As we conclude the end of the academic year, and as I write my final Principal's message for our newsletter, I do so with tremendous pride, gratitude and utmost affection for Leigh Academy Molehill. Leading this academy has been an absolute privilege; the kindness, bravery and resilience of the children will always be an inspiration to me, and throughout our time together we have strived for the very best. The fortitude and determination of our staff, who have nothing but the very highest expectations for our pupils, is humbling.
Whilst I've been Principal it's been the greatest honour to play a part in supporting the academy to go from strength to strength and I am so very proud of all we have achieved as a community.
However, the memories I will treasure the most, won't be the outcomes or the accolades, despite how important these milestones have been - my favourite moments have simply been being able to spend our days learning alongside the children at Molehill, who we all know are the loveliest children in the world.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of the academy's journey and so positively supported by you all as parents. Thank you for the trust, kindness and important feedback you have given me during my time here at Molehill.
Dr Hall will take up the post as Principal from September, and I know she will receive a warm welcome from you all. We have been very lucky to spend a great deal of transition time with one another and I am confident that she inherits a school in a strong position, with exceptional staff, talented pupils, and a fantastic wider community. I wish you all success and happiness for the future.
Mrs Laura Smith
Principal
Please join us in extending a huge, warm welcome to three fantastic colleagues as we look ahead to the new term. Whether returning in a new role, joining our community for the first time, or continuing their journey with us, we are incredibly lucky to have them.
We are absolutely delighted to welcome back Miss Griffin, who returns to us from her secondment at Leigh Academy Oaks. Miss Griffin steps into the role of Assistant Principal, and we are thrilled to have her leadership, expertise, and familiar face back on our team.
A huge welcome to Miss Perrow, who joins our school community next term. Miss Perrow comes to us as an experienced teacher, bringing a wealth of knowledge, passion, and fresh ideas to our classrooms. We know she will be a wonderful asset to both our staff and our students.
We are also very excited to announce that Miss Iordanov is remaining with us! Having brilliantly completed her Associate Teacher year here, she is officially staying on as a permanent member of the teaching team. We are so proud of her growth and delighted that she is continuing her career journey with us.
Fond Farewells
To the staff who are leaving this summer, we would like to express our sincere thanks for your hard work and dedication throughout your time with us. We wish you every success as you embark on the next chapters of your life and I know you will take with you fond memories from working at Molehill.
Mrs Tulloch
As we reach the end of this academic year, it is with great sadness that we prepare to say a fond farewell to Mrs Tulloch. Since joining Leigh Academy Molehill, Mrs Tulloch has undertaken a variety of teaching roles, approaching every responsibility with great pride, energy, and an unwavering commitment to bringing out the absolute best in the pupils she has worked with.
Two of Mrs Tulloch’s greatest passions, music and Spanish, have had a profound and long-lasting impact on our academy. Under her direction, singing assemblies have been completely transformed, filled with enthusiasm, fun, and rich musical knowledge. Thanks to her efforts, our school now enjoys a vibrant music curriculum alongside a variety of extra-curricular clubs, providing pupils with fantastic opportunities to learn instruments including the guitar and keyboard and experience the joy of performing live for their peers and families. She has also fostered strong links with our local church, giving pupils regular opportunities to mark important events through the joy of song.
Equally, through her dedication, pupils across the academy now have a fantastic grounding in modern foreign languages and thoroughly enjoy their weekly lessons following a reinvigorated Spanish curriculum.
What we will miss most about Mrs Tulloch is her constant readiness to pitch in, support others, and encourage both pupils and colleagues alike. Her loss will be felt immensely by staff and students, and we know that whichever school she joins next will be extremely lucky to have her. We wish her every success for the future.
Miss Price
It has been amazing having Miss Price in Badger Class as our LSA. She has been a fantastic support for the children, making sure that they are safe and learning effectively. Over the short time she has been with us, she has developed a really close relationship with all the children in Badger Class. They all know that Miss Price has got their back. She has worked incredibly hard every day and her calm, controlled manner rubs off on the children. I'm sure that all the children will miss her as she moves on to pastures new. We're so grateful for everything she has done for Badger Class and we all wish her well for the future.
