19 July 2024

 

Dear Parents and Carers 

 

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

 

As we come to the end of another school year, I want to thank the whole Laleham Gap School community for your continued support.  Our pupils are at the heart of everything we do at LGS. I have had many proud moments this year watching our pupils Learn, Grow and Succeed this year. Our Year 11 pupil’s leavers day was one of these moments. I am pleased that so many of our Year 11 pupils are going on to some form of education or training. We wish them all the best for the future.

 

We are looking forward to our new pupils arriving in September. Reminder to parents, Year 7 pupils will be expected to hand in their mobile devices on arrival at school and collect them again at the end of the day. Please prepare and encourage you children to follow this procedure.

The Department for Education has changed the rules regarding holiday permissions. The document is called the New National Framework for Penalty Notices. The following changes will come in to force from 19 August 2024.

We want to make you aware that we will no longer be able to authorise any leave of absence requests for pupils from the 19 August 2024. This means any pupil taking holiday during terms time will be marked as unauthorised. My belief and approach to this has not changed but the rules have. If you think this is going to affect you, please let me know.

 

Special School review – Please ensure you have completed the consultation available at

Special Schools Review: proposed changes to designations and admissions guidance | Let’s talk Kent

In my previous letter I stated that my concerns included:

 

• 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 pupils 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?

 

We have had lots of exciting events taking place recently. I would like to thank all staff, pupils and families who have made these possible and so enjoyable. Have a great summer and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

 

Best wishes

Les Milton

Headteacher