Dear Parents and Carers,
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I am writing to inform you of the tragic death of a Newhaven student on Tuesday night following an incident in Woolwich. I am sure some of you have seen this incident in the media. Every child arrives at Newhaven with a story and I am proud of the way Kelyan, a funny, kind and ambitious young man had worked hard and successfully to turn things round. This devastating loss has deeply affected our school community and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time.
To support our students with the traumatic impact of this death, we have arranged for additional emotional support for them and staff and this will carry on for the foreseeable future. We understand that this news may prompt difficult conversations at home. It is natural for children to experience a range of emotions, and they may need your guidance in navigating their feelings. Please encourage them to share their thoughts and remind them that it is okay to feel sad, confused, or even angry. If you think your child will benefit from additional support at this time, please get in touch and we will ensure they receive the care they need.
As always, the safety of our students is our most important goal and we shall continue to work with our partners in the police and the local authority to ensure this. We understand, however, how anxiety provoking events like this are for all parents. Please get in touch so we can discuss any fears or worries you might have.
Finally, I can’t really express how deeply sad we all are or how impossible it is to understand the impact of this event on Kelyan’s family. I pledge that we will honour his memory by continuing to work together with you to ensure your children have every opportunity to thrive.
Yours faithfully
Jon Kelly (Headteacher)