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Principal's Welcome

As we reach the end of another busy module, we should take a moment to reflect on the incredible achievements of our students and the support of our academy community. It has been a module filled with remarkable progress, inspiring moments, and a real sense of community spirit.

From winning the KS3 LAT Creative Arts competition to the impressive results in LAT sporting events, our students have consistently demonstrated their talent, resilience, and dedication. We have been particularly impressed by the collaborative spirit shown in our recent STEM project, where students came together to showcase their skills.

Beyond the academic and extra-curricular successes, we have witnessed countless acts of kindness, support, and genuine care within our academy. Our students are growing into compassionate and responsible young people, and that is something we can all be immensely proud of.

This module has also seen significant progress in the ongoing refurbishment projects around the academy, including the Main Reception area which we hope to have finished very soon.

The news articles contained in our Fifth Edition of LABextra! are a testament to the hard work and commitment of our staff, who continually strive to provide the best possible learning environment for our students.

As we look towards the Easter break, we encourage everyone to take time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the company of family and friends. We return for Module 5 on Tuesday 22nd April with renewed energy and enthusiasm for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

We are truly grateful for your ongoing partnership and support. Together, we are creating a positive and enriching educational experience for every student at Leigh Academy Bexley.

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday.

John Dixon | Principal

‘Be relentless in your pursuit of becoming your best self’

We are absolutely delighted to celebrate the remarkable progress and accomplishments of our year groups in this module! It has been an inspiring journey filled with dedication, enthusiasm, and a commitment to excellence. Our students have truly embraced the challenge, embodying the spirit of our college motto by showing significant growth both academically and personally. Year 11s, in particular, have completed their pre-public exams and are now focused on making the necessary improvements that will help them reach their full potential—exactly what our motto encourages: being relentless in the pursuit of self-improvement.

From stimulating classroom discussions to exceptional project work, each student has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to their learning. We are especially proud of their creative talents, showcased in recent sports events and Drama performances, earning outstanding feedback from both peers and staff—an example of students living up to their best selves through passion and hard work.

We also want to remind everyone that your input is invaluable! If you have any news, achievements, or events to share, please submit them for inclusion in our newsletter. Celebrating the success of our students fosters a sense of pride and unity within our school community. To acknowledge this, we’ve created the ‘Simply the Best!’ board display, which showcases the many outstanding qualities our students exhibit both in and out of school—showing that excellence extends beyond the classroom.

And finally, I would like to say a big congratulations to Holkham, who are currently leading with the highest number of positive behaviour points and the fewest negative points. This is a true reflection of the effort and excellent choices made by our exceptional students and to reward their hard work, the termly hamper continues to be a success, and we’ve made this one particularly memorable for Year 11s, as this is their final chance to win the interform hamper.

Thank you for your ongoing support—let’s continue this momentum into the next module and end the year with a bang, here's to even more achievements and successes ahead!

D Pieroulli | Head of Holkham College

At Knole College, parents, students, and staff have been working incredibly hard to improve our attendance, and we’re proud to announce that we currently have the best attendance in the school! A huge thank you to all the parents for encouraging their children to stay committed to coming to school.

We also had the pleasure of meeting our new Year 7 students during this module. Our wonderful Knole students took the time to show the new students and their parents around the school. These days were incredibly successful, and we’re so grateful to our students for being perfect role models and representing the school with such pride.

11 K1 have been putting in an immense amount of effort as they work towards their GCSEs. After completing their mocks in February, they are now diligently responding to their feedback and preparing for the upcoming exams. We’d like to wish all our Year 11 students the very best of luck during this busy time, and we hope they can maintain a balance of productivity and calm as they work hard.

Miss McMullin and Miss Pearson, Student Support Managers at Knole College, run Strengthening Minds sessions that are proving highly successful. Students in this small group have shown positivity, dedication, and excellent responsiveness during their sessions. We’ve already seen remarkable improvements around the academy, and we want to celebrate their hard work and encourage them to keep it up. They look forward to the fun and interactive tasks, contributing enthusiastically and applying their learning to everyday life within the academy. We are incredibly proud of the progress our students are making and the positive impact of these sessions.

