LAR  NEWSLETTER 

 18/12/2025 , Module 2

As we come to the end of the module I wanted to thank all our parents, carers and governors for the time and support they have given the academy over the last few months. There has been much to celebrate, with students achieving individual successes both inside and outside the academy as celebrated through our newsletters. We had a tremendous result of our girls wining the Trust Badminton event, our first Trust win, and also Lexi B winning the Trust Christmas Card Competition. She was issued a voucher and official printed copies of her card from Mr Beamish himself as a congratulations for her design.  It was also a proud moment today to issue our year 11 students with their mock results in a celebration afternoon, with students who have committed significant time and efforts towards their studies and masterclasses reaping the rewards!

This module staff nominated LAR Superstars to receive a movie afternoon, showing Muppets Christmas Carol to those students who live and breathe the LEIGH learner attributes everyday, who could easily go unrecognised for getting things right and systematically trying their best. I was proud to be able to speak to the students and highlight to them just how amazing they have been and we look forward to more LAR Superstar events in the upcoming year. 

As module 2 comes to a close I wish you, your families and loved ones a wonderful winter break and a Happy New Year!

Changes to prayer arrangements

Due to a significant increase in student/staff numbers and subsequent lack of spare classroom space and supervisory staff capacity, the school is removing the designated lunchtime prayer provision for Muslim students, effective from Module 3. This change is necessary to ensure the safety and appropriate supervision of all students, as unsupervised classroom use is not permissible. The school notes that providing a dedicated non-teaching prayer space is not a statutory requirement. 

Valuables on Site

Having seen an increase in some students wearing jewellery which is banned and confiscated if seen, we would like to remind families of this section of our behaviour policy which states: 'Any jewellery will be confiscated and returned at the end of the week however parents need to be aware that the academy cannot be held responsible for any banned items going missing after confiscation, regardless of how valuable they may be; these should have not been on academy site to begin with and this is why we have this policy in place.'

Today marked an important milestone for our Year 11 students during a special assembly focused on their mock examination results and future pathways. It was truly wonderful to see so many students celebrating the rewards of their hard work as they began exploring the exciting opportunities available for Sixth Form. The atmosphere was filled with a sense of pride and anticipation for the next steps in their academic journeys. 

We are excited to inform families that all Year 10 students will be participating in work experience from 29 June to 3 July. This experience gives students the chance to explore different career paths, develop vital employability skills, and enhance their CVs. We believe this is one of the most impactful opportunities students will have during their education.

How It Works

Students (and their families) will be responsible for sourcing their own work experience placements. To help manage the programme efficiently, we are using Unifrog (www.unifrog.org). This platform will allow us to collect important information such as risk assessments and health & safety policies from employers. It will also streamline the process of collecting permissions from both parents/caregivers and the school.

In the coming weeks, students will receive an introduction to the work experience programme and how Unifrog will be used to monitor and collect all relevant information. Families will also receive more detailed information next week to support the process.

For extra help, Unifrog has created a series of guides, including step-by-step instructions and a helpful animation to explain how to use the system. You can access these guides on the Unifrog platform.

We’re looking forward to supporting our students through this valuable experience! 

Last week, our school was filled with festive cheer as students and staff celebrated Christmas Jumper Day alongside our annual Christmas dinner. Pupils enjoyed a delicious seasonal lunch accompanied by Christmas music, creating a joyful atmosphere throughout the dining hall.

We are thrilled to share that we raised £574 for Save the Children, thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of our school community. A special highlight of the day was seeing our Head Chef, Tony, fully embrace the festivities—dressed as Chef Santa as he served lunch to delighted students!

Thank you to everyone who took part and helped make the day both memorable and meaningful. 

Huge Congratulations to Lexi in Year 9 in Kingsley College!

She’s only gone and won the whole Trust-wide Christmas Card Competition!

What an incredible achievement and what a beautifully crafted Christmas card she’s created. It’s definitely getting us all into the festive spirit!

Well done, Lexi!! 

