News and events
Our latest news and events give you an insight into life at school.
Our latest news and events give you an insight into life at school.
Start-of-Term Arrangements | Term Two starts on Monday, 03 November at 08:30.
Key Dates for the Diary for this Term | There are number of events running this half-term:
Getting Ready to Return to School | The start of a new term is an important moment for setting the tone and expectations that will carry us through the year. Getting it right on the very first day ensures that lessons begin smoothly, valuable learning time is not lost, and every student is focused on achieving their best from the outset. To support this, we ask that all families carefully review and follow our uniform and equipment expectations. The School Uniform Policy can be found here, and it is essential that you take time to read it in full before your child returns.
A reminder of the key requirements:
By arriving fully prepared, students send a clear message to themselves and others: they are ready to learn, to contribute, and to succeed. A strong, consistent start means we can focus every moment on high-quality teaching and learning. Thank you for your support in making sure every child is fully prepared for the first day back.
Safeguarding | Support Returning to School | As the new school term approaches, families are encouraged to begin preparing now to ensure a smooth and positive return to routine. For some, after two weeks of relaxed schedules, late nights, and extra screen time, many teenagers may find the shift back to school life overwhelming. Re-establishing healthy habits early, particularly around sleep and screen use, can significantly improve students’ well-being, focus, and online safety.
Adequate sleep plays a vital role in teenagers’ physical and emotional health. Experts recommend that teens get between eight and ten hours of sleep each night, yet many fall short of this goal. A lack of rest can lead to irritability, poor concentration, and increased stress. Encouraging consistent bedtimes and calming nighttime routines can help students feel more alert during lessons, manage their emotions more effectively, and build resilience for the challenges of the new term.
Screen habits also have a major impact on both sleep and safeguarding. During holidays, it’s common for screen time to rise, whether through gaming, social media, or streaming, but this can delay sleep and expose young people to online risks like cyber-bullying or inappropriate contact. Setting clear boundaries around screen use, particularly in the evenings, helps teens wind down for better sleep and promotes safer, more balanced online behaviour as they transition back to school life.
Extra-Curricular Clubs & Interventions | Extra-Curricular Clubs & Interventions will not be running this week.
Curriculum Updates | We’ve been listening to our families, and we truly appreciate the thoughtful feedback you’ve shared about how we present our curriculum information. Based on your suggestions, we’ve redesigned the way we share details about what students are learning throughout the year.
Our goal is to make it easier for families to understand the topics being taught across all grade levels and subjects. You’ll now find a clearer, more organised layout that highlights the key learning goals for each subject area. This update is meant to help families stay informed and feel more connected to the learning that happens each day. We have included an example of how the curriculum are presented now below. The curriculum for all subjects can be found on Curriculum Page of our website.
We will continue to provide a lesson-by-lesson breakdown of what is being taught in the core subjects, including English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Spanish. Along with these updates, we’ll also share helpful resources and links that families might find useful in supporting learning at home.
You can find these updates at the bottom of the “Latest News” page on our website. We encourage you to explore the new layout and let us know what you think. Your input helps us continue improving how we communicate and collaborate with our school community.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in your child’s learning!
Dynamic Progress Reporting (DPR) | To support families in further understanding how their child is making progress in each subject, we have invested in a platform which provides live information to families about strengths and areas of weakness by topic.
We have released the parent codes to DPR, our new online progress reporting software. Codes were sent via email from DPR with guidance on how to login. The codes are valid for 90 days. Follow the guidance on the email to login and see your child's progress against key objectives in each subject. As we move through the academic year, teachers will be assessing against more of the objectives so you can see progress in real time. If you have any questions regarding these codes, please contact Ms Fisher, Data Manager (dfisher@liftbexleyheath.org). Please see the recording from our event last half-term which talks through the programme and how to use it.
Community & Family | Poppy Appeal | Next week, our school will once again be supporting the Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal. This important campaign helps us remember and honour those who have served, and continue to serve, in the Armed Forces.
The poppy is a powerful symbol of remembrance and hope, it reminds us of the sacrifices made by men and women during times of war and conflict, and of our commitment to peace. Wearing a poppy is a simple but meaningful way to show gratitude and respect for those who gave so much for others.
