LAR Newsletter Spring 2024

Welcome

What's

To Leigh Academy Rainham Roundup!

We are delighted to welcome you to the 'Leigh Academy Rainham Roundup' which highlights our achievements in module 3 and module 4! This is our unique magazine that is published three times a year to celebrate all that we achieve in our highly inclusive setting, where tradition and innovation combine to create leaders of tomorrow.

At Leigh Academy Rainham we promote an ethos of uncompromising high aspirations and expectations for every young person in terms of both their academic success and personal growth as caring, respectful global citizens who act with purpose and integrity. Within this magazine we share with you the wonderful ways in which we work towards our values of Dream, Believe, Achieve.

Enjoy!

What's

INSIDE

CONTENTS

04. Principal's Piece

06-07. Parent Survey Feedback

08. MYP Curriculum

09. IB Visit

10-11. School Clean Up

12. GCSE Options

13. Pastoral Programme At LAR

14. History

15. Geography

16. Modern Foreign Languages

17. PE

18. Religious Studies

19. PSHE And Healthy Minds

20-21. English

22-23. Drama

24-25. Art

26. Maths

27. DT/ICT

28-29. Science

30-31. World Book Day

32-33. Electric Medway

34-35. LAT Art Winner

36-41. Co-Curricular Clubs

42-43. Proud Friday

44-45. Rewards

46-47. The Last Word

Principal's

Piece

Spring is often a time associated with ‘new beginnings’ and deep cleaning and after a couple of very busy modules which we will certainly be using the Easter break to refresh and take stock ready for the summer term ahead.

We have had some very important visits this term both from OFSTED and the International Baccalaureate. It's a great achievement to have received authorization as a world IB school for the innovative and global KS3 curriculum we teach here, unique to us in the Rainham area.

We also look forward to sharing our OFSTED report at the start of Module 5, celebrating the achievements already made as an Academy in just 2 and a half years of being open. The positive feedback, contributions and input from our families greatly supported the success of both these milestone visits, so I offer my personal thanks for your ongoing involvement with academy life. Taking time to read through the articles celebrating the achievements of our wonderful students in our Rainham Roundup allows us to reflect on the true reason ‘we do what we do’ everyday. Our staff are here to ensure your children flourish into well mannered, well rounded and well educated young people who will leave with the best possible outcomes for their next steps.

Principal's

Module 5 will bring an opportunity to reset students in terms of our expectations of them and positive learning behaviours. It will also see staff commence on the ‘new beginning’ of preparing for our first ever KS4 cohort now that year 9 students have taken their GCSE options. Staff are already starting to develop engaging KS4 curriculums in conjunction with colleagues across the Trust.

I hope all families enjoy a well rested Easter break and look forward to the module ahead.

You said,
We did...

Feedback

Parent Survey

“Sending my boys here has been the making of them to date. They are well behaved, self motivated, respectful and mature. Mr Smith has always been an encouraging, positive role model for both boys. Expectations for the children are clear and disruptive, bad behaviour isn’t tolerated. Both my children understand what’s expected as the boundaries are very clear. There are always a variety of clubs available for the children to attend.”

'The school is well led and managed'

“The school for me is not just about education but about developing young people into good citizens in all aspects of their life and having respect for themselves and the wider community. I like the fact there are defined boundaries and these are enforced but also that students are praised and recognised for good effort and behaviour. There is also a variety of extra curricular clubs to cater for all interests.”

'My child makes good progress at this school'

“We are proud as parents that our children are fortunate to attend this school, and can see that they are striving to do their best for the students. We also applaud the community project in year 9.”

“I sense that the children buy into the values that the school stands for and for us our child works very hard to meet or exceed staff expectations. There is a clear and consistent message from the school which reinforces the right behaviour.”

'My child is doing well at Leigh Academy Rainham'

“Leigh Academy Rainham offer a wide range of clubs/activities which help my child with social interaction, physical exercise and learning new skills. Staff are polite, friendly and show enthusiasm in my child’s development. The school has high but achievable expectations when it comes to behaviour and respecting each other. I particularly like that they do not allow smart phones, as this was a big factor when applying for schools, taking away the worry of children on social media during school and distracting them from learning, also lowering the chances of cyber bullying.”

'My child makes good progress at this school'

MYP CURRICULUM

Year 9 students have now completed the investigation and planning of their community project and will begin to take action on this (A big well done to all students who have already begun this!)

On the 22nd and 23rd January, the school received an accreditation visit from the International Baccalaureate to become a World School. I am very pleased to announce that the school gained IB World School status as a result of this.

The MYP Community Project is pivotal to the programme as it empowers students to engage with real-world issues, fostering empathy and proactive citizenship. Through this project, students apply their learning to address local or global challenges, promoting sustainable solutions and positive change. It cultivates essential skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, preparing students for the complexities of the modern world. Furthermore, it instils a sense of responsibility and belonging within the community, encouraging students to become active contributors to society. Ultimately, the MYP Community Project embodies the IB mission of developing well-rounded individuals who are equipped to make a difference in the world.

The deadline for completing their process Journals is the 22nd April, which gives students the remaining two weeks of this module, as well as Easter break to complete their action. The taking action part should be recorded at the bottom of the process journals, and should be photographs and/or videos taken, social media posts and letters from the community you have helped. All recorded evidence can be found in the process journals, and we encourage parents to take a look at these documents to support where possible the ‘action’ element of the process.

As an IB World School, we are a part of a global network of educators and students dedicated to creating a better and more peaceful world through education. Together, we will continue to inspire and challenge our students to reach their full potential, both academically and personally.

This recognition stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing your children with a world-class education that fosters inquiry, critical thinking and global citizenship. Through the International Baccalaureate Middle Years (IB MYP) programme, we will continue to empower our students to become compassionate, lifelong learners who are equipped to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

I would like to say a big thank you to all parents for supporting this vision. We couldn't have done it without your continuous support, trust and partnership. Your belief in our vision and dedication to your child's education have been invaluable every step of the way.