Dear Leigh Academy Bexley Community
On Tuesday this week we welcomed Simon Beamish, Leigh Academies Trust CEO, Tracey Trusler, LAT West Academies Director, Kevin Watson, Principal of the Leigh UTC and Joseph Sparks, Principal of Leigh Stationers’ Academy to LABex for a learning walk. Their feedback was very positive and they recognised the progress the academy continues to make.
It was business as usual for our academy community this week with students experiencing great learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. Our next cohort of Post 16 students had their taster session at LABex today, giving them the chance to join Woburn College and find out what Sixth Form life is like. We are of course looking forward to welcoming the next cohort of Year 7 students for their Induction Day next Tuesday. They have been enjoying their activity week this week with taster lessons after school to introduce them to subjects they may not have accessed before. This is also a fantastic opportunity to familiarise themselves with the academy layout and build relationships with staff prior to joining us full time in September.
Our parent newsletter this week includes a look at another of the MYP learner profile characteristics, along with information on Bexley Mooring’s Summer HAF Programme and Bexley Voice SEND Summer Activities. You can also enjoy some of our regular newsletter features and sporting updates.
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.
Best wishes,
Mr John Dixon | Principal, Leigh Academy Bexley
MYP (Middle Years Programme)
Diving Deep: Unpacking the “Open Minded” Learner Profile 🧠🌍
Last module, we introduced the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) curriculum we proudly follow as a candidate school. This week, we’re putting a spotlight on one of the ten crucial Learner Profile attributes: being Open Minded.
At Leigh Academy Bexley, we’re committed to nurturing students who embody the IB Learner Profile.
In the Middle Years Programme, being open-minded is about more than just accepting differences—it’s about actively exploring and understanding them. Students are encouraged to appreciate different cultures, values, and points of view. They learn to listen respectfully, think critically, and reflect on their own beliefs and experiences.
We help students become open-minded by encouraging them to:
- Consider new ideas and perspectives with curiosity.
- Respect others, even when they have different opinions or backgrounds.
- Try unfamiliar experiences and learn from them.
- Reflect on how their own thinking may change as they learn more about the world.
Why is this important?
Open-minded students are better prepared to live and work in a diverse world. They grow into thoughtful, fair, and globally aware young people who can collaborate with others and make a positive difference.
Let’s continue to support our learners as they grow into thoughtful global citizens!
Next week, we’ll delve into another fascinating aspect of the MYP Learner Profile.
SEND focus: Hearing Impaired Students
As a parent of a child with a hearing impairment, it is essential to understand the support systems available to you and your child. The Bexley Specialists for Hearing Support are integral to the Early Intervention & Specialist Advice Service, dedicated to offering specialised assistance in the education of D/deaf babies, children, and young people in the Bexley area. Our services cater to individuals up to the age of 18 years or up to 25 if they hold an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
The Hearing Advice and Support Service is designed to provide tailored support in various settings, including home, pre-school, nursery, school, or college. Each support plan is bespoke, addressing the unique needs of your child and their family. Our team works closely with families to ensure that the necessary hearing advice is seamlessly integrated into your child’s educational experience. At the academy we have a designated Learning Support Assistant who works with our hearing impaired students.
Referrals are facilitated through Audiology Services, ensuring that your child receives timely and appropriate assistance. We also encourage parents to make use of the resources available on the Bexley Local Offer, which includes links to additional support services tailored for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
If you have concerns regarding your child’s hearing impairment and the provision of support at school, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at sendco@labexley.org.uk. To access further information and resources, please visit Bexley Local Offer.
Year 8 Netballers Show Resilience and Skill at First Tournament!
Last Friday, our Year 8 netball team headed to Mascalls Academy in Paddock Wood for their first tournament of the season. Despite another scorching hot day, the girls showed incredible resilience and a fantastic attitude, pushing through without a single complaint.
They faced a tough start, losing their first game 5-0 to The Halley. However, instead of letting this dampen their spirits, they used it as a valuable learning experience. During their break, they wisely took the time to listen to advice and observe other teams play, approaching their next game with renewed positivity.
This strategic break paid off! Elouise and Mya formed a formidable duo in the shooting circle, working seamlessly together to create numerous scoring opportunities. Their collective determination propelled the team to win their next three games convincingly with scores of 1-0, 4-0, and 2-0!
