2 July 2024                 

 

Dear Parents and Carers 

  

I hope that this letter finds you, your friends and family in good health.

The special school consultation www.kent.gov.uk/specialschoolsreview is unlikely to be updated further. I am asking that you respond to the public consultation as I believe your opinion is important. The link also has arrangements so you can join online meetings specifically for parents. I encourage you to attend one before completing the questionnaire. An overriding concern I have is that the consultation questions are very open, descriptive questions which you are unlikely to disagree with e.g.

8. KCC is proposing that the children for whom special school places are planned, are those who have both an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and also have severe and complex special educational needs. Special school places would not be planned for those with lower levels of need that could be met through an adapted curriculum in a mainstream school.

To what extent do you agree or disagree that KCC should be planning special school places for those children who have severe and complex needs?

 

I think everyone is going to agree with this statement. I assume that is what KCC should be doing already. This is why the text box is important. I will comment that pupils with typical cognitive and academic ability can still have severe and complex special educational needs, which the designations in this consultation does not recognise.

I encourage you all to use the text box to express your answers in full.

 

My concerns include:

• If learning difficulties and Neurodivergent are not defined accurately, how can we comment on the new designation?
• Locally, will there be sufficient Communication and Interaction provision in new Specialist Resource Provisions to meet the need of our current pupils?
• Why are the needs of our current pupil not fully detailed in the Equality Impact Assessment?
• The consultation directs us to the sufficiency plan for pupil need but, there is no data regarding the proposed new designation.
• Where are the cost projections for the building modifications required to meet the pupil needs of the new designation?

 

Reminder: don’t forget to place your vote for a new parent Governor using this link https://forms.office.com/e/JEKgTsXNCc   or by hand in the main reception. The deadline is Thursday 4 July 2024.

 

Thank you everyone for your support with Pride Day on Friday 28 June. All the pupils had a wonderful day joining in with the Colour run. We also had an Awards Assembly for positive contributions to our community.

 

Thank you to all of you that supported the Friends of Laleham Gap Quiz night on Friday 28 June. We raised over £200 for the evening which will go towards FOLG funds.

 

Our Wellbeing team have been busy organising and attending various school trips with children including Thorpe Park, Betteshanger and Wildwood.

 

Summer event coming up in the next few weeks include:

 

Friday 12 July – Primary Summer Fair

 

Wednesday 17 July – Secondary Sports Day and Summer Fair

 

Term ends on Friday 19 July

 

Best wishes

Les Milton

Headteacher