Principal's Welcome

Dear Parents and Carers

We have enjoyed a number of memorable events this module, including our whole school visit to see The Lion King, year group school trips, class assemblies, an IRock show and sporting events,  all of which have contributed to our enrichment events for our pupils. These opportunities are an important part of school life, and we are proud of the way our pupils have represented the academy.

As we look ahead to module 5 of the academic year, we will continue to focus on supporting every pupil to achieve their best. We ask that you continue to support us to support your child. Reading at home is the most important thing to do so if you only have 10 minutes a day please take time to read with your child and discuss the story or content with them. Practising basic maths recall is also important so that it is embedded as soon as possible. Recalling number bonds to 10, 20 and 100, times tables facts, and using related facts e.g. 50 x 9 can be worked out using 5 x 9 and multiplying by 10. Maths Champions, accessed here, is a great way for your child to work on these targets. 

For Year 6 pupils, preparing for SATS this will be an especially important time, and we encourage a balanced approach to preparation and wellbeing. We are proud of how hard the pupils are working to be as ready for secondary school as possible.

I hope that the upcoming break provides an opportunity for rest and time together as a family. We look forward to welcoming pupils back refreshed and ready for the challenges and opportunities of Module 5 on Monday 20th April.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support.

Mrs G Stangroom

Principal

Hatchlings

This module has taken us on an exciting journey across the skies and seas! The children have been discovering different types of transport, from airplanes soaring high above the clouds to boats and ships traveling across vast oceans. We talked about how these vehicles move, where they go, and what makes each one special. The children especially enjoyed sharing their own travel experiences and imagining adventures to faraway places. We then went on our very own holiday to Australia!

In Phonics, we explored the fun of language through rhyming and syllables. The children listened carefully to words, identifying those that rhyme and clapping out syllables to hear the different beats in words. This approach helps build early reading skills and confidence with sounds, all while having lots of fun with language.

In maths, we focused on developing number sense through subitising—recognising small quantities without counting. Using objects, pictures, and games, the children practised quickly identifying groups of items and comparing which groups were bigger, smaller, or the same. These activities support a strong foundation in understanding numbers and quantities.

Grasshopper Class

This module in Grasshopper class we have been learning all about dinosaurs! We found large eggs in a nest that we thought must have been fossilised eggs because we learnt that the dinosaurs are extinct! We also used our imaginations to think of different things that might have happened to the dinosaurs to cause the mass extinction! We have looked at real fossils and had a go at making our own!

We have also been learning how to write sentences by ourselves and have practised reading back what we have written to make sure it makes sense. We even had the chance to show off our writing skills to some of our grown ups who came to our open classroom. 

In maths we have been learning all about our numbers to ten. We used numicon to explore odd and even numbers and we have even been learning to double numbers to 5. We have also been exploring 2D and 3D shapes. 

The children have been working hard on Phonics this Module, it is lovely to see them progress to reading more complex words within books and writing simple sentences.  They have been practising writing by making their own dinosaur books, making up stories and adding their spin on well-known classics!  Well done Grasshoppers for a wonderful Module 4 you are amazing!

We have had another fantastic module in Grasshopper Class! 

Dragonfly Class

Dragonfly Class began Module 4 with a sense of wonder, discovering a mysterious letter alongside some magic beans. The letter, we soon learned, was from a boy named Jack, who needed help planting the beans so a giant would leave him alone.The class eagerly took on the task, caring for the beans as they grew into impressive beanstalks whilst learning about the story and presenting imaginative freeze frames.

This sparked our exploration into the world of plants. The children learned about how plants grow and identified a variety of garden and wild plants in our surroundings. They also discovered the many ways plants support living things, particularly as a source of food. As part of this learning, the class enjoyed tasting a range of fruits and vegetables.

The module was filled with exciting events, including Book Week and Science Week. During Book Week, the children had the incredible opportunity to visit London to watch the theatre production of The Lion King. This was a truly memorable experience, and the class were captivated by the music, costumes and storytelling. It was a fantastic way to bring stories to life and inspire a love of theatre.

