Headteacher Letter to Parents & Carers - September 2026

Celebrating Our Successes

Before we look ahead, I want to take a moment to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our pupils who sat exams this summer. Their dedication, resilience and hard work have been truly inspiring. The progress many of our young people have made, both academically and in their personal development is a testament to their commitment and the exceptional support they have received from our staff and families. We are immensely proud of each one of them.

A Warm Welcome

I am delighted to welcome new families to our school community. Laleham Gap School is a place where every pupil is valued, supported and encouraged to reach their full potential. We recognise that each young person has unique strengths, needs and aspirations, and our approach is built on understanding and nurturing these individual qualities. We look forward to working alongside you to support your child's learning and wellbeing.

Looking Forward

As we embark on this new year, we remain committed to our vision and values, and to our school improvement priorities. We believe in open, honest communication with parents and carers, recognising that the best outcomes for children and young people are achieved when schools and families work together in partnership. Building on our commitment to the Leading Parent Partnership Award, we will continue to strengthen our relationships with families, ensuring that parents and carers feel informed, valued and supported. By working collaboratively, we can create the best possible opportunities for our children and young people to thrive, while continuing to build a strong, inclusive and connected school community.

Parent Governor Election

I wish to thank Lesley Collins for all her support in the last 4 years as a Parent Governor. Her term has now finished, and we can elect another.

Schools have a governing body, which includes several categories of governors including parent governors. Parent governors are elected to serve a period between one and four years, though they may resign at any time.

Together with the Headteacher, the governing body has overall responsibility for the running of the school. Governors are involved in deciding school policies, allocating the school’s budget and appointing senior staff. No special qualifications are needed and the most important thing is to have a keen interest in the school and be prepared to play an active part in the governing body’s work. To support governors in their work, the County Council provides full training for all governors at no charge to the individual. 

In our school, we have parent governors who serve for a term of office of 4 years. The full governing body normally meets 6 times a year usually, at school, at 6pm, on a Wednesday. 

If you would like to stand for election, please complete the attached form and return it to me by 22/9/26 - a downloadable PDF form can be found below.

Each person nominated must be proposed and seconded by parents/carers who have a child at the school. Anyone standing for election is invited to provide, with his/her nomination, a short personal statement (maximum of 100 words). The statement should only include biographical information, your reasons for wanting to be a parent governor and the contribution you believe you can make to the governing body.

If there is more than one nomination, an election will be held, and copies of the personal statements will be sent to all parents. Two weeks will be allowed for the return of ballot papers. Each parent will have one vote, no matter how many children he or she has at the school. 

I do hope you will consider standing as a governor or else nominating another parent/carer. If you would like more information about being a school governor, please contact myself for more information via the school office.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything relating to your child, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We are here to support you.

Here's to a positive, productive and rewarding year ahead for all our children.

Warm regards

Les Milton

Headteacher