Look out for the letter about IndiRock climbing wall visit on July 2nd and 3rd
Save the dates:
Friday 4th July Year 1 and 2 Sports Afternoon
Thursday 10th July Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 Sports afternoon and picnic at Southchurch Park
Book Fair News
Monday 7th July to Friday 11th July the travelling book fair will return with an amazing special offer of 3 for the price of 2 on all their books! This is a great way to get some new reads for the summer and raise money for new books for our school.
Diary Dates
July
- Tuesday 1st - Year 6 School Nurse Transition session
- KS1 Borough Sports
- Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd - IndiRock Climbing Wall visiting school
- Friday 4th - Year 6 Transition Day
- Friday 4th - Year 1 and 2 Sports Afternoon
- Monday 7th - Friday 11th - Book Fair
- Tuesday 8th - Open Evening with Art & D.T
- Wednesday 9th - Reception Reading Workshop 9.00am & 3.00pm
- Thursday 10th - Years 3, 4, 5, & 6 Sports afternoon and Picnic at Southchurch Park
- Monday 14th - School Disco
- Wednesday 23rd - Last day of term
Nursery
This week our children who are going to reception class in September have been enjoying their letters and sounds time. They are doing so well at hearing the sounds and blending them together to say a word. We have also enjoyed using the playdough which is helping us with our hand control development.
REMINDER: Please can you check all your school jumpers and cardigans as we have some children who are missing theirs. We also have some in nursery without any names.
Please can you make sure that all uniform is named.
Reception
This week the children have been assessed individually in their Phonics and have worked hard showing us all the letters and sounds and tricky words they know.
In music we were learning how to make different sounds and move our bodies in different ways to warm up our voices. In Design Technology we have been making boats with origami. We had to follow step by step instructions and fold the paper carefully.
In Maths we have continued to learn about addition and subtraction using the first, next, then sequence. We have also been learning about sharing amounts fairly.
REMINDER: Please read regularly at home and ensure you sign the reading record so that we know you have read at home.
Please ensure items of clothing are named including hats.
Please return the sports day slip and the dentist slip.
Year 1
Year 1 have been working very hard this week creating their own bird reports. They have incorporated sub-headings and used books and fact files to put together their reports.
In maths, we have completed our assessments for place value to 100 and moved onto our new unit of work – positional language.
In history this week, we have continued to look at toys from the past and discussed the history of the teddy bear. We found out that Theodore Roosevelt was a significant individual in this part of history because he was the inspiration behind the classic ‘teddy bear’.
REMINDER: Sports afternoon for year 1 is on Friday 4th July and start at 1:30pm. Please come down and cheer on your child and their class. Let’s have some fun!
Year 2
Year 2 have started a new unit in maths, position and direction. The children have really enjoyed it, recognising left, right, above and below. It has been a joy to see the children write their own stories in English, using narrative language and speech. The children have been very creative, using their imagination to extend writing. In Geography, the children have been learning about the layers in Brazilian rainforests. Seahorse had a fabulous time at the beach, making transient art using pebbles, shells and seaweed. Please read below about how their morning went.
Beach Trip
Seahorse class enjoyed an exciting trip to the beach on a windy day, making it a fresh and memorable experience for all. As part of a special transient art activity, the children created their own frames in the sand and worked either independently, in pairs, or in groups to design unique artworks using natural materials like shells, pebbles, and seaweed. They were encouraged to adapt and develop their creations as they worked. To finish, the class explored the "Porters Beach Gallery," where they viewed each other's art and shared what they liked about the different pieces, celebrating creativity and teamwork.
REMINDER: Don’t forget Sports Day is on the 4th July. The children will need to wear the correct colours for their team. Please speak to a member of staff if you are unsure of their team colour.
Oyster Class have their beach day on the 8th July.
Year 3
This week in year 3 we have been continuing our maths topic of time, calculating duration. In English we are using our science knowledge of plants to write an explanatory text and in history we have been learning about Roman towns; how they are laid out and what types of buildings they had.
REMINDER: Keep your eye out for information about your child’s team colour for sports day. Please read with your child regularly and encourage them to practise their times tables.
P.E. is Tuesday and Friday – a full kit is required.
Year 4
This week we have completed our NFER tests and have had the lovely opportunity to go on a trip as a year group to play tennis and visit the beach. In English this week we have been writing explanation texts including interesting detail and topic vocabulary. In maths we have continued to learn all about money, estimating and comparing amounts.
REMINDER: PE kits should be brought back in asap.
Year 5
This week, year five have been using fronted adverbials in our English lessons, comparing Southend of the past, to the city we know today. In maths, we have completed our negative numbers unit, and are now moving on to comparing values. This week has also seen us making a splash (literally!) as we took part in our week of swimming lessons at West Leigh school. The pupils all behaved excellently, used their learning powers and all made good progress in the water. Way to go year five!
REMINDER: PE lessons will return to normal next week, so no swimming kit needed. Please ensure this kit is in school ready for PE on Mondays and Thursdays until the end of term.
