Dear Parents, Carers,
It is the end of what has been a very busy week at West Leigh. As you know, Ofsted were with us on Tuesday and Wednesday to learn about everything we do and to find out more about our children’s experiences at school. I would like to say a huge thank you to the staff for their hard work this week and every other week. They truly are an amazing group of people who dedicate their time and energy to providing a fantastic education for our children. I am so proud of their efforts and eternally grateful for all that they do – I hope you feel the same. I would also like to say an enormous well done to the children. They showed themselves in such a wonderful light, demonstrating what an intelligent, polite and well‑rounded group of children they are. They did themselves, and the school, proud. Finally, I would like to say thank you to you, our parents. Thank you for your patience this week and for your kind words of support; they really meant a lot to us all. Have a lovely weekend.
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Summer 1 Diary Dates - Year 3 - Year 4 - Year 5
Year 6 - Online Safety - Dinner Menu - Sports News
Summer 1 Term Diary Dates
April
- Tuesday 28th - Portico Multi Sports Festival
- Wednesday 29th - Year 5 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
- Year 5/6 Quad Kids Competition
May
- Friday 1st - Year 5/6 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Swim Squad Training
- Year 5 Dragonball
- Monday 4th - Bank Holiday Monday
- Wednesday 6th - Year 4 Book Look
- Year 5 IndiRock Visit (5G & 5A)
- Year 3/4 Quad Kids Competition
- Friday 8th - Year 5/6 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Swim Squad Training
- Monday 11th - Thursday 14th - Year 6 SATs
- No Junior School swimming
- Wednesday 13th - Year 3 Book Look
- Thursday 14th - Ilam Hall Meeting with Parents - 7pm
- Friday 15th - Year 5/6 Swim Squad Training
- Year 3/4 Swim Squad Training
- Monday 18th - Parent Council Meeting - 4.30pm
- Tuesday 19th - 4B & 4C Performance 2pm
- Whole School Photo
- Wednesday 20th - Year 5 IndiRock
- Swimming Gala
- Year 6 Sculpture Morning
- Thursday 21st - SEEMSMA Rehearsals
- 4E & 4SW Performance 2pm
- Danbury Meeting for Year 3 parents - 7pm
- Friday 22nd - Big Art Adventure Day
- Monday 25th - Friday 29th - Half Term
Year 3
We have been very busy in Year 3 this week. The children have been working very hard in their lessons and demonstrating excellent learning behaviours. In English, the children have been learning about the legend of Sarah Moore and writing character descriptions including powerful verbs and noun phrases. They have also written from an alternative perspective through the captain of the ship’s log. In science, the children have set up an investigation to observe the effect the amount of water has on a plants growth, over time. In geography, they have learnt about what a river is and located many of the rivers in the UK using an atlas. Art has seen the children creating shades and tones of blue through colour mixing. They used these colours to experiment with printing, using the natural materials gathered from our trip to the beach last week. Time has been the focus in maths this week. The children have recalled how to tell the time to the nearest 5 minutes and have started to look at durations of time. It would be helpful if you could continue to practise this with your child at home to further develop their confidence. We wish you a relaxing and enjoyable weekend with your families.
PE Days Summer 1
3T
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3H
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3L
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3M
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
Swimming
- 3H - Monday
- 3L – Tuesday
- 3T – Wednesday
- 3M – Wednesday
Year 4
As another week comes to a close, Year 4 have celebrated many learning successes. They have been truly captivated whilst continuing to read A Midsummer Night’s Dream within our English lessons. They have identified how Shakespeare used language to create suspense and emulated this in their own descriptions of the setting and characters from the story. Using evidence from the play, they have explained how different characters feel towards each other and have demonstrated empathy. They have also begun to retell part of the story from a particular character’s point of view. As mathematicians, the children have focused on a range of skills depending on their maths band. There was a focus on comparing and ordering whole numbers and decimals. Some groups also solved a range of decimal problems. Others identified the properties of polygons and examined their lines of symmetry, using mirrors to complete symmetrical shapes. The children were enthusiastic scientists this week, where their task was to create a complete circuit using the electrical equipment. As a team, they had to find solutions in order to make the bulb light up, a buzzer sound or a motor work. They drew diagrams to show their completed circuits. As historians, the children used a range of sources to find out how fairgrounds have changed over time. They also expressed their opinions on whether fairgrounds were better or worse in the past.