Miss Makolli
As the school year draws to a close, it is with a mix of sadness and immense gratitude that we bid farewell to Sarah, who is moving out of the area to embark on a new adventure at a new school. From her very first day, Sarah has been a wonderfully kind, dedicated, and positive presence in our classrooms. It is no secret that the children absolutely adore her, and it is incredibly easy to see why. She has a natural gift for creating a warm, nurturing environment where students feel valued and supported. Because of this, she has helped her classes achieve some truly fantastic results this year, guiding them to reach their full potential with patience and enthusiasm.
This year marked Sarah’s first year of teaching, and what a debut it has been! She didn't just stick to her classroom; she threw herself wholeheartedly into wider school life, getting involved in various events and activities. It has been a privilege to watch her grow, build her confidence, and flourish into such a talented educator in such a short amount of time.
"Sarah has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside this year. Her positivity, dedication, and teamwork have made a lasting impression on all of us." KS1 colleague
While we are incredibly sad to see her go, we know that her new school is incredibly lucky to have her joining their team. Please join all of us in saying a massive thank you to Sarah for her hard work, her kindness, and the wonderful impact she has made on our students this year. We wish her the absolute best of luck in her new home and her new role!
Mr Tennent
As we reach the end of another busy and successful school year, we sadly say goodbye to Mr Tennant, who is leaving us to begin an exciting new chapter. Although Mr Tennant first joined our school covering classes across the school, he quickly became a valued member of our team. This year, he has been the dedicated teacher of Year 3 Badger Class, where he has worked tirelessly to create engaging and enjoyable learning experiences for his pupils.
As our Computing Lead, Mr Tennant has played an important role in developing the use of technology across the school. Through his leadership of our Digital Superheroes programme and his innovative use of digital tools in the classroom, he has helped lay strong foundations as we continue working towards recognition for our school's use of technology.
Many pupils will also remember Mr Tennant's fantastic Captain Hook costume on World Book Day, which brought smiles to faces throughout the school and perfectly captured his willingness to throw himself into school life - or any excuse to play a different character!
Beyond the classroom, Mr Tennant has been a friendly, supportive and humorous colleague which has made him a valued member of our staff team. His kindness, good humour and willingness to help others will be greatly missed. We would like to thank Mr Tennant for everything he has contributed during his time with us. We wish him every happiness and success in the future.
A Triumph for Sports Day!
What an incredible turnout for our Sports Days! We were absolutely thrilled to see so many parents join us to celebrate the fantastic sporting achievements of the children.
It was even more delightful to witness so many adults enthusiastically jumping into the races themselves. Seeing your passion for sport and physical activity shared with the entire school community was truly inspiring. Thank you for being such fantastic role models for our students!
Our Little Moles Nursery Leavers' Graduation was an absolutely delightful and memorable event, brimming with joy and laughter! The afternoon was packed with fun activities, from vibrant face painting and hook-a-duck to decorating some truly delicious biscuits.
The graduation ceremony itself was the ultimate highlight. Backed by lively music and a festive atmosphere, each child proudly stepped up to receive their certificate scroll, celebrating their amazing achievements and growth.
It was a wonderful celebration that created beautiful memories for our little graduates and their families. We wish all our children moving on to "big" school the absolute best of luck!
A Highly Successful Annual Safety Day!
This year's Safety Day was a truly enriching experience for our pupils. We were delighted to warmly welcome a dedicated team of Community First Responders to the academy, who led an engaging and practical First Aid Workshop. Thanks to their expertise, our pupils are now equipped with vital, foundational life-saving skills.
Beyond physical first aid, the entire day’s curriculum was centered around the crucial theme of staying safe. Our teachers utilised excellent resources from our Online Safety programme to ensure pupils understand how to navigate the digital world securely. It was a brilliant and vital day, entirely dedicated to reinforcing safety in all aspects of our pupils' lives.
Year 3 have been buzzing with excitement as they took on the task of designing and painting our new school beehive boxes.
