Leigh Academy Tree Tops Newsletter 🎄

December 2025

Message from Miss White

End of term message to parents from the principal

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we come to the end of a wonderful term and to 2025, I want to reflect on the many memorable moments we have shared as a school community. The children enjoyed exciting trips to the cinema, the Natural History Museum, and the British Museum, and our Year 6 pupils had great fun at their residential trip. We were also proud to take part in both a boys’ football tournament and a swimming gala, showcasing fantastic teamwork and school spirit.

Our Christmas plays and concerts were another highlight of the term. It was such a joy to see the children perform with such confidence and enthusiasm, bringing the festive spirit to life. You should be so proud of your children, as we certainly are. Their performances were a true reflection of their hard work, dedication, and the fantastic guidance they receive from our talented staff.

Our Christmas Fayre was a truly joyful event, filled with festive cheer, community spirit, and plenty of fun for everyone. It was wonderful to see so many families joining in, supporting the stalls, and helping to make the occasion such a great success. Events like this simply wouldn’t be possible without the continued support and involvement of our parents, and we are very grateful for your time, generosity, and enthusiasm.

On behalf of the Tree Tops school staff, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May it be filled with joy, rest, and quality time spent with loved ones.

Please remember that we will be finishing early at 1:30 pm on Friday, 19th December, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday, 6th January.

Thank you once again for your continued partnership.

Miss White | Principal

Fledglings

We have had a very productive term in Fledglings as we come to the end of our 2 term inquiry. The children have been investigating their central idea which is, Understanding myself and others helps me build strong relationships. They have demonstrated great knowledge and understanding of this concept and have showcased the new skills they have learnt in a group forest school session with year 3. They have also been working hard on building their independence and resilience. We look forward to the terms to come and to see how the children continue to develop their learning.

Year R

Robins and Sparrows

A busy term as always in the lead up to Christmas. Our inquiry was using our artistic expression to share our ideas. We talked about how artists share their ideas using different media and we used the painting ‘Poppy Field’ by Claude Monet to paint in a similar style. We looked at the story ‘Handa’s Surprise’ to make baskets to carry fruit using junk modelling. We prepared and ate a fruit salad thinking about words to describe the different fruits we tasted. It was lots of fun. We spent time learning our songs for our Christmas performance adding Makaton signs. We have been working really hard learning new sounds in phonics and applying the sounds when we read and write words.

Year 1

Goldfinch and Chaffinch

The build up to the Christmas performance has been a busy time for the children, learning the words to new songs, including actions and Makaton signs.

In class this term, Year 1 has been exploring how the arts can inspire creativity and imagination. They have been communicating and expressing emotions through colour, exploring the impact visual images can have without the need for words. They have also explored the work of different artists, including Tony Heart and Mr Doodle and even created their own ‘doodle character’.

The children in Year 1 have also been introduced to Chromebooks this term and they can now independently login to their Chromebook, access maths games supporting their addition and subtraction knowledge and they can use a stylus to create digital art pieces. These Chromebooks will be with them throughout their time at Tree Tops, so they have also learnt how to be responsible for these devices, learning how to use them, how to safely carry them and how to charge them. The children will continue to develop their confidence and knowledge of Chromebooks over this academic year.

Additionally, the children have undertaken their first Phonics screening, which is a national, statutory assessment for all Year 1 pupils, designed to check their phonics reading skills. The test is scored out of 40, with the expectation that children score 32 or more towards the end of Year 1. Children have been and will be continuing to learn a range of sounds in phonics throughout their time in Year 1, which develops their confidence and ability to effectively read and write.

Year 2

Jay and Dove

This term in Year 2 has been full of curiosity, creativity and festive fun! The children have taken part in a wide range of exciting activities and have shown great enthusiasm throughout.

Our main topic has been transport through time. We explored how different modes of transport have changed from the past to the present, looking at everything from carriages and bicycles to trains and rockets. The children especially enjoyed using their imaginations to design their own futuristic mode of transport. Their creations included hover vehicles, flying machines and all sorts of clever inventions, each with special features to help people in the future.

In PE, we have been focusing on shape and travelling. The children practised moving in different ways—rolling, sliding, jumping and balancing—and explored how to make strong, controlled shapes with their bodies. They then worked together to create a sequence of four movements, thinking carefully about how each movement linked smoothly to the next.

As Christmas approached, we had great fun learning the songs and Makaton signs for our festive performance. The children worked really hard and showed fantastic concentration as they learned the actions. Their confidence and enthusiasm shone through in every rehearsal.

We also enjoyed reading a selection of Christmas stories, including The Jolly Postman. The children created their own story maps to show the journey he takes, helping them retell the story and understand the order of events.

