News

 

 

Tuesday 29th November

 

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Welcome to our newsletter for the twelfth week of the Autumn Term 2022. It’s Week A, so whole school assemblies are taking place focusing on the theme of Careers and led by Mr Smale (Senior Head of Year).

I hope you enjoyed the extended weekend break and we are now looking forward to a busy couple of weeks until the end of term. Some enrichment highlights include: a trip to the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden; an employability and careers workshop led by the National Citizenship Service and a series of workshops led by the Anne Frank Trust. A reminder that school ends on Friday 16th December at 12.30pm - normal lessons will take place that day until dismissal time.

This week we have the Y9 Progress Evening on-line and the Y11 Progress Evening on 8th December face-to-face. Y10 have their first round of Pre-Public Examinations (PPEs) beginning on Friday 9th December and Y13 have their PPEs commencing on Tuesday 3rd January. Exam timetables can be found elsewhere on the website.

Please see the important message below regarding safety in the local area as the days become shorter.

With best wishes for the week ahead.

Stephen Davis

 

 

Student safety:

This message has been shared with students during this week’s assemblies, please can you also reinforce it with your children.

 As the days get shorter, please be vigilant about your personal safety in the vicinity of the school. There was a violent robbery of a student last week in Lampton Park. Please avoid Lampton Park if you are alone, and avoid the alleyways around the school at all times. If you are a victim of a crime on your way to or from school, please let your form tutor, Head of Year or safeguarding staff know."

 

 

Safeguarding Briefing: Cost-of-living support

Find out what help and support is available to you and your family as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.

Get in touch with us to let us know if you are struggling with your finances. We know everyone is feeling the pinch this winter and we want to support those families in our school community who are impacted the most. If you are struggling with your finances, please do get in touch to let us know, as there may be things we can suggest which will help. We want to do everything we can to help you and your child through this difficult winter. Please contact safeguarding@lampton.org.uk or call the school. 

 

Let us know if your child is entitled to free school meals (FSM)

If you claim one of the following benefits then your child is eligible for free school meals (FSM):

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Universal Credit and have an annual income of no more than £7,400

• Child Tax Credit, but not entitled to a Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) of no more than £16,190

• Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit

• or are being supported by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS)

If you claim one of the above benefits and your child is not getting FSM then you can apply here - https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20025/schools_and_colleges/61/free_school_meals

 

School uniform costs

The school runs a uniform exchange from Student Services. We take in donations of school uniforms (typically from students leaving Year 11) and then wash and reissue the uniform to students in need. Please call the school, or contact Mrs Dhadli sdhadli@lampton.org.uk for more info. 

Parents/guardians can apply for help with school uniform costs on the LBH website. The school uniform grant is available to primary pupils from receptions to year 6 and secondary pupils in years 7 and 9. The grant amount for secondary pupils is £60 and for primary pupils is £15. You can apply for a school uniform grant here https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20025/schools_and_colleges/1084/school_clothing_g rants_-_secondary_and_primary/3

 

See what other support you can get from your local authority

The London Borough of Hounslow (LBH) has a number of things in place to support everyone through the current cost of living crisis.

From October 2022 until March 2023, warm spaces will be offered across the borough so that people who are struggling to heat their homes have somewhere warm to go. The warm spaces will initially be opened in all of the boroughs 11 libraries, you will be offered a hot drink and somewhere to relax; there is also free Wi-Fi available.

LBH currently has funding for the Household Support Grant. The Household Support Grant provides households with payments to help with essentials such as food and utilities. The funding is available from October 2022 to March 2023 and to qualify:

• you do not need to be in receipt of benefits. This grant is available to anyone who is on a low income

• you will need to provide proof of your utility bills showing that you are in arrears with your payments.

• If you are struggling to pay for food, you need to explain why you are unable to manage on the income you have.

You can apply for the Household Support Grant here - https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20004/community_and_living/2225/household_suppo rt_grant

LBH also offer Discretionary Local Crisis Payments (DLCP). The scheme is in place to: This scheme is in place to:

• Help households to establish themselves in the community following a stay in institutional or residential care

• Help households remain in the community instead of entering institutional or residential care

• Ease exceptional pressures and stress on households

• Avoid serious risk to health and safety where it may be prevented.

If you have any queries about the DLCP then you can call 0208 583 2000. You can submit an application here - https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20058/benefits/1493/discretionary_local_crisis_paym ents

There is further advice on the LBH website, such as:

• Tips on saving money and managing your budget

• Help with housing and homelessness support

• Help with energy costs

• Reducing food costs

• Help if you are in immediate financial difficulties

• Help finding work

You can view all of the information here - https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/homepage/241/support_while_the_cost_of_living_rises

 

Get free or low-cost food

If you are worried about not having enough food to feed your family, you are not alone.

