figurative language, (introduced in Year 4) and introduced other language features including idioms and the use of symbolism.
Fruit of all shapes and sizes was an integral part of this week's science lessons. We have introduced our new topic on the solar system. Using different sized fruit, the children were able to imagine and comprehend the position of the planets within our solar system including their orbits and sizes in relation to each other and particularly Earth.
In maths, we began the new year with a focus on place value. The children compared and ordered numbers, and also focused on rounding upto 1, 000, 000. Negative numbers were introduced, including finding differences between negative and positive integers. Interpreting sequences was also reviewed in some bands.
Our Connected Curriculum lessons have got off to an explosive start as we begin our new topic Fragile Earth. Building on their prior knowledge, the children were asked to map different classes of volcanoes across the world, considering what their placement suggests about different areas of the Earth and what types of natural disasters might occur there. They also studied the structure of the Earth, learning about the different layers and how the movement of tectonic plates cause earthquakes.
Letters sent home this week
Year 6
In English, Year 6 have delved into the brilliance of Malala's Magic Pencil. This captivating book has not only sparked the children's imaginations but has also unveiled the profound global impact of Malala. Inspired by her narrative, pupils are now contemplating ways to influence positive change by writing a powerful, persuasive message of hope.
Having completed Letters from the Lighthouse at the end of the autumn term, we eagerly introduced our latest Layered Reading adventure. Katherine Rundell's The Explorer has already sparked excitement, even though we've only read the initial few pages.
In maths, the children have been reading and interpreting line graphs and have also developed their skills in drawing accurate graphs. They initially developed their ability to draw and label accurate scales, which was highly beneficial in supporting their subsequent learning. They have also furthered their understanding of how to use and interpret pie charts.
A new topic, Our Changing World, has also been launched, sparking creativity in Connected Curriculum. As an initial hook to this topic, they created artwork linked to climate zones around the world, employing watercolour paints to express their understanding. They built upon this knowledge in a subsequent lesson, applying their deeper knowledge of longitude and latitude, linking these to climate.
As scientists, they have begun to deepen their understanding of how living things are classified in the living world and the importance of the classification system developed by the influential scientist Karl Linnaeus.
Letters sent home this week
Online Safety
JusTalk Kids is an alternative version of the JusTalk app, aimed at an audience aged 13 and under. As this upper age limit suggests, this social networking platform is intended to be suitable for youngsters, providing them with a space of their own to interact with a community their own age.
Unfortunately, there are still risks associated with JusTalk Kids, so it’s vitally important for parents and educators to understand the potential dangers for those who use the app. Our free guide delves into the most prominent online safety concerns of JusTalk Kids, while also letting you know how to ensure that children can be protected, should they wish to create an account.
Sitting Volleyball
On Wednesday, West Leigh competed in the Sitting Volleyball competition at Garon Sports Centre. The team was made up of 9 players with 6 competing on the court during each match. Each team aimed to be the first to score 15 points to win each match. They had 6 matches to play and these were very close games, with the lead swapping several times in each match. Unfortunately, we only managed to secure one win despite being the only team to beat St. Mary’s who went on to win the tournament. The other games were very close with the team only losing by a few points in some the games.
Once the medal presentation was complete, there was just one match left to play, this being the biggest match of the competition: children versus teachers! With approximately 70 children against 20 teachers, it was a tough battle but somehow, the teachers took the win!
Hockey House Team Event
The first house team event of 2025 took place this week and it was Pegasus who were victorious! The children were tested in their hockey skills, scoring points by accurately passing the ball through a narrow gate. Phoenix and Wyvern were in joint 2nd with Centicore in 3rd. A huge well done to all the participants, and the sports captains for their tremendous leadership!
West Leigh's Waddle-on-Sea
There was much excitement in today's assembly as the Waddle-on-Sea design competition was launched.
As part of our ongoing charity work, we have signed up to this exciting project to raise funds for Havens Hospices. Over the next few weeks, the children have been invited to design a baby penguin that will form part of the city's exhibition in the summer. Designs will need to reflect our school's Golden Values of responsibility, integrity and empathy and should be completed on one of the templates provided in school.
If your child would like to take part, they should collect a design template from Mrs Wilson and ensure that completed designs are returned by Monday 3rd February.
Further details about the Waddle-on-Sea project can be found below:
Royal Academy Young Artists' Summer Show
Now in its seventh year, the Young Artists’ Summer Show is a free, open submission exhibition for pupils aged 4–18. Artworks are judged by a panel of artists and art professionals, with selected artworks displayed online and on-site at the Royal Academy of Arts. West Leigh Junior School is now registered so if anyone is feeling inspired, they are able to apply and enter this prestigious exhibition online. Submissions are open until 5th March 2025. All details are available on the Royal Academy’s website, below but if you have any further questions, please get in touch with Mrs Nash.
Dinner Menu
Week 2
Monday - Homemade Macaroni Cheese with Garlic Bread - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Sweetcorn and Saad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Raspberry Mousse
Tuesday - Pork Sausage - Vegan Sausage - Wholemeal Wrap with Egg Mayo - Yorkshire Pudding - Mashed Potatoes, Garden Peas and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Jelly
Wednesday - Minced Beef and Onion Puff Pastry Pie with Gravy - Winter Vegetable Puff Pastry Pie with Gravy - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Roast Potatoes - Carrots/Sweetcorn and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Cornflake Cherry Crunch
Thursday - Chicken Thigh Curry - Cauliflower and Vegetable Curry - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese and Tuna Mayonnaise - Coleslaw, Sweetcorn and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Chocolate Prune Cake
Friday - Battered Chicken Steak - Vegetable & Cheese Bake - Granary Baguette with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Diced Potatoes, Spaghetti Hoops and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Ice Cream
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 4C who achieved the highest attendance this week with 99.24%.
Messages from FOWLS
Please be aware that the Year 3 disco will be taking place on Friday 17th January. Information about this event has been shared via individual class WhatsApp groups but if you'd still like to buy a ticket or require further information, please contact FOWLS.
The full list of councillors, along with their email addresses if you wish to contact them, can be found on our school website. The minutes from our meetings are also published on this page, which can be found using the following link: https://www.westleighjunior.co.uk/parent-council
A reminder that answers to many of the previously discussed items at parent council can be found on the 'hot topics' section of our website: https://www.westleighjunior.co.uk/hot-topics
This includes subjects such as lost property, lunchtime arrangements, clubs and much more.
We still have vacancies in 4E, 4C and 6P - if you are able to spare an evening each term to represent your class, it would be of great benefit to the school. Our meetings are held at 4.30pm and councillors are able to use our After School Club, free of charge to assist with child care during the meeting. Please contact Mrs London if you are able to volunteer.
Community News
NHS Pharmacy First Service
Did you know that the NHS Pharmacy First Service enables children and adults to get convenient access to healthcare advice and treatment where appropriate, for seven common conditions without the potential delay of having to wait for a GP appointment? Accessing the service may mean that can help children feel better and back to school as quickly as possible, as well as supporting parents/carers to also get better if they are unwell with one of the conditions covered under the service.
There is no need to make an appointment; parents or carers can pop into their local Boots pharmacy with their child and ask for help under the service.
Support for the following conditions can be accessed under the service, free of charge (unless NHS prescription charges apply):
Credits:
Created with images by Kseniya - "empty gallerys in museum" • epicraw - "Close up man hands holding champion golden trophy on transparent background Generative AI"