News

Tuesday 3rd December 2024

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Welcome to our newsletter for the thirteenth week of the Autumn Term 2024.

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and are now ready for the final few weeks of term until 12.30pm on Friday 20th December.

We look forward to seeing parents and carers of students in year 9 for their parents’ evening this Thursday. This event is crucial as it marks the beginning of the GCSE options process for these students. The following week, we look forward to welcoming parents of year 11 for their post-pre-public examinations (PPEs) parents’ evening where important feedback from the examinations will be shared.

Students in year 10 will be sitting their first GCSE PPEs shortly and they must be using time outside of school to prepare. The timetable for these examinations has been issued and is on the school website.

With best wishes for the week ahead,

Stephen Davis

Headteacher

 

Attendance and Safeguarding

The Department for Education have collected key information and links to support your child removing barriers to learning and ensuring they maximise their attendance to school. All students will sign up to Kooth- this is a website for young people to support their mental health and well-being.

The list below is not exhaustive, and many other useful organisations and services exist, but it is hoped that these will help children, young people and their parents and those who work with them to navigate the key resources and get the support they deserve.

General information relevant to children and young people’s wellbeing and mental health

These resources are dedicated to children and young people’s general mental health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on mindfulness and developing coping skills in young people.

• Place2Be has a host of mental health resources available. They organise Children's Mental Health Week every year.
• Anna Freud: self-care strategies for young people feeling low or anxious and self-care tips for parents and carers.
• SafeSpot is an iPhone and Android app that promotes positive mental wellbeing in children and young people and has been designed to help children and young people with their coping skills.
• BBC’s wellbeing resources for families.
• Young Minds: a letter about how I’m feeling: worksheet to help young people express their feelings and understand what may have triggered them. For use with young people in school or at home.
• NHS Every Mind Matters: Looking After Your Mental Health Resources aims to support everyone to feel more confident in taking action to look after their mental health and wellbeing by promoting a range of self-care actions.
• Students Against Depression  is a website offering advice, information, guidance and resources to those affected by low mood and depression.

Seeking specialist support for children and young people

You can refer children and young people to local children and young people’s mental health services (CYPMH services). Children and young people or their parents or carers can contact their GP or speak to NHS 111 online to find out about the support available through CYPMH services.

Local CYPMH services will also have information on access on their websites, many offer self-referral or single points of access. NHS trusts have established 24-hour urgent mental health helplines in most parts of England for people of all ages. If you have urgent concerns about a child or young person, you can find your local helpline here to discuss these with a mental health professional.

And remember to refer to your local children’s services if you have any safeguarding concerns.

Bullying, harassment, and abuse 

• Anti-Bullying Alliance provides expertise in relation to all forms of bullying between children and young people.

Bereavement support 

• Childhood Bereavement Network has a range of resources to help schools to respond to a bereavement and to provide support to bereaved pupils and their families. It also includes signposting to local bereavement services.
• Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families provide support to children and young people dealing with loss and bereavement and signposts to bereavement organisations and local support.   

Self-harm 

• University of Oxford guide for parents and carers on supporting their child or young person in dealing with self-harm.

Eating disorders 

• Helpline: 0808 801 0677
• Youthline: 0808 801 0711
• Studentline: 0808 801 0811

 

Behaviour

If your child is on a Contract for behaviour- it means that they are not demonstrating self-regulation and gaining behaviour points. Their Head of Year will be in contact with you to organise review meetings and you can access all information on achievement and behaviour points on the SIMS APP. There are 4 stages of contract and it is really important that we work with the young person and families to challenge and support your child to make positive changes so they can access the curriculum and maximise their learning time. If they are persistently disrupting lessons, they will be removed from classes (parking) and if this behaviour is repeated we will contact you to arrange a meeting. 

Please speak to your child about their behaviour- whether it is because they are struggling to self-regulate and why and email your Head of Year or if it is to praise and something positive. We focus on character education at Lampton. The traits we are cultivating in all students are responsibility, intellect, grit and kindness and they will be rewarded for demonstrating these traits. At the end of term, we will be handing our special subject praise badges this focusses on students being exceptional in relation to academic achievement, progress, effort or exceptional work. 

 

Flu catch up clinics for children up to year 11

Remember that flu vaccination is still available for all eligible groups and is the best protection against the virus. We have seen good uptake in older age groups but vaccination among young children remains low. Flu can be very unpleasant and, in some cases, can lead to more serious illness. Getting your child vaccinated protects them and others they come into contact with, and it’s still not too late. We offer the Flu Nasal Spray and the Injectable (porcine gelatine free). If your child has still not received their Flu Vaccination please click onto the following link to book them into a local clinic.  

https://nwl.schoolvaccination.uk/flu/2024/book  

Brabazon Community Centre 106 Brabazon Road, Hounslow TW5 9LT 

Our Catch-up clinics dates are: 

• Saturday 7th Dec from 9.30am-2.30pm 
• Saturday 14th Dec from 9.30am-2.30pm 

Please contact us on 0208 432 7070 for any further information.

 

Health and Safety: The dangers of train tracks

Network Rail in partnership with Learn Live want to get three simple messages across:

1. Being on the railway tracks is extremely dangerous
2. Trains can run at any time of day or night, even when not shown in the timetable, or on station information displays, or online.
3. On the Wessex and South Western Railway network trains are powered by a ‘third rail’ which carries 750V of electricity.  This is always live, even when there are no trains running.

Please watch the video: The session is less than 15 minutes and explains why it is important to stay safe near the tracks. https://learnliveuk.com/wessex-network-rail-safety-presentation-secondary/

Over 20 million students, parents and teachers from across the UK have already watched these videos which has led to a significant decrease in the number of incidents in their area through watching the safety videos.

Remember 15 minutes can help save lives and provide important safety information to young people.

We have made things easier for you to watch the free safety videos by just entering the email railsafety@learnliveuk.com into the "I am registered field" when you first watch the videos.

Please note these are the recommended age ranges, we would always advise you to view the clips first to gauge suitability for your class.

 

Hounslow Repair Café

Take your clothes, small appliances and bikes to the Hounslow Repair Café in Heston on Sunday 8 December to give them a new lease of life - all repairs carried out for free! There will also be cakes and hot drinks available.

 

National Grief Awareness Week

Please read this information, from the Hounslow School Nurses team about supporting young people with grief.