Diary Dates
September
- Thursday 26th - Flu Immunisation
October
- Tuesday 8th - Portico Sports Afternoon
- Friday 11th - Individual School Photos
- Friday 25th - INSET Day
- Monday 28th - Friday 1st November - Half Term
November
- Monday 4th - Return to school
December
- Friday 20th - INSET Day
- Monday 23rd - Friday 3rd January - Christmas Break
February
- Monday 17th - Friday 21st - Half Term
- Monday 24th - INSET Day
April
- Monday 7th - Thursday 17th - Easter Break
- Friday 18th - Good Friday
- Monday 21st - Bank Holiday Monday
May
- Monday 5th - Bank Holiday Monday
- Monday 26th - Bank Holiday Monday
- Tuesday 27th - Friday 30th - Half Term
June
- Monday 2nd - INSET Day
July
Wednesday 23rd - Last day of term
Nursery
A huge welcome back to all our Nursery children and a big hello and welcome to Porters Grange to our new nursery children joining the school.
We have had an amazing first week making friends and exploring the environment. We are very excited about the year ahead.
REMINDER: Please remember to write your child’s name on all pieces of uniform and coats etc.
RECEPTION
It has been amazing meeting all the new children and we welcome you to Porters Grange. We have had lots of fun in our settling in sessions and look forward to increasing our hours next week and exploring the environment further.
REMINDER: On Monday and Tuesday next week your child will attend the same sessions. We welcome you to join us for lunch on Wednesday 18th whereby the session will be extended. You will receive a slip to select your lunch.
Year 1
The children have continued with their excellent attitude to learning this week. We have introduced their writing books and worked hard to set the expectations for how their work should be presented. Furthermore, we have started looking at letter families to support handwriting. Also, the children have been naming the five oceans in geography and learning about Queen Elizabeth II; a significant individual in British history.
REMINDER: Seesaw codes went home on Monday. Please login and complete the activities with your child. This will support their learning.
PE kits need to be in school. Thursdays are PE days.
Reading books and reading records must be in school every day. This is a year 1 expectation.
Year 2
This week Year 2 have settled well into new routines. They have followed instructions and the rules! In English, Year 2 have been learning how to identify adjectives use them in a sentence. In maths, they have been focussing on place value with numbers to 20. The children have been writing numbers as words and solving maths problems. In science, the children identified adult animals and their babies.
REMINDER: Thank you for your support reading every night. Please continue to enjoy reading with your child and sign their reading diaries.
We will have our PE lesson on a Tuesday. Please ensure that earrings are removed before school.
Year 3
This week Year 3 have settled into their new timetable and curriculum. We have been looking at a poem in English called ‘My World’ and making adaptations. In maths we have been learning about place value and have remembered lots of facts from Year 2. We have started our new topic on The Stone Age by looking at artefacts from the past and identifying their purpose.
REMINDER: Thank you to all the children that have been reading at home so far. It is important to read every day at home.
Don’t forget that our PE days are Tuesday and Friday.
Year 4
This week Year 4 have been immersing ourselves in poetic language. We have been writing poetry together ready for them to create their own next week. In maths, we have started to revise our knowledge of place value and have been reading numbers up to 1000. During our science lessons we have learnt all about digestion and how the human body uses food.
REMINDER: The children have spellings in their reading diaries to practise and these need to be in school every day.
PE is on Monday and Thursday, remember to have trainers or plimsols. No jewellery is to be worn during PE and only studs and a watch are allowed during normal school time.
Year 5
This week we have been getting figurative in English, as we worked on creating exciting simile poems. In maths, we have been continuing our delve into place value – looking at powers of ten and completing word problems on Friday.
In PE we have been looking at different passes in handball and learning about core strength in yoga lessons. In science, we learnt about the relative sizes of the Earth, the Moon and the Sun in our solar system.
REMINDER: Please remember to bring in PE kits for Monday and Thursday. Due to the weather changing – please consider bringing warmer PE kit for outdoor activities.
Please read at home and sign your diaries, as well as logging into TTRS regularly – times tables are incredibly important for mathematics and will help the children greatly with their schoolwork.
Year 6
In English we have been reading and writing poetry that is full of different ways to describe places and plants. The poems describing a Victorian cobbled street were detailed and full of descriptive language. In maths, we are continuing to focus on the value of numbers up to one million.
In science, we have been very impressed with how much everyone remembered about electricity and electrical circuits. In geography, we are learning to think like town planners. This week, we looked at the benefits of improving our local area eg by adding cycle paths.
REMINDER: Please bring home school diaries to school every day. There are lots of benefits to reading a page or two aloud even if you are a strong reader. It makes it easier to talk about the book and to ask questions to check your child is understanding what they are reading.