Well done to all of Dragonfly Class for their hard work and enthusiasm throughout such a busy and engaging module. We hope you all have a wonderful Easter break!

Ladybird Class

Module 4 has been a very busy and exciting module! As well as our learning we have had exciting events including Book week, the whole Academy visit to see the Lion King and science week.

In science we have been carrying out investigations to find which materials are absorbent, how we can make objects float and which materials are the stretchiest and have elasticity. 

In D & T we explored structures and how they were made so that they are stable and strong. We then explored how we could make a stable structure - we built bridges using newspaper, art straws and masking tape. We then tested the stability of our bridges using our class mascot.

In English we have been exploring Traditional Tales and alternative versions. We then planned and wrote our own alternative  tales.  During book week we created our own dragons and then wrote descriptions of them, the pupils used ambitious vocabulary and the dragons were wonderful!  We also had a workshop with the Family Trust to help us to understand the Easter story and how significant to Christians this event is. 

Module 4 has really flown by- I am looking forward to Module 5 with Ladybird Class.

Spider Class

This module, Spider class have been exploring the powerful topic of natural disasters. The children have learnt about how different natural disasters occur and why they are more common in certain parts of the world. Using atlases, they enjoyed locating these areas on a world map and developing their geographical skills.

As part of their learning, the class read Escape from Pompeii, which helped them understand the historical eruption of Mount Vesuvius and how it led to the destruction of the ancient city of Pompeii. Year 3 also explored the work of Megan Coyle, an artist known for creating detailed images using collage. The children were inspired by her unique style and creativity, particularly how she layers different materials to build texture and detail. Using this as a starting point, the class created their own volcanic eruption artwork by combining collage and paint. They carefully selected and arranged materials to represent the volcano before splattering paint to look like an eruption! 

Although natural disasters can be devastating, the children were interested to discover that there can also be some benefits to living near an active volcano—ask your child if they can tell you what these are!

Cricket Class

Module 4 has been an exciting one with our trip to the estuary where we wrapped up warm and headed off to Allhallows to study the coastline. Throughout the workshop we undertook some rock pooling, birdwatching, shell hunting and even had time to squeeze in a beach clean! We have been working hard this term, learning about the litter that affects our oceans and environment so we were very excited to be doing our part to help our wildlife. Crickets really enjoyed learning about the scientific water cycle and different states of matter. We carried out a range of experiments to look at evaporation and condensation, even using our knowledge on states of matter to create our own ice cream with just a plastic bag, milk and some ice!

This module we have also embraced our inner artists where we created our own versions of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’, using the skills we have learnt using oil pastels. We also enjoyed a fantastic Book Week where we designed our own imaginative worlds and wrote setting descriptions about them. Cricket Class were very proud of their creations. 

We cannot believe we are over half way through our academic year already, we still have a lot of exciting activities and learning opportunities ahead of us as we welcome Module 5! Have a well deserved rest and we look forward to seeing you all after the Easter break.

Ant Class

It has been an incredibly exciting and inspiring time in Ant Class this Module!

Our learning has taken us beyond our planet and into the wonders of space. The children have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the possibilities of future space travel, including our next steps to the Moon and even the possibility of missions to Mars. A particular highlight was taking part in a live lesson with staff from the European Space Agency (ESA). The pupils were fascinated to hear directly from experts working in the field and asked thoughtful, curious questions that showed just how engaged they have been in this topic.

We also took our learning outside with a practical science lesson in the playground, where we created a model of the solar system. The children each took on the role of different planets and moved around the ‘Sun’ in orbit. This hands-on experience helped them to better understand how the planets move and the relative distances between them, and it was fantastic to see their enthusiasm and teamwork in action

We were delighted to share our class assembly with you. I could not be prouder of every single member of Ant Class. Their confidence, teamwork, and enthusiasm truly shone through. A standout moment was their performance of “Bonkers”, which they sang brilliantly in a variety of rounds. It was wonderful to see them supporting one another and performing with such joy.

Well done, Ant Class, for your hard work, creativity and enthusiasm. You continue to impress me every day!

