LAR Virtual Newsletter

Academy Updates 

Social Media - Snapchat and Device Checks

Following the assemblies with the Child Centred Policing Team and Violence Reduction Unit this week, the use of social media was discussed. It was a concern from the hands up surveys conducted by the team that a large number of students in year 7 and 8 use platforms to share images like Snapchat. Snapchat's age requirements are 13+. More worryingly only a handful of hands went up to confirm that parents are checking devices. In the interests of working in partnership we encourage parents to please check any smart devices for social media apps that have age restrictions on them and also check their child's activity on a regular basis. 

World Book Day 2024

The students had a fantastic time celebrating World Book Day during the week of the 4th March. Students spent the week hunting high and low for Wally's hidden around the school, matching the characters and books hidden in staff members’ lanyards, and completing a cryptic treasure hunt in their library lessons. Many students also entered the Book Cover Design competition. Congratulations to our winners, Michael F (Y7), Jayden M-S (Y8) and Lydia H (Y9). Mia W-R won the Highly Commended prize. There were many fantastic entries and it was lovely to see so many students getting creative whilst showing their love of reading. During form time, students had the opportunity to continue getting creative, as they designed book characters and created graphic novel summaries of their favourite books. Congratulations to 9A/JFO for coming up with the most words made out of ‘World Book Day’. Across the week, each college created a short story, where in every form group had the chance to write a section of the story. The students thoroughly enjoyed working with their college to create three absolute masterpieces. It was a difficult choice, but in the end, Kingsley reigned as the winning college for their fantastic narrative poem about Gerald the lizard who was gruesomely eaten by the end of the story.

On the 7th March, Year 7 and 8 celebrated World Book Day by coming off timetable to watch performances by slam poet, Kat Francois. Kat’s performance was wonderfully interactive and gave the students the opportunity to think about the different forms of storytelling and join in on creating some rhymes. During the afternoon, Kat held workshops for Year 7s, where the students had the opportunity to write their own short stories and perform them to the rest of the class. The students had a brilliant time writing about complex and exciting protagonists. Year 9 were entertained throughout the day, as their teachers read The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to them. Mrs Millward was even seen putting on silly voices for the characters! Students were amused to see their teachers fully embracing the day, dressed in crazy costumes. Highlights included seeing Mr Gearey/Professor Snape donning a wig and cape, and Mrs Plant and Ms Williams haunting the LAR corridors as the terrifying twins from The Shining. Students will have the opportunity to spend their World Book Day tokens at our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair, between the 22nd March – 19th April. We are so pleased that there is such a buzz around reading and books here at LAR, and that was definitely seen through the enthusiastic and creative efforts of the pupils during the week!

College Competition Cup Announcements

Please see below the outcome and results from the inter-college competitions that have taken place in Module 4.

1st Place [GOLD]: TURING College [525 Points]

2nd Place [SILVER]: ANGELOU College [400 Points]

3rd Place [BRONZE]: KINGSLEY College [385 Points] 

Staff Shout outs 

At the end of each Term, Leigh Academy Rainham form tutors distribute postcards to students who would like to thank or praise a member of staff that has helped them or made a difference to their time in LAR. From the week beginning, 25th March, students can post their staff shout out postcards in the post box in the dining room all week and these are then distributed to the relevant staff on the last day of term. Please do encourage your child to reflect on who they feel has helped them the most in school and perhaps share their gratitude with that member of staff in a Staff Shout Out postcard!