This creative project is part of a wonderful community initiative run by Clear Moon Honey to connect our pupils with nature and local pollinators.
The children have put great effort into decorating their hive, and we are all very excited to see how the bee colony progresses and to follow its journey throughout the seasons ahead.
Our Year 6 pupils enjoyed a brilliant, sun-soaked afternoon of 'water activities' out on the playground this week. With the official goal being that absolutely no one left dry, the children threw themselves into the fun with great enthusiasm.
The highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly the finale, where Mr Clark-Keen bravely became the center of the action. Every child took great delight in having a chance to completely douse their teacher! It was a fantastic event and a wonderful way for the year group to make some lasting memories.
What a spectacular splash of colour! The Friends of Molehill PTA hosted an absolutely brilliant afternoon recently with our highly anticipated Colour Run and Summer Fayre. The energy was electric as over 280 enthusiastic participants took to the course, getting covered from head to toe in vibrant powders. It was wonderful to see so many smiling, brightly coloured faces crossing the finish line and enjoying the fantastic community spirit that made the afternoon such a resounding success.
The excitement certainly didn't stop at the finish line, as the Summer Fayre proved to be a massive hit with families and friends alike. There was something for everyone, from the hugely popular tombola and fun-filled games to the delicious refreshments that kept everyone energised. With lots of great prizes to be won, the atmosphere was buzzing all afternoon. We were also lucky enough to have a fantastic photographer on hand to beautifully capture all the memorable moments of the day, and we want to send a special thank you to the local toy store for their wonderful support and contributions to the event.
A huge, heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who joined us, took part, and helped make this such a fantastic day out. Of course, events like these wouldn't be possible without a dedicated team behind the scenes, so please join us in saying a massive "well done" and thank you to the Friends of Molehill PTA. Their hard work, meticulous planning, and dedication truly paid off, giving our community an afternoon to remember.
Partnering with the NSPCC: Keeping Our Children Safe
In June, our academy proudly partnered with the NSPCC to observe National Childhood Day. Thanks to some lovely weather, classes enjoyed playing and connecting outdoors—offering a fantastic opportunity for staff and students to simply have fun, strengthen relationships, and build trust.
Later in the month, our collaboration continued with highly impactful virtual assemblies. These sessions focused on empowering our children to "Speak Out and Stay Safe," equipping them with crucial skills to identify and report abuse or neglect. Following the assemblies, Years 2, 5, and 6 participated in dedicated workshops to further reinforce this vital message. Our ultimate goal is that by educating our children to speak out, no one in our community ever has to suffer in silence.
Support for Families: For parents and carers, the NSPCC's Parent Hub offers a wealth of valuable advice on topics such as early parenting skills, managing family life, and navigating friends and relationships. We highly recommend exploring their resources.
A Seaside Adventure at Joss Bay!
Our Little Moles, Kangaroo, and Koala classes had a wonderful adventure on their recent trip to Joss Bay! This excursion was a fantastic, hands-on opportunity to deepen our pupils' understanding of the environmental impact humans have on our world. It was brilliant to see the children applying the knowledge and skills gained from our past two modules as they explored one of Kent's most beautiful beaches.
The children had an absolute blast building towering sandcastles and dipping their toes in the refreshing sea. We all enjoyed our delicious packed lunches together—while keeping a very watchful eye on those sneaky seagulls trying to snatch our sandwiches! It was a truly memorable way to celebrate a highly successful school year.
Year 6 Leavers
As we reach the end of another fantastic academic year, we would like to take a moment to shine a spotlight on our wonderful Year 6 pupils. Their final term at primary school has been nothing short of spectacular, filled with hard work, immense creativity, and unforgettable memories.
This term, our Year 6 students dedicated their study to their IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Exhibition. Tasked with researching real-world, current problems, the children brilliantly linked their studies to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The depth of knowledge they displayed was truly amazing. They confidently delivered their projects to children across the Trust at Treetops, and then to parents on the final day of term. They showed us all what it means to be true global citizens.