While they didn’t win their final two games, the girls still showed immense grit. They secured a 0-0 draw against Wilmington, and in the nail-biting final seconds of their last first-round match against Longfield, Elouise delivered a fantastic goal to clinch another draw!
This impressive effort earned them 2nd place out of 8 teams in their group, securing a spot in the 3rd/4th place play-off. The girls entered this final match excited and in high spirits, but it wasn’t to be, as they ultimately lost 11-1 to a strong opponent. Despite the loss, a significant personal triumph occurred: Mya, with newfound courage, took a shot and scored her first goal of the tournament – a truly great achievement!
A huge well done to all the girls; they were a credit to our academy. I’m already looking forward to working with them in Netball Club next year to see how much more we can achieve together!
🌟 Celebrating Academic Success
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.
English
- Lacey L – Year 9
- Sam H – Year 8
- Fuhad A – Year 7
- Lily-May C – Year 8
- Yuliia L – Year 7
- Kirin K – Year 7
- Serenity D – Year 9
- Marcus T – Year 8
- Charlie H – Year 8
- Callum R – Year 7
Mathematics
- Samayra P – Year 9
- Milan A – Year
- Jade’a J – Year 9
- Joshua E – Year 10
- Olivia-May G – Year 8
- Daneen S – Year 8
- Serena S – Year 10
- Autumn vdH – Year 10
- Emma T – Year 7
- Joel S – Year 8
Welcoming Our New LABex Students – Year 6 Event
All this week, we have been welcoming our new Year 7 cohort into the Academy, with students signing up for taster sessions across a range of subjects. So far, they have participated in sessions from French, PE, Science, Maths, Drama, and History.
In History, students were set the intriguing task of finding out how King William II (William Rufus) died: was it an accident, or was he murdered? To answer the question ‘Was William Rufus murdered?’, students put on their historian hats and examined a range of sources and evidence before drawing their own conclusions.
It was a fantastic opportunity for them to develop their enquiry skills — and to have fun doing so!
Year 10 Maths Trip – Greenwich Maths Time
This week, some of our Year 10 students visited the University of Greenwich for a special Maths trip to the Greenwich Maths Time event.
They really enjoyed exploring how maths is used in everyday life – from calculating how long it takes to evacuate a concert or stadium, to using a quadratic graph for planning.
They also loved seeing how maths can be used in magic, learning a few fun tricks to impress friends and family.
It was a great experience that brought maths to life and inspired our students to think creatively about the subject!
Student Voice
“Yesterday’s maths trip to the University of Greenwich was fun and informative. I learned how you can use maths in the real world, like how you can use a quadratic graph to work out how long it would take to evacuate a building or stadium.
The second half was quite interesting, as the lecture showed us how you can use maths to do magic tricks, like the card trick.”
– Year 10 Student
“I enjoyed learning about how they calculate exit times for concerts, festivals, and sports matches. I also liked learning different magic tricks that use maths.”
– Year 10 Student
Year 11 Prom
This week we said goodbye to our Year 11 at our final leavers event LABex Prom 2025. The glory and the extravagance that we encountered for our Prom 2025 allowed us to not only reflect on our memories but also saw the beauty that comes with our LABex students from Bentleys, classic cars and a plethora of motorcycles awakening our neighbours; the best entrance anyone could have made.
We congratulate our Year 11s on the journey they have made in the last five years and we thank, wholeheartedly, our lovely members of staff who were there to celebrate with them! It was an honour to see nearly everyone present, we had a better turnout than last year. The atmosphere was electric as students and staff danced the night away together. The ‘soft’ drinks were flowing, the food was glorious and the awards ceremony was well received.
A huge thank you goes to all the staff who volunteered their personal time from planning through to supporting the event. Lastly, a final thank you to our LABex parents and guardians for all your support in working with LABex to help our young people reach the end of Year 11, what an achievement!
Miss Mann and Mrs Sardar
Prom Night Success – A Parent’s Thank You
“Morning. Just wanted to say a big thank you to LABex for putting on a great Prom for the Year 11 students.
My daughter Isabella had an amazing night and loved celebrating the end of school with all her friends and teachers. Being made Prom Queen really made her night and she said “it is a night I will remember forever.”
Thank you to all the teachers involved who worked so hard to organise and made it happen. You did them all proud.”
