Welcome to Our half term Portico Trust Newsletter
Dear Parents & Carers,
Some of the recent sunny days have not been quite what they've seemed. From inside our school buildings, we don't appreciate the impact of the cold wind. The weather is not as it seems. This is true of so much, particularly in the world of social media and AI. In our schools, we are now helping children to understand that not everything they see online is as it seems - a difficult call for all of us to make and a relevant topic following the US courts' decision against META and Google. Perhaps interesting changes to come. My best wishes for a sunny Easter break filled with lots of chocolate eggs and strangely flavoured Hot Cross Buns.
Cheryl Woolf, CEO
Annual Portico Conference 2026
Back in February, while the children were enjoying the final day of their well-earned half-term break, our teachers were busy recharging in a different way - by coming together for the annual Portico Conference. The sports hall at Hamstel was buzzing with energy as teachers from across the Trust gathered as one team. This year, they were delighted to welcome John Tomsett, a nationally respected educational thinker and speaker, who shared the very latest research from classrooms across the country. His insights into effective teaching, pupil engagement and how children learn best gave staff plenty of food for thought. Throughout the day, teachers exchanged ideas with colleagues from other schools and explored new strategies designed to spark curiosity and deepen understanding in every lesson. It was a valuable chance for everyone to step back from their day to day teaching and think creatively about how to further improve the learning experience for all children. As our schools reopened, teachers returned to classrooms refreshed, inspired and eager to put new approaches into action. Your children may already have noticed some of these developments - from deeper questioning to new techniques aimed at boosting children's confidence, independence and engagement. Events such as this conference ensure that our staff continue to grow professionally. Portico recognises that it is only with well trained staff and excellent teaching that we can provide the very best education for your children.
Portico Football Festival
All five Portico schools came together on Thursday for our first Portico Football Festival, and what a fantastic celebration of sport it was. With the sun shining and a brilliant atmosphere throughout, the event showcased the very best of teamwork, determination and enjoyment across the Trust. The afternoon was packed with action, including three KS2 pitches running simultaneously - two boys’ fixtures and one girls’ fixture - allowing a large number of pupils to take part and represent their schools. Alongside this, our youngest children enjoyed a mini KS1 festival, with small-sided matches and penalty shootouts bringing plenty of excitement and smiles. A special highlight this year was the introduction of a Portico team, made up of pupils from across all five schools. It was wonderful to see children meeting for the first time, quickly building connections and working together so positively. They showed great teamwork, learning to recognise and support each other’s strengths as they played. Well done to every pupil who took part and contributed to such a successful event. The festival was a brilliant example of the Portico community coming together and celebrating sport in the best possible spirit.
World Book Day
All five of our schools came together to celebrate World Book Day this half term, enjoying a wide range of activities that brought stories to life and fostered a love of reading across our community. At Porters Grange, families were welcomed in for reading sessions, alongside a book fair, library scavenger hunts and the school’s much-loved tradition of creative door decorating. Hamstel Infants held a vibrant whole-school book parade, with staff delighting pupils by dressing as Mr Men and Little Miss characters. Hamstel Juniors followed with a special assembly, where pupils tried to identify the staff behind the ‘masked readers’. West Leigh pupils visited the infant school to read with younger children, while an Eco Warriors book swap proved a huge success. Across the schools, pupils embraced the spirit of the day by dressing up as their favourite characters or arriving in cosy pyjamas.
Comic Relief
Across all five of our schools, this half term saw a fantastic collective effort in support of Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day. Pupils and staff alike embraced the occasion with enthusiasm, some coming dressed head-to-toe in red, while others proudly wore and sold red noses to raise funds for the cause. A highlight of the celebrations was the special live Bake Off assembly hosted by the West Leigh staff, bringing the community together for a fun and memorable event. Thanks to everyone’s creativity, generosity, and team spirit, we are delighted to have raised an impressive total of £2,064.55 for Comic Relief.