Another massive highlight was the Year 6 performance of the hilarious pantomime, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Camelot. The children delivered a fantastic show that featured all of our favourite panto traditions — plenty of laughter, energetic booing at the baddies, a touch of magic, and brilliant songs. Every single child performed exceptionally well, showing great confidence and teamwork.
Our very last day of term was a wonderful, emotional opportunity to say goodbye to our leavers. As the Year 6 pupils made their way to their final assembly, the rest of the school lined the corridors to form a spectacular guard of honour, showing their appreciation for the leadership and kindness Year 6 have shown throughout the year.
The leavers' assembly itself was a wonderful celebration, filled with shared memories, deep appreciation, and a look back at their fantastic achievements.
We are going to miss our Year 6 pupils tremendously, but we know they are ready for the exciting new chapters awaiting them at secondary school. We wish them all the very best of luck!
What a spectacular inaugural year it has been for our incredible Friends of Molehill PTA! Launched at the beginning of this academic year, this brilliant group of fresh, eager faces stepped up with one clear and inspiring mission: to support and help improve our school and create unforgettable experiences for our children.
And haven't they done exactly that! Throughout the year, the Friends of Molehill have hosted a fantastic lineup of events that brought immense joy to our school community. We saw incredible creativity during the Easter bonnet and Easter egg colouring-in competitions, and the children absolutely loved the fun of Free Choice Friday. The highlight for many was undoubtedly the spectacular Colour Run, followed closely by the wonderful Mini Summer Fayre. Best of all, every single one of these amazing events successfully raised vital funds for our school!
None of this magic would have been possible without the extraordinary dedication of our parent volunteers. A massive, heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to everyone who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes. From sourcing donations and organising prizes to planning the logistics of every event, your hard work and unwavering support have truly made a difference to our school environment.
We absolutely cannot wait to see what exciting plans the Friends of Molehill have in store for next year!
Want to get involved? If you have been inspired by their incredible work this year and would love to be part of the fun, the PTA is always welcoming new faces. Please see Mrs. Notley if you would like to join this fantastic team and help make our school even better!
Showstopping Bake Off success!
Just before the half-term break, we were treated to an incredible display of talent during our school Bake-Off competition. We were absolutely blown away by the amazing selection of cakes brought in by our pupils this year. Our KS1 pupils had the very important (and delicious!) job of tasting them, and the creativity, beautiful decorations, and flavours on display made the final judging process incredibly difficult!
A massive well done to everyone who took part and shared their baking talents with us.
Our school winner, Kadisha, went on to represent us at the Grand Final against top bakers from schools across the trust. Under a strict 1-hour-and-45-minute timer, Kadisha demonstrated our core school values brilliantly—she was brave under pressure, strove for the best with her stunning beehive cake design, and was incredibly kind to her fellow bakers throughout the competition. She truly acted as a fantastic risk-taker!
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that her hard work paid off, and she brought home an incredible 3rd place finish! We are immensely proud of Kadisha for representing our school so beautifully.
EYFS Book Club Brilliance!
Our fantastic EYFS Book Club has now come to an end for this academic year, and the children have thrived every single week!
Each week, our youngest readers threw themselves wholeheartedly into the stories we discovered together. It has been wonderful to watch these books spark their imaginations, inspiring them to create beautiful pieces of art and even tell stories of their own. The children loved experimenting with everything from using rolling marbles to create art from a simple drop of paint, to creating their own wonderful character illustrations and story versions. They also loved using their special Book Club Passports every week, taking real pride in reviewing each book and tracking their reading journey.
As you can see from the photos below, we have some incredibly talented, proud, and enthusiastic readers in our midst. They should all be very proud of what they have created—it has been an absolute pleasure!
Years Three Visit Canterbury for a day of history and discovery!
On Tuesday 16th June, our excited Year 3 pupils set off for a wonderful day out in Canterbury, visiting the Cathedral, the Beaney Museum and the Roman Museum. From the moment they arrived, the children represented the school with good behaviour, showing curiosity, kindness and respect throughout the day.
A particularly special moment was their visit to the Crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, where they reflected quietly and wrote thoughtful prayers for loved ones. Lunchtime was a joy, as they shared a picnic together in the sunshine, near the striking War Horse monument, laughing and chatting happily with friends.
