End of Term 5 Newsletter 

Principal's Message

It feels as though this term has flown by in the blink of an eye! Not only is it the shortest term of the year, but it is also one of the busiest.

We have wrapped up the term with an exciting trip for Year 1 to Bedgebury National Pinetum, where the children explored the woodlands in connection with their inquiry learning. They had a wonderful time and gained so much from the experience.

Year 4 pupils also enjoyed an enriching visit to the Science Museum in London. Travelling by train and underground was an adventure in itself but the pupils behaved impeccably, thoroughly enjoying the exploration the many interactive exhibits on offer.

In other exciting news, two of our pupils were interviewed by KMTV about culture and diversity in Maidstone. As you know, we deeply value and celebrate diversity within our academy community and it is therefore especially rewarding to see this reflected and recognised in the wider community.

We were thrilled with the turnout at our recent PYP Mini-Exhibitions. Thank you to all those parents and carers that attended and shared feedback. The response was overwhelmingly positive and it is clear how much you value these opportunities to gain insight into your children’s learning. We also received some constructive suggestions — particularly around scheduling — which we are taking into serious consideration. We understand that the current format can be challenging for families with children in multiple year groups and are subsequently looking at ways to make these events more practical for everyone.

Looking ahead to next term, our calendar is already filling up with key events such as pupil reports, Sports Day, and more. We begin the term with Year 4 undertaking the statutory Multiplication Tables Check and Year 1 completing the Phonics Screening. Please keep a close eye on academy communications as we wouldn't want you to miss anything important.

You will have received a letter inviting your views on the possibility of early closure on Wednesday afternoons to allow staff to undertake valuable training. The letter provides more details so please take the time to read it. I do want to stress that this is not a foregone conclusion. We are genuinely seeking your input as we consider this approach, which has been adopted by many schools both within and outside Leigh Academies Trust. Whilst there are clear benefits, we are fully aware of the potential challenges and are keen to explore whether these can be addressed. I encourage you all to share your thoughts, but please do so with kindness and respect.

Finally, today we say a temporary goodbye to Mrs Russell, our LSA in Empire Class, as she begins her maternity leave. You may have noticed that Mrs Russell is expecting her second child — we are all very excited and can’t wait to meet the newest member of the Langley Park family. I am sure you will join me in wishing her all the very best.

I hope you all have a restful break and we look forward to welcoming the children back on Tuesday 3rd June.

Miss S Brading

Key Dates:

Monday 2nd June INSET Day (no pupils on site)

Tuesday 3rd June All pupils return for Term 6

Tuesday 3rd June 'Break the Rules' Day!

Wednesday 11th June (and 18th) Money Matters Workshops - Year 6 pupils

Monday 16th June Class Photographs

Tuesday 17th June (and 24th) Money Matters Workshops - Year 5 pupils

Friday 20th June Year 3 Trip to Maidstone Museum

Friday 20th June Family Bingo Night 17:00-19:00

Please note that these are confirmed dates but should we need to change any due to unforeseen circumstances, we will communicate this with you with as much notice as possible.

Term Dates: Full term dates can be found on the Leigh Academy Langley Park website, the link to which is:

https://leighacademylangleypark.org.uk/academy-life/term-dates/