News

 

Monday 6th December

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Welcome to our weekly update for the fourteenth week of the Autumn Term 2021. I reproduce below the information on the Omicron Variant and winter readiness from last week’s bulletin - a reminder that students must have a face covering every day for use in school and for travel on public transport. 

This week there is also information on arrangements for the end of term, parents’ evenings and the start of term in January. As ever, there is a safeguarding update too.

Thank you for your continued support of the school and best wishes for the week ahead.

Stephen Davis

Access to IT

If you are in receipt of free school meals or your son/daughter are  pupil premium and do not have access to IT please email askapila@lampton.org.uk. We are able to provide chromebooks for these families to ensure your son/daughter can complete work over the holiday period. Please email by Wednesday 15th December. We will ask you to collect these chromebooks from the school reception. 

Omicron Variant & Winter Readiness:

Over the weekend the government announced that, as a result of the Omicron variant, face coverings are now compulsory in communal areas of all secondary schools until further notice. This means that all students must wear a face covering in corridors, the hall, canteen, study support and other communal areas of the school. Please ensure that your child has an appropriate covering each day. If your child is exempt from wearing a face covering, you should complete the exemption form (see link: https://forms.gle/4178qwst8VNNoyZF8). Your child will then be issued with an exemption lanyard which must be worn each day.

Hounslow Covid rates continue to rise and local Public Health have issued the following winter readiness guidance to ensure that hospitals are not overwhelmed:

• Ensure that all eligible family members have received the Covid vaccination and booster;

• Ensure that all eligible family members have received the ‘flu jab;

• Test twice per week at home.

Walk-in vaccinations are available for 12-15 year olds at the Heart of Hounslow medical centre on Bath Road; you can also use the national booking system.

To further aid our Covid risk assessment measures, we are asking that students do not congregate outside of the school gates at the start and end of the day - staff will ask them to move away from the vicinity immediately and this includes the parade of shops at the end of Lampton Avenue.

Arrangements for the last week of this term:

On the recommendation of Hounslow’s Public Health department next week we will not be holding any large gatherings of students within school. Therefore, our end of term Week A assemblies will be posted on year team pages and students will watch this in tutor period. This week year assemblies are taking place, focusing on praise and rewards - it has been so good to see so many students achieving the prestigious subject award badges!

Normal lesson times will be adhered to up until Friday 17th December when the following arrangements will be in place:

Registration will take place at the normal time and lessons will run as per usual periods 1 and 2. Period 3 will be a tutor period with students being dismissed from 12 Noon.  Students must vacate the vicinity of the school promptly.

Parents’ Evenings:

Last week saw the Y8 Parents’ Evening taking place online and there will be a catch-up session this Tuesday in school. Wednesday 8th December sees the Y11 Parents’ Evening take place online with a follow up session on Tuesday 14th December - please make sure that you have booked appointments for the online event and Tuesday 14th December is by invitation only.

Arrangements for the start of the Spring Term 2022:

Term starts at the normal time on Tuesday 4th January 2022 with Week A and lessons as per normal. All students must complete a Lateral Flow test at home on 3rd January and in-school testing will begin when students return. A reminder that if your child has a positive Lateral Flow, they will need to have this confirmed by a PCR test, remaining at home until they receive their results.

Please use the holiday to ensure that your child’s uniform is fully compliant with our policy and expectations - especially shoes and the Lampton bag. The types of shoes acceptable for school are shown on the year team pages.  A reminder that outdoor coats must be plain black and that scarves must be plain black too.

Safeguarding briefing:

Domestic violence or abuse can happen to anyone. Find out how to recognise the signs and where to get help. Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse, includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse in couple relationships or between family members. Domestic violence can happen against anyone, and anybody can be an abuser.

In any emergency situation, it’s important to contact 999. However, you do not have to wait for an emergency situation to find help. If domestic abuse is happening to you, it's important to tell someone and remember you're not alone. Please see this page for a range of support available: 

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/getting-help-for-domestic-violence/. For local support, this resource may also be useful: https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20056/community_safety/2133/domestic_violence/4

The school takes part in the Met Police’s Operation Encompass, so when a domestic incident takes place the school are notified by the police so that we can support the child. If you would like any further information, or if you are worried that your child or someone’s elses is at risk due to domestic violence, abuse or any other safeguarding issue, please do contact the school’s safeguarding team: safeguarding@lampton.org.uk.