The trip was filled with learning and hands-on experiences that brought the past to life. At the Roman Museum, a highlight for many was dressing up in Roman costumes and exploring the interactive exhibits. At the Beaney Museum, children took part in a fun and engaging workshop that deepened their understanding of Roman life and artefacts.
It was a fantastic day full of meaningful moments, and we would like to extend a big thank you to Miss Goodwin for organising such a memorable trip, and to all the staff who helped on the day. We were incredibly proud of all the children and thoroughly enjoyed sharing this enriching experience with them.
This module in Little Moles, we have focused on the central idea that "the world is unique and connected in many ways". Through our lines of inquiry, the children have been exploring journeys, systems, and how things help us. We loved reading our core texts, "Same, Same But Different" and "Maps", which inspired us to express our opinions on different natural and built environments. The children have been incredibly busy using digital maps and photo sequences to describe familiar places, as well as creating purposeful models—like houses and maps—complete with simple mechanisms like flaps and hinges. Alongside their creative construction, they have also been developing their teamwork in physical games, practising holding a pencil with a developing tripod grip, and even learning to debug programmable toys when they didn't move as intended!
Alongside all of this wonderful learning, we have been making the most of the summer term activities. The children had a fantastic time showing off their physical skills and cheering each other on at sports day! To beat the recent heat, we also had a great time splashing around and cooling down in the paddling pools. Finally, as we look ahead to the next academic year, some of our children in Little Moles have already spent some valuable time visiting their new teachers for their September transition, ensuring they feel confident and excited for the journey ahead.
Over the past two modules, our EYFS children have been enthusiastically exploring the central idea that "communities reflect the unique identities and experiences of the individuals who live there." As part of this exciting learning journey, we explored the line of inquiry looking at what makes our community special, and we even took a fascinating look at space!
A major highlight was diving into celebrations and traditions, where the children explored different celebrations from around the world. They shared personal stories about birthdays and cultural festivals, looked at the vibrant colours and energy of global celebrations, and even designed their own class flags. We also looked closely at the wonderful people who help us in our community. The children brainstormed daily helpers like teachers, doctors, police, and postal workers, and discovered the vital roles of night-time workers such as bakers, night-nurses, and cleaners. This allowed us to dive into an imaginative world of different careers.
It has been incredibly rewarding to see the children's confidence grow throughout these modules, and we are so proud of the fantastic progress they have made with their reading and writing. They have truly embraced their learning and are showing wonderful independence as they prepare for their transition to Year 1.
Alongside our classroom learning, we have been busy making the most of our summer term events. The children had a brilliant time showing off their physical skills, determination, and teamwork taking part in sports day. We also had a fantastic time celebrating our diverse backgrounds on Cultural Day, sharing the unique traditions that make our school community so special. The summer sunshine also gave us the perfect excuse for some water play, and the children had wonderful fun splashing in the pools with their classmates. It has truly been an incredible, fun-filled way to wrap up the year!
This module, KS1 have been exploring the central idea: "Transformation in the natural world impacts humans and the world around us." Through a range of engaging activities and discussions, the children have investigated natural processes and developed their understanding of how climate change is affecting our planet. They have explored the causes and effects of global warming, including melting ice caps, the role of greenhouse gases, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. The children have considered how these changes impact both people and wildlife around the world.
Using the story Greta and the Giants, the children learned about Greta Thunberg and how one person's determination can inspire global change. They reflected on the importance of speaking up for what they believe in and how individuals can make a positive difference. Throughout the module, the children have explored practical ways they can help care for the environment, such as reducing waste, recycling, saving energy, and protecting local habitats. This inquiry has encouraged them to think critically about their own actions and recognise that even small changes can have a meaningful impact on the natural world.
In Year 3, we have embarked on an exciting journey exploring the transdisciplinary theme of "Sharing the Planet." Our inquiry began with a high-energy "Great Seed Protector Challenge," where the children had to collaborate and innovate using limited materials to protect a "precious seed". This simulation, which included a sudden "Resource Depletion" event, introduced our central idea: that people can innovate and collaborate to find ways to share the earth’s finite resources.