A special shout-out goes to Callum C, a remarkable Year 8 student, who has achieved the incredible feat of being selected to play for Millwall Football Club in Belgium! This is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and exceptional talent. We are immensely proud of Callum and wish him every success in his Belgian footballing adventure.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to seeing the students in Module 5!

J Shiyani | Head of Knole College

Petworth College continues to go from strength to strength, with significant progress made over Modules 3 and 4. One of our key focuses has been attendance, which has remained steady at over 90%. While this is a huge improvement on previous years, we are determined to push this number even higher in the final two modules of the academic year.

Our students have collectively earned an impressive 13,242 positive behaviour points so far this year, compared to just 3,202 negative points. This is a clear reflection of the hard work taking place in lessons, as well as the positive contributions Petworth students are making to the wider community at Leigh Academy Bexley.

Across Modules 3 and 4, 72 students have been formally recognised by their tutors for their support and contributions to their tutor groups—an achievement we are incredibly proud of.

We would also like to highlight two individuals who have stood out this term. Congratulations to Lilly M for winning Gold at the LAT Cross Country event—her achievement is celebrated further in the PE section, but it deserves a special mention here as well. Additionally, Elizabeth J in Year 9 has received LAT-wide recognition for a powerful and moving piece of artwork created in remembrance of the Holocaust. Her work follows her success in the Christmas card competition earlier in the year, and we are incredibly proud of her continued creativity and thoughtfulness.

As we head into the Easter break, we want to thank all our students for their hard work and dedication. We wish you all a restful and enjoyable holiday, and look forward to welcoming you back refreshed and ready to make the most of the final two modules of the year.

P Wilson | Head of Petworth College

The students of Richmond College continue to display their resilience and have met some significant challenges over the winter period. I am thrilled that students have persevered in terms of being recognised for their positive contribution to the academy and have made huge improvements in the number of recorded positive points. Simultaneously, students have been displaying their tenacity in terms of their attendance, which has continued to improve following a winter that saw lots of bacteria and viruses. Richmond students continue to engage with Unifrog which shows a continued trend of improvement in terms of hours of engagement.

On a personal note, the students continue to impress during assemblies. They recognise the importance of the formal setting with the Year 10 students modelling the highest of expectations. Students warmly greet myself and the speakers and thank the guests for their presentations and performances. Students have been developing their independence this term in terms of managing their dismissal and the students largely complete this with little support from staff.

Richmond students have been role-modelling their character dispositions to prospective Year 7 students and parents while showcasing the school. The students have received outstanding praise from parents.

Year 11 Richmond students have displayed their tenacity in their approach to period 6 GCSE preparation sessions and have been working diligently each day till 4:15 pm. The students are determined to be fully prepared for their upcoming examinations in the summer.

In addition, our Year 11s have attended the October and February Half-term schools which were designed to support Year 11 to meet and exceed their GCSE target grades by the summer of 2025. Plans are firmly in place for the April Half-term school and many Year 11 students have already committed to these additional hours of support.

I would like to congratulate Richmond on showing their determination in terms of their attendance and I am pleased to see them return to the top of the college attendance table.

Well done, Richmond!

M Crowther-Green | Head of Richmond College

Over the past few months, the Woburn team has arranged a wide range of activities for students to develop their awareness and understanding of the opportunities available to them once they have finished their post-16 qualifications.

We hosted The Education Development Trust and spoke to the 6th form about the benefits and different types of apprenticeships on offer and the application process. This was followed by a visit from Investment 20/20, which offers training programmes for students who want to work in the investment industry.

We were also happy to host a previous pupil who now works for DVF Recruitment, a London-based recruitment firm focusing on financial, insurance, and legal services. The talk focussed on CV writing, the power of LinkedIn, and making a strong first impression ahead of a job interview. More recently, a representative from Rayleigh International spoke to students about volunteering opportunities overseas.

