Principal's Welcome

Dear Parents/Carers

It feels like this module has only just started and we find ourselves going into May Break ahead of a long Module 6.

VE Day celebrations enabled the whole academy community to show respect and gratitude to those who fought in WWII. It provided an opportunity for our younger pupils to develop an understanding of an importance historical date whilst celebrating the achievements from 80 years ago.

The Year 6s have completed their end of Key Stage Two SATs. The pupils conducted themselves well throughout the week, showing resilience and determination. The staff are very proud of every one of the Year 6 pupils. Next Module will see Year 1 completing the Phonics Checks and Year 4 being tested in the Multiplication Check. Module 6 also provides pupils with chances to showcase their talents and interests. The amount of competitive sporting opportunities increase as well as opportunities to show music skills off to larger audiences. Please take time to ensure you look at the upcoming dates on MCAS.

Wishing you all a lovely May Break. Pupils return to the academy on Tuesday 3rd June.

Mrs G Stangroom

Principal

Grasshopper Class

Grasshopper Class have been making the most of the wonderful weather in Module 5!  At the start of the month, we had our very first class trip to the Fenn Bell Conversation Trust.  The children had a wonderful day exploring the zoo and chatting to the keepers about all the animals they had seen.  They even got to experience feeding time for the Meerkats and Otters.  I was incredibly proud of their behaviour and the zoo keepers commented on how considerate and polite the whole class were as they asked interesting questions and made thoughtful observations.

During Module 5, we have learnt about ‘Life Cycles’. From human life cycle to animal and minibeast.  We have looked at the development of each species, such as frogs, caterpillars and worms.  We have even considered the life cycle of a plant where we investigated seeds and how they grow.  We had a wonderful day where we planted our own seeds to grow tomatoes, which will be sent home during half term to complete their growth.  Grasshopper Class also wanted to see transformations occur and we have been very lucky to be able to see the transition of a caterpillar egg through metamorphosis to butterfly!  It was truly wonderful to see the children's inquisitive nature when seeing the changes that occurred and to see their caring nature as they protected them to support their growth!

Finally, after a very busy module, we finished off with our first-ever class assembly.  The children loved performing in front of their adults and the rest of the school and we were so proud of them, remembering their words and showcasing their amazing knowledge from the year so far.  Well done Grasshoppers!!

Dragonfly Class

Wow what a busy module we have had in Dragonfly Class! We have learnt all about the habitats around the world, how they have changed and what we can do to help. We started off the module by becoming scientists, classifying animals by their animal groups, by what they eat and where they live. We created fantastic slider mechanisms to show these animals and their habitats. Dragonflies then went on their first school visit to Wildwood to explore more habitats and the animals that live there. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the arctic foxes, bears and wolves. We became very knowledgeable about the oceans and continents in the world and used this to help write fact files of different sea creatures. Who would have thought that dolphins can jump as high as six metres or that jellyfish are able to make their own light? One of our favourite parts of the module was reading the story of The Little Mermaid. We had lots of fun creating our own mermaids to write our own version of the story. Dragonfly Class have been very caring learners in this module after finding out about climate change and how this is affecting habitats around the world. We have come up with lots of ways that we and others can help the environment and slow down the effects of global warming. Enjoy a well deserved break ready for your final module in Year 1. 

Ladybird Class

Even though this is a shorter module Ladybird Class have worked hard and have produced some lovely work. Our inquiry this term has been around the Arctic and Antarctica and what is happening to these habitats due to climate change. The class have been very enthusiastic to learn about human impact on the different habitats of animals and what we can do to help. They also learnt how some animals have adapted to their habitat such as polar bears in Antarctica and Arctic foxes in the Arctic. 

In art we studied the work of Linda Lang who is an artist who is very interested in the Polar regions and climate change. Her artwork promotes how beautiful the Polar regions are and what is happening to them. The pupils created their own artwork in the style of Linda Lang.

The highlight of the module was our school visit to Wildwood to learn about some of the animals there and their habitats. The pupils learnt lots of new facts about the animals during a tour of the park with a ranger followed by a workshop, when the pupils had the opportunity to feel different furs and had to guess which animal it belonged to. The pupils behaved impeccably on the visit and were excellent ambassadors for Leigh Academy High Halstow.

We also had our class assembly this module, which gave parents and carers the opportunity to see all the hard work the pupils have done so far this year. The pupils also wanted to highlight during the assembly how climate change is affecting the world and the animal habitats and what we can all do to help.

Spider Class

Throughout Module 5, Spider Class have engaged in some really important discussions about what equality means. We learnt what the protected characteristics were and explored how everyone deserves to be treated fairly and have the same opportunities, no matter what. We also talked about how it’s important to be kind and respectful to everyone, even if they are different from us.

As part of our learning about equality, we focused on how individuals and groups have worked hard to make positive changes in the world. We specifically learned about Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes. We learnt how women in the UK didn't have the right to vote in elections. The suffragettes, led by brave women like Emmeline Pankhurst, campaigned tirelessly, often through marches and protests, to fight for this right. 

Finally, we really enjoyed performing our class assembly! The pupils decided what they wanted to include and showcased their learning from Module 5 fantastically. It was impressive to see their knowledge and confidence – well done, Spider Class!

Cricket Class 

Cricket class have fully embraced our central idea this term and have immersed themselves in everything WW2.  We have been extremely fortunate and have had access to some fabulous resources to support our learning and deepen our understanding.  We have looked at WW2 clothing, listened to the air raid siren and explored the different foods that would have been rationed at the time. 