PE is on Wednesday and Friday. It is getting colder so your child may want a jumper and jogging bottoms too.
PE
Once again, this year we are looking forward to attending as many sporting events as we can. Please help us by returning permission slips in a timely manner.
French
This week year two have been learning about parts of the body in French; year four have been talking about emotions; year five have been learning how to describe themselves with many details.
Music
Individual music lessons will begin next week. If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument, please contact Mrs Baines for more information.
- Tuesday Guitar - Mr Brown
- Wednesday Guitar – Mr Elliott
- Wednesday Keyboard – Mr Hockey
Online Safety
With most children today having access to their own tablets, phones, computers and other devices, it’s vitally important that parents and educators know how to keep young people protected while using them. Between targeted adverts, age-inappropriate content, and other online safety concerns, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to keep on top of.
Parental controls, present on most devices and several apps, can make this job significantly easier – but a certain amount of knowledge is required to use them effectively. This free online safety guide will provide you with the information you need to activate and maintain parental controls on children and young people’s devices.
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. 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.
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
Animals in Action Photography Competition
This summer, Portico Academy will be running their second photography competition which will also become an online exhibition.
We would like to invite you all to take some snapshots that are linked to nature and the beautiful world of animals in action. You may take inspiration from interesting insects or animals found in your natural environments. Why not snap your own pet in action? Your entry must showcase animals ‘in action’, whether that is indoors or outside in the natural world. Whilst out and about this summer, can you find some minibeasts in action? Or maybe a naughty seagull along the seafront?
Please send your photographs to: ArtSubjectLeaders@porticoacademytrust.co.uk along with a title for your photography entry. You must include your full name, school and new class for September 2024. Please only send in one entry per child.
Last Year's Results
As voted for by the pupils
Attendance
Celebration Assembly Attendance Awards
Congratulations to Porpoise, Lobster and Sea Turtle classes that achieved our attendance target this week. We were very proud to find that classes had started the year with a very positive attitude to attendance. As an award each class got to choose their own class reward in assembly using our new electronic selection wheel.
Aim to attend school 100% of every week.
Term Time Holidays
Holidays taken during term-time will not be authorised, so please bear this in mind when making your booking. Updated guidance for schools from the DfE regarding penalty notices for parents for holidays taken during term will be available on the school website shortly. Our school advises all families to plans holiday dates during non term based dates. Printed copies of our school calendar dates are available in the main foyer.
Unauthorised illness absences
If your child has an attendance figure below 90% and they are absent due to illness, we may contact you to provide additional evidence of the absence. This evidence could look like, an image of a doctor’s appointment text, a picture of current prescribed medication, pharmacy compliment slip, the discharge paper from the hospital or a photo of the child showing their rash or spots. With this kind of evidence, we will be able to authorise the absence.
In some instances, without additional evidence, we will not be able to authorise the absence, if this is the case for your child’s absence the attendance team will always let you know. The reason you provide for the absence will be recorded, but the code that goes into the register will indicate that it has been an illness but an unauthorised absence.
If you have any questions about how long to keep your child off school due to illness, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Wyer from our attendance team on the school number 01702 468047 and then select Option 1 for the attendance line.
Being here Is half the Battle.
Contact Us
If you would like to talk to someone for support or advice on attendance or punctuality at any time, please do not hesitate to contact the Attendance Team: Mrs. S. Wyer, Attendance Administrator, or Mrs. D. Morris, Assistant Principal and Senior Leader for Attendance. You can visit the school office to speak to one of us face-to-face if we are available. Alternatively, you can call the school or email us at attendance@pgps.porticoacademytrust.co.uk We are here and 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 3
Monday - Chicken & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Tomato Sauce & Penne - Vegan Roasted Ratatouille with Penne - Baked Jacket Potato with Grated Cheese - Carrots & Broccoli - Orange Shortbread Biscuit
Tuesday - Fajita Spiced Turkey 7 Vegetables with Steamed Rice - Vegan Burrito - Pasta & Tomato Sauce - Sweetcorn & Peas - Carrot Cake
Wednesday - Herby Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes & Gravy - 3 Vegetable Mac n' Cheese - Baked Jacket Potato with Baked Beans - Seasonal Greens & Broccoli - Chocolate & Beetroot Brownie
Thursday - Macaroni & Cheese Bolognaise Bake - Vegan Chickpea & Spinach Korma with Steamed Rice - Pasta & Tomato Sauce - Cauliflower & Carrots - Vanilla Ice Cream
Friday - Breaded Fish Fingers with Chips & Ketchup - Vegan Bubble & Squeak with Chips & Ketchup - Baked Jacket Potato with Grated Green - Peas & Baked Beans - Apple & Parsnip Cake
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.