During the last week of this module, students took part in a Study Skills programme to support them with the final examinations, as well as visiting a university with a focus on student finance and UCAS applications.

Looking ahead, our T Level students will be starting their industry-based placements; an opportunity for them to apply their classroom learning and develop their technical skills.

The whole Woburn team wishes our Year 13 students the best of luck for their upcoming final examinations which start shortly after the Easter break.

C Dillon | Head of Woburn College

English

On Thursday 27th February, a select number of Year 11 students were given the incredible opportunity to see eight poets perform their work to aid them in their GCSE English Literature at Poetry Live! at the Lyceum Theatre. The poets included the current Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, former Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and the ever popular John Agard. They also received a talk by a Chief Examiner on how best to approach the Unseen Poetry component. It was an incredibly informative and impactful day and students represented the academy very positively.

Year 7 have been exploring poetry about relationships this module, and have been using the methods used by poets to express themselves. This is a wonderful example of a poem written by Aroush S in response to “I Am a Rock” by Paul Simon.

I am a cheetah

I have legs that stretch like lightning

I can race across the Savannah

I am a warrior

I have a mind that never breaks

I can stand tall in the face of fear

I am a candle

I have a flame that flickers in the darkest room

I can melt away the cold and offer warmth in silence

The academy celebrated World Book Day on Thursday 6th March. We launched our LAT Trust-wide short story competition and are looking forward to judging entries from students from Year 7-13. The deadline is Friday 25th April and all details are on students’ Google Classroom.

Staff also celebrated by dressing up as their favourite book character, and our GCSE set texts were of course represented in these costumes! All students attended a World Book Day themed assembly and enjoyed hearing the start of some well known texts.

Finally, the library was transformed into a dinner party for book characters and students were invited to guess the characters for a prize. Well done to those who took part!

Finally, on Monday 17th March, Year 8 went on a trip to Shakespeare’s Globe to see an exceptional performance of Macbeth. They represented the school wonderfully and it was a pleasure to see so many faces in awe of both the beautiful theatre and the amazing performance. Thank you to Globe Education for providing us with the tickets.

Humanities

The Humanities department has been working really hard to support our Year 11s with their upcoming exams. We have arranged a suite of masterclasses with both History and Geography LAT advisors and have been impressed by the seriousness with which students engaged in these sessions. In addition, we have planned a Preparing for Excellence event whereby we will be meeting with Year 11 parents to discuss the science of revision and how they can support their students to achieve the best they can this summer. Year 13s have also completed and received their results from the last round of mocks and are now taking steps to ensure they can access their chosen career paths. We are very proud of all they are doing to make their educational achievements successful.

We are also pleased to share that one of our Year 9 students was awarded a runners-up prize at the end of the last module for her piece of art exploring the concept of ‘For A Better Future’ in relation to the Holocaust and how we can move forward from it. Elizabeth J (Year 9) produced this outstanding piece in her own time and using her own resources. She carried out lots of research to ensure her piece remained respectful to those persecuted by the Nazis. We are so proud of what she has been able to accomplish. She has been awarded for her efforts with some Amazon vouchers. There were also a number of other very impressive entries from Year 9 students - we are certainly lucky to have such fantastic Historians!

Maths

On 14th March, Leigh Academy Bexley proudly represented the school at the Maths Feast competition. Our students performed exceptionally well, winning the third round, "Broken Calculator," and securing an impressive 6th place overall out of 15 LAT schools.

This was a fantastic achievement, showcasing our students' problem-solving skills, teamwork, and mathematical reasoning. A huge well done to all the students who took part—your hard work and dedication truly paid off!

We look forward to seeing even greater success in future competitions. 🎉👏

Drama

Music and Drama Club are getting ready for the Summer Showcase on the 17th July. The students are preparing comedy sketches in Drama, and we have bands and singers in Music. All are welcome to Monday’s Music Club with Mrs Hildebrand and Thursday’s Drama Club with Mr Wardzynski.

