Dear Parents and Carers,
The festive season has officially begun! This week, our Christmas trees have been beautifully dressed, filling the school with sparkle and cheer. We can’t wait to celebrate with you - starting this weekend at our Christmas Fayre, and continuing next week with our much-loved annual decoration sessions. These moments are always a highlight of the year, and we look forward to sharing these with you.
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Autumn 2 Diary Dates - Year 3 - Year 4 - Year 5 - Year 6
Online Safety - Dinner Menu - School News - Sports News - Book Shop
Inspirational Person - Attendance - Sports Awards - House Points
Outside Achievement - PTA - Community News - Spring Term Dates
Autumn 2 Term Diary Dates
November
- Saturday 29th - Christmas Fayre
December
- Monday 1st - Year 6 Handball
- Tuesday 2nd - Flu Immunisation mop-up
- Year 3 Presentation to Parents @ 2.15pm - 3M and 3H
- Wednesday 3rd - Year 3 Christmas Decoration Morning
- Thursday 4th - Year 5 Christmas Decoration Morning
- Santa Dash
- Year 3 Presentation to Parents @ 2.15pm - 3T and 3L
- Friday 5th - Christmas Decorations Years 4 and 6 - times TBC
- Kurling Competition
- Boccia Competition
- Year 6 Santa Netball
- Monday 8th - Rehearsal at St Margaret's AM
- Tuesday 9th - Coastal Schools (4B)
- Christmas Carol Service @ 7pm
- Wednesday 10th - Handball Competition (Year 6)
- Christmas lunch
- Friday 12th - Christmas Gift Sale
- Thursday 18th - Festive non-uniform
- No After School Club
- Friday 19th - INSET DAY
- Monday 22nd - Friday 2nd January - Christmas Break
Year 3
This week in D&T, children designed and built their own Stone Age shelters, thinking carefully about real-world challenges such as weather protection, dangerous animals, and the ability to disassemble their structures. When some shelters toppled over, students used fantastic problem-solving skills to adapt their designs, strengthen weak points, and try again. We were very impressed with their creativity and resilience. In science, children created their own mold fossils using salt dough. They had lots of fun experimenting with dinosaurs, footprints and insects to make impressions. We also enjoyed some exciting discussions about fossilised insects trapped in amber, which sparked plenty of curiosity and questions! This week was our assessment week. The children approached these with a positive attitude, showing great focus and determination. All the staff are very proud of their effort and mindset. Our performance rehearsals are going well. Thank you for sending in costumes; the children looked great in their dress rehearsal and we are sure you will be impressed with their skills when you get to see it next week. We are also looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday for our Christmas decoration morning
Reminders
- Please note there are changes to PE and swimming lessons next week. 3L and 3T will be having PE on Wednesday instead of Thursday. 3M will have their swimming lesson on Thursday not Wednesday.
- Don't forget our Christmas decoration morning on Wednesday 3rd December: 3T and 3L at 9.10am; 3M and 3H at 10.50am
PE Days
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
Once again, we have come to the end of another busy, but hard-working week in Year 4. The week began with 4C heading off to Coastal Schools. They enjoyed collecting interesting items and used these to create beautiful examples of beach art. In English, the children used the plans created last week to continue writing their science-fiction stories. They applied linguistic devices including show, not tell, noun phrases and the five senses to describe how their characters embarked upon an ‘alien adventure’ and solved a problem enabling them to return to Earth. As mathematicians, the children have consolidated their learning of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and fractions. They have used a range of resources and games which were especially selected to meet the needs of each maths group. As scientists, we have investigated how sounds can be muffled. Using a sound source, the children generated their own ideas about sound-proofing. The sound source was then wrapped in different materials and the children predicted which would be the most effective at muffling sounds. We used a micro:bit as a data-logger to record the volume of the sound. As historians and geographers, the children have also begun their research on The River Nile and its importance during ancient Egyptian times and its use today. We also explored how the seasons and climate of Ancient Egypt influenced farming methods. They learned about the significance of the Nile's flooding, the distinct seasons, and the agricultural techniques used by the ancient Egyptians. They have used all of this knowledge to create information posters. Some children used the Pages app on an iPad to showcase this knowledge.
Reminders
- Don't forget our Christmas decoration sessions on Friday 5th December: 4B at 9:10am; 4C at 10:50am; 4E at 1:15pm and 4SW at 2:20pm
PE Days
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
Winter has arrived, yet the Year 5 children remain focused and determined, despite the excitement of Christmas approaching. This week, we began our termly assessments in reading, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. The children demonstrated strong resilience, and in the coming weeks we will revisit areas that need further consolidation. In maths, lessons have centred on geometry. The children started the week estimating and comparing different types of angles. They then reviewed properties of 2D and 3D shapes, including identifying shapes by their attributes and exploring the types of lines within them. We concluded the week by applying this knowledge to solve shape-based investigations. In science, we have been exploring levers and their role in movement. The children investigated how levers work, examined everyday products that use them, and discovered how changing the position of the fulcrum affects the force required to lift a load. In the weeks ahead, we will extend this learning to pulleys and gears.