Portico Writing Competition
The Portico Writing Competition has been a wonderful celebration of creativity, imagination and talent across all five Portico schools. We had nearly 800 entries, and we would like to say a huge thank you to every pupil who submitted an entry this year. Each piece of writing was truly amazing and showcased the exceptionally high standards of writing we are proud to see across our Portico community. It was a pleasure to read such a wide variety of ideas, demonstrating originality, enthusiasm and a real love of storytelling. In EYFS, pupils delighted us with imaginative ideas filled with magic and wonder. We read about magical fairies, a magical gulper eel, a magical friend who makes rainbow frogs, a king vulture who protects people and even a magical friend who helps you catch fast unicorns. The creativity and joy in these entries made them a pleasure to explore, and it was clear how much thought had gone into each story. KS1 pupils also impressed us with their exciting ideas about superpowers. Some entries included super stretchy abilities, powers to fly which could be used to help late children get to school or to rescue people from high places, the power of invisibility, the ability to talk to animals in order to understand what they need and the power give to make all foods taste like sweets. These imaginative concepts were paired with thoughtful storytelling and showed fantastic creativity. In LKS2, we saw some incredibly engaging and powerful pieces of writing. Stories included a dramatic tornado smashing windows and tearing the roof from a house, a retired doctor living in a caravan on a cliff edge during a storm, a captain being swept overboard in dangerous weather, a storm that changed the map of a heart and a story with an important moral about being brave, even during frightening times. The descriptive language and sense of atmosphere were particularly impressive. UKS2 pupils also produced some exceptional entries, featuring gripping ideas and compelling titles such as Keep off the tracks, The Red Button, The Box of the Universe, The Dangerous Forest and Don’t go outside after midnight, to name just a few. The creativity, suspense and originality in these stories were outstanding and made them a joy to read. All of the entries we received were fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed reading every single one. The winners have now been chosen and are as follows: EYFS
- 1st place: Amal - Reception – Hamstel Infants School
- 2nd place: Troi – Robins – Friars Primary School
- 3rd place: Victory A - EYFS – Porters Grange Primary School
KS1
- 1st place: Chanju - Squirrel Class – Hamstel Infants School
- 2nd place: Zoe – 2S - Friars Primary School
- 3rd place: Ruthvika -Seahorse Class – Porters Grange Primary School
LKS2
- 1st place: Dhriti – Lobster Class - Porters Grange Primary School
- 2nd place: Annabelle G – West Leigh Junior School
- 3rd place: Gracie – 4A - Friars Primary School
UKS2
- 1st place: Milo – 5W – Hamstel Juniors School
- 2nd place: Hannah – 6B -Friars Primary School
- 3rd place: Pearl –5A - West Leigh Junior School
Well done to everyone who took part, and congratulations to our winners. Children will receive their prizes after the Easter holidays. We would like to thank all pupils again for their effort and enthusiasm, and we now look forward to discovering what the Portico Writing Competition 2027 will bring!
EYFS Winner Amal - Reception – Hamstel Infants School
She has a wand and a wing that shines when she flies over the clouds.
KS1 Winner - Chanju - Squirrel Class – Hamstel Infants School
Meet Satoru Fogo a superhero that has a phenomenal power of time and space. Whilst using his space powers, he wears purple and black clothes covering his light skin. However something not so ordinary about him is that he can see through a pitch black blindfold while helping the lovely world be safe and secure. He is so kind because he is an angel sent from the divine sky to create peace upon the world.
Year 3/4 Winner - Dhriti – Lobster Class - Porters Grange Primary School
BOOM! The sky roared like a giant drum while I was sitting in my classroom. It had started as a normal day. My brother and I woke up. got ready and went to school happily. But suddenly the sky turned dark and the wind began to blow very hard. Soon we heard loud thunder, and the teacher said a tornado was coming. Everyone felt sared. I quickly hed my brothers hand because my heart was beating like a fast drum. Our teachew calmly took us to a safe room and asked us to sit close together like little birds in a nest. After many long hours, the storm finally stopped. When we came outside, the road looked nessy and a big tree had fallen on a house, but luckily, no one was hurt.
