Leigh Academy Tree Tops Newsletter

Easter 2025

Message from Miss White

End of term message to parents from the principal

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This has been a term full of energy, enthusiasm, and success, and I am incredibly proud of everything our children and staff have accomplished. From the exciting lessons to the engaging activities, we’ve truly made the most of every opportunity.

To conclude this term, we had four fantastic events – International Mother Language Week, the Easter Bonnet Parade, the Rocksteady Concert and Bikeability. These events were all a great success, with our pupils and staff showcasing their creativity, talent, and hard work. I am always so grateful to you as parents for the way that you support these events. More than one pupil told me that ‘Nanny helped make my bonnet’, so a big shout out to the grandparents and wider family members who support too! Thank you all.

As we look ahead to next term, we are excited for what’s to come. We’re hopeful for continued good weather so we can make the most of our beautiful school site with its outdoor classrooms, gardens, fields and Forest School area. Also, next term our Year 6 students will be focussing on their SATs. We are confident that with your support, they will continue to thrive and to achieve their very best.

Wishing you all a restful and joyful Easter break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday 22nd April for more learning, growth, and exciting adventures.

Miss White | Principal

Fledglings

This term the nursery have been exploring the impacts their actions have on the world around them. They started by exploring habitats and what creatures live there. The children became incredibly interested in our use of plastic and where it goes when we throw it away. This led to an investigation into plastic pollution and how we can help the planet by reusing, reducing and recycling. They came to the conclusion the earth would be green and not Res if we are kind to it.

Robins and Sparrows - year r

This term the Robins and Sparrow have been thinking about our Central Idea 'Superheroes can affect the way people live'. We have enjoyed thinking about real life superheroes such as doctors, nurses, firefighters etc. We have been reflecting on how our actions affect others and why they have consequences. We have been creative, using role play to explore their roles and writing facts about their jobs.

Year 2

Year 2 has had lots of fun this term learning all about the Great fire of London. We have done lots of hands-on learning, and experiments, exploring the reasons why the fire lasted so long and spread so rapidly. The children are now able to explain that this is due to the fact the houses were mainly made from wood with thatched roofs, and it had been very hot, dry and windy in recent days. The children have also used their DT skills to make fire carts, which include wheels and axles. Using our knowledge of waterproof materials, we will use our carts to try and transport water to put out a fire, recreating our own version of the Great Fire.

Year 3

This term, year 2 have been exploring the powerful and often devastating world of natural disasters. We’ve learned about different types of disasters, such as volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and more. We looked at what causes them, how they affect people and places, and how communities respond in times of crisis.

A highlight of our learning was reading Escape from Pompeii by Christina Balit. This gripping story brought history to life as we followed the characters Tranio and Livia through the dramatic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. It gave us a vivid picture of what it was like to experience a real volcanic disaster and helped us understand the human side of natural events.

Inspired by the story and our learning, we created our own charity slides to raise awareness about natural disasters and how people can help those affected. The slides were full of knowledge, thoughtful, creative, and full of important messages about kindness, support, and community.

It’s been a fascinating topic and we’re proud of all we’ve learned and created!

Swift Class

As we come to the end of an exciting and enriching term, we wanted to share with you all the fantastic learning experiences Swift class has been engaged in over the past few weeks. This term, our focus in Maths has been on fractions. The children have been learning about improper fractions and mixed numbers, developing their understanding of equivalent fractions, and mastering the skills of adding and subtracting fractions. In English, we have been studying Arthur and the Golden Rope, an exciting story that links beautifully with our central idea on Vikings. The children have explored the text in depth, using it as inspiration for creative writing, comprehension activities, and discussions about Norse mythology and Viking history. Pupils have made connections between the story and our History lessons. To bring our Viking studies to life, Year 4 went on a fantastic trip to Kent Life, where they learned about Viking raids, how Vikings protected themselves in battle and the trials they faced. The hands-on experiences helped deepen their understanding of this fascinating historical period, and they returned to school eager to share their knowledge. In DT, the children worked collaboratively in groups to build Viking longships using K'Nex. This activity challenged them to apply their problem-solving skills and teamwork skills. After completing their designs, they evaluated their work, reflecting on what went well, what challenges they encountered and what improvements they would make in the future. In Art, we have been exploring Viking motifs, the runic alphabet and Viking symbols that were often found on longships. To conclude the term, they have had the exciting opportunity to create their own Viking designs using clay—a hands-on way to bring their artistic skills and historical knowledge together.

