porters grange weekly newsletter week ending 23rd May 2025

TT Rockstars Half Term Holiday Competition

Please enter this competition that is running across the Portico Academy for this half term holiday only.

• Each pupil's scores contribute to a class tally.
• The overall winning class will be announced.

Nursery

Nursery are continuing to enjoy the growth of our caterpillars. We have enjoyed using these new findings in our play and creative activities. In outside play we have had so much fun in the water area, sharing resources with Reception, some amazing language and vocabulary has been heard.

REMINDER:Have a great half term holiday and we will see you back on TUESDAY 3rd JUNE .

Please remember to provide your child with some spare named clothes in their bag, due to outside water play.

Reception

We have been observing our caterpillars throughout the week. They are now extremely long!

Our new water area has been popular, as we work alongside nursery to discover which items float or sink.

In maths we continue to look at our teen numbers, breaking them in to ‘ten and one, ten and two, etc.

REMINDER:Enjoy the half term and we will see you again on Tuesday 3rd June.

Year 1

Year 1 have continued their excellent work in English this week. We have created a top copy of their diary entry, where they discussed what they saw and how they felt when we went to the sea life centre.

In maths, the children have been talking about and having a go at creating halves with shapes. Making sure that the halves they create are equal.

In PSHE, we have recapped our pants rules and discussed the correct names for our body parts. This is to support the children to use proper vocabulary when talking about injuries as well as supporting the adults with keeping the children safe.

In art, we have completed our spider sculptures, and we are very impressed with what they have created.

REMINDER:Half term week. No school (week beginning 26th May)

We return on Tuesday 3rd June.

Please read as much as you can at home over the half term.

Reading records and reading books must be in school every day.

PE kits will be going home. Please wash them and return them when we come back to school.

Should you have any questions regarding our PSHE lessons, please come and discuss these with your child’s class teacher.

Year 2

This week in English we have been recapping how to use full stops, capital letters, exclamation marks, apostrophes and speech marks. The children identified errors and re-wrote sentences correctly using the correct punctuation. They then wrote their own sentences to embed this skill. In maths, the children have been learning about time and recognising what the short and long hands are for. They have also been recognising ‘o’clock’, ‘half past’, ‘quarter to’ and ‘quarter past’. In computing the children have been learning to make their own algorhythms using the BeeBots. They had great fun designing their route and making the BeeBots move to the correct place.

REMINDER:Over the holiday, please help your child recognise different times of the day using an analogue clock. You could link these times to waking up, lunch time or when it’s time to meet friends!

Year 3

This week we have continued our maths work on money and have added together different amounts. In English we have written a reflective journal about ourselves and thought about how others think of us too. In geography we have been researching a European country of our choice. We created a series of postcards about a different aspect of the country ie flag, capital city, important landmarks etc.

REMINDER: We hope you have a lovely half term break, and return ready to learn, on Tuesday 3rd June.

Don’t forget to read during your break and bring back your PE kits after the holiday.

Year 4

This week, year four have learnt about conductors in science, they had to test which materials would let electricity through their circuit. In PE we played some class vs class rounders which was very fun! In English lessons this week we have recapped some GPS skills.

REMINDER:On hotter days children will need sun cream put on before school, they should also bring a hat and sunglasses if they wish.

Letters sent home this week

• Year 4 - MTC Tests - 22.05.2025

Year 5

In English, year five have been writing a persuasive speech about what should happen to the Kursaal. We looked at the history and why it is so important to Southend. They then wrote a persuasive speech to the council about their ideas to make it great again!

In maths, the children started work on decimals. They recapped on tenths, hundredths and thousandths and used this to add and subtract decimals.

REMINDER:Please ensure that your child continues to read over the half term holiday and it is recorded in their reading diaries.

Year 6

In English, everyone has written fantastic versions of The Tin Forest. They have used their imagination to create metal fairgrounds, zoos, aquariums and more.

In computing, we have continued to use Tinkercad to design their own pen pots. This is an excellent programme to learn because lots of designing jobs use it eg architects and builders. The children have their own log in so they can explore it at home too.

In geography, we have started learning about globalisation and how we trade goods with other countries. We looked at where some of our clothes and food were made.

REMINDER:Please ensure that your child continues to read over the half term holiday and it is recorded in their reading diaries.

Changes to maths groups next half term:

• Mrs Dyos-Smith and Mrs McCarthy’s groups will join together and be taught by Mrs McCarthy.
• Mr Kyndt’s maths group will be taught by Mrs Dyos-Smith.
• Mrs Gower’s maths group will stay the same.

Thursday 5th June - Year 6 Stubbers meeting for children going on the residential

Music

Choir will be restarting this term on Wednesday and Friday lunchtimes, rather than after school on Thursday. This will hopefully mean that more children from across the KS2 (Years 3 – 6) classes will be able to attend and prepare for the concert the Cliffs Pavilion on Friday 13th June. Links for the songs (both words and backing tracks) can be found on the school website:

Future Events

• Cliffs Pavilion Music festival – 13th June

Instrumental Tuition - lessons will start next week

• 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 FOR INFORMATION

French

This week, year two completed their half-termly studies of French with an expanded look at games and activities in French; year four reviewed the French playground game we learned about and played last week; year five completed their display sheets with information on the Tour de France.

Healthy Schools

This month we are celebrating National Smile Month. It runs from 12th May – 12th June 2025.

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.