Later, our parents came to pick us up. We ran and hugged them tight like a teddy bear. I felt so happy and thankful that all my friends and their families, and teachers were safe. That day I learnt that even the scariest storms can pass like dark clouds floating away. Moral: Be brave and hopeful even during scary times.
Year 5/6 Winner - Milo – 5W – Hamstel Juniors School
The BOX of the Universe!
It was a crisp autumn day. It was about 5:00pm and the sun was hanging low, shimmering trough the beautiful horison. I was smiling from ear to ear kicking about a no longer pristine football with my jubiliant friend. Little did i know, i was about to have a whirldwind of an adventure I would never forget...
In the click of a finger it goes pitch black! without a second thought, I tentatively glance aroun. Where is he? What has happened? Aydin, who was playing football with me has vanished. I gulp down a bucket of sick, my stomach does somersaults and my hands go clammy. In the courner of my bloodshot eye, i notice something peculiar glinting on the clatered bench. A BOX! It was ornately carved with a perplexing fluorescence. Then, I notice a decrepit sign on the box "Do Not Open" I croak barely being able to make a noise. The tree sways occasionally pushing me away from the menace of it. The ears splitting wind owls, yearning me to keep the callos box fastened tight. But with all the confidence I can muster, I hesitantly creep closer, curiosity consuming me. I freeze! I was about to do the riskiest thing of my lift. It (not so elaborately) creaks open! My body fills with utter shock! I will ..... this decision for ever more. A PORTAL is staring - even croaking - back at me. With incredulously horrendous luck, I stand dumbfounded at the atrocious state in front of me. Someone (or something) was trying to get through from a parallel universe! I gulp... On the contrary of dim-witted, I depoist a gleaming ruby shimmering in front of my mortified eyes. When I least expect it, my extraordinary brain comprehends that to do. In the last nanosecond, I worriedly place the spectacular gem in the now expanding box. Feeling apprehensive, the devious box eventually disappears. All that is left (as some sort of grotesque souvenir) is a measly drop of oozing PURPLE blood from the monstrous creature's pricked finger. Racing towards the boring gates with weightless legs, I notice something flabbergasting. The gates are locked, welded together tighter than a tunnel. I would never escape! My blood runs icy. A box is right by my quivering feet...
Goodbye spring… Hello summer…! The shortest of terms, Spring, has come to an end. Although only 11 weeks in total, we managed to cram a lot in, both with our curriculum learning but also the many extra-curricular opportunities. The most amazing week of the term had to be Careers Week. This year, Careers Week grew even more and we had the highest number of visitors in recent years. The children learnt about a huge range of professions, from medicine to finance, from the emergency services to baking and dog-sitting. The children learnt so much and we have an ever-increasing book of people who we can call upon to come in and inspire everyone. It was lovely to see parents in school for our second round of Learning Conversation Evenings and for our Books for Breakfast events for Year 1. At the Books for Breakfast sessions we had children and family members enjoying books together as well as participating in craft activities. Year 2 will be having their own events next term. The half-term finished with a superb year group assembly from Year 3. We are looking forward to fun over Easter before we return for a fantastic summer term. Educational visits and residentials, sports days and music events, an Open Evening and discos… there is a great deal in store.
Careers Week Inspires Pupils with a World of Possibilities
This half term, our annual Careers Week proved to be an exciting and inspiring experience for all pupils. Throughout the week, children enjoyed a wide range of activities and visits from professionals, including the Essex Police Dog Unit, healthcare workers, a train driver and a paramedic. Pupils took part in hands-on experiences such as Little City, money challenges, cake decorating and even explored a fire engine. The week finished with pupils discovering careers in areas such as performing arts, banking, make-up artistry and pathology. A huge thank you to all the visitors who helped inspire our pupils and showcase the many opportunities available to them in the future.
Friars Bands Rock Out
Since October, a group of pupils at Friars Primary School have been working with Rocksteady to form their own bands, developing their musical skills, confidence and teamwork through weekly sessions. This term, the bands have grown, welcoming new members and continuing to build on their progress. They recently had the exciting opportunity to perform to the whole school, showcasing their hard work, enthusiasm and growing confidence as performers. We are extremely proud of all the pupils involved and the commitment they have shown in their musical journey.
