Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Further Guidance for Schools

  Fri 20 Mar 2020

  And the most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.

   

  That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.

   

  Please click here to see the further guidance for schools on COVID19.

   

  Les Milton

  Headteacher

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Coronavirus and schools update

  Fri 20 Mar 2020

   We are sure that you have already seen the announcement from the Secretary of State delivered on 18 March 2020. This announcement stated that 'schools as providers of education will be closed for the foreseeable future.'

   

  However, schools have been asked to play a different and vital role in the national effort in tackling coronavirus.  From Monday, schools are being asked to open to provide care for vulnerable pupils and for those whose parents or carers are keyworkers. As far as possible we will continue to deliver a broad curriculum so that our pupils' lives are as settled and familiar as possible, although the primary function of schools at this time is not as an educator.

   

  The Secretary of State  has made clear that this is an entirely different role for schools and school staff.

   

  This action has been ordered by the Government to save lives by reducing the spread of COVID-19. Please keep checking the advice from Public Health England and keep your families safe.

   

  Les Milton

  Headteacher

• Free School Meal Update

  Thu 19 Mar 2020

  Dear Parents

   

  As detailed in our previous letter today, the guidance on free school meals is as follows

   

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools

   

  As a school we are considering the supermarket school voucher system (see below)

   

  Supermarket vouchers

   

  We are currently developing a national approach to providing support through supermarket and shop vouchers. We will provide further details shortly.

   

  If your school is closed and your school catering team cannot provide meals or food parcels, you should offer families of pupils eligible for free school meals an alternative.

   

  You can order supermarket and shop vouchers directly from a number of retailers – usually through their corporate division. We recommend sourcing vouchers for supermarkets or shops in the local area. Where possible they should be restricted for use against age-related products.

   

  You’ll get a choice of:

  e-vouchers (where available) - which you can email directly to parents

  gift cards - which may be more suitable if parents do not have access to the internet

   

  You should check which pupils are eligible and currently in receipt of free school meals, and vouchers should be made available to the parent or the adult with caring responsibility for that child.

   

  Please be patient and refrain from contacting us regarding Free School Meals. We will provide more information. We are taking this seriously and it is important that we provide a comprehensive response.

   

  We will release more guidance as we receive further updates and clarification from the government. In the mean time we will continue to ensure we are making work available for students who are not in school as well as deliver the best possible provision for those who are in. I appreciate the fact that any closure will have an impact on you and your family.

   

  Kind regards

   

  Les Milton 

  Headteacher 

• IMPORTANT INFORMATION

  Thu 19 Mar 2020

  19^th March, 2020

  Dear Parent/Carer

  Yesterday, Boris Johnson said that the government had been forced to change tack because the rate of Covid-19 infections was increasing faster than anticipated. He said that the public health benefits of keeping schools open had shifted and the scientific advice was that schools should close to slow the spread of the virus. However, there were exceptions to this directive. The exceptions related to children of Key Workers and Vulnerable children.

  Key workers have been defined as follows:

  •            NHS Staff

  •            Police & Emergency Service workers

  •            Delivery drivers who need to deliver food and supplies such as petrol.

  Vulnerable Children have been defined as follows:

  •            Any child with a social worker

  •            Any child with an EHCP - I am currently awaiting further guidance in relation to the parameters around this requirement. I interpret this as our most vulnerable and complex children.

  I must emphasise, not all children and young people who have an EHCP will be expected to attend school from Monday 23rd March 2020.  As a school, our staff attendance has dropped below 70%. We anticipate that further staff will have to self-isolate. We will be unable to run a full school curriculum as usual. Our staff will be providing further details of how we will be supporting our pupils at home. A large number of parents have already taken the precautionary measure to keep their child off school. Today our pupil attendance was 53%. 

  We ask you to advise us by return and at the latest by 9.00 am tomorrow, Friday 20th March. This will ensure that our contingency planning can be finalised. In the first instance please can you email the school to advise us of your requirements, answering the following:

  1. Are you a Key Worker and will need your child to attend school next week?   Yes / No
  2. Do you consider your child to be particularly vulnerable and it is your intention to send your child to school from Monday 23^rd March 2020?   Yes / No
  3. I request the school to call me to discuss this further   Yes / No

  Please email your response to secretary@laleham-gap.kent.sch.uk by 9am Friday 20^th March, please include your child’s name in the subject line of the email. 

   

   

  We will put advice on the website regarding today’s announcement relating to free school meals. We are carefully considering our best way of supporting our community.

  We are expecting further exam guidance tomorrow morning. We will write to all year 11 parents informing them of the implications.

  Thank you for your consideration, I appreciate your patience and understanding regarding these crucial and rapid changes.

  Kind regards

   

   

  Mr Les Milton 

  Headteacher

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• School Update

  Wed 18 Mar 2020

  Dear Parent / Carer

   

  Further to the announcement by the Prime Minister this evening you will be aware that the directive is to close schools in the UK from Friday afternoon until further notice.

   

  However, exceptions to this directive were also announced; the finer detail of which is yet to be fully understood. I fully anticipate receiving clear guidance from the Department of Education tomorrow in relation to the provision of education that will need to be offered to vulnerable students and those children of key workers.

   

  Therefore, we will be open as usual tomorrow for students to attend school. As previously advised if you feel due to a pre-existing health condition and or you are in self-isolation your child should stay at home. Please be assured their attendance record will not be adversely impacted by this decision.

   

  I take this opportunity to thank you for your support and I will be in contact tomorrow regarding the finer detail in relation to the Governments school closure plans and ongoing education provision for your child.

  Please continue to follow the guidance from public health England in relationship to self-isolation.

   

  Kind Regards

   

  Les Milton

  Headteacher

• Guidance for Dealing with Coronavirus Anxiety

  Wed 18 Mar 2020
  Please click here to see guidance on dealing with coronavirus anxiety.

• Covid19 updates

  Tue 17 Mar 2020

  17th March, 2020

   

  Dear Parents/Carers

   

  As you will be aware the Public Health England and Government advice changes daily, in light of last night’s advice if your child or any member of your household develops symptoms of a dry cough or a raised temperature please ensure that you do not send your child to school and that your child and the whole household self-isolate for 14 days.

   

  If your child has previously been sent home as they have presented these symptoms they should remain self-isolated and not return to school for 14 days.

   

  If your child develops a raised temperature or a dry cough at school we will be contacting parents and sending them home as per the government guidance.

   

  If you have concerns or wish to discuss this further please do not hesitate to contact us or check the latest guidance issued at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public 

   

  Kind regards 

  Mr Les Milton

  Laleham Gap School

   

• Coronavirus Update Letter

  Thu 12 Mar 2020
  A coronavirus update letter has been sent to Parents/Carers and can be found by clicking here or going to the parents tab and then clicking the school letters tab.

• Coronavirus - Further Information from Public Health England

  Fri 06 Mar 2020

  General information and most up to date information about Covid 19 can be found on the following links below. Please click them for further information:

   

  Situation Reports

   

   

   

  Coronavirus (Covid 19) Latest Information and Advice

   

   

  Department for Education Coronavirus helpline

  Today, we have launched a new helpline to answer questions about COVID-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline as follows:

   

  Phone: 0800 046 8687
  Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
  Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)