The LAR staff recently showcased their culinary talents in our staff Festive Bake Off! From Terry’s Chocolate Orange brownies to a charming penguin Christmas cake, the entries were as creative as they were delicious.After much deliberation, our judges—Miss Sharrock, Mrs. Holmes, and Miss Fernandez—crowned Miss Bentley as Star Baker for her incredible Gingerbread Rocky Road!Congratulations to all our participants for spreading some holiday cheer. We are already looking forward to the amazing bakes coming in Module 3!

To celebrate the end of Module 2, we were proud to host our very first LAR Superstar Movie Rewards Afternoon. Staff were invited to nominate students who consistently demonstrate our LAR values by doing what is asked first time, every time, and by always trying their very best.

A total of 140 students were invited to attend this festive reward, where they enjoyed a relaxing movie afternoon as a thank-you for their positive attitudes, excellent behaviour, and ongoing effort. Their commitment does not go unnoticed, and staff were delighted to take the opportunity to recognise and celebrate their achievements.

Congratulations to all of our LAR Superstars – you set a fantastic example to others and help make our school community a positive and successful place to be. We look forward to welcoming our next group of LAR Superstars in Module 3. 

Please complete your child's Medical Detail Form if you have not yet done so. This form is essential as it grants us permission to administer medication when necessary and ensures we have up-to-date information regarding any medical needs your child may have. 

Medical details form

Year 7 

Year 7 students have been busy in Food lessons making a tomato and pasta ragù. This practical activity helped them to develop safe knife-handling skills, explore different cooking methods, and confidently use the hob for the first time.

In their theory lessons, Year 7 have been working through the MYP Design Technology design criteria to design festive gingerbread houses. Using a real-world brief, students were tasked with creating a Christmas-themed gingerbread house for a high-end supermarket. Their designs had to include handmade decorations, a surrounding scene, and at least two different colours. Students demonstrated creativity, planning skills, and an excellent understanding of the design process.

Year 8 

Year 8 students have been making enchiladas, following time plans that they wrote independently in a previous lesson. This practical task helped students to develop independence, confidently follow their own recipe schedules, and further strengthen their knife skills. They also practised key cooking techniques including stir-frying, rolling, grilling and presentation.

In theory lessons, Year 8 have been working through the MYP Design and Technology criteria to design Christmas cakes. Using a real-world brief, students were asked to design a festive Christmas cake for a high-end supermarket. Their designs needed to link clearly to the Christmas theme, include handmade cake toppers, and use at least two different colours. Students showed creativity, careful planning and a strong understanding of the design process.

Year 9 

Year 9 students have been working through the MYP Design Technology criteria to design a festive trifle for a high-end supermarket’s new holiday range. Using a real-world design brief, students were challenged to create a Christmas-themed trifle featuring layered cake with seasonal fruit and jelly, custard, whipped cream and an original decorative topping. Designs also had to include a range of colours to enhance visual appeal. Students demonstrated strong creativity, planning skills and an understanding of how presentation and structure influence a successful product design.

Year 9 students have been making stained glass window biscuits, working independently to apply a range of cooking methods and skills. They demonstrated confidence in rubbing in, combining ingredients and shaping their biscuits, while focusing on presentation to create an attractive finished product. Throughout the lesson, students also developed their understanding of food safety and worked effectively as part of a team.  

Year 10 

Year 10 students have been developing their practical and presentation skills in this module, completing a variety of tasks including the Bread Art Challenge, Mac and Cheese, Quick Fish Cakes, and the Teacake Challenge. In theory lessons, students have been researching nutrition, exploring both macro and micronutrients, the nutritional needs of different life stages, and providing dish suggestions with justifications for each life stage. This combination of practical and theoretical work is helping students to build a strong understanding of food preparation, presentation, and nutrition.

PE and Sport have had an extremely successful start to the academic year at Leigh Academy Rainham, with students representing the academy superbly across a wide range of competitions.