It’s been a short half term but a very busy one at Hamstel Infants as we have aimed to give our young learners a wide wealth of different experiences across the last five weeks. Early in the half term, our children enjoyed a fabulous book week that included special assemblies, storyteller workshops and a marvellous costume parade. We were then visited by the British Transport Police who spent two days in school teaching the children about their role and letting them see their equipment, vehicles and dogs up close. We had poetry workshops across the school and our Year 2s visited Colchester Castle as part of their themed work and ended the term with a fabulous royal banquet! But without a doubt the highlight of the term was the arrival of the Happy Chicks which saw the children experience a clutch of white eggs hatching into eleven fluffy, yellow chicks. The children have loved having the chance to hold and stroke them and watching on ‘chick cam’ has meant that the school has been a real flurry of eggcitement! There were lots of opportunities for our children to represent the school as Team Hamstel took part in tag rugby, panathlon, girl’s football and gymnastics competitions. Winning silver medals across the board! While our choir did a brilliant job singing their hearts out at the Infant Music Festival. Parents and carers have also continued to play a pivotal part in our school community as they came in to school to support our Reading Rocks workshops, Nursery Easter crafts and our Reception Relatives afternoon tea. We held two very successful parent evenings and then to round it all off perfectly, our Year 1s put on an amazing spring show to packed audiences….a fitting way to end the term! And with the wider community in mind, our outdoor learning garden project was amazingly supported by two local businesses Dewsons and Mark 1 Hire and we also started a new project working with The Storehouse food bank in Southend to get vital donations to help those that need it most. And that’s another very successful term completed. We hope you all enjoy the Easter holidays and we look forward to seeing you back for the summer term.
Hamstel Infants welcome Chicks
Over the past two weeks, the children have taken part in a wonderful hands-on learning experience, welcoming a set of eggs into school and watching them hatch into chicks. They were fascinated to see the changes day by day, from the first cracks in the shells to the chicks growing stronger and more active. The children also had the opportunity to gently hold and care for the chicks, helping to build their confidence and sense of responsibility. This experience has brought learning about life cycles to life in a meaningful and memorable way. We are very sad to see the little chicks go as they make their way back to farm life!
Year 1 Shine in their Spring Show
Our Year 1 children delighted audiences with their wonderful performance of There’s a Sunflower in My Supper! The children wowed us with their singing and acting, performing confidently with big smiles throughout. They worked so hard to learn their songs and lines, showing great enthusiasm and teamwork during rehearsals. It was fantastic to see how much their confidence has grown as they performed so proudly on stage.
We have enjoyed another wonderfully busy and exciting half term at Hamstel Junior School. The children have taken part in a wide range of enrichment days and activities, and our school clubs have proudly represented us in several competitions. From Year 3 children becoming archaeologists for the day, to musical workshops in Year 6, and a visit from the WonderDome mobile planetarium for Year 5, everyone has loved being fully immersed in their topics this term. After several busy weeks of baking, our Year 4 children finished the term in style by showcasing their fantastic singing, acting and dancing in their Easter performance of Porridge for family and friends. It was a wonderful way to celebrate all their hard work. It hasn’t just been in lessons where our children have shone. We are incredibly proud of the wide range of clubs and activities available at Hamstel and of the opportunities these give our children to represent the school. From securing first place at the public speaking competition at Thorpe Hall to celebrating success at the upper school girls’ tag rugby event, our children continue to embody our school motto: striving for excellence in everything. We are very much looking forward to another exciting and rewarding half term after the Easter break.
Public Speaking Competition
This term, the year 6 members of our Debating Club visited Thorpe Hall School to take part in a public speaking competition. Each team, made up of a captain, chairperson, speaker and questioner, presented speeches on two thought-provoking topics: why animal cruelty must be stopped and whether teachers should wear uniforms. The children in the club have worked incredibly hard over the past term to prepare for the competition and demonstrated genuine potential. Throughout the event, the children supported one another brilliantly and demonstrated kindness and respect towards the other teams as well as excellent manners and conduct. The staff and parents were delighted when one of the Hamstel teams won the overall competition. Our school also received the award for best captain, and two further children were highly commended for their roles as speaker and questioner. Every member of both teams showed impressive confidence and represented the school wonderfully. We were very proud of the whole club.
