Dear Leigh Academy Bexley Community
As we reach the end of the penultimate week of this module, I wanted to take a moment, on behalf of all the staff, to thank you for your continued support and collaboration. Our students have shown tremendous effort and resilience over the past weeks, and it is truly a pleasure to witness their development and enthusiasm for learning. This week’s bulletin showcases their dedication, highlighting the diverse range of activities and academic accomplishments that have filled our academy both within the classroom and beyond.
Inside this edition, you will find news that spans the creative and the academic. We are thrilled to feature exciting updates from our Performing Arts department, including an interview with the Musical Director of Mamma Mia!, as well as the excitement of the Bexley’s Got Talent Final and the inspiring work being done through The Old Vic Schools Club.
Beyond the stage, we bring you an insightful Teaching and Learning Update, offering a peek into our classrooms via Lesson Highlights, underscoring the remarkable achievements across all areas of the curriculum. We hope you enjoy reading about the incredible work happening at our academy.
As always, if we can support you in any way please contact us via info@bexley.latrust.org.uk, where we will make every endeavour to respond within 24 hours.
Best wishes,
Mr John Dixon | Principal, Leigh Academy Bexley
Performing Arts
Mamma Mia!
On Friday 3rd October the Year10 BTec Performing Arts students were privileged to experience a live virtual interview with Carlton Edwards, who has been the Musical Director of the hit West End musical ‘Mamma Mia’ for the last 25 years. He talked about his career in Musical Theatre telling us stories of how he entered the profession, and worked in various musicals until he got his big break into ‘Mamma Mia’.
The key to his success, in his words, was ‘Work hard and be kind to people’. He then opened the floor to questions and our students asked about the audition process for musicals. After this he took us up to the rehearsal room and the cast stopped and sang ‘Thank you For The Music’ to us! This fantastic opportunity is one that our Year 10s can write about and use recording clips of for their Component 1, plus it was all extremely exciting!
Bexley’s Got Talent Final
Our ‘LABex LIVE!’ end of year production showcased some amazing talent. We were then given the opportunity for students to enter ‘Bexley’s Got Talent’, which is run by Bexley Council with Theatre Box Dance School. Adults and children from around Bexley entered and 15 of these made it to the finals, which took place at The Delta Marriott Hotel on Saturday 4th October.
Leigh Academy Bexley secured four places in those finals, of which three accepted the opportunity to perform. Their performances were dynamic and committed and we were all extremely proud of them! Connor and Tillie sang solos. Syra sang a solo whilst accompanying herself on the guitar. I’d like to thank Mrs Hildebrand for all the work she did to support these students in the lead up to the final. We really could not have been prouder and we would like to congratulate all of them on their courage, commitment and talent! It was a fantastic evening for everyone involved!
The Old Vic Schools Club
On Monday 5th October The Old Vic Schools Club ran a workshop on directing, using script extracts from their new play ‘Mary Page Marlowe’. The Year 10 Performing Arts students all took part in the group exercises, and created some really stunning work.
They acted and directed using the given script extracts, and every one of them performed with commitment during the workshop. This will be an experience they can write about for their BTec Tech Award in their up and coming submission of Component 1. The workshop leaders were very kind and supportive in their approach, and their positive leadership brought out the best in our students.
Helen Forbes-Bareham | Coordinator of Learning Visual and Performing Arts
Teaching & Learning Update
Keeping you informed about how we support learning across the school.
Lesson Highlights
Year 9 Historians really excelled at independent learning this week! Their task was to design a compelling poster from the past arguing for or against the need for Prohibition (the ban on alcohol in the 1920s). We’ve seen some amazing, high-quality examples that demonstrate excellent research and creativity. Please see the fantastic work below!
Digital Corner
Fostering Independence: The Next Phase of Digital Learning
At Leigh Academy Bexley, our commitment to Digital Transformation is centered on one goal: improving student outcomes through strategic use of technology.
