West Leigh Juniors Weekly News 27th September 2024

Dear Parents and Carers,

At the end of another great, if not soggy week, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the Year 5 children who went to Mersea for the way in which they conducted themselves. They showed superb teamwork whilst carrying out the activities and represented the school fantastically well. It was a great few days and it is clear that they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I would also like to thank the staff who attended. Our residential trips would be impossible to run without our dedicated staff giving up their time (and a fair amount of sleep). They were superb, as always, and ensured that the children had a great few days which they will remember for a long time.

Best wishes for a lovely weekend.

Mr Aggus

Principal

Diary Dates

Please note that there will be no After School Club on the last day of each term.

September 2024

Monday 30th - Forest Schools (5F)

October

Tuesday 1st - Year 5 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
Thursday 3rd - Cross Country Squad Training
Year 5/6 boys' Football @ Wickford Football Ground 12pm - 3pm
Monday 7th - Coastal Schools 4C
Tuesday 8th - Portico Sports Day
Tuesday 8th - Year 4 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
Thursday 10th - Cross Country Squad Training
Year 6 Boys' Football match @ Northwick Park Primary 2.45pm - 5pm
Friday 11th - Southend Cross Country Competition @ Garons
Team Challenge
Monday 14th - Forest Schools (5L)
Tuesday 15th - Year 3 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
Year 6 Girls' Netball League
Wednesday 16th - Year 5/6 Tag Rugby A Competition
Friday 18th - Year 5/6 Girls' Football Competition
Monday 21st - Coastal Schools 4B
Tuesday 22nd - Year 6 Girls' Netball League Fixtures
Parent Consultations
Wednesday 23rd - Individual/sibling photographs
Thursday 24th - Parent Consultations
Individual/sibling photographs
Friday 25th - INSET Day
Monday 28th - Friday 1st November - Half Term

November

Monday 4th - Forest Schools (5G)
Tuesday 5th - Year 6 visit to IWM Duxford
Year 4 Curriculum Meeting 1.40pm - 2.20pm
Year 5 Curriculum Meeting 2.20pm - 3pm
Wednesday 6th - Year 6 Basketball Competition
Thursday 7th - NCMP Height and Weight checks - Year 6
Year 3 Curriculum Meeting 1.40pm - 2.20pm
Year 6 Curriculum Meeting 2.20pm - 3pm
Friday 8th - Thorpe Hall Cross Country Competition 10am - 12.30pm
Tuesday 12th - Year 5 Performance to Parents (5K and 5F)
Year 5 Book Look - 3.30pm - 3.45pm
Thursday 14th - Year 5 Performance to Parents (5G and 5L)
Friday 15th - Year 5/6 Southend Football Competition
Tuesday 19th - Year 6 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
Wednesday 20th - Assessments until Friday 29th
Flu Immunisations
Year 4 Dodgeball Competition @ Garons
Monday 25th - Friday 29th: Book Fair
Tuesday 26th - Year 4 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
Wednesday 27th - Year 5/6 Dodgeball A Team 9am - 12pm
Year 5/6 Dodgeball B Team 12.15pm - 3.30pm
Friday 29th - Non-uniform day - bring a prize for the fayre
Saturday 30th - FOWLS Christmas fayre

December

Tuesday 3rd - Year 3 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
Tuesday 10th - Carol Concert @ St. Margaret's 7pm
Wednesday 11th - Christmas dinner and Christmas jumper day
Year 6 Handball competition
Thursday 12th - Late Book Look 6pm - 7pm
Friday 13th - FOWLS Christmas Gift Sale
Thursday 19th - last day of term - no After School Club
Friday 20th - INSET
Monday 22nd - 3rd January - Christmas Holidays

January

February

Thursday 13th - Late Book Look 6pm - 7pm

March

Wednesday 12th - Years 3-5 assessments until Friday 21st
Monday 24th - Year 6 Mock Week

April

Tuesday 1st - Learning Conferences
Thursday 3rd - Learning Conferences

May

Monday 12th - Year 6 SATs Week

June

Monday 9th - Assessments in Years 3 - 5
Monday 23rd - Friday 27th - Ilam Hall Residential and Southend Activity Week

July

Tuesday 15th - Open Evening 5pm - 7pm
Friday 18th - Annual School Reports
Wednesday 23rd - Last day of term

Year 3

It has been another busy week in Year 3. The children are hooked by their classroom topics and it is wonderful to see them coming into school smiling and enthusiastic about learning!