LAT tournaments have been a particular highlight. Our girls’ team produced a stunning performance, winning the tournament against 15 other academies. The team remained unbeaten throughout the competition and, with spare time available, even defeated some opponents twice. This outstanding achievement is a testament to their teamwork, determination and skill. Special congratulations go to Erin R and Hristea D for their exceptional efforts.

Badminton also saw strong representation from LAR, with Ollie S and Hudson L finishing a very respectable third place, rounding off an excellent tournament performance.

Other Trust events have continued this success. In cross country, Kayleigh V delivered an excellent run, finishing 8th out of over 50 competitors. LAT handball was also highly competitive, with LAR finishing third place in both events, competing against more than 15 academies across the Trust.

Basketball fixtures are now up and running. The Year 7/8 team secured a solid draw against Hoo, while the Year 9/10 team achieved a strong victory against Rainham Girls, alongside a competitive and hard-fought loss against Hoo.

Looking ahead to January, we have many more fixtures planned, with a particular focus on netball as we begin a busy programme of matches. We are also excited to welcome back Miss Pedelty, who will be supporting this next phase of sporting competition.

Well done to all students involved for representing Leigh Academy Rainham with pride and enthusiasm.

We are happy to announce that LAR Sixth Form Applications will go live and students can start applying for our sixth form from today: Thursday 18th December at 4pm. 

All students will receive a welcome email as well as login details through their gmail/school account.

Students will also be able to apply through the LAR website page, whereby we will put a hyperlink in which your child can access to complete their application form.

The Deadline for Sixth Form Applications will be: Thursday 12th February 2025.

If you have any further questions or queries please do contact: FAO: Sixth Form at info@rainham.latrust.org.uk

Information supplied by Medway Council

Forward Trust Medway helps people that have issues with drugs and/or alcohol and want to make a positive change. They also support the family and friends of people who are worried about their loved one’s substance use.

0300 123 1560

Medway@forwardtrust.org.uk

Open Road Medway is a drug and alcohol service for young people in Medway up to the age of 18 years or 21 years if looked after and in care. Digital hidden harm support programme for young people 10-18 years or 25 for care leavers, affected by a parent or carer’s substance misuse.

01634 566285

https://www.openroad.org.uk/our-services/our-centres/medway-young-peoples-centre/

Oasis DA Service supports adults and children in Medway who have been affected by domestic abuse through advice, refuge, group programmes and counselling. 

Women’s advice line: 0800 9179948 

Men’s advice line: 0808 801 0327

www.oasisdaservice.org/

The One Stop Shop is a meeting of different services to provide legal advice, information on housing, benefits, family support and to help victims of domestic abuse make a safe and informed decision about their future. It runs Tuesdays 09:30 - 11:30 at the Sunlight Centre, Gillingham.

www.oasisdaservice.org/one-stop

Citizen’s Advice offers services such as advice and food banks. Their walk in service operates 09:00 - 16:00 Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at Third Floor, Kingsley House, Balmoral Road, Gillingham

01634 383760

www.medwayadvice.org.uk

Food Banks provide 3 days worth of emergency food with a long shelf life. Must be collected. Foodbank centres open across Medway Tues – Sat.

01634 757057 Tues-Thurs 09:30 - 15:00 and Fri 09:30 - 13:30

info@medway.foodbank.org.uk 

www.medway.foodbank.org.uk

Medway 24/7 Single Point of Access supports adults who are experiencing mental health difficulties who need urgent support, advice and guidance. 

0800 783 9111

If someone is in a mental health crisis phone: 0300 222 0123

https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/need-help/

Shout provides text based mental health support to anyone who needs it.

Text SHOUT to 85258  

www.giveusashout.org

Kooth is an online place to support young people with their mental health and wellbeing. Kooth is completely anonymous and is run by professional mental health practitioners. Support is available 24/7, 365 days a year. 

www.kooth.com

MedwayGo Christmas

The Leigh Academy Rainham Safeguarding Team works to promote the safety of all students. If you are concerned about a child's safety, please call the academy and ask to speak to a Designated Safeguarding Lead.