With Chromebooks already in the hands of every student, we have successfully established a unified platform for curriculum access, regardless of location.
Our immediate focus is to unlock the potential for greater student independence and active learning. By introducing cutting-edge tools such as Guided Learning and NotebookLM, and re-introducing tools such as Read & Write, we are able to personalize education, giving students the resources they need to take ownership of their learning journey.
Guided Learning (Years 9 to 13)
- Increased Engagement: ‘Guided Learning’ transforms passive study into active learning. It uses interactive tasks and immediate feedback to keep students fully engaged, helping them to take ownership of their education and making the curriculum feel more relevant and exciting.
- Personalized 1:1 Support: This tool acts as a brilliant digital tutor, adapting the pace and content of lessons precisely to your child’s individual needs. It intelligently identifies and addresses specific knowledge gaps, ensuring they receive the tailored support necessary to master concepts before moving on.
NotebookLM (Year 9 to 13)
This innovative tool acts as an AI-powered study assistant, helping students analyze their notes, summarize complex sources, and generate tailored study guides from their curriculum materials. It is a powerful resource for deeper comprehension and research for projects
Read&Write (Year 7 to 13)
To support all students, we utilize the Read&Write software on their Chromebooks. This powerful tool enhances literacy and confidence by reading text aloud (improving comprehension) and enabling students to write using their voice (dictation). It is an essential resource that ensures every student can access and engage with the curriculum on an equal footing.
Humanities Highlights
The Leigh Academy Bexley Debate Club held its inaugural meeting last week with 6 founding students. They are gearing up for their first formal debate on Tuesday 14th October, at 3:15 PM.
The topic is a big one: ‘The development of artificial intelligence will benefit the Human race.’ Please encourage students in years 9-13 to attend and help the club to grow.
As we move into mock season, the Humanities Team are trailing Notebook LM as a means to support students with their revision. Notebook LM can be found on Google Classroom and is a fantastic resource to turn text into podcasts, videos or powerpoints and give students greater ownership of the revision process.
Sixth Form Highlights
As part of sixth form ongoing academic development, sixth formers have been invited to join the Future Leaders Programme. This is a free, Mayor of London–funded initiative for Year 12 and 13 students, delivered in partnership with the University of Oxford. It is designed to help students secure top university and apprenticeship places while empowering them to challenge all forms of discrimination.
What students get:
- Weekly online sessions (October–July) – just 20 minutes a week, at a time that suits them
- UCAS and apprenticeship support
- Mentoring from professionals and undergraduates
- Optional work experience with leading employers
- Optional university residentials (including Oxford)
- Optional in-person events in cities such as London, Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Telford, and Birmingham
Most of our students have taken advantage of this fantastic opportunity to develop their skills, gain mentoring, and prepare for their future.
Youth Coping with Challenges
We are excited to announce a collaboration with the Red Cross to deliver a workshop for our Year 12 and Year 13 students on Youth Coping with Challenges. We believe this will be a valuable opportunity to equip our students with practical tools and strategies to strengthen their well-being and resilience.
The workshop is scheduled for 17th October 2025 and will be facilitated at Leigh Academy Bexley.
Celebrating Student Success in MFL – September Highlights
During the month of September, the MFL department has been proud to recognise a number of students who have consistently demonstrated courage, ambition, resilience, and a genuine passion for languages. These students have stood out not only for their effort and enthusiasm in lessons but also for their positive attitude towards learning French and Spanish.
We are delighted to celebrate the following students:
- Kyle W – Year 7 Spanish
- Aria C-E – Year 7 Spanish
- Praise W – Year 8 Spanish
- Marcus T – Year 9 French
- Jasmiya R – Year 9 French
Each of these students has been awarded 5 extra achievement points on Bromcom, and a positive email has been sent home to inform parents of their success.
The MFL team is incredibly proud of the way our students are engaging with languages and embracing their learning with enthusiasm and dedication. We look forward to celebrating even more students in the months ahead here at Leigh Academy Bexley.