In English, the children have applied what they know about instructions to plan and write their own set on how to cook a piece of meat or fish in Stone Age times. There were some very interesting equipment choices, methods and top tips!

After consolidating and building on their knowledge of place value in maths, Year 3 have been adding two and three-digit numbers using the formal method. They have used base 10 and place value counters to help develop their understanding of exchanging.

In science, the children learned about the functions of the skeleton and muscles. They labelled the different bones and muscles in the body and explained how they work together.

In Connected Curriculum lessons, the children have learned about Skara Brae. They used what they know about its location, when it was built and what made it a suitable settlement to design tourist information posters. The children are particularly excited to research Skara Brae further.

3M and 3S will be walking to Belfairs Woods on Monday afternoon. 3T and 3H will be going on Friday afternoon. Please ensure your child has waterproof footwear to wear for the morning and a suitable coat. They will also need to bring a re-usable bag to bring the collected items back to school.

Please could you also sign up on ParentPay if you are available to help with the upcoming trip to Barleylands.

Letters sent home this week

Year 4

In English, Year 4 have studied the ‘Brilliant Book’ - I Want My Hat Back. They created character profiles to ascertain who might be guilty of the theft of the hat. From this, the children have been inspired to analyse the events to judge who may have taken the hat. They used this information to write a police incident report or wanted poster. They have also produced a colour-coded story map to show two contrasting characters’ emotions. and from this, they devised their own witness statements.

As mathematicians, there has been further emphasis on place value. The children have worked in their maths bands to consolidate and extend their understanding of rounding. Some of the children have learnt strategies to multiply and divide numbers by 10, 100 and 1000. They applied this skill when converting between metric units of length. Some children have also continued to read and plot numbers on scales, including those with negative numbers.

In science, we have set up our ‘Eggsperiment’ to see the effects that different liquids have upon teeth (with eggs representing the teeth). The children have made predictions about the outcome and ranked each liquid according to the effect it will have. We look forward to seeing the results in a week’s time.

As historians, the children have studied Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. Using information they uncovered independently, they created informative fact files. The children have also researched canopic jars, thinking about their importance in Ancient Egypt.

4E and 4SW have also visited the beach this week as part of Coastal Schools. Whilst there, they became ‘beach detectives’ and learnt lots about the coast and the surrounding area. Great fun was had by all.

Letters sent home this week

Year 5

After our visits to Mersea and Southend last week, welcoming all the children back to the classrooms fully rested and ready to learn was lovely.

Our focus in Maths has been addition and subtraction. The children have reviewed and built upon their knowledge of these number operations furthering their understanding and application. Formal methods have been reviewed, with expectation regarding correct layout and accurate calculation. Word problems have also been part of our learning, finding the numbers and the correct operation to solve a wide variety of question and in some sets multi-step problems including calculating with decimals have been practised.

In layered reading lessons, the children were introduced to new and colourful characters and asked to find evidence to support the suggestion that they were in fact not what they first appeared. Using their knowledge of P.E.E., (point, evidence, explanation) demonstrated a pleasing level of understanding. The main character Lila’s character was also examined, the children suggesting what personality traits she showed and finding evidence from the text including what she said and did to support their thoughts. Leading on from this, we discussed the emotions that Lila felt when she found out her father’s plan for her future, planning and writing a passionate letter including fronted adverbials and relative clauses.

Science lessons involved the children using their investigation skills to plan and carry out a fair test to find out which surface created the most friction. The children were asked to consider the variables and make a prediction as to which, of a variety of materials, would generate the most friction. The test involved dragging a shoe over different surfaces using a force meter to measure the newtons.

Interpreting the past during our Connected Curriculum lessons was particularly exciting and generated some animated and knowledgeable discussion. A suitcase of artifacts was presented to the children as having been found in an attic in Edinburgh. The children were asked to forensically examine each object, ask questions and generate ideas about what they were, who might have owned them and what they indicated about the owners and the past. The children demonstrated interest, intelligence and care and in some cases were able to write a historical hypothesis based upon what they had seen and discussed.

Letters sent home this week

Year 6

In English, once again linked our Connected Curriculum, Year 6 have embarked on a unique journey through time and storytelling. They have been developing their narrative writing skills, drawing inspiration from the structure of Pie Corbett's 'The Gas Mask.' This approach has not only deepened their understanding of history but also honed their creative writing abilities. One exciting aspect of this journey has been the use of visual planning techniques to map out their narrative ideas before putting pen to paper. This innovative method has allowed them to organise their thoughts, plot elements, and characters, resulting in well-structured and engaging narratives.