The Year 5 corridors have echoed with the sound of sawing and the scent of hot glue as the children began the practical stage of their first Design and Technology project. Accuracy and care were essential as they measured lengths to construct the frame for their cam toy. They practised safe use of a hacksaw to cut jelutong and a craft knife to shape cardboard. This formed part of a focused skills session, creating a small frame to build confidence and understanding before moving on to the final product.
Reminders:
- Don't forget our Christmas decoration sessions on Thursday 4th December: 5N and 5A at 9:10am; 5G and 5F at 10:50am
PE Days
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 had a highly productive and engaging week across all areas of learning. In English, they delved deeper into the plot and characters of Macbeth, building on last week’s inspiring performance by the Young Shakespeare Company. They performed their own haunting version of the Weird Sisters’ poem, created atmospheric descriptions of the heath using rich figurative language, and explored the hopes and fears of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as the tension of the play unfolds. In our Connected Curriculum work, pupils continued developing the practical skills needed for creating their puppets. They practised essential sewing techniques, including casting on and off, threading needles, and joining fabric securely using an overstitch. They also prepared their puppet designs by pinning paper templates accurately, ensuring careful material use before construction begins. In science, pupils investigated how the position of a light source affects the size of a shadow. Through hands-on exploration, they collected precise measurements, presented their findings in a graph, and summarised their results to draw clear scientific conclusions.
Reminders:
- Don't forget our Christmas decoration sessions on Friday 5th December: 6S at 9:10am; 6K at 10:50am; 6D at 1.15pm and 6W at 2.20pm
PE Days
6D
- Indoor - Wednesday
- Outdoor - Monday
6K
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
6W
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
6S
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
Swimming
- 6D - Thursday
- 6S - Friday
- 6K - Friday
- 6W - Friday
Online Safety
Now the world’s go-to short video platform, TikTok captivates young audiences with its endless stream of engaging clips, but not without potential pitfalls. From unsettling or age-inappropriate content to harmful viral challenges, misinformation and even radicalisation, this ever-popular app can expose children to content that may not always be suitable for them. Our guide explores TikTok’s hidden hazards, including in-app spending, compulsive screen time and privacy concerns, offering clear advice for parents. With expert insight and practical safety tips, it aims to help families ensure that TikTok use remains fun, positive and, most importantly, safe.
Dinner Menu
Week 1
Monday - Homemade Creamy Cheese and Vegetable Pasta Bake with Garlic Bread - Jacket Potato (with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise) - Granary Baguette with Tuna Mayonnaise - Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Cocktail Tuesday - Pork Sausage Toad in the Hole - Vegan Sausage Toad in the Hole - Jacket Potato (with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise) saute Potates, Carrots, Beans and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Iced Finger Wednesday - Homemade Mild Chicken Curry - Homemade Mild Chickpea and Vegetable Curry - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Rice, Mini Naan and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Apple Crumble with Custard Thursday - Homemade Beef Cottage Pie - Homemade Quorn and Vegetable Cottage Pie - Jacket Potato (with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise) - Carrots, Peas and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Banana Cake Friday - 100% Fish Fingers - Vegetable Fingers - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Potato Wedges, Baked Beans and Salad Bar - Fresh fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Jelly
School News
A Remarkable Performance at the Royal Albert Hall
Ten of our Year 5 boys proudly represented the school as part of the boys’ choir at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday. They performed Carmina Burana alongside the Southend Boys’ Choir, several other prestigious choirs, and a full philharmonic orchestra. They behaved impeccably throughout the day, sang beautifully and embraced this incredible opportunity with real pride. Their hard work was evident, impressing the conductor by confidently performing their Latin passages entirely from memory. Well done to all involved for an outstanding achievement and a truly memorable experience!
Welcome to West Leigh, Darcy
We are delighted to announce the addition of an Essex Therapy Dogs dog to our school. Darcy, who is a four-year old Labrador / Dalmatian cross, will be visiting West Leigh once a week. During her visits, Darcy will work with specific children; however, there will be opportunities for each class to meet Darcy over the coming weeks and months. Pupils who are wary of dogs, or those with allergies, can of course opt-out of meeting Darcy. Should your child have a significant fear of dogs, please let us know via the school office office@wljs.porticoacademytrust.co.uk so that alternative arrangements can be made. Research shows that access to a therapy dog in school can provide a range of benefits for children, including reducing anxiety, encouraging communication skills and developing self-esteem. Should you wish to learn more, please visit https://essextherapydogs.co.uk/ We look forward to welcoming Darcy to West Leigh and providing you all with further updates about Darcy’s visits soon.