Our inquiries then focused on identifying Earth's resources and how we can balance human needs with protecting the environment. The children have investigated life cycles and planting, exploring the requirements for growth and how we depend on these natural resources. In Geography, we mapped world resources to understand their distribution and the crucial difference between renewable and non-renewable sources. A wonderful highlight was Arts Week, where we focused on curiosity and kindness. Demonstrating the Caring learner profile attribute, the children used their sewing skills to create a "kindness quilt", featuring hand-sewn hearts on square felt. Our core text, Song of the River, has been instrumental in helping the children reflect on our connection to nature, specifically how wildlife, like beavers, can positively transform landscapes. As we wrap up the year, it has been rewarding to see the children develop as caring and reflective thinkers, realising how humans and nature are interdependent.
In year 4 we have been exploring our central idea 'humans and nature are interdependent'. During our provocation we studied images of a lush, vast forest compared to a desolate wasteland. We discussed how these images made us feel and how they might have happened. Next we explored our core text 'The Last Bear', which is about a young girl finding a lonely polar bear, abandoned due to rising temperatures (global warming). We linked our science learning for this module considering how food chains can be affected by global warming as well as the effect on habitats. Also, we explored climates in Geography and considered how climate change is affecting the landscape and biomes. In PSHE we considered why reusing is better than recycling and the effect this has on pollution and the environment. Our art topic this term was printing so we linked this to our central idea and used collgraph printing to create a colourful landscape, considering what the world would look like if we protected the plant. Finally, we discussed how we could protect our plant for future generations and wrote a pledge detailing what changes we could make as individuals.
Our Year 5 students have been deeply engaged in our latest Unit of Inquiry under the transdisciplinary theme, Sharing the Planet. This unit has challenged the children to think critically about historical and global events, guided by our Central Idea, Finding resolution to global challenges may lead to a better quality of human life.
Using World War I as our central historical lens, the students have explored this complex topic through three distinct Lines of Inquiry, developing their critical thinking and empathy along the way. We began our journey by investigating the root causes of conflict and inequality that ultimately triggered the outbreak of World War I. The children worked hard to understand the complex network of alliances and tensions that led to global conflict. To understand how the distribution of resources and daily life changed over time, the students developed knowledge about the lived experiences of the conflict. They explored life on the front line, examining the harsh realities of trench warfare and the day-to-day struggles faced by soldiers. We also looked closely at the end of the war, evaluating its consequences and how the global landscape was permanently altered.
To deepen our conceptual understanding and foster empathy, our learning has been closely supported by our class text, Stay Where You Are and Then Leave. Through the eyes of a young boy whose father went off to fight, the children have gained a poignant insight into the impact of war on families. It has sparked profound discussions about the psychological toll of conflict, particularly focusing on how soldiers coped with shellshock upon returning home, and the lengths young children went to in order to support their families.
Year 6 students have participated in the IB PYP Exhibition — the culminating project of their Primary Years Programme journey. This student-led inquiry was framed around a powerful and timely Central Idea, International mindedness can promote a shared humanity.
The students began their journey by understanding this Central Idea, exploring deeply what it truly means to be "internationally minded" and how our individual actions connect us all to a shared global humanity. To anchor their research in real-world contexts, the children directly linked their learning to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Acting as true global citizens, they selected and researched urgent global challenges that the UN aims to eradicate, including Climate Action, Poverty and Reduced Inequalities.
The Exhibition is as much about the process of learning as it is about the final outcome. Throughout this journey, the children consistently demonstrated the IB Learner Profile Attributes, showing immense resilience as principled communicators, open-minded thinkers, and caring researchers. Furthermore, they masterfully utilised their Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills —particularly self-management, social, and research skills — to document their understanding and manage their projects. Working collaboratively, the students took complete ownership of their inquiry. The resulting series of work was entirely autonomous, deeply researched, and approached with a level of maturity that truly exemplifies the spirit of the PYP. We are immensely proud of our Year 6 graduates and their dedication to making the world a better place!
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