Kestrel Class

Kestrels have had an exciting term exploring Viking history! They began with a fantastic trip to Kent Life, where hands-on activities brought their learning to life. In class, Kestrels have been working creatively when building Viking longships from K’Nex, working collaboratively to design and construct their ships. In English, they’ve enjoyed reading "Arthur and the Golden Rope" and learning about Viking gods, uncovering the myths that shaped Norse beliefs. This term Kestrels have been working creativity and collaboratively

Nightingale Class

Woodpecker Class

In Nightingale this term we have been looking at life as a Victorian and how that compares with modern life. We have explored the roles of children in the Victorian era as well as investigating who Queen Victoria was. This term has been full of exciting opportunities to learn through World Book Week and Science Week. We have enjoyed being forensic scientists for the day, using the skills and techniques that are used to solve crimes to solve a murder in the school. Pupils also attended a live lesson where they got to see what it is like being a farmer and the science involved in that industry. Pupils have also investigated the vast range of science careers available to them in the future and were excited to discover the existence of jobs such as a game tester and beauty therapist. We have also visited the cinema at Rochester to experience seeing a film in that environment. Nightingale class have also been attending swimming lessons and have worked hard to develop the skills they require to swim and stay safe in and around water. It has been a full and exciting term for NIghtingale Class and they have worked hard throughout.

This term, Year 5 students have been busy exploring a range of fascinating topics across the curriculum! In English and History, they’ve stepped back in time to learn about the Victorians, writing from the perspective of a Victorian boy, imagining daily life in the past. In Science, they’ve investigated the changes in materials, developing a deeper understanding of physical properties. PE has been all about badminton, where students have worked on their skills and teamwork. In RE, they’ve explored the important messages of love, forgiveness, generosity, and greed, learning how these teachings guide our actions. Geography lessons have focused on map reading, helping students navigate both real and imaginary landscapes. In Maths, they’ve tackled area and perimeter, as well as decimals and percentages, honing their problem-solving skills.

Year 6

In Year 6, our learning journey has been richly diverse, encompassing both the dramatic world of Shakespeare and the rigorous preparation for upcoming SATs. We delved deep into the complexities of Macbeth, not only analysing its powerful themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the corrupting influence of ambition, but also bringing the play to life through script reading and performance. We transformed the outdoors into our very own stage, allowing the natural environment to enhance our understanding of the play's atmosphere and emotional depth. Adding to our memorable experiences, our World Book Day was a whirlwind of fantastical fun, where we transformed into a vibrant tapestry of mythical creatures, legendary heroes, and enchanting fairytale characters. From mischievous pixies to valiant knights and cunning witches, the day was a riot of creativity and imagination, bringing stories to life in the most spectacular way! Alongside this immersive theatrical and literary exploration, we've dedicated significant time to honing our core skills, diligently preparing for the SATs, ensuring we are well-equipped to demonstrate our knowledge and understanding across a range of subjects.

We Are A Nut Free School

We have a number of children who have a severe, potentially life threatening nut allergies. The school is therefore now with immediate effect a NUT FREE zone. Please ensure that your child does not bring any nuts or food items to school which have nuts as a listed ingredient, thank you.

Absences/late arrivals

It is really important that children are in school every day.

All absences are being marked as unauthorised and could result in a fine.

Cucina

School dinners cost £2.50 a day (£12.50 a week). Cucina have asked that this is paid on a Monday. Menus can be found on our website. Please pay in advance via the MCAS app.

Reminder:

Please only send in healthy lunches. No sweets and chocolate are allowed in school. Water only in bottles