Latest News Updates | Monday, 19th May

SEND

We recently held a SEND parent coffee morning to discuss EHCPs that were due for review. Working with parents and carers to review EHCPs is vital, and talking through success and next steps is key in future planning for our young people. Thank you to those parents that could attend. Additionally this week we held a SEND workshop on the EHCP annual review process and invited parents who are due to attend an annual review for their child’s EHCP. 

Should you require any further information about EHCPs or SEND, please contact the SEND Team or visit the school website and the Bexley Local Offer.

https://leighacademybexley.org.uk/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities/

https://www.bexleylocaloffer.uk/

Secondary Language Link

Secondary Language Link is an innovative, standardised assessment and intervention programme used by school staff to identify and support students with language and communication needs. It is for students aged 11 -14 years, including learners new to English. At the academy we have been asked to assess all year 7 students and identify those that would benefit from support OR be part of a group to support other learners. If your child was selected for an intervention group you will have already been contacted. These interventions are run by an Educational Psychologist from Bexley SEN department. 

Below are links to documents that provide parents of teenagers with strategies and advice on how to support both children with and without speech and language needs. This advice is universal. 

Between Brains_ How changes affect your teenager.pdf

Developing Higher Level Vocabulary.pdf

Promoting Independence_A guide for parents and carers.pdf

Mental Health and Wellbeing: Our 5th Successful Parent Workshop 

We are delighted to share the success of our fifth Parent Workshop, which focused on Mental Health and Wellbeing, led by our dedicated Academy Counsellor, Selina Cogan. With 12 parents in attendance, the session was not only well-received but also a testament to the growing engagement and trust within our school community around this vital topic.

Selina delivered the workshop with warmth, clarity, and expertise, creating a safe and supportive space for parents to reflect and learn. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with parents praising the session as “highly effective”, “reassuring”, and “practical in helping us support our children.”

A particularly special aspect of the evening was the informal discussion that followed, with several parents choosing to stay an additional 30 minutes to ask further questions and seek advice on their own children’s mental health needs. These meaningful conversations demonstrated the impact of the workshop and the importance of creating ongoing opportunities for connection and support.

We were also thrilled to see familiar faces – parents who have attended previous workshops and are now expressing interest in leading future sessions, and even contributing to our longer-term goal of establishing a proactive and inclusive PTA. Their enthusiasm and willingness to be involved is a fantastic step forward for Leigh Academy Bexley.

A warm thank you to the staff that supported this event. It was great to also have our new Lead Practitioner for Humanities, Maisie Theobald, attend and support this event.

Thank you to those who helped in making the session a success!

Gulcan Emirhan  | Lead Practitioner – English

Top Performers on SPARX 

We are pleased to celebrate and recognise our highest-performing students on the SPARX platform. 

These students have demonstrated outstanding dedication, effort, and consistency in their home  independent learning, showcasing their commitment to excellence in English and Mathematics.

Congratulations to all of them for their hard work and achievement! 

Their perseverance serves as an inspiration to their peers, and we encourage all students to continue engaging with SPARX to support their learning and progress.

Extra Curricular News

The next Cultural Capital Day is approaching, and trip selections will open soon. This presents a great opportunity to discuss possible options with your child, in preparation for making their choice.

Many of the trips on offer will be similar to those available during previous Cultural Capital Days, providing a variety of enriching experiences across year groups.

For Year 7, trip options include:

• London Zoo
• The Docklands Museum
• The British Museum
• The V&A Museum
• Mount Mascal Stables

For Years 8 to 10, students can look forward to visiting:

• The Tate Modern
• National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House
• Design Museum
• National Portrait Gallery
• National Army Museum

In addition, a number of trips open to all relevant year groups will carry an associated cost. These include:

• HMS Belfast – £9.54
• Twist Museum – £10
• Mount Mascal Stables – £45
• Danson Watersports – £35
• Thorpe Park – £48
• Madame Tussauds – £12.50
• Olympic Park Tour – £12
• Reach Climbing Wall – £12
• London Aquarium – £8
• London Dungeons – £14

Full details and booking instructions will be sent via email shortly.

Assemblies

Last week’s assembly focused on the importance of becoming a more effective independent learner — a vital skill not only for academic achievement, but also for success beyond school.

The key messages centred around four main principles:

• Thinking is hard – but necessary for growth
• Discipline is essential – especially when learning becomes challenging
• Mistakes are opportunities – embrace them and learn from them
• Know how you learn best – understanding how you retain information is powerful

Through a range of engaging stories and examples, pupils were encouraged to reflect on their own learning habits and consider how they can take greater ownership of their progress, both in and out of the classroom.