Butterfly Class

It has been a very busy module with lots of SATs preparation underway - 11th May is sneaking up quickly! We have been very fortunate to have support from Mrs Simmonds and Mrs Burrows who are Curriculum Advisors for Leigh Academies Trust on a Monday afternoon and many children have benefitted from their additional 1:1 and small group support. We have proudly been watching the children’s confidence and achievements grow over the last few months.

We have also been working on our creative writing in preparation for the children’s work to be assessed for their final outcomes for KS2 writing in June. The children have written some impressive diary entries for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - a story of a young boy in Malawi who was able to create a windmill which generated electricity for his mother’s home. You can watch the film adaptation of this true story on Netflix. The class also were able to select an inventor of their choice to research and write a biography about. We were impressed by the diverse range of inventors and the inventions we collectively learned about. 

For inquiry, we have been finding out more about electricity and other types of power. The children have enjoyed working with the electrical components to predict what might happen in their circuits. In computing, children have been showing their determination and resilience in creating a wide range of games through coding in Scratch, including their own versions of ‘Snake’, ‘Flappy Bird’ and ‘Ping Pong’. Should they wish to continue this at home, the tutorials are on Google Classroom.

The children have been working particularly hard during this module, we wish them all a well-deserved rest and we look forward to seeing you all after the Easter break.

Gold Passes - Module 4

Congratulations to the pupils who were awarded a gold pass in Module 4 for showing exemplary behaviour:

Year 1: Elliott L, Rose C, Delilah E, Delilah H, Hudson L

Year 2: Lyra M, Charlie S, Ava-May G, Violet P

Year 3: Mya F, Harper G, Anya H, Hallie J

Year 4: Amelie B, Abbie M, Lennox M, Aimee C

Year 5: Rose W, Maddy J, Demi M, Rose P

Year 6: Chloe C, Charlotte F, Matilda P, Nancy E

Sports Update

On 26th March, a team of year 5 and 6 girls represented the Academy at the Medway Primary Girls Football Festival in Rainham. The team played brilliantly , coming 6th out of 16.  Well done to all for showing great enthusiasm and sportsmanship.

Polite Reminder

Please ensure that when only one parent/carer is invited to attend an event/pupil performance, this is strictly adhered to.  We only restrict numbers when the capacity in the hall is going to be at its maximum for health and safety reasons.  If there is the chance for more family members to attend some events, we will inform you, e.g. IRock assemblies, nativity services.

Holiday Events:-

Please see the following events available during the Easter break:-

Venue: Leigh Academy High Halstow

SLIME WORKSHOP, SPORTS & EASTER EGG HUNT - MONDAY 13TH APRIL 9-3PM

https://eequ.org/book/slime-workshop-sports-and-easter-egg-hunt-with-mka-karate-kickboxing-academy-and-sports-camps-25785

SKATEBOARD WORKSHOP, SPORTS, EASTER CRAFTS - TUESDAY 14TH APRIL 9-3PM

https://eequ.org/book/skateboard-workshop-sports-easter-crafts-with-mka-karate-kickboxing-academy-and-sports-camps-25805

SLIME WORKSHOP, NERF BATTLES, MARTIAL ARTS

https://eequ.org/book/slime-workshop-martial-arts-and-nerf-battles-with-mka-karate-kickboxing-academy-and-sports-camps-25943

ANIMAL ENCOUNTER, CRAFTS, NATURE CAMP, SPORTS

https://eequ.org/book/animal-encounter-crafts-nature-camp-with-mka-karate-kickboxing-academy-and-sports-camps-25944

We look forward to meeting you all

From everyone at

MKA Karate Kickboxing & Sports Academy

Other Easter holiday events:-

Other Useful Information:-

Allabout Family - magazine:-

Allabout 

Punctuality:-

Learning starts from 8:35am each day and registers are taken at 8:45.  Please ensure that your child arrives at the gate as close to 08:35 as possible to ensure a prompt and settled start to the school day.

Dates for your diary

Please see dates for your diary under Important Documents in the MCAS app.  Please check regularly as these dates are subject to change and are updated regularly.