The Royal British Legion uses the funds raised through the Poppy Appeal to provide lifelong support to serving and ex-serving members of the British Armed Forces and their families. This includes offering financial assistance, recovery and rehabilitation services, advice on employment and housing, and emotional support for those in need.
Our student leaders will be selling poppies during break and lunch on the playgrounds next week. If students would like to buy a poppy, they can do so for a minimum donation of 50p. All proceeds will go directly to the Royal British Legion to support their vital work.
We are proud to take part in this national act of remembrance and encourage our school community to support the appeal in any way they can. If you have any questions about this charity project, please contact Mr Rayner, Assistant Principal (arayner@liftbexleyheath.org).
Lost Property | We have an ever-growing Lost Property collection, which contains coats, blazers, shoes and much more. If your child has lost an item, please look at the Gallery of Lost Property on this page. If you recognise an item, please encourage your child to go to the library, where Ms Eldridge safely stores any lost items. At the end of each term, items not collected will be used to support other students, given to charity, or destroyed.
Inclusion Virtual Events | Term 02 | Families of SEND students will be provided with the opportunity to meet with either Ms Chiculita, SENDCo or Ms Hajarie, Deputy SENDCo, on a Monday and Thursday. This is a continuation of the opportunities that were provided during Term 01. These sessions will be 15 minutes and will be virtual. The dates for Week 00 and Week 01 are as follows:
Appointments are reserved on a first-come-first-served basis and will open a week before each event. Information on booking appointments can be found on the Parents' Evening page of the Academy's website. If you have any questions regarding our Parents' Evening’s, don't hesitate to get in touch with Ms Fisher, Data Manager [dfisher@bexleyheathacademy.org].
Free School Meals | Free School Meals (FSM) are a government-funded scheme designed to ensure that children from eligible families receive a nutritious meal at school each day, at no cost to the family. This not only helps to support students’ health and concentration in lessons, but also removes the worry of having to provide money daily for school meals. Importantly, applying for FSM is completely confidential – students who receive them are not identified separately, and all meals are served in the same way as for any other student.
Submitting an application for FSM can also benefit families beyond the immediate support of a daily meal. Schools receive additional funding, known as the Pupil Premium, for every child registered for FSM. This funding is then used to provide extra resources, interventions, and opportunities that directly support students’ learning and well-being. Examples of how some of this funding is used at the school is as follows:
Even if a child prefers to bring a packed lunch, completing the FSM application ensures the school can access this vital funding, which in turn benefits the whole school community. Families are strongly encouraged to check their eligibility and complete an application if they qualify. Please review this document which outlines the criteria and links on how to apply.
Transition Updates | Although the deadline for secondary school applications has now passed, we want to reassure families that our team remains available to offer guidance and support with any questions you may have about the process. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need any assistance or advice in the coming months. We will continue to be here to help until the National Offer date on 02, March 2026. Our Transition Newsletter provides a summary of the key events and activities that took place last half term.
Safeguarding | Tik Tok Challenge | We want to make families aware of a dangerous online trend known as the “Tap Out Challenge”, which has recently been reported among young people in our local area. This challenge has gained attention nationally and, sadly, has now been linked to incidents involving children across the country. The “Tap Out Challenge” is a social media trend that involves one child placing another in a choke-hold until the person being held “taps out” by tapping the other’s arm, signalling to release. Sometimes others join in, turning it into a group activity.
While videos of this challenge may make it appear harmless or funny, the truth is far more serious. Restricting someone’s breathing or blood flow can cause lasting injury, brain damage, or even death, even if there are no visible signs right away. Children and teens may not understand how fragile the body is or how easily these actions can lead to severe harm. The challenge often hides the real dangers behind laughter or edited clips that downplay the risks.
Please take a few minutes to talk with your child about the dangers of this and similar challenges. Encourage them to speak up if they see or hear of others taking part. If you’re concerned your child may have taken part in this trend, look out for:
If you notice any of these signs, seek medical help immediately and speak with your child about what happened. These trends can spread quickly online and often change names, so awareness is key. Please remain alert, talk regularly with your children about what they’re seeing online, and report anything concerning to school staff or safeguarding professionals. Together, we can help ensure that all children stay safe, both online and offline. If you need any help and support regarding this, you can also make contact with our Safeguarding Team (safeguarding@liftbexleyheath.org).
Lift Bexleyheath
Woolwich Road
Bexleyheath
Kent
DA6 7DA