As mathematicians, Year 6 have been refining and extending their understanding of division, including the skill of long division. They have been learning to apply this knowledge in increasingly challenging contexts. This solid foundation in division will serve them well as they tackle more advanced mathematical concepts, fostering their problem-solving abilities.

In science lessons, they have been exploring the intriguing world of switches and how they operate in various ways. They have also applied their knowledge of the properties of materials to understand how these are used in the construction of switches.

As part of our Connected Curriculum, Year 6 have been researching and investigating the challenging question, "Who suffered most during the Second World War?" This thought-provoking task has allowed them to delve deeper into the historical context and consider the impact of the war on various groups of people. It has encouraged critical thinking, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the complexities of history.

Letters sent home this week

Online Safety

Instagram is one of the most well-known social media platforms around, frequented by users of all ages all over the world, and allowing them to share photos and videos with friends, family and the wider public if they wish. The site has many younger users, allowing people as young as 13 to create an account and engage with its community.

As a popular choice of platform for teenagers, it's vital that parents and educators understand the risks associated with the site and what can be done to mitigate them and how it might influence and appeal to children younger than 13. This free guide lets you know about the most prominent safety concerns on Instagram, offering expert advice on how to make young people’s experiences on the app as secure as possible.

Year 5 Residential Visit to West Mersea

On Wednesday 18th September, 118 Year 5 children arrived at school with a mass of suitcases and were full of excitement ready for their three day residential trip to Mersea.

After locating their tents and a picnic lunch on the sunny field, the activities began. Some children found their way around the caving simulator, while some conquered the knee-wobbling heights of the leap of faith.

After a hearty evening meal, and a chance to play into the evening, the children were certainly ready for their beds. They settled in their tents, full of excitement for the next day and just a few hours later, the camp was eventually quiet.

As the sun rose on Thursday morning, the children woke with their version of the dawn chorus! After breakfast, they were full of energy for more thrilling activities. Some children took to the water in kayaks, learning how to paddle and steer whilst others worked on their team-work skills on the adventure course. During the afternoon, some children tackled the high ropes while others enjoyed paddle-boarding on the lake. They were definitely ready for their dinner and some free time to play on the field by the evening. After hot chocolates and some entertaining stories, jokes and songs, everyone was ready for bed.

On Friday morning, the camp awoke slowly but after breakfast, they were eager to begin their final activities of the day, including wall climbing, archery and It’s a Knockout obstacle course which was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

During the three days spent at Mersea, the children showed great determination, acceptance of adventure and great improvement with team work and communication. The staff were extremely proud to see the children flourish in the outdoors and tackle their fears.

Year 5 Visit to Southend

Last week, a group of Year 5 children spent a few days in and around Southend.

On Wednesday, they planned and prepared a two course meal consisting of home-made chicken nuggets and chips and red velvet cake. The smells wafting from the kitchen made the rest of the school feel incredibly hungry.

On Thursday, after boarding the bus to Southend, they spent an hour bouldering at Indi Rock. The children demonstrated stamina, great agility, determination and bravery and it looks like we might have some future Olympians in our midst! In the afternoon, they visited the Sealife Centre where they enjoyed studying a wide range of animals including meerkats and poisonous dart frogs. They were particularly enthralled by the penguins who bobbed their heads on command!

The final day was spent at Southchurch Park and the beach. They had a wonderful time feeding the ducks and swans as well as building sandcastles, paddling in the sea and enjoying an ice-cream treat. As always, the children were impeccably behaved and it was a pleasure to spend this time with them.

Inspirational Person

This year, our inspirational people will link to our golden values of empathy, responsibility and integrity. We will study people who have embodied these values and demonstrated them through their actions, and will consider what we can learn from them.

This half term's inspirational person is Jorge Munoz. Jorge used empathy when he came across many hungry, homeless people, waiting to be chosen for small jobs to make just enough money to feed their families. Many had gone without food for days. He thought about how that would feel and then decided that he needed to help. He started by making extra lunches and delivering them to these people, but over time this grew and he used money from his own pay cheque to prepare hot meals for workers. Since he started, Jorge and his family have served over 100 000 meals to people in need. By showing a little empathy, Jorge was able to make a difference to their lives.

The Showbie challenge is an optional task that links to the inspirational person. It can be found in your child's Showbie account within the 'Inspirational People' folder. There are prizes every half term for those who take part.