PE Days Summer 1
4B
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
4E
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4SW
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4C
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
Swimming
- 4B - Monday
- 4SW - Monday
- 4C - Wednesday
- 4E - Friday
Year 5
Year 5 have enjoyed another sunny and engaging week filled with exciting learning opportunities. In science, the children explored geocentric and heliocentric theories, discussing each model and using inflatable planets to create orbits and understand why the heliocentric theory is now accepted. Space also featured in English lessons, where children worked with a fictional incident caused by a space‑mad mouse. Building on previous work, they wrote formal witness statements from New York’s Fire Chief, focusing on tone and language, before performing them in character. The week ended with pairs planning and performing Newsround‑style reports as presenters and witnesses. Their creativity and impressive range of accents were a joy to experience.
In maths lessons, we have been revising and strengthening the children’s understanding of addition and subtraction, with a particular focus on decimals. The week began with practice adding and subtracting numbers with more than four digits using formal written methods. Children applied their understanding of place value to ensure accuracy when working with decimals. They also tackled problem‑solving tasks involving addition and subtraction using units of measure. The week concluded with developing strategies to solve missing‑number problems. The sunny weather was a welcome bonus during our field study at Belfairs Woods. Many thanks to the parents who generously gave up their time to support the children and staff. The children completed a range of activities across two contrasting areas, including field sketches, measuring soil temperature, testing soil pH levels, and identifying different types of flora. Back in the classroom, they analysed their findings to compare the two areas and answer our big question: Can cacao—the bean that makes chocolate—be grown in Essex? In RE lessons, the children built on their learning about the Five Pillars of Islam and Muslim beliefs about God and the Prophet Muhammad. They reflected on how each of the Five Pillars could link to their own lives, sharing thoughtful and personal responses.
PE Days Summer 1
5G
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
5A
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5N
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5F
- Indoor PE - Thursday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
Swimming
- 5N – Tuesday
- 5F – Tuesday
- 5G – Thursday
- 5A – Thursday
Letters sent home this week
- 5F & 5N - Indirock - 22.04.2026
- 5A & 5G - Indirock - 22.04.2026
- Year 5 - 11+ summer School - 21.04.2026
Year 6
Year 6 have enjoyed another busy and purposeful week of learning, applying creativity, logic and resilience across the curriculum. In Connected Curriculum, pupils used Lego WeDo kits to develop ideas for the movement of the Flanimals they had previously designed in science. They adapted coding from earlier learning and modified their models in order to mimic the movement of their invented creatures more effectively. This challenged pupils to think creatively and analytically as they refined both their programming and design skills. In science, pupils carried out a practical investigation to determine whether a link exists between height and lung capacity. They gathered and analysed data carefully, drawing conclusions from their findings while further developing their understanding of the respiratory system and the important role of the lungs. In English, pupils refined their understanding of nine different tenses within the English language, exploring past, present and future variations of simple, progressive and perfect verb forms. They have also continued to engage with a wide range of genres in order to strengthen and broaden their reading skills. In maths, the focus has been on extending problem-solving skills through increasingly complex multiplication and division challenges. Pupils have been encouraged to think fluently and adaptably, applying a range of strategies such as using diagrams, making lists and spotting patterns in order to solve problems efficiently.
PE Days Summer 1
6D
- Indoor - Wednesday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
6K
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
6W
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
6S
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
Swimming
- 6D - Thursday
- 6S - Friday
- 6K - Friday
- 6W - Friday
Online Safety
YouTube continues to be a go-to platform for entertainment, learning and creativity, but its vast and largely unregulated content library presents ongoing challenges. This guide outlines how features like recommendations, Shorts and social interaction can shape young people’s viewing habits, sometimes exposing them to inappropriate or extreme material. It also explores key safeguarding concerns, including stranger interaction, risky trends and the limits of automated moderation. With practical advice on tools such as YouTube Kids, supervised accounts and parental controls, the guide supports parents in encouraging safer, more balanced and informed use of the platform.
Dinner Menu
Week 3
Monday - Homemade Macaroni Cheese with Garlic Bread - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Granary Baguette with Cheese - Sweetcorn, Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Jam Doughnuts Tuesday - Chicken Fajita with optional Guacamole - Vegetable Fajita with optional Guacamole - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Tortilla Chips and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Lemon Drizzle Cake Wednesday - Roast Chicken with Gravy - Roast Quorn with Gravy - Granary Baguette with Tuna Mayonnaise - Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, Mixed Vegetables and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Jelly Thursday - Mild Chilli Con Carne - Vegetable and Bean Chilli on Carne - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise - Rice and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruit Biscuit Friday - Chicken Burger in a bun with optional Salad and Mayonnaise - Vegetable Burger in a bun with optional Salad and Mayonnaise - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Potato Wedges, Sweetcorn, Homemade Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh fruit, Yoghurt or Raspberry Ice Cream Sponge
Sports News
Year 6 Football v Chalkwell
Well done to the Year 6 football team who played in a friendly fixture against Chalkwell on Tuesday. They played with such enthusiasm throughout the game and played sportingly in a well-contested fixture. West Leigh went 2-0 up with goals from Kian and Jack before conceding late on to set up a tense finish! Atlas made some fantastic saves to help West Leigh get the win! Well done boys.
