Latest News Updates | Friday, 31st January

Dear Leigh Academy Bexley Community

As you will see from the articles below our students have been engaging in a number of activities both inside and outside the classroom.

This weeks’ news update includes our Year 10 students honing their public speaking skills, our Year 11 students continuing to prepare for their Summer examinations and our other year groups taking part in various sporting activities and preparation for the world of work.

As always, if we can support you in any way please contact us via info@labexley.org.uk, where we will make every endeavour to respond within 24 hours. 

Have a great weekend.

Best wishes,
Mr John Dixon | Principal, Leigh Academy Bexley

Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge

On Friday 24th January a group of Year 10 students took part in the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge, run by the Speakers Trust. Throughout the day students developed their public speaking and speech writing skills through a series of activities, culminating in all the students performing a speech to the rest of the group at the end of the day. The final speeches were thought-provoking, well-written and engaging, and the support that the students gave to each other throughout the day was amazing. The trainer from the Speakers Trust was very impressed with all the speeches and how they conducted themselves throughout the day. 

We now have five students who are going through to the school final, where we will choose our finalist to represent the school at the Regional Final in March.

English Masterclass

Year 11 attended their first Masterclass of the year on Wednesday, which was a fantastic success. Our Trust English expert delivered the session on Unseen Poetry in preparation for the Literature mock exam: she commented on how impressive the students were, both in terms of their behaviour and also the quality of the work they produced. We are very proud of them and are looking forward to seeing this translate into excellent exam results.

Woburn Careers

Over the last three weeks, the 6th form has had talks from The Educational Development Trust, explaining what an apprenticeship is, and the company that offers them. This was then followed by Investment 20/20, who offer work experience and apprenticeships within the investment banking sectors. Students saw first-hand how to apply and the benefits within this specific sector of employment within London. The final talk was from DVF recruitment, a past pupil, who came back to talk to students about the do’s and don’ts of creating a good CV, the power of the well-designed and developed LinkedIn profile, and top tips for creating the right impression, and achieving at your first job interview. 

How Safe is WhatsApp for Children? – NSPCC

WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging apps, used by over 2 billion people in 180 countries. It allows you to send and receive messages, as well as make voice and video calls. You can connect with people individually or join group chats where lots of people can contribute. All you need to set up a WhatsApp account is a phone number. However, children and young people can easily subvert the restrictions placed on its access. Although rated at 16+, all that is required is a phone number. All it takes is one child in a class to be on whatsapp, and all the others will wish to join. This can lead to increased vulnerabilities for child users. The NSPCC has released its own analysis about the dangers of the app. If interested, please follow the link below:

NSPCC Online Safety Blog - Whatsapp

Holocaust Memorial Day Competition

The Leigh Academy Trust recently organised a Holocaust Memorial Day competition, inviting students to create meaningful pieces to honor the memory of the Holocaust.

We are delighted to share that Elizabeth, a Year 9 student, has been awarded the runner-up prize in the visual category. Elizabeth dedicated her own time and resources to craft a remarkable piece, a photograph of which is included below. Her hard work, dedication and creativity have been recognized with a certificate of achievement and an Amazon voucher as a prize.

Congratulations, Elizabeth, on this well-deserved accomplishment!

Maths Sparx Independent Learning Club – Building Confidence and Celebrating Achievement

This week, students have been working on expressions, inequalities, and coordinates, demonstrating increasing independence in their learning. While support was available, many students confidently applied their knowledge, reinforcing their understanding of these key mathematical concepts. 

We are pleased to recognise the best-performing and most-improved classes this week, with Year 7 achieving the highest completion rate and Year 9 showing the greatest improvement.

Year 9 & 10 LAT 5 a side Football

A big congratulations to all those students involved in the LAT 5 a side football competition at Goals Dartford. The skill, passion and teamwork on display were incredible. Everyone played their part in making it such a memorable event. We know students are already preparing for the next opportunity to represent the academy.

Rock Climbing

On Monday, students returned to the Reach Rock Climbing Centre for Day 2 of their GCSE rock climbing course. The focus of the day was on reinforcing and demonstrating the skills they had learned during Day 1, with the added challenge of completing a series of competition climbs. These climbs involved progressively more difficult routes, designed to test their ability and growth in the sport.

Throughout the day, students displayed excellent technique, perseverance, and teamwork, successfully tackling the more challenging routes with confidence and determination. Their performance was outstanding, and they showed great improvement from the previous session.

The students were a true credit to themselves and the academy, showcasing both their skills and their positive attitude towards the activity. It was a fantastic day of progress, and everyone involved should be proud of their efforts.

Year 11 Reach for the Stars

As we continue to support our Year 11 students in their preparation for the upcoming GCSE exams, we are excited to announce the launch of our “Year 11 Reach for the Stars” rewards initiative. This new programme is designed to recognise and reward the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our Year 11 students as they approach their exams.

The initiative offers a range of rewards, including queue jumps, free meals from the restaurant, and prom ticket vouchers, which range from £5 to £25. These rewards aim to celebrate the effort and perseverance our students demonstrate during this crucial period.

The “Reach for the Stars” initiative is just one of several strategies the academy has implemented to support Year 11 students in staying motivated and achieving their full potential as they prepare for their GCSE exams. We remain committed to ensuring our students feel supported and encouraged every step of the way.