Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

International Women's Day
This week we celebrated International Women's Day through whole school assemblies. The theme for IWD 2025, 'Accelerate Action,' is a powerful call to move beyond incremental change and embrace a sense of urgency.  'Accelerate Action' demands that we intensify our efforts, dismantle the remaining barriers, and create a world where every woman and girl, regardless of background, has the opportunity to thrive. It's about tangible change, concrete steps, and a relentless pursuit of justice and equality.

A call of action was spoken about where the fight for gender equality is not just a women's issue; it is a human issue. When women thrive, we all thrive. Let us commit to accelerating action, not just today, but every day. Let us work together to create a world where every woman and girl has the opportunity to reach her full potential and contribute her unique talents to the world.

Student illness and absence
We would like to share a friendly reminder about our school's guidelines for student absences, particularly those related to common childhood illnesses.

To help us maintain a healthy school environment, we follow the Department of Health and NHS guidance on infection control. This includes the following recommendations:

• Sickness and/or diarrhoea: If your child experiences vomiting or diarrhoea, please stay home for at least 48 hours after the last episode.
• Fever: If your child has a fever (38°C or higher), please keep them home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication.

When your child is unwell, we suggest:

• Ensuring they get plenty of rest and drink fluids to stay hydrated.
• Offering light meals when they feel ready to eat.
• Monitoring their symptoms and seeking medical advice if needed.

Please email attendance@townleygrammar.org.uk as soon as possible to inform us of your child's absence and include a brief description of the symptoms. This information helps us keep track of general student well-being. We appreciate your support in keeping our school community healthy.

Easter Revision 2025
Over the next two weeks, Year 11 and 13 students may be invited to attend Easter Revision sessions. This year, to enhance flexibility, accessibility and personalised learning, the sessions will all be online and not in person.

ADHD parent/ carer survey
The ADHD working group in Bexley is looking to collect the views and experiences of parents/ carers of children with ADHD. This is part of a wider project to improve their offer for those with ADHD.  Their survey is anonymous and will take around 10 minutes, with the information gathered  being used to support Bexley staff’s understanding of the current experience of parents/ carers and help them identify areas for improvement.

Please complete the survey here by the deadline of Friday 4th April.

The Autism Advisory Service
This service holds parent drop-in sessions each term to support parents/ carers by having informal conversations and answering any questions. Parents/carers are all welcome regardless of diagnosis. The next Parent Drop-in event will be on Tuesday 1st April 2025, 12pm - 2pm at Crayford Library Community Hall, 176 Townhall Square, Dartford DA1 4FN.

Religious Festivals
The start of this month marked the commencement of Lent and Ramadan, two important festivals for believers around the world and in our school community. To those who are observing, we wish you a meaningful Lent and Ramadan Mubarak.  We are conscious that some students may choose to fast during Ramadan, in order to support student wellbeing and learning, we have issued guidance to staff aimed at supporting students.

To those who are celebrating Holi, we wish you a day filled with colour and joy!

May this season bring positivity to your life and you enjoy celebrations with family and friends.

Kind regards,

Miss S Totty
Acting Headteacher