In English we have written some letters in the role of an evacuee, documented the events of the Blitz in a diary entry and created our own kennings poem on a chosen crisis management strategy from the Blitz.  In maths we have worked extremely hard, tackling decimals whilst learning lots of new mathematical vocabulary along the way. 

In our art lessons we have been learning to draw in perspective by using vanishing points and produced some incredible watercolour paintings of railway tracks and the views that evacuees might have seen during their journey to the countryside. Once again, our results were incredible demonstrating the artistic flair and talents we have in Cricket Class.  

I cannot believe that we are now approaching our final module of Year 4!  The children are rapidly becoming Year 5 ready and have dramatically grown in confidence this term to push themselves beyond their comfort zone, to try new things and independently uplevel their work.  

Well done Crickets, enjoy your very well deserved rest this half term!  We look forward to seeing you in Module 6. 

GOLD PASSES - Module 5

Congratulations to the pupils who were awarded a gold pass in Module 5 for showing exemplary behaviour:

Year 1: Matilda, Leo, Isla, Maryann

Year 2: Hudson, Mya, Evie N. Lucy

Year 3: Olivia, Charlotte, Archie, Finn

Year 4: Demi, Olivia, Ophelia, Rose W

Year 5: Leo, Tommy, Mya, Halle W

Year 6: Charlie, Grace, Harry, Chase

VE Day

The academy was a vibrant sea of red, white and blue on Thursday 8th May as the children enthusiastically embraced our VE Day celebrations!  It was wonderful to see so many fantastic 1940s inspired outfits, with some children even dressing as evacuees, truly bringing the era to life.

The day began with a special assembly in which our Year 4 pupils shared their knowledge of World War II, which they have been learning about in their Inquiry lessons. It was clear they had learned a great deal! We also had a moving moment when Mrs Curram shared her own personal experiences of having a loved one serving in the army at present, which helped the children understand the impact of war on the families at home.

Following the assembly, the children enjoyed a fantastic "street party" style picnic lunch together. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement and a real sense of community. In a spontaneous and fitting tribute, the children then decided they wanted to sing the National Anthem, which was a special moment.

The afternoon was filled with a variety of activities. A particular highlight was the opportunity for our pupils to speak with Arthur, a very special gentleman who was alive during World War II.

We hope that the memories created will stay with the children for a long time to come and that they will remember the importance of VE Day.

Key Dates for Admissions:-

Brigade (school uniform suppliers) will be placing their website into maintenance mode to complete critical updates from Monday 2nd to Friday 6th June 2025.

During this period parents will not be able to place an order. Instead, a message will appear on screen advising them that the site will be live from Saturday 7th June and as a thank you for their patience, they are able to use the below code to receive a discount on their order.

This will be the final discount code for the academic year so I would be grateful if you would share this with all new and existing parents so that they can take advantage;

Date:                 Saturday 7th June - Sunday 8th June

Discount:         15%

Code:                LASTCHANCE15susi

Supporting Resilience in Parents and Carers:

A recording from NELFT's Emotional Support Team - Useful strategies for parents and carers to support their own and their children's resilience

https://youtu.be/nMQv4goOVGo

Centre Stage Theatre Academy are holding May Half Terrn Workshops - An Island Adventure! 

Workshop Details: Tuesday 27th – Friday 30th May
9:30am – 3:30pm
Locations:

• Gravesend - Cecil Road Primary School (DA11 7BT)

• Dartford - The Brent Primary School (DA2 6BA)

• Medway - Hilltop Primary School (ME2 4QN)

Child-Friendly Medway:-

Chequer Tree Camp:-

Exploring Rochester

Please see information provided by The Quiz Trails Team:-

A healthy walk - educational for primary age children - low-cost - learning their local history!

1. Quiz Trails are created by us, a Mum and two daughters. They are educational - a great way of sharing local history which comes under the requirements of the National Curriculum. Healthy, an outdoors walk exploring and a break from digital.

2. We are an Approved Activity by the Children's University. Quiz Trails have clues for adults PLUS an extra set of clues for children - aimed at 5 to 11 year olds. As you know, learning outside school plays a vital role in helping children's development as young learners, confident individuals, and responsible citizens - as well as being vital to their wider well-being.

3. We are also a CIC - a Community Interest Company. We're approved by the HMRC as a business whereby profits go back into the community rather than private shareholders. We deliberately keep our trails low-cost at only £5.99 so that a family or group can spend many hours having fun together and achieving for a very low cost. Only one copy is needed as they're made for sharing.

 Please see the following information:-

 Multi-Activity Camp at Strood Academy

Tues 27th – Thurs 29th May 2025
Fun-filled themed days – check the attached flyer for details!

Book here: https://activities.bookpebble.co.uk/activity/strive-pe-and-sport-strood-academy-multi-activity-camp-rochester-61ec0a4e-fa5e-43ff-b24c-63765b288dc0 

 Strive Inflatables at Brompton Academy – Thurs 29th May 2025

• Session 1 (9–10:30am): SEND (parent/carer supervision required).

• Session 2 (11–12:30pm): Open to all.

Book here: https://activities.bookpebble.co.uk/activity/strive-pe-and-sport-strive-inflatables-events-gillingham-73567837-8fa6-4e5b-8bde-1355de4fb4dc

 Discounts Available for Camps:

• 10% Sibling Discount (select the sibling ticket).

• 10% FSM Discount – email us with proof to receive a code.

For questions, contact us at admin@strivepeandsport.co.uk.

Dates for your diary - Module 6

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