Sports News
Goalball Competition
West Leigh competed in the Southend goalball competition for the first time on Wednesday. Goalball is an exciting sport designed for athletes who are visually impaired. Teams of three try to roll a ball embedded with bells into the opposing team’s goal. All children in this event had to wear blind folds! West Leigh progressed through the group stage with wins against Darlinghurst, Richmond Avenue and in a nail-biting 'winner takes all' match against Bournemouth Park. West Leigh were winners in their semi-final against Chalkwell with a 3-2 win and then went on to win the final against Prince Avenue 4-1! The team performed brilliantly and are rightly very proud of their gold medals!
Year 5/6 Boys' Football Essex Finals
After conquering Southend on Friday, West Leigh competed against the best teams in Essex on Tuesday! They started with a 2-0 win against Woodville thanks to a thunderbolt free kick from Harrison and a goal from George. Despite fantastic defensive work from Harrison and Frankie and goalkeeping heroics from Michael , West Leigh narrowly lost 1-0 to Doddinghurst in their second game. Freddie, Jacob and Ted demonstrated great wing play throughout the three matches, ensuring they supported both our defenders and pushed forward to attack too. With Hugo controlling the play in central midfield, West Leigh finished with a 3-0 win against Stifford Clays. Goals from Hugo and Ted ensured the team finished on a high. Unfortunately, we missed out on a place in the semi-finals by just one point. It was a fantastic performance from the team in this event and they should be incredibly proud of themselves.
Inspirational Person - Boyan Slat
This half term's inspirational person is Boyan Slat. At the age of 16, he noticed the awful pollution in the ocean and invented The Ocean Cleanup - a machine that removes plastic from the ocean without harming wildlife. He embodies our Golden Values of empathy, responsibility and integrity, especially through his care for the creatures living in the ocean.
Well done to those children who entered the last Showbie challenge - some of their wonderful entries are shown below. This half term's challenge is to design your own invention for helping the ocean - we look forward to seeing the children's creations!
House Points
Outside Achievements
A Fantastic First Performance! At the weekend, Annabelle took part in the Southend Festival of Performing Arts, competing in the piano category. This was Annabelle’s very first competition and her first time performing in front of an audience — an impressive milestone for any young musician. Annabelle played beautifully and was awarded first place in the Grade 2/3 category, taking home the trophy. A huge well done to Annabelle on this outstanding achievement! Her hard work, courage and talent truly shone on the day.
PTA
Friends of West Leigh Christmas Fayre
29th November 12-4pm
We are asking all our lovely teachers, parents, families and carers if they can help us at the Fayre. Shifts can be as little as 2 hours and it really is a lot of fun. Click on the link and you can choose your stall and shift. Thank you very much.
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.
Spring 1 Term Diary Dates
January
- Monday 5th - Children return to school
- Wednesday 7th - Year 5/6 Sports Hall Athletics Competition
- Thursday 8th - Year 3/4 Sports Hall Athletics Competiton
- Tuesday 13th - Year 3 and 4 RSE Meeting (via Teams)
- Wednesday 14th - Sitting Volleyball Competition
- Thursday 15th - Year 5 RSE Meeting (via Teams)
- Tuesday 20th - Year 6 RSE Meeting (via Teams)
- Wednesday 21st - year 6 Book Look
- Young Voices at the O2
- Friday 23rd - Year 3/4 Boys Football Competition
- Wednesday 28th - Year 5 Book Look
- Friday 30th - Year 6 Hockey Competition
February
- Monday 2nd - Children from Year 5/6 visit ENO
- Wednesday 4th - Year 4 Book Look
- Essex Tag Rugby Finals
- Friday 6th - Team Challenge
- Monday 9th - School Council visit to House of Parliament
- Maths Quiz Club Area Heat
- Year 6 Netball A team fixture
- Tuesday 10th - Safer Internet Day
- Wednesday 11th - Year 3 Book Look
- Thursday 12th - Year 6 Netball B team fixture
- Monday 16th - Friday 20th - Half Term
Credits:
Created with images by netrun78 - "Cork board mockup, desktop organizer with school stationary and office supplies.,Back to school, home office, begining of studies concept" • oliamogdaleva - "Red mailbox full of letters or Christmas cards in a snowy winter village scene with blurred houses and holiday lights." • mnirat - "Closeup Colorful drawing pins on Calendar page with date." • ImageFlow - "Kid boy with phone, cybersecurity hologram and padlock circuit" • ercan senkaya - "full lunch service station" • LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS - "wooden blocks with news lettering on pile of print newspapers" • Kaspars Grinvalds - "Tablet with sports news website on stack of newspapers. All contents are made up." • Dusan Petkovic - "Adorable curious caucasian little girl with eyeglasses standing in bookstore and reading interesting book. All around are books on shelves." • Win Nondakowit - "Kid hand with trophy cup" • AungMyo - "Silhouette of happy children standing with raised hands on the mountain at the sunset time." • 78art - "PTAの文字と色鉛筆" • mnirat - "Closeup Colorful drawing pins on Calendar page with date."