20 March 2026 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

It has been an incredibly challenging week for every school leader across Kent and Medway specifically relating to the meningococcal disease outbreak in Kent. Tragically, the life of one young person has been lost to the disease, with another student from the University of Kent also succumbing to meningitis. Other schools are also supporting their communities as their pupils are hospitalised and receiving urgent medical treatment.

Words cannot adequately convey the impact this has had on our school communities but please be assured that our thoughts are with you all at this exceptionally difficult time. Staff at KCC extend their sincere condolences to the families affected, and to you and your colleagues as you continue to lead and support the school through such challenging circumstances.

Thank you for the calm and steady leadership you are providing at a time when it is needed most. If there is anything you need by way of support or guidance, please do not hesitate to contact your ADE who remains on hand to provide you with support.

It hasn’t been lost on me that there are parallels with the same week six years ago, when schools had to manage the response to the pandemic. Then, as now, every school leader stepped up the plate and demonstrated both compassionate and courageous leadership in the face of adversity and uncertainty. Without such dedicated leaders who instinctively know what to do in times of uncertainty, our pupils and their families would certainly not thrive. The pandemic taught leaders the importance of resilience and ingenuity and fostered a spirit of togetherness, however often this may have come at the cost of personal sacrifice- longer working days, anxiety, and a feeling that the world has been turned upside down.

The pandemic passed and normality slowly returned, albeit we are all still feeling the very real effects playing out in many different forms; one could say that the normality is ‘fragile.’    This week’s events have once again tested that fragility and may have stirred up emotions from six years ago. I have reflected on our collective response to the pandemic- new ways of working, a shared response to an unprecedented event, the importance of communication between us all and the importance of community leadership. These have been tested and put into action again this week.

Working quickly with UKHSA and the DfE, KCC in collaboration with Medway Council convened a briefing session on Tuesday.  Given the very short notice, I was not expecting 1300 colleagues to join online. This demonstrated the desire for information and how best to support pupils, staff, and their families. If you were one of the 1300, we hope that you found the briefing informative and reassuring.

The meningococcal disease outbreak in Kent does have parallels with the pandemic but at the same time, both events are very different. A key message from UKHSA is that pupils can and should continue to attend the school as normal; we know that pupils are very safe when attending school because of the vigilance of staff. However, meningococcal disease can progress rapidly, so it’s essential that your staff, parents, and pupils remain alert to the signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. You should continue to seek urgent medical help if you or your pupils develop any symptoms of meningococcal disease.

On a lighter note.

Today marks the beginning of Spring or the vernal equinox- the Sun is exactly above the Earth’s equator, causing day and night to be of equal length across the globe. I think we can all agree that we all need extra daylight and warmer days as we navigate the rest of the spring term together in partnership.

Best wishes

Rob Veale
Assistant Director Education​ (East)