Girls' Football vs Bournes Green
On Friday, the Year 5/6 girls’ football team took to the pitch for their final league match of the season and produced a performance full of determination and spirit. After a tough opening half, the team found themselves 2–0 down; however, they responded brilliantly and refused to give up. Fantastic tackles and relentless effort allowed the girls to win the ball back repeatedly, followed by some excellent passing up the pitch. Their hard work was rewarded when Izzy showed great composure to score from inside the box, bringing the score to 2–1 at half‑time. The team continued to play with confidence and enthusiasm throughout the remainder of the match, applying constant pressure and producing a number of outstanding tackles. Although the final result was a 6–1 defeat, the score line did not reflect the passion, commitment and teamwork displayed by all the players. The team can be incredibly proud of their performance, as they demonstrated exceptional effort, resilience, and togetherness right until the final whistle.
Boys' Cricket Competition
On Wednesday, ten Year 6 boys played at Garon Park in the Southend cricket competition. The boys demonstrated some excellent batting and fielding skills in the morning, beating St.Michaels 117-34, then beating Bournes Green 32-68. After regrouping in the afternoon, the opposition were very strong. Our first game against Chalkwell was narrowly lost 61-55, then against Greenways a further loss of 63-48. The boys improved as the day went on and should be very proud of their performance. We finished by playing Prince Avenue in a friendly which we won in a very close game. Well done to all involved.
Girls' Cricket Competition
On Thursday, ten Year 6 girls entered the Southend schools cricket competition at Garon Park. Our first game against Greenways was our first competitive game, where the girls familiarised themselves with the rules and showed some good batting and bowling skills. Unfortunately, we lost 119-68. Our second game against Edwards Hall was much closer, finishing in a draw 71-71 but as they had two outs and we only had one, they came out as winners. On to the afternoon, we played Edwards Hall again, beating them this time before finishing with a win against Our Lady of Lourdes. Well done to all the girls involved.
Outside Achievements
Herbert met the author of 'The Boy at the Back of the Class'
During the holiday, Herbert went to the Southbank Theatre to see The boy at the back of the class which provoked some thoughtful discussions on how we are all different and how we should embrace our differences as well as why there are refugees around the world He was also lucky enough to meet Onjali Q Rauf - the author - who signed a sticker to go in his book but also gave him a post card to be sent to the Prime Minister to reinforce that all children and families should be given a safe space to live.
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.
Summer 2 Term Diary Dates
June
- Monday 1st - Inset Day
- Tuesday 2nd - Friday 12th - Year 4 MTC
- Tuesday 2nd - 2Johns Parents Meeting - 6.30pm
- Thursday 4th - Public Speaking Competition
- Year 4 Transition & Mersea Meeting - 7pm
- Wednesday 10th - Borough Sports
- Thursday 11th - SEESMA Rehearsal & Concert
- Friday 12th - Sports Day
- Tuesday 16th - Year 3 Field Study - Old Leigh
- Wednesday 17th - Year 4 Rounders Competition
- Quiz Club Maths Final
- Thursday 18th - Year 2 to 3 Transition Meeting for Parents - 7pm
- Friday 19th - Year 3 Home Safety Talks
- Year 4 Cricket Competition
- Monday 22nd - Friday 26th - Year 6 Ilam Hall Residential
- Monday 22nd - Year 3 Inspire Dental Visits
- Tuesday 23rd - Super Sports - Track
- Wednesday 24th - Super Sports - Field
- Monday 29th - Portico Sports Day
- Quiz Club Finals at Oxford University
July
- Thursday 2nd - Lower School Summer Safety Assembly
- Friday 3rd - Whole School Transition Morning
- Monday 6th - Thursday 9th - Fun Swim
- Thursday 9th - Friday 10th - Year 3 Danbury
- Friday 10th - Year 6 Swimming Gala
- Saturday 11th - Summer Fayre
- Tuesday 14th - Year 5 & 6 - Brownes Boot Camp
- Open Evening
- Friday 17th - Last Day of Term
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