It has been a wonderful term, and we are very proud of everything Year 2 has achieved.

Year 3

Magpie and Blackbird

This term, Year 3 has had an exciting journey through history, science, and the arts. Through their class book The Anglo-Saxon Boy, they explored the environments, settlements, and culture of the Anglo-Saxons, developing a deeper understanding of how people lived in the past. They also looked further back in time as they investigated prehistoric cave art, discovering how early humans expressed themselves. In science, the children learned about light, carrying out investigations to understand how it travels and how shadows are formed. PE lessons focused on gymnastics, where pupils practised balances, shapes, and sequences with growing confidence. A highlight of the term was their brilliant trip to the British Museum, where they saw real mummies and fascinating artefacts from prehistoric Britain, bringing their classroom learning vividly to life.

Year 4

Swift

This term, our Year 4 pupils have shown curiosity, empathy and creativity as they inquired into the reasons why people migrate and explore new places. Their learning focused on how opportunities and challenges—such as safety, conflict, or the hope for a better future—influence a family’s decision to move from one place to another. As part of this unit, Year 4 explored the story of families who fled Vietnam during the Vietnam War. To deepen their understanding, the students used the digital art platform Canva to create powerful collages representing a family’s migration journey. They applied a range of digital art skills, including layering, blending, and adjusting transparency, to visually express the emotions, uncertainty and courage experienced during this time. Their thoughtful and moving artwork demonstrates their growing digital creativity, but also highlights their ability to reflect on real human experiences with compassion.

Year 5

Nightingale Class

Woodpecker Class

This past term has been a whirlwind of discovery, taking us from the sun-drenched landscapes of Ancient Greece to the fundamental forces that shape our world today. Our students have engaged in a rich tapestry of learning, blending history, science, art, and mathematics in truly memorable ways.

We've delved deep into Life in Ancient Greece, exploring the daily routines, social structures, and cultural achievements of this fascinating civilization. From the bustling agora to the Olympic games, students have imagined themselves living in a world of philosophers, warriors, and artists. We then explored The Legacy of Ancient Greece and how it impacts us today, tracing the origins of democracy, philosophy, architecture, and even drama back to this ancient society. It's been incredible to see how many of their ideas and innovations still influence our lives thousands of years later!

Our Maths lessons have seen students conquer the world of Fractions. Through engaging activities and practical examples, they've grasped concepts like equivalent fractions, addition, and subtraction, building a strong foundation for future mathematical endeavors.

In Science, we've been hands-on with Forces. Students have learned about gravity, push, pull, and crucially, air resistance and friction. To truly understand these concepts, we embarked on some exciting experiments:

Paper Aeroplane Air Resistance Battle: Students designed and launched their own paper aeroplanes, observing firsthand how different designs affect air resistance and how far their planes could fly. The classroom became a runway, buzzing with excitement and scientific inquiry!
Effect of Friction on Different Surfaces: Armed with a shoe, students explored the school grounds, testing the friction on various surfaces like grass, concrete, asphalt, and the smooth classroom floor. They recorded their observations and discussed how friction helps us move, stops things, and even creates heat.

Finally, our creative side has flourished in art class, where students have been mastering Landscape art using sketching techniques. They've learned about perspective, shading, and line work to capture the beauty of natural scenery. Here's an example of the kind of detailed landscape sketching they've been working on:

Year 6

Osprey

This term, our class immersed itself in a profound exploration of World War II, focusing intently on the devastating events of The Blitz. The children not only investigated the timeline of the conflict and the political decisions that shaped its course but also engaged deeply with its immediate and long-term effects. A significant part of this learning was developing empathy as we explored the emotional impact of the bombings on ordinary people. To honour this historical period, the students developed their individual artistic styles to create powerful, detailed pieces inspired by the Blitz, emphasizing the importance of remembrance. As we moved into the festive season, we channeled our creativity into a joyful project, designing and creating beautiful gingerbread snow houses to hang as unique ornaments on the school's Christmas tree! 🎄

Year 6

Hawk

This term, Hawk Class has engaged in a comprehensive exploration of the impact of World War II on civilians, with a particular focus on the Blitz and its profound effects on numerous British cities. Through this study, the children have developed a deeper understanding of empathy, recognising the hardships faced by those who lived through this tumultuous period. In conjunction with our historical studies, we have integrated our learning into the realm of Art. The students have employed their individual drawing styles to create evocative images inspired by the Blitz, fostering both creativity and critical reflection. As we approach the festive season, Hawk Class has been industriously crafting a variety of decorations for our school Christmas tree, including delightful snowflakes and cheerful snowmen. Additionally, the children have been diligently rehearsing songs for our upcoming Christmas performances, ensuring a joyful celebration of the season.

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 £2.61 a day (£13.05 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