Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Safeguarding Update
Following our communication yesterday regarding the "Blue & Red School Wars" , we would like to provide a further update to reassure our school community. Please be assured that the police are in contact with the school to help us monitor the situation and ensure the ongoing safety of all our students.

We are aware that there are a significant number of posts circulating on social media platforms regarding these events and this has caused some concern to some of our students. To help manage this, we ask that you please have a conversation with your child this evening about what they may have seen online. Please also discourage the resharing of unverified posts which could be misleading or false, as this often contributes to unnecessary alarm.

While we understand the worry felt, we have been in regular contact with other local schools, the police and the local authority. We do expect all students to be in school as normal on Monday. Please note that we are unable to authorise any absences related to these social media reports.

World Book Day Thursday 5th March - Dress up day
To celebrate World Book Day, and in addition to literary activities, we are allowing all students and staff to dress up as favourite book characters for the day. We encourage students to create literary costumes, which could include characters from novels, myths, legends, folklore, comic books and Manga.

Students will be in costume all day so do plan accordingly, if students have dance, drama or PE they will need to change for those lessons. There will be photos taken to commemorate the day and acknowledge the creativity of stories and our students and prizes for the best homemade costume and best-dressed forms. We will also be collecting book donations during the World Book Day week. Please donate any children's books that are in good condition and these will go to children in the community who need them. A collection box will be in reception and in the library. We look forward to celebrating this event.

Reminder - Year 9 DTP MEN ACWY Immunisations Catch up – 10th March
The Bexley Immunisation Team will be in school to carry out the DTP/ MEN ACWY catch up vaccination on 10th March 2026.

Please see the letter attached which contains the link for parents to give their consent. If you do not wish to consent to the vaccination, please follow the link through and there will be a section for you to decline. Please note, the DTP/MEN ACWY online link will be closing at midnight on 5th March 2026.

London Fire Brigade guidance on lithium batteries
London Fire Brigade have released new guidance on lithium batteries titled ‘ChargeSafe: e-bike and e-scooter safety advice’. On average, there is a fire from a lithium battery in an e-bike or e-scooter every two days in London. Fire Safety: A Guide to Lithium Batteries: Lithium-ion batteries are generally safe but if they are damaged, overcharged or poor quality, they can cause "thermal runaway." This leads to fierce, fast-moving fires that release toxic gas and are extremely difficult to extinguish.

1. Charge with Care - Never charge overnight: Most battery fires happen while people are sleeping. Charge devices only when you are awake and at home.
   Unplug promptly: Once the device is fully charged, disconnect it. Continuous charging can cause the battery to overheat.
   Surface matters: Always charge on a hard, flat, non-flammable surface (like a kitchen worktop). Never charge on "soft" surfaces like beds, sofas, or carpets, which trap heat.
2. Use the Right Gear - Originals only: Always use the charger that came with the device. If you need a replacement, buy a genuine one from the original manufacturer or a reputable UK retailer.
   Avoid "bargain" chargers: Cheap, unbranded chargers found on online marketplaces often lack the safety components needed to prevent overcharging and overheating.
3. Protect Your Exit Routes - Don't block the door: Never charge e-bikes, e-scooters, or large devices in hallways, landings, or near your front door. If a fire starts, it can quickly block your only way out of the house.
   Storage: If possible, store and charge e-bikes or scooters in a garage or shed.
4. Know the Warning Signs - Teach your children to tell you immediately if their phone or device shows any of these signs:
   Heat: It feels unusually hot to the touch.
   Bulging: The battery looks swollen or the case is "popping."
   Smell: There is a strange "chemical" or "sweet" smell.
   Sound: You hear hissing or cracking noises.
   Smoke: If you see smoke, get out, stay out, and call 999.
5. Safe Disposal
   Never throw lithium batteries in your household rubbish or recycling bins. If they get crushed in a refuse truck, they can start a fire. Take them to a dedicated battery recycling point (found in most supermarkets) or your local waste centre. For more detailed advice or to use the Home Fire Safety Checker, visit the London Fire Brigade website here.

Safeguarding - County Lines
Met Police are delivering an online County Lines webinar to learn how to keep your children safe from gangs and exploitation. Join online for an informative session about County Lines – what it is, how it can happen, and how you can help keep your children safe. Delivered by Project Adder from the Metropolitan Police and Sosa Henkoma, a Lived Experience Consultant who has experienced County Lines first hand.

Please join us for this free webinar to help raise awareness of this important issue: Wednesday 4th March 2026 from 1.30pm to 3pm - sign up for the webinar here.

Free GCSE learning and revision support
If you are in Years 9 to 11 and eligible for Pupil Premium, you can now get free access to Atom GCSE, Atom Learning’s new platform built to give you clear, structured guidance for your GCSE preparation.

Atom GCSE gives you access to:

• Exam-board-specific practice: GCSE practice questions, past papers and predicted papers tailored to your exam boards
• Instant feedback: AI marking based on real GCSE mark schemes
• Clear explanations: Step-by-step guidance for every question
• Progress tracking: Predicted grades and topic-by-topic insights showing what’s going well and what to revise next
• Structured revision: Courses broken into simple steps to make studying more manageable

You can request your free account here: <<Access free GCSE learning>>. If you are not Pupil Premium eligible, you can still use the free version with limited daily access by visiting the Atom website here.

Save the Date! Townley Parents and Friends – Year 9 v Year 10 Karaoke Battle
Get ready and hold the date for an epic karaoke showdown between Year 9 and Year 10. More details from the PFA coming soon!
Date: Friday 27 March 2026 - Time: 6pm to 8.30pm

Kind regards,

Miss H Mitchem
Deputy Headteacher