In key stage 3 the students have explored physical theatre through Frantic Assembly and Commedia Dell’Arte. In terms of scripts, Year 7 are learning a scene from Bugsy Malone and exploring the issue of gangs. With Year 8 we explored the impact of drinking and driving using the play ‘Too Much Punch For Judy’. Year 9 have performed extracts from ‘DNA’ by Dennis Kelly and are now creating a theatre in education piece for Year 7s about the dangers of social media.

Year 10 have been completing their component 1 unit for the Btec Performing Arts, which will be sent to the exam board at Easter. This is an investigation of ‘Things I know To Be True’ by Andrew Bovell. They have to investigate the stylistic qualities, features, and performing and non-performing roles. They also have to document their process of exploration using their rehearsal process.

The Old Vic Schools Club delivered an outstanding workshop on their production of Oedipus.

Part 1 of the workshop focused on the background of the production elements of Oedipus. After one of our Year 11 students confidently explained the storyline in detail to the rest of the group, the facilitators talked through the various roles in theatre such as set, sound, and lighting designers, as well as actors and choreographers.

During part 2 of the workshop, the facilitators took the students through the various roles within stage management. The workshop looked in detail at the role of the Stage Manager and gave an insight into the three stage management roles: Company Stage Manager, Deputy Stage Manager, and Assistant Stage Manager. The students read and annotated scripts. Some staged the scene, whilst others took on the various stage management roles. This led to some of the students asking about careers in these areas, and how you get onto this career path. Naturally they demanded that we look up the salary for them, which was a very healthy wage!

Finally the students engaged with part 3 on creating, with the students being given three different liquids to mix and recreate the part of the play where Oedipus rips out his eyes. The aim was to show that you can create props on a budget if you use your initiative.

The facilitators were highly complimentary about our students and thoroughly enjoyed their time at LABex. The students were really engaged with every part of the workshop and can’t wait to go and see the production live!

The Performance

BTEC Performing Arts students from Years 10 and 11 went to see Oedipus at The Old Vic Theatre with a star-studded cast. The performance was a contemporary version of Sophocles’ ‘Oedipus’ starring Rami Malek in his UK theatre debut (Television includes: Mr. Robot — Emmy Award, Critics Choice Award, The Pacific. Film includes: Bohemian Rhapsody — Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, SAG Award, Oppenheimer, Amsterdam, No Time to Die, Papillon, The Master, Short Term 12.). It was co-directed by the choreographer Hofesh Shechter. This was outstanding and they represented the Greek chorus - we were blown away by the unique and highly complex movement.

After the performance, we were the only British school selected out of 10 schools to stay behind to complete a Q&A with the actors and dancers. Our students were given a unique opportunity to ask questions about the performance and the industry - absolutely anything really! This was a great privilege and I cannot thank The Old Vic enough.

MFL

This year, for the first time at Leigh Bexley Academy, we are introducing the Spanish Spelling Bee for our Year 7 Spanish learners! 🐝✨ This competition will help them practice high-frequency Spanish vocabulary, which will support them in all 4 skills of their Spanish learning. They will compete against students from other colleges, spelling words clearly in Spanish using the alphabet. The final competition will take place on the 7th July 2025. With focus and determination, each student will represent their college and strive to become the champion—just like a Queen Bee leading the hive! 🏆🐝. Students need to register their interest with their Spanish teacher and attend the Spelling Bee Club every Thursday from 3:15pm to 3:45pm.

Year 7 MYP Cultural Focus

During the topic of ‘Ma vie scolaire’ (My school life), Year 7 students explored their school culture and context and how this is different from the French school system. Our students were in favour of no school on Wednesdays and longer summer holidays! They also watched a video about a rural primary school in Cameroon, which was extremely different from their own. Below you can see how students reflected on being given this opportunity and which MYP Learner attributes they practiced.