Jorge was presented with an award from the president for his work helping others. For this half term's Showbie challenge, imagine it is twenty years in the future and you are receiving an award for your own efforts in helping people. What would the award be for? What would you have done? Your answer can be written in the comment box, or you can use the template to design your own award.

Key Notices this Week

Breakfast Club: There are a small number of children who are currently attending breakfast club in addition to a morning extra curricular club. To reflect that they are only in breakfast club between 7.30am and 8.00am, we are trialling a reduced fee of £3 for these children. This will appear as an option on Parenpay from next week. We are not able to waive the fee completely as we must ensure that appropriate levels of adult supervision are on site from 7.30am. Unfortunately, this will not include breakfast as the staff will still be welcoming children during this time and breakfast is served after 8.00am. If your child is attending a morning extra curricular club, please ensure that they have breakfast at home. We hope that this change will be a welcome one for those families affected.

End of Day Arrangements: If your end of day arrangements change, please contact the office before 3.00pm to let us know so we can ensure that all important messages are shared.

Dinner Menu

Week 2

Monday - Homemade Tomato and Vegetable Wholemeal Pasta Bake - Jacket Potato with from Baked Beans, Cheese and Tuna Mayonnaise - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt, Fruit Doughnuts

Tuesday - All Day Breakfast (Sausage, Beans and Hash Browns) - Vegetarin All Day Breakfast (Vegetarian Sausage, Beans and Hash Brown) - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Flapjack

Wednesday - Traditional Roast Chicken with Yorkshire pudding - Quorn in Vegetable Gravy with Yorkshire Pudding - Granary Baguette with Egg Mayonnaise - Roast Potatoes, Carrots/Peas and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Chocolate Prune Cake

Thursday - Homemade Lasagne - Homemade Vegetable and 5 Bean Lasagne - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese and Tuna Mayonnaise - Garlic Bread and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt and Fruit Biscuit

Friday - 100% Fish Fingers - Vegetable and Cheese Bake - Granary Baguette with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Potato Puffs, Sweetcorn/Peas and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt, Ice Cream.

Don't forget to check out our new online bookshop here.

Food Tasting Workshop

Do you have a child with a limited diet? Are they a ‘fussy eater’? Mrs Atkin will be running some food tasting sessions to start in the coming weeks. The children will have a chance to taste ‘everyday foods’ in a calm, relaxed atmosphere within a group setting. If you would like your child to be included in these sessions, please register your interest with Mrs Atkin via the office email: (office@wljs.porticoacademytrust.co.uk) or pop into school by the 30th September.

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 4B and 4C who both achieved 100% attendance this week.

Awards

Well done to:

Freddie Harris from 4C who achieved this week's most improved in sport award

and to

Rocco Jeff from 5G who has achieved sport performer of the week award.

Golden Thank Yous

This week we have awarded 6 golden thank you's to children who have demonstrated one of our Golden Values of empathy, responsibility or integrity.

House Points

Messages from FOWLS

VOLUNTEER APPEAL FROM FOWLS

CHRISTMAS FAYRE – 30th NOVEMBER 2024 – 12-4pm

For those of you who haven’t yet attended either the Christmas Fayre or Summer Fayre, these are really spectacular events. We have all kinds of entertainment, games and rides for children and adults, plus food, drink and beverages galore! And this year is going to better than ever!

But did you know that the whole thing is run by volunteers and just the Christmas Fayre alone needs a whopping 200 volunteers to make it all work!

Do you have some time free on the day to help? We only need you for a couple of hours and there are lots of roles to suit any preference. If you are interested in helping, please click on the QR code in the poster below and sign up.

Please also don’t forget the School Disco’s – have you got your ticket’s yet?

Year 5 Disco - Friday 4th October, 7pm

Year 4 Disco – Friday 8th November, 6pm

Year 3 Disco – TBC (very soon)

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE ABOVE, PLEASE EMAIL simontaylor7472@gmail.com

Community News

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) invite parent carers of children with SEND to their first seminar in this new academic year: Health Assessment Pathways. The event will run on Friday, 11 October from 9.15 to 2.45pm at Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER. Refreshments will be provided. This seminar is aimed at parent carers of children with Special Educational Needs and or Disabilities (SEND) who may need information and support regarding accessing Health Services.

The Seminar will cover questions such as:

How do I access the Lighthouse Centre?
Do I need to involve my GP?
What happens in my appointment?
What role does school play?
Who are CAMHS and can I access their services?

Plus, any additional questions you may have