Year 6
This week, year 6 have enjoyed taking part in swimming lessons at West Leigh Junior School. The children have behaved well and made progress, well done. In science, we have been learning about evolution and inheritance and considering what we have inherited from our families – good and bad! We have also started rehearsing our leavers performance – watch this space!
REMINDER: Please remember to have a PE kit in school on Wednesday and Friday.
As the weather is getting warmer, please have a water bottle in school and wear sun cream if needed.
Music
Choir Polo Shirts - Please return any choir polo shirts worn at the cliffs Pavilion on 13th June or the Palace Theatre on 6th March.
Instrumental Tuition -
- Tuesday am Guitar – Mr Brown
- Wednesday am Guitar – Mr Elliot
- Wednesday am Keyboard – Mr Hockey
- Wednesday am Drums – Mr Peters
WE HAVE SOME AVAILABILITY FOR NEW PUPILS TO START LEARNING AN INSTRUMENT – CONTACT MRS BAINES (through the school office) FOR INFORMATION.
French
This week, year one have been learning about the colours in French; year three have been inspired by some French artists to create their own artwork in a French style; year six have been working hard on a performance poem for their leavers’ assembly.
Sport
REMINDERS
- Year 2 Borough Sports is Tuesday 1st July. Invite only. Children who are attending are aware.
- Climbing Wall for year 2 – year 6 (Wednesday 2nd July and Thursday 3rd July)
- Reception sports afternoon will be confirmed by your class teacher.
- Year 1 and Year 2 sports afternoon is Friday 4th July.
- KS2 sports afternoon and picnic is Thursday 10th July.
Online Safety
Nintendo’s long-awaited Switch 2 has finally arrived, blending fresh hardware with fan-favourite franchises. From Mario to Pikachu, the familiar mascots are back – but so too are evolving online features, in-game purchases, and potential exposure to mature content. As ever, it’s essential that parents and educators understand the risks to young players.
Among these are GameChat voice communication, camera-based gaming, and potential access to mature-rated titles. This guide outlines what to watch out for and how to keep children safe, engaged and having fun.
Second Hand Uniform Shop
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.
Thank you
Attendance
Understanding Attendance – What “Persistent Absence” Really Means
As we approach the end of term, your child’s school report will include their attendance percentage for the year so far. We know this can sometimes raise questions—particularly if your child’s attendance falls into what's known as the persistent absence category.
It’s important to say upfront: persistent absence doesn’t mean your child is missing school every week or regularly “off.” In fact, many parents are surprised to learn that a child who has missed just one day every two weeks across a term could fall into this category.
The national threshold for persistent absence is attendance below 90%. This could be due to a few isolated illnesses, some medical appointments, or a holiday during term time. But once attendance dips below that 90% line, it is flagged—not as a judgment, but as a prompt for schools and families to reflect and work together to support every child’s learning and wellbeing.
We completely understand that absence is sometimes unavoidable, and we truly value your efforts in getting children into school each day. Our shared aim is to help every child feel happy, safe, and successful in school—and being here as consistently as possible really does help.
If your child’s attendance has been affected this year and you're worried about what the figure that might be on their report, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’re always here to chat and support.
Let’s work together to give every child the best possible chance to thrive.
Contact us
You can still continue to contact the school to talk to someone for support or advice on attendance or punctuality, please do not hesitate to contact the Attendance Team and ask to speak to, Mrs S. Dowd, Attendance Administrator or Mrs D Morris 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 on 01702 468047 (option 1) or send us an email to attendance@pgps.porticoacademytrust.co.uk we are here and we are always happy to help!
Being ready for every day and getting in on time is the challenge you set yourself to achieve greatness!
Dinner Menu
Week 2
Monday
- Beef Bolognaise & Penne Pasta Bake
- Vegan Bolognaise with Spaghetti
- Jacket Potato with Baked Beans
- Cauliflower & Green Beans
- Maryland Cookie
Tuesday
- Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Pesto Pasta
- Vegan Spiced Squash & Potato Samosa
- Pasta with Squash & Tomato Sauce
- Carrots & Peas
- Carrot & Apple Flapjack
Wednesday
- Honey Roast Gammon with Gravy
- Vegan Bombay Chickpea Burrito
- Pasta with Squash & Tomato Sauce
- Roast Potatoes, Seasonal Greens & Carrots
- Jam Sponge
Thursday
- Mexican Beef & Vegetable with Wraps & Spiced Wedges
- Vegan Mexican Bean & Vegetable Savoury Rice
- Jacket Potato with Cheddar Cheese
- Broccoli & Sweetcorn
- Cherry Shortbread
Friday
- Fish Fingers, Chips & Ketchup
- Vegan Boston BBQ 3 Bean Stew with Baked Jackets
- Pasta with Squash & Tomato Sauce
- Baked Beans & Peas
Community
Cost of Living Advice
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 Ekaterina Pokrovsky - "French national flag" • M.studio - "healthy eating concept"