Year 8 Collaborative Group Work

Our Year 8 students have been working collaboratively during ‘walking reading’ and ‘walking translation’ tasks. The nature of the tasks required them to work out meaning using the context, their prior knowledge and their understanding and knowledge of cognates. There were some really fruitful discussions taking place, which demonstrated students using their critical thinking skills. For example, student A said to student B ‘That phrase can’t be in the past tense because the time phrase refers to the present tense.’ Student B responded ‘Ah yes, I see and also we recognize the past tense with the é.’

PSHE

Careers

Careers Fair & Oxford University Assembly

This year’s Careers Fair took place on Wednesday 12th March, featuring a range of professionals who shared their expertise with our KS4 and KS5 students. Attendees included a historian, representatives from Greenwich University, Construction, Doceo, childcare specialists, and individuals from the entertainment industry, allowing students to engage with them, and providing handouts and goodies.

A biochemist demonstrated the use of a multi-channel pipette, enabling students to dispense colored liquids into microtiter plates and perform dilutions. Software engineers explained concepts related to sound, while Army representatives outlined various career paths available across different regiments. A sports coach provided insights into the coaching profession, with the team's mascot becoming a highlight of the event for many students.

Additionally, an expert offered valuable tips on crafting an effective CV and presented examples of successful resumes. Barclays and Transport for London discussed their apprenticeship programs and other opportunities.

We were also fortunate to host a guest speaker from Oxford University, who shared insights on gaining admission to top universities and the importance of extracurricular activities. The guest speaker was particularly impressed by our Year 10 students, who confidently engaged in discussions.

Overall, the professionals were highly complimentary of our students' behaviour, politeness, and interaction skills.

STEM Project Year 7 & 8

Last week, Year 7 and Year 8 students began their STEM project on Monday and completed it by Friday. The theme focused on changes and adaptations. Students collaborated in teams as part of the EDC (Development Corporation), tasked with documenting the changes and adaptations of Leigh Academy Bexley and its surroundings for the Erith community. They embraced this challenge and developed an innovative final project. Throughout the process, students honed essential STEM skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, analytical reasoning, collaboration, and time management. They came together with pride in their work and effectively articulated the rationale behind their project.

Year 7 and 8 STEM projects were on display, with both students and staff voting for their favourites. We are excited to announce that the winning project, which emphasizes the unity of our school, was created by Year 8 students Sarah A, Lacey P, and Simran S.

Year 7 has been learning about Enterprising skills and exploring the importance of communication and leadership by first trying to complete a task without either. They quickly learned that when trying to write with a ‘pen on strings’ it was more efficient for one team member to drop their string and direct the others, and that precise instruction led to a better outcome.

Years 8 - 10, and Year 12 are exploring issues related to substance abuse and addiction.

The focus has been on identifying risks and considering ways to keep themselves and others safe. Following group discussions, the students are applying their knowledge to a range of tasks that will consolidate their learning, such as this one for Year 10 where they produced an advice leaflet aimed at young people who might find themselves in a tricky situation.

Extra Curricular Clubs

We have been very happy to introduce 3 new clubs this term; Gaming Club; Spanish Spelling Bee and Lego and Construction Club. These have been a fantastic addition to the 26 other activities that we run on a weekly basis.

We would love to hear from you! We have held a consultation with pupils who have SEND support about activities and clubs they would like to run. Please let Mr Morgan know if there are activities missing from our offer!

PSHE in Woburn College

The 6th form over the last few weeks has had a number of different speakers to boost the careers programme taught within tutor time. We have welcomed guest speakers from the Education Development Trust talking about apprenticeships, and how to apply, and DVF recruitment who have explained the best way to use Linkedin. Raleigh International explains the experience that students could have on a gap year with them, and Investment 20/20 about options working in finance.

Assemblies Programme

2025 assemblies began in earnest with a focus on expectations, the importance of responding to teacher feedback, and literacy. The Teaching and Learning Team has planned for regular assemblies to deliver important messages that support our students to become even stronger independent learners. Miss Pieroulli used the story of Jamie to introduce students to the purpose of giving and receiving feedback. The key message was, that it is only through ‘failing’ that we learn to become better at something.

