06 November 2025
Swan Bites is our weekly college bulletin for parents/carers – it is published every Thursday.
We welcome any feedback or comments via: enquiries@swanmore-sec.hants.sch.uk
College Notices
Join Our Board – Become a Co-opted Governor
Help shape the future of Swanmore College
We're looking for a committed and enthusiastic Co-opted Governor to join the Board of Governors at Swanmore College. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of young people and support our Senior Leadership Team as we continue to deliver excellent results and experiences for every pupil.
Being a school governor is a rewarding voluntary role. You'll meet new people, work collaboratively as part of a dedicated team, and gain valuable insight and skills in leadership, education, and governance. Most importantly, you'll play a vital part in ensuring every child at Swanmore College thrives.
What does the governing body do?
Our key responsibilities are to:
- Set and maintain the college's vision, ethos, and strategic direction
- Monitor performance to drive improvements in teaching and learning
- Support the Headteacher and staff to keep every pupil safe, valued, and able to succeed
- Oversee finances to ensure resources are used effectively for the benefit of all pupils
What support will I receive?
You don't need prior experience - full training and mentoring will be provided. You'll have access to both in-house and external governor development opportunities to help you grow in confidence and impact.
What's the commitment?
We ask for an average of around three hours per week during term time. Most meetings are held on Monday evenings (5:00 - 7:00 pm or at 5:30 - 7:00 pm), with occasional additional visits or events.
Who can apply?
Anyone with an interest in education, community, and helping young people to succeed is welcome to apply. You don't need to have a background in teaching - we value diverse perspectives and experiences that reflect our community.
If you're ready to contribute your time, skills, and enthusiasm to help Swanmore College continue to deliver an excellent education in a safe and supportive environment, we'd love to hear from you.
To express your interest or find out more, please contact:
governors@swanmore-sec.hants.sch.uk and the Chair of Governors - Ian Mills - will be in touch.
For further information have a look at the Governors pages on the College website:
https://swanmore-school.co.uk/general-information/governors/
or the Hampshire County Council website:
https://www.hants.gov.uk/.../volunteeringo.../schoolgovernor
Should you wish to apply for either role, please email enquiries@swanmore-sec.hants.sch.uk for an application form, which should be completed and returned to the College.
All positions are subject to a vetting process, identity check and enhanced DBS check as part of our commitment to ensure the safety of our young people and community.
Closing date: Monday, 10 November 2025.
Anti-Bullying Week
Swanmore College will be participating in National Anti-Bullying Week from 10-14 November. The theme this year is “Power for Good”.
As part of Anti-Bullying Week, all pupils are invited to wear Odd Socks on Monday, 10 November as part of Odd Socks Day. We would love to see as many pairs of odd socks as possible on this day!
Please see the poster attached below for further details.
Remembrance Day 2025
Remembrance Day - Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Any pupils who wish to wear their service uniforms, this will include cadets/guides/scouts etc., will be permitted to do so on this day.
Poppies & Finger Scans
From 4 - 11 November 2025, pupils will be able to purchase poppies and poppies which are 'glow in the dark' keyrings, via their Scopay accounts at our 3 food outlets.
A donation of 50p for poppies and £1 for keyrings will be charged to their account and we hope many of you will want to support this important event by giving pupils permission to purchase these items.
The money will be sent to the Royal British Legion, and we will let you know how much has been raised once we are notified.
2 Minutes' Silence
On Tuesday 11 November 2025, we will be honouring the national 2 minutes' silence at 11.00 am.
A long, sustained bell will sound, just before 11.00 am, to signify the start of the 2 minutes' silence.
At the end of the 2 minutes, The Last Post will be played on site.
A further long and sustained bell will sound to signify the end of the ceremony.
Staff will be asked to open windows wide to hear the last post and will ensure pupils are silent and respectful (sanctions will apply).
Could you please let your children know that this special event will be taking place.
PE Kit Reminders
As a polite reminder, please see the posters attached below in relation to the current PE Kit expectations and what can and cannot be worn.
Wellbeing at Swanmore College
Swanmore College has been continuing to develop its wellbeing and mental health work for our pupils, families, and staff.
We achieved the Optimus Wellbeing Award for Schools in January 2022 and will be undergoing reaccreditation for the Wellbeing Award next week.
Swanmore is committed to continually developing and improving wellbeing for all of our Swanmore community. We value your feedback and support for this important issue.
Year 7
Odd Socks Day Competition
Monday, 10 November is “Odd Socks Day”. Year 7 will be holding a competition. The Year 7 Tutor group with the highest percentage of pupils (and tutor) wearing odd socks will win 20 ICC each and a prize!
Year 8
There are no specific items for Year 8 only.
Year 9
There are no specific items for Year 9 only.
Year 10
Year 10 Parents Evening
Year 10 Parents Evening is taking place on Monday, 10 November 2025, between 4 pm and 7 pm. You can find the link to book time with your child's teachers here: /parents/parents-evenings
Year 11
There are no specific items for Year 11 only.
Next Week’s Events
Monday, 10 November 2025
- Anti-Bullying Week & Literacy Week
- Odd Socks Day – Come to school wearing your odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.
- Year 10 – Parents Evening 4 pm - 7 pm
Tuesday, 11 November 2025
- Remembrance Day 11 am – Last Post (Music Department)
- Debate Team Competition (A) 3 pm - 8:30 pm
- Year 8 Boys' Football vs. Toynbee (H)
Wednesday, 12 November 2025
- Year 10 Boys' Football vs. Wyvern (H)
- Year 8 Sports Hall Athletics (H)
- U14 and U16 Girls' Netball vs. Perins (H)
Thursday, 13 November 2025
- U14 Girls' Football vs. Mountbatten (A)
- Year 11 Boys' Football vs. Kings (H)
- Year 7 Boys' Rugby vs. Toynbee (H)
Friday, 14 November 2025
- No events scheduled for today
Community Notices
St Barnabas - 180 Out of the Box
St Barnabas Church is running a project called 180 Out of the Box as part of its celebrations of 180 years of St Barnabas in Swanmore. It is a village art project for which some of our pupils from the after-school Art club and the Bronze Art Award have created decorated boxes.
The project is part of a fundraising appeal to maintain the Church buildings. The goal is to complete 180 boxes, raising £10 per box. To sponsor the project, please use the QR code in the poster or click this link to the project's page on 'Give a Little'.
The project is on display at the Church, in the Link, if you would like to see it, and we'll be sharing photos of the boxes on social media soon.
The University of Oxford - Key Stage 3 Art Competition
Centre for Personalised Medicine Art Competition
What? The Oxford Centre for Personalised Medicine is asking young people in Years 7–9 to create art about the meaning of ‘personalised medicine’. Personalised medicine means different things to different people. Often, scientists and clinicians mean using lots of things you can measure about a person to work out how best to treat their illness or keep them healthy. In everyday life, people often think of personalised medicine as healthcare that really takes note of the person and what they might be going through. There is no single right answer, and we want to hear about what ‘personalised medicine’ means to your students.
Entrants can make a drawing, a painting, a collage, a sculpture – anything goes as long as it’s something you can take a photo of. Every entrant gets a certificate, and there are cash prizes for the best artwork. We welcome group entries as well as individual entries. So far, we’ve displayed some of the best artworks from previous years of the competition in the John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals, the Centre for Human Genetics, and St Anne’s College in Oxford.
Who? Year 7-9
Deadline? Friday, 30 January 2026
https://cpm.ox.ac.uk/art-competition/
Please note that any external clubs / events that are advertised here are not endorsed by or directly affiliated with Swanmore College in any way.