Dear Parents and Carers,
We are so proud of the way Year 6 approached the SATs this week. They focused on the tests, doing their best throughout. Whatever their results, we know they truly tried hard. They are now looking forward to a range of end of term activities.
The whole school is becoming very excited about 'alphabet day' next Friday. We are encouraging the children to wear costumes which have not cost a lot nor taken hours to create - simple is best. We will be collecting donations for Cancer Research on Friday.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,
Best wishes,
Cheryl Woolf
Executive Headteacher
Diary Dates
New dates in italics
Advance Notice: End of year school reports will be sent home on Friday 12th July to your personal email address held in the school office.
May 2024
- Saturday 18th - 11+ Session (Please note that this is organised and run by Maths Concierge and is not affiliated with the school. Sessions will take place on the school site).
- Monday 20th - Friday 24th - Year 6 Awesome Art Week
- Monday 20th - Bikeability Week (6A & 6W)
- Year 4 Field Trip to Southend (4G & 4E)
- Tuesday 21st - Year 5 presentation to parents (5J & 5R) from 2pm
- Year 4 Field Trip to Southend (4B & 4S)
- Wednesday 22nd - Swimming Gala @ Garons - 12.30pm - 3pm
- Thursday 23rd - Year 5 presentation to parents (5K & 5F) - from 2pm
- SEESMA Area rehearsals
- Thursday 23rd - Mersea meeting for Year 4 parents @ 7pm
- Friday 24th - Year 5 Poetry performance to school
- Fundraiser Day for Cancer Research - Non Uniform
- Year 5/6 Rounders Competition
- Monday 27th - Bank Holiday Monday
- Tuesday 28th - Friday 31st - May Half Term
June 2024
- Monday 3rd - INSET Day
- Tuesday 4th - Friday 14th - Multiplication Tables Checks
- Tuesday 4th - Bikeability Week (6D & 6P)
- Adalah Care Home visit from 1pm
- Year 3 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
- Wednesday 5th - Parent Council meeting @ 6pm
- Monday 10th - Friday 14th Years 3, 4 & 5 Test Week
- Seesma Rehearsal at Cliffs Pavillion
- Tuesday 11th - Year 4 Book Look 3.30pm - 3.45pm
- Tuesday 11th - Father David Lower School Assembly
- Late Book Look (6pm - 7pm)
- Wednesday 12th - Father David Upper School Assembly
- Borough Sports - 12pm - 3pm
- Thursday 13th - Friday 14th - Year 3 Residential to Danbury
- Thursday 13th - Transition meeting for Year 4 parents (7.30pm)
- Monday 17th - Music workshop Year 4
- Tuesday 18th - Year 3 Induction Meeting for Year 2 parents from 7.30pm
- Thursday 20th - SPSSA Southend Gotta Dance @ The Palace Theatre from 7pm
- Sunday 23rd - Girls' Choir concert @ Plaza Centre from 3pm
- Monday 24th - Friday 28th - Year 6 Residential to Ilam Hall and Southend Week
- Tuesday 25th & Wednesday 26th - Year 6 Transition Day (King John)
- Tuesday 25th - Super Sports (track) @ Garons from 4pm
- Wednesday 26th - Super Sports (field) @ Garons from 4pm
July 2024
- Tuesday 2nd - King John Transition morning
- Adalah Care Home visit from 1pm
- Wednesday 3rd - 3T & 3M Field Study
- Friday 5th - Year 6 Transition Day
- Year 3N & 3L Field Study
- Monday 8th - Fun Swim Week
- Wednesday 10th - Meet your new teacher day
- Thursday 11th - Open Evening (5pm - 7pm)
- Monday 15th - Year 6 House Team Swimming Gala
- Tuesday 16th - Sports Morning
- Friday 19th - Last Day of Term
- No After School Club
- Monday 22nd - INSET DAY
Year 3
In English this week we have been learning about the exciting local legend of Sarah Moore and her interesting character traits. The children have enjoyed creating character profiles in preparation for next week when they will write their own legends. Layered reading has focused on the character of Michael; the children explored his emotions through drama activities, focusing on facial expressions and body language.
The children have also flown over the River Thames on a virtual tour, exploring Thames crossings, noting the increases over recent centuries and the reasons behind this. Interestingly, some of the bridges contributed to the freezing of the Thames during the 17th and 18th Century which led to the spectacle of the Frost Fairs. Would you believe elephants once walked across the frozen River Thames?
In science, the children furthered their understanding of flowering plants by investigating the many ingenious ways they spread their seeds.