Mrs Ansell took the opportunity to have students reflect on the link between financial success and literacy. Reminding students of the importance of reading and the upcoming World Book Day this year when we celebrate reading for pleasure.

Miss Mann took students back to the global aspect of annual events, this module being focused on the significance of ‘Women’s History Month’. This year’s theme was "Cracking the Code: Innovation for a Gender-Equal Future."

The key message for reflection was on how women around the world have been and continue to commit to supporting a gender-equality future.

Mrs Turner took the opportunity to bring students back to thinking about this year’s theme for Holocaust Memorial Day which was ‘building a better future’. LABex was fortunate to receive a visit from John Hadju who shared the story of his mother with Year 11, 12, and 13 Historians in a special workshop. Students were blown away by the story he told.

Mrs Arthur-Amponsah introduced students to National Apprenticeship Week and our Careers Fair. Students were buzzing with the knowledge that there were other opportunities open to them post-16. This was followed up in tutor time activities, linked to Unifrog our online Careers platform.

Miss Pieroulli’s assembly focused on the all important topic of AI. First, students took time to reflect on what AI was, then how there are different types of AI and finally they were encouraged to weigh up whether AI would be more useful or harmful to society. This linked in with the IB Learner Profile and followed the STEM focus of the week before.

In line with Womens’ History Month, Mrs Arthur-Amponsah linked Diversity in STEM during her assemblies, challenging students to name a woman scientist. As well as introducing the Science Department’s STEM week long project plans, Mrs Arthur-Amponsah engaged students in the story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson who worked at NASA and successfully worked in a male dominated environment to challenge the traditional female stereotypes by helping the launch of an astronaut into orbit.

Mrs Wilson used the history of left-handedness to link to the misconceptions that people have about why it is people with left-handedness identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

World Book Day assembly with Mrs Ansell highlighted the importance of reading and how we support students at LABex to have time to build their literacy skills with dedicated reading time. We were delighted to work in collaboration with the English department to support the promotion of World Book Day as shown in LABextra!

This year saw the LABex community on a clue trail to work out the identities of truly inspirational International Women. Teachers shared their chosen woman with Mrs Wilson who then created the clues posters that they posted on their classroom door. As students moved about the Academy they used the clues to work out who the teacher had chosen and why they were significant.

At LABex the Personal Development program has continued to join up the key messages delivered in assemblies with the tutor time activities so that there is time to debate, discuss and reflect, not just in PSHE lessons. Working in collaboration with other subject areas has also helped to build healthy connections for our students across the curriculum, linking to real-life applications.

Our Year 7 Team

Computer Science

Successful launch of KS3 Esport Club

Ms Sutherland and Ms Wilson have successfully been able to launch our KS3 Esport club. This is a brilliant opportunity for students to come and learn new skills. Our students were very eager to get involved. It was great to see how students work together in pairs/groups and students happily shared their own controls with students who did not have their own. It was a positive atmosphere and students were very excited to be part of this amazing opportunity.

Esports, short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organised, multiplayer video game competitions, played individually or as teams.

SEN

The SEND Team have welcomed two new LSAs which has resulted in more intervention opportunities to students with additional needs as well as continued support from our already robust intervention programme.

Lego therapy is a very popular intervention and we will be offering a ‘next level’ intervention for some students to further develop social, communication and language skills. As Lego is popular we now offer a Lego and Construction after school club in the Learning Engagement Centre (LEC) weekly- all students are welcome!

KS3 Students who use the LEC Intervention, have been working on recalling a story and retelling events using Talk for Writing Strategies and dual coding. To the left are two examples of short stories:

The LEC is also open every day (not Wednesday) after school for home learning support.

Parent engagement

This module we have hosted a Coffee and a Catch up with the SENDCo which was well attended as well as a parent evening workshop, these were a great way to share experiences and get to know more about what is on offer through Bexley SEN.

We looked at the following services:

Moorings
Teen Life
Being a parent- Bexley Moorings.

