Headteacher Message
Hello all,
I hope you are well and enjoying the good weather. Without fail September is very often sunnier than August, and we all end up feeling a bit cheated by the English summer. This morning, on gate duty, I was caught yawning by an eagle-eyed parent. I am still getting used to the early morning routine and the need to walk the dog before school, but I am getting there. No such problems for your children who have seamlessly returned to school. I have been so impressed with our new Reception and Nursery children who have arrived this week and integrated superbly. The happiness index is high across the school and long may this continue.
We also continue to have new families touring and joining the school. Just this week we have had families from Nigeria and New Zealand coming to visit. This is such an international school and all the better for it.
I have had a number of conversations with parents regarding the upheaval on the A316. It has really affected journey times for many of us. On Monday it took over two and a half hours for some members of our staff team to get into school and I know it has disrupted many of your journeys. I am going to raise this with the local council as I am concerned about pollution caused by the sheer weight of idling traffic and flabbergasted (What a great old-fashioned word that is) by the proposed end date of the works - June!! I know that the scope of the work is extensive but over half a year to complete it seems excessive. I will let you know what I can find out.
I am lucky enough to be teaching in Year 6 this afternoon and know that this will enable me to finish the week feeling positive. I hope you have all had a good week and wish you a happy weekend with your precious children.
Thanks,
Joe Porter
One of our staff members received an email from a councillor who has been dealing with the issue. The council have received numerous complaints and arranged a meeting with TFL.
Here is an update
At the end of the meeting, TfL agreed to the following actions:
- Place additional signage further out to the M3, warning drivers to avoid the A316 in the Richmond area.
- Investigate longer hours of working at the site, ideally 24-hours-a-day, to finish the job sooner.
- Increase TfL communications with transport users and the media to discourage use of the A316.
- Investigate opening an additional lane on the A316 by moving equipment on a closed off section.
- Assist the Council in erecting no-engine idling signs and enforcement on affected roads.
- Ban HGVs from going down Manor Grove.
- Create a yellow box junction outside Richmond Fire Station.
- Improve the pedestrian crossing timings at Manor Circus, so pedestrians don't need to wait so long.
- Ensure there is a Christmas moratorium on works to ensure people can travel more freely at that time.
TfL assured us that traffic disruption will ease considerably when this first phase of the works are completed in December.
I just wanted to keep you updated. As I have said I will be contacting TFL on behalf of the school.
Kew The Transition
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