Please be reminded that next Friday the children will be dressing up in a costume related to the following letters:
- 3T – K
- 3M – L
- 3L- J
- 3N - S
Letters sent home this week
Year 4
Using their knowledge of the Lewis Carrol poem from last week, the children have enjoyed writing sequels. They imagined how a range of creatures would feel at the demise of their friend and how they might carry out their revenge. They devised their own stories then composed a poem demonstrating their knowledge of the structure, rhyming pattern and rhythm.
In maths lessons, we have continued to look at fractions and decimals including fractions of amounts, converting fractions into decimal fractions, adding and subtracting and in some classes, the link between fractions and percentages.
The children have built further upon their knowledge of circuits by investigating and creating a parallel circuit.
Buddhism has been our focus in RE this week. The children were interested to learn that Buddhists do not believe that Buddha is god but is important. They discussed the Four Noble Truths which all revolve around suffering. The children looked at a range of news articles about suffering which lead to some interesting and insightful discussions in the classroom.
Our Connected Curriculum lessons have introduced the Lancashire painter L.S. Lowry. The children looked at a range of his works and discussed common themes and features. They considered how he painted his canvases using a limited colour pallete and how he demonstrated perspective using lighter colours in the background and deeper in the foreground. The children enjoyed experimenting how to show that figures are moving.
Important information:
Field Study Trip:
- Monday 20th - 4E/4G
- Tuesday 21st 4B/4S
- Parent helpers - please come in with your child.
- School uniform must be worn
- Bring a coat, packed lunch (adults as well) , snack and water bottle.
- If you have a clip board, bring in on the day of your trip.
Swimming:
4E will swim on Tuesday 21st May and 4S will swim on Friday 24th May (4B and 4G swimming as normal)
Letters sent home this week
Year 5
We had an unexpected visitor this week during our English lessons. Lord Parakit rushed into each of our classes to see if anyone had seen his elephant, Hamlet. He was in such a terrible state and worried that the King would punish him for losing this rare, white beast. Of course, all the Year 5 children knew that Parakit is a fictional character from ‘The Firework Maker’s Daughter.’ It was however, great to see him brought to life.
Based on Lord Parakit’s garbled words, we have written eyewitness reports to insert into our news articles. This has involved using direct and indirect speech with associated punctuation.
In maths, we are working on using the four operations with fractions and common percentages of amounts. Once we have mastered the skills required, we will learn how this might present itself in a problem.
Our lessons in science follow on from our R.S.E. learning and have been related to personal hygiene this week.
In Connected Curriculum, we have learnt how to weave and have started to create woven patterns and designs based on Anglo-Saxon shields. We would be most grateful for any spare wool you may have at home.
Please note that next week, 5F will swim on Friday instead of Thursday.
Letters sent home this week
Year 6
As always, it has been a busy and exciting week for the Year 6 pupils at West Leigh. Firstly, there was the small matter of SATs to contend with but they approached these tests with great determination and focus, and we are proud of their accomplishments, regardless of the results. For many children, however, the highlight of the week was simply having the opportunity to have breakfast when they arrived at school – it certainly caused great excitement!
Beyond the tests, Year 6 also enjoyed a range of exciting learning experiences this week, including carrying out a scietific investigation linked to blood splatter analysis!
On Wednesday afternoon, the year group went to the fields together and had a lovely time relaxing and enjoying themselves. We believe that it is essential to provide our pupils with opportunities to unwind and have fun, especially during such a challenging time.
Learning more about Ilam/Southend Week and the end-of-year Leavers’ Assembly were also significant highlights for our pupils. There were many lively conversations and much excitement about both events. While our pupils have been sworn to secrecy about the Leavers’ Assembly’s theme, they are certainly enthusiastic about celebrating their time at West Leigh in a fun and inspiring way.
Please note that next week, 6P will swim on Thursday instead of Friday.
Letters sent home this week
Online Safety
The National College and Online Safety
If you still need to sign up to the Online Safety portal, please follow the link https://nationalcollege.com/enrol/west-leigh-junior-school and add yourself as a parent.
Year 6 Football v Fairways
Two teams of Year 6 footballers competed in friendly football matches against Fairways on Thursday. After finishing their SATs, they were full of energy and raring to go! Team One fought back from being 2-1 down in the second half to win 3-2 in a real end to end game. Team Two lost their match 5-1 but the biggest cheer came when Cayden Ovenden pulled a goal back for West Leigh - a goal straight from the training ground! Results aside, it was an absolute pleasure to see the children representing the school. They maintained a positive attitude throughout the matches, supported their teammates and were a credit to the school. Well done, team!
Tennis Competition @ Garons
On Friday 10th May, eight pupils took part in the Southend Primary School Sports Association tennis competition at Garon Park.