There will be more events like these coming up over the next two modules.

Science

This term, Year 7 has thoroughly enjoyed learning about plants and animals. Over the weeks, they have explored different systems within the human body and developed their understanding of how unicellular organisms link to multicellular life. They particularly loved hands-on investigations, such as food tests for starch, glucose, and protein, as well as flower dissections.

Year 8 has started learning about pathogens and infectious diseases. They also enjoyed their extended writing tasks on communicable diseases and vaccination programs in the UK.

Year 9 have been working hard on topics such as density, speed, distance-time graphs, and key concepts about forces. These have helped lay a strong foundation for their future GCSE science studies.

So far this year, Year 10 have thoroughly enjoyed working with physics equations. They have loved applying their mathematical skills to topics like Hooke’s Law and energy calculations. We have also incorporated revision strategies to help them prepare for their upcoming mock exams in the next module.

Year 11 have completed their second set of mock exams, utilizing Exampro Merit for a detailed question-level analysis to highlight their strengths and areas for improvement. A range of interventions have been put in place, including our P6 intervention program, Mind the Gap, which is now in full swing. With a clear focus on Proficient Learners, Borderline Students, and Fragile Learners, these interventions are designed to reteach and revise areas of weakness identified in mocks 1 and 2. Participation and engagement in masterclasses—led by subject specialists and LAT Curriculum Advisor—have been remarkable.

Our Post-16 students are diligently working to complete their assignments for the National Level 3 Extended Certificate. They recently received their January exam results, which are truly remarkable. Building on their strengths, our Year 12 and 13 students continue to work hard to complete their assignments.

This term, students also enjoyed STEM Science Week, where they worked on a 3D project to design a new, energy-efficient school that adapts to the modern world.

As part of our wider school activities, the Science Department runs a thriving STEM Club that consistently showcases incredible projects. Recently, students have been actively involved in candle model-making and designing Robots for the future generation.

Additionally, we are delighted to welcome our new Lead Practitioner, Mrs Whitehorn, to the department. With a wealth of experience as a chemistry specialist, she will focus on enhancing the quality of teaching and learning, with a strong emphasis on improving scientific literacy.

Music

In Module 3, Year 7 started learning the ukulele with a mix of excitement and nerves. It was a challenge at first with getting their fingers in the right place, strumming smoothly, and switching between chords. But with lots of practice and determination, they’ve made amazing progress. We are now, in Module 4, looking at the genre of ‘Folk’ music where they are learning to play familiar tunes as well as compose pieces to reflect their understanding of how this genre is structured. We look forward to hearing their compositions!

Year 8s have been studying ‘Blues’ music, they have looked at the history of ‘Blues’ music and have been learning what the key components of a ‘Blues’ song are. Students are on track to composing their own Blues song, using the twelve bar blues structure and then building on their improvising skills which we have been learning throughout the module.

The Year 9s were keen to learn the ukuleles too, as the instruments were laid out for Year 7 lessons so in Module 4, they have been learning simple chords to the tune ‘Three Little Birds’ to fit with the ‘Reggae’ genre. By the end of this module, they will be able to play through the whole song with a bass line, a hook, and a melody in small groups. They have all been very engaged and enthusiastic with this task. It has been a pleasure to see true collaboration in action and unlock some hidden talent.

Music Club

Music Club has continued every Monday since it started in Module 1, with the club increasing in numbers each week as more students have heard about the fun they can have learning to make music. The Year 7 and 9 band are preparing for their performances to take part in, in the upcoming rewards assemblies at the end of Module 4. This will encourage more students to take the step to join in from Module 5 as talent is shared across our LABex community. The confidence and talent in this club grow.

Creative Arts

Visual Arts Awards 2025

During Module 4 we saw Leigh Academy Bexley students take part in the Visual Arts Awards 2025. This was our second time entering these awards which celebrate the creative artworks by students across the entire trust. Last year one of our students claimed first prize in the KS4 awards, and this year we were delighted to win the KS3 section. Below you can see the winning entry along with a small sample of our students' entries from across the year groups.