There are a number of places across the borough offering support.

If you have a child under 4, and meet the eligibility criteria, you may be entitled to healthy start food vouchers. You can discover more about this here - www.healthystart.nhs.uk

There are a number of foodbanks across the borough and if you are running low on money or food then we are happy to make a referral for you, just speak to a member of staff who will organise this for you. You can also access free meals from a number of different services in Hounslow. Take a look at the following link to see where you can get free meals - https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20209/community_hub/2296/free_food

There are also food waste apps and websites like Olio (for free food and household items from your local community), Too Good To Go (for low cost food from local restaurants), or Low Price Foods (food that has passed its best before date, but is still safe to consume).

 

Contact your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau or Family Services Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB)

You do not have to be a UK citizen to get support from your local CAB; you just need to be

a resident of the local area. The CAB can help you with:

• Getting benefits or other financial support organised

• Accessing support for essential costs (food, bills, rent)

Visit the Citizens Advice’s website at www.citizensadvice.org.uk or contact your local branch to book an appointment:

Feltham Citizens Advice

2nd Floor, The Centre High Street, Feltham

TW13 4GU 0808 278 7830

Brentford and Chiswick Citizens Advice Town Hall

Heathfield Terrace Chiswick

W4 4JN 0808 278 7830

 

Hounslow Family Services Directory

Hounslow’s Family Service Directory is information and support for families with children and young people and will enable you to access the support you may need. You can access the website here https://fsd.hounslow.gov.uk/SynergyWeb/

 

Check you are paying the right amount of tax

If you are in work then it is important to make sure you are on the right tax code. If you are not you might be due a refund. Use the Money Saving Expert’s free tax code calculator to find out - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/check-tax-code/

 

Claim any benefits you are entitled to

Use one of these benefits calculators to determine whether there are any benefits you could be claiming:

• Turn2us

• Policy in Practice

• Support for migrant families – use this calculator if you are a migrant family, or if you have no recourse to public funds

You may be able to get benefits paid early if you are already feeling the squeeze - this is known as ‘a short-term benefit advance’ - you will need to contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) universal credit line on 0800 328 5644.

 

Check you have received all the government’s cost of living payments

The government’s cost of living payment is available for those receiving certain benefits or tax credits. You do not need to apply for these – if you are eligible, the money should go straight into your account.

If you think you are due a payment, but have not received one – report a missing payment to the government - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living- payment#report-a-missing-cost-of-living-payment

Be aware of scams! If you receive any emails, texts or phone calls asking you to fill in an application form or asking for your bank details to receive a cost of living payment, do not talk to them or send a reply. Get more information on cost of living scams on the Money Saving Expert’s website here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/07/dwp-cost-of-living-scam-texts- warning/

 

Find out what help you can get with your energy bills

If you get benefits, you may be eligible to get £150 off your electricity bill or £150 added to your prepayment meter through the warm home discount scheme. You do not need to apply for the scheme payments are usually automatic but the best way to find out is to speak to your energy supplier.

In some circumstances, people who are unable to afford to top up their prepayment meters may be able to get a fuel voucher. You have must referred to the Fuel Bank Foundation in order to receive this voucher. If you are unable to top up your prepayment meter speak to somebody at the school and they will organise for you to be referred.

 If you are in debt to your energy supplier, you might be able to get a grant to help pay it off. The below energy suppliers offer grants to eligible customers.

• The British Gas Energy Support Fund

• Scottish Power Hardship Fund

• Ovo Energy Fund

• E.ON Energy Fund

• E.ON Next Energy Fund

• EDF Energy Customer Support Fund

• BULB Energy Fund

• Octopus ‘Octo Assist Fund’

• Shell Energy Support Fund

 If your supplier is not listed you can contact the directly to see if there is any support that they can offer. If you are unable to get a grant from your supplier the take a look at the British Gas Energy Trust website, they make grants available to any one – you do not have to be a British Gas customer.

 

Further information

• Contact StepChange, if you’re struggling with debt

• Contact Shelter if you’re having issues related to housing

• Contact End Furniture Poverty for help with furniture

• Get free household goods on Freecycle

• Contact the Salvation Army for emergency assistance

• See if you’re eligible for grants from Turn2us

• Single parents can get support from Gingerbread

• Apply to ‘The Family Fund’ for grants if you are raising a disabled or seriously ill child and need support with essential items

• Get referred to the BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme by a professional for items that meet a child’s basic needs (speak to a member of staff if you feel you may need a referral)

• Get referred to Glasspool Charity Trust by a professional for grants for essential household items and clothing for individuals, couples and families (speak to a member of staff if you feel you may need a referral)