In the morning session, a team of four children from Year 4 were in action. Some of the games were very long yet our players demonstrated great resilience and perseverance. They won all bar one of their games in the ‘round robin’ stage and as a result finished top of their group. In the semi-final match they finished second and then took part in the 3rd/4th playoff match. After a number of close games they finally finished in 4th position. The children were thoroughly pleased with their achievement, finishing 4th from a starting field of 10 schools.
In the afternoon, the Year 6 team was in action. The four pupils made a strong start by winning the vast majority of their matches in the ‘round robin’ stage and finishing top of the group. In the semi-final, they achieved a convincing win and progressed to the final. The final was against Bournes Green and the match finished with 2 out of 4 wins to each school. At this point, a count back system, based on points scored, came into play - the result of which meant that we finished in second position. All four pupils were delighted with their achievement, finishing in second place amongst a field of 10.
In addition to demonstrating super tennis skills, all the children were incredibly supportive of each other. Furthermore, they were great ambassadors for West Leigh through their sportsmanship and behaviour. The children and their supporters enjoyed a great day of tennis.
Key Notices this Week
Lost Property: Please check the lost property box for missing items.
Inspirational Person
This half term, we have been learning about the incredible campaign led by Isabel and Meraji Wisjen. Inspired by a talk at school about people in the world who led change, the two girls created a petition to completely remove plastic bags from Bali - their home island. After over a year and a half, the governor of Bali listened to their ideas and Bali is now completely plastic bag free. Other islands in Indonesia have followed suit and marine pollution has drastically reduced - all as a result of the hard work of two young girls, who started this campaign aged just 10 and 12! We were all inspired by their quote: "We didn’t want to wait until we were older to stand up for what we believe in."
Last half term's Showbie challenge was a great success and the trainer designs were fantastic - have a look at some below! For this Showbie challenge, the children have been asked to design a reusable bag that shares the key messages about why plastic bags are so bad for the environment. There is a template and more information on Showbie.
Dinner Menu
Week 3
Monday - Homemade Macaroni Cheese with Garlic Bread - Jacket Potatoe with Baked beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayo - Granary Baguette with Cheese - sweetcorn, Coleslaw or Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit Yoghurt or Fruity Jam Doughnuts.
Tuesday - Chicken Fajita with Tortilla Chips and Guacamole - Quorn/Vegetable Fajita with Tortilla Chips and Guacamole - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna Mayo - Vegetable Rice, carrots and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurts or Lemon Drizzle Sponge
Wednesday - Roast Chicken with Yorkshire Pudding - Roast Quorn with Yorkshire Pudding - Granary Baguette with Tuna mayo - Roast Potatoes, Green Beans and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Fruity Shortbread
Thursday - Homemade Beef Spaghetti Bolognaise - Homemade Quorn Spaghetti Bolognaise - Jacket Potato with Baked Beans, Tuna Mayo or Cheese - Broccoli and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Sprinkle Cake
Friday - Chicken Burger in a Bun with optional salad and Mayonnaise - Vegetable Burger in a bun with opitional salad and Mayonnaise - Wholemeal Wrap with Salmon and Sweetcorn - Potato Wedges, Sweetcorn, Homemade Coleslaw and Salad Bar - Fresh Fruit, Yoghurt or Ice Cream/Ice Lolly
Don't forget to check out our new online bookshop here.
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
- 3M - Mrs Millham
- 4B - Mr Boylan
- 3N - Mrs Nash & Mrs Mitchinson
Tuesday
- 3L - Miss Playfair
- 4G - Mrs Garrett & Mrs Nash
- 4S - Miss Street
Wednesday
- 3T - Mrs Thompson
- 5K - Miss Chapman
- 5R - Mrs Lewis
Thursday
- 6D - Miss Fletcher
- 5J - Mrs Wilson
- 5F - Mrs Flower
Friday
- 6W - Mr Dunn
- 4E - Mrs Rodger
- 6P - Miss Poysden
- 6A - Mrs Mears
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:
3L
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
3M
- Indoor PE - Wednesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3N
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
3T
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Friday
4B
- Indoor PE - Tuesday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
4E
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
4G
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Wednesday
4S
- Indoor PE - Monday
- Outdoor PE - Thursday
5F
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
5J
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
5K
- Indoor PE - Friday
- Outdoor PE - Tuesday
5R
- Indoor PE - Thursday
- Outdoor PE - Monday
6A
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
6D
- Indoor - Wednesday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
6P
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Tuesday
6W
- Indoor - Thursday
- Outdoor - Monday
Attendance
Congratulations to 4G who achieved the best attendance this week.