'Nest of Creatures' | "A wicker basket holds twelve crocheted artworks consisting of snakes, mushrooms a bird, pumpkin and mythical animals" Year 7 - Sarah A

Year 9 - Clay sculpture of a shell, painted with acrylic paint.

Art & Photography Club

In the Art & Photography club students have been responding to the work of Michael Craig Martin, first by taking a series of photographs of our school and editing them on Photopea. These edits are now being turned into 6ft Paintings!

Central Playground - LAB

Year 7 Art

Students have been working hard exploring the basics of painting in this module. Within the MYP students have been asking questions about how time and space influence our opinions around aesthetics and putting this to use by exploring how the form and shapes of objects have evolved over time.

Year 8 Art

Students have been exploring how and why many artists today have turned to digital art as their way to express themselves through artwork. Using their Chromebooks students have made a range of artworks that explore the theme of Surrealism.

Year 9 Art

In Module 4 Year 9 students have begun making their own portrait paintings. By placing a grid over their chosen photograph students were able to draw a portrait with accuracy, upon which they are now beginning to paint. Students have now begun mixing tints and tones to match the skin colours from their chosen photographs.

Students have just wrapped up their first coursework project themed around the Human Body and Anatomy. Having worked independently to explore their own ideas and artworks around the theme, students have produced some skillful outcomes in a range of different mediums.

KS4 Photography

In recent weeks, the KS4 photography students have been engaged with the works of notable photographers Ursus W and Emily B. The work by these photographers provided a fertile ground for creative exploration, allowing students to investigate the diverse interpretations of collective experiences through visual storytelling.

Ursus's deliberate arrangements challenge traditional notions of chaos in gatherings, prompting students to consider how organisation can convey meaning. In contrast, Emily's vibrant compositions inspire students to explore the emotional resonance of her work and how colour can convey this. Both photographers offer unique perspectives that have sparked thoughtful discussions and experimentation within our classroom.

As the students develop their portfolios, they are encouraged to incorporate elements from these influences while crafting their own narratives around gatherings, fostering not only technical skills but also conceptual depth in their photographic practices. We look forward to witnessing the evolution of their work as they prepare for the upcoming exam.

PE

Lilly Takes Gold at Cross Country Championships!

The recent Cross Country Championships were a fantastic showcase of determination, teamwork, and athletic excellence. Selected pupils from Year 7-10 groups put their endurance to the test, battling through challenging courses and tough competition.

A special congratulations goes to Lilly M, who claimed victory in the Year 9 Girls race! Her outstanding performance and perseverance saw her cross the finish line ahead of the pack, securing a well-deserved first place.

Well done to all participants who represented the academy with pride and gave it their all. Your hard work and dedication were truly inspiring!

Year 9 & 10 Tag Rugby Competitions

The Year 9 and 10 Tag Rugby Competitions were other exciting events, filled with fast-paced action and impressive teamwork. Both year groups showed great skill and determination, demonstrating excellent attacking plays and solid defensive strategies.

The competition was fierce, with each team battling hard in their first competitive rugby games. Players displayed fantastic sportsmanship throughout, making it a thrilling event for both participants and spectators.

A huge well done to everyone who took part—your commitment and teamwork were outstanding! We look forward to seeing more success in future competitions.

DT/Engineering

After more than a year of hard work, our Year 11 Engineering students have successfully completed their phone holder project—a testament to their dedication, creativity, and hands-on learning throughout the process. They’ve picked up a wide range of practical skills, from bending and plastic molding to sawing, cutting aluminum, and working with drills and other machines. These are real-world skills that will serve them well beyond the classroom, whether in further studies or future careers.

The Academy and Engineering department couldn’t be prouder of their achievements. It’s been amazing to watch them grow in confidence and skill, and we’re all excited to see how their hard work pays off when GCSE results come out in August.

Well done to everyone involved—your dedication has truly paid off!

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