Ancient Egyptian Day
Our Year 3 children immersed themselves in all things Ancient Egyptian during their themed day this term Stepping into the role of archaeologists, they used their knowledge of four-figure grid references to try to discover the location of Cleopatra’s tomb. They also enjoyed learning about the purpose of the pyramids and even tried their hand at mummifying a tomato! The day concluded with the children designing their own pneumatic-powered sarcophagus. It was a fantastic experience that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
This half term at Porters has been packed with energy, creativity, and community spirit across the school! Our children in Years 3 to 5 had an exciting trip to Indirock, where they took on the challenge of bouldering. With determination and plenty of encouragement for one another, they showed fantastic resilience and teamwork as they climbed to new heights—literally! Meanwhile, our youngest pupils wowed us all at the Infant Music Festival. Their beautiful singing filled the room with joy, and it was a wonderful opportunity for them to showcase their confidence and enthusiasm for performing. We also came together as a school community to support Comic Relief, raising over £450 for this fantastic cause. A highlight of the fundraising efforts was the much-anticipated Porters Derby cycle and scooter race, where both staff and children got involved in a fun-filled event that had everyone cheering from the side lines. In addition, we celebrated World Book Day with a fantastically attended family event. It was wonderful to see so many families joining us to share a love of reading, helping to inspire our children’s imaginations and enthusiasm for books. Well done to all our pupils for making this half term so memorable—we’re incredibly proud of everything you’ve achieved!
Family Reading Event
The families at Porters Grange once again enjoyed our annual family reading event, and what a wonderful celebration it was. The school was alive with energy as families visited classrooms, explored our beautiful library, relaxed in the cosy comic zone, and helped choose their child’s next read. It was truly heartwarming to see so many children reading enthusiastically with their grown-ups, sharing stories and celebrating their love of reading together.
Beach explorers
This half term, children in Shell and Oyster Classes at Porters Grange have enjoyed a series of enriching visits to the beach, combining hands-on learning with memorable experiences. Before each visit, pupils explored key concepts such as beach safety, map work, and coastal features including estuaries. At the beach, the children’s curiosity shone as they investigated natural materials like shells, stones, sea glass, and barnacles, discussing how some are naturally bonded together over time. They organised their discoveries, shared their ideas confidently, and took part in sensory activities, describing the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of the shoreline.
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.
Year 3 Enjoy a Trip to Waterstones
A group of our Year 3 pupils enjoyed a visit to Waterstones this half term, where they had the exciting opportunity to help choose new books for our school library. The children explored the shelves, shared their recommendations and carefully selected titles they thought other pupils would enjoy reading. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm for books and their thoughtful choices. Involving pupils in selecting library books helps ensure our collection reflects their interests and encourages a love of reading across the school. We look forward to offering the same opportunity to other year groups in the coming weeks as they also take part in choosing new books for our library.
Newsies Jr Production
On 12th–14th March, our talented pupils took Newsies Jr. to the stage at the theatre of Belfairs Academy for four truly memorable performances. The journey began with a Thursday afternoon technical rehearsal, where pupils had limited time to adjust to the new venue. Despite this, their focus was superb, and this was the first opportunity to fully realise the immersive elements of the production. Our cast comprised an incredible 87 pupils from across Years 3 to 6, all of whom had dedicated months of hard work, enthusiasm and commitment. As the performances progressed, it was clear to see how confidently they adapted to the new stage, refining entrances, exits and stagecraft with each show. A key message throughout rehearsals was the importance of every individual within the company. This was evident on stage: the success of Newsies Jr. was built on teamwork, mutual support and a shared sense of purpose. Behind the scenes, our technical team played a pivotal role, supporting sound, lighting and AV with impressive professionalism. We are immensely proud of every member of the company. Together, they created something truly special, and while the journey has come to an end, the memories made will last for years to come.