21 May 2026
21 May 2026
Swan Bites is our weekly College bulletin for parents and carers – it is published every Thursday.
We welcome any feedback or comments via: enquiries@swanmore-sec.hants.sch.uk
College Notices
Soccer Aid is BACK at Swanmore College!
Monday, 01-Friday, 05 June 2026
On the first week back after half term, pupils will be able to get involved in a range of fun football-themed activities during break and lunch, all while raising money for UNICEF and the incredible work they do around the world.
From penalty shootouts and crossbar challenges to inflatable football matches and Football Shirt Wednesday, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
Activity timetable:
- Football obstacle course (Monday, 01 June)
- Keepy-up Challenge (Tuesday, 02 June)
- Football Shirt Wednesday (Wednesday, 03 June)
- Penalty shoot-out (Wednesday, 03 June)
- Giant football match (Thursday, 04 June)
- Crossbar challenge (Friday, 05 June)
- After school staff match (Friday, 05 June)
£1 donation for all games and activities. Donations can be made in person or via Scopay.
Professional Days 2026-27
The professional days for 2026-27 have been announced and are as follows:
- Tuesday, 01 September 2026
- Monday, 02 November 2026
- Monday, 22 February 2027
- Monday, 12 April 2027
- Friday, 25 June 2027
Term dates and start of year information for 2026-27 are available on our website here: Swanmore School - Term Dates and Key Dates, and includes links to future school year information on the Hampshire County Council website.
Upcoming trip opportunities for Cricket and Tennis club pupils
Exciting trip opportunities are coming up for pupils in Years 7–10 who have attended Cricket or Tennis club and represented the College in those teams this term, with trips planned to the T20 and Wimbledon after half term.
Any pupil interested in attending who has not yet taken part in the relevant club should make sure they begin attending as soon as possible to be considered for a place.
Further details about the trips will follow via email.
Club information can be found on the College website:
Swanmore College Clubs
SwanFest 2026 – Early Bird Ticket deadline approaching
Early Bird tickets are only available until Friday, 19 June 2026, which is now less than one month away.
Click here to secure your Early Bird ticket: SwanFest | Tickets
Join us on Saturday, 04 July 2026 for a full day of live music, food, entertainment and family fun at Swanmore College.
📍 Swanmore College Field, SO32 2RB
🕚 11am–9pm
You can also read an exclusive interview with Max Sarre, written by one of our pupils, Esmay R (Y7) for Swan Life Press: swanfest.co.uk | He's Back!
Keep up with the latest lineup announcements, behind-the-scenes previews and festival updates by following SwanFest on Facebook and Instagram
Year 7
There are no specific College items for Year 7 only.
Year 8
HPV Vaccinations for Year 8 Pupils
The NHS School Age Immunisation Service will be visiting Swanmore College to deliver HPV vaccinations to Year 8 pupils on Monday, 01 and Tuesday, 02 June. The HPV vaccine helps protect both boys and girls against a range of HPV-related cancers.
Thank you if you have already submitted a form. If you have yet to submit your form, please follow the links below for the electronic form and information about the vaccine. Access to the form will close two working days prior to the session.
School Code: SH116424
Session date: Monday, 01 and Tuesday, 02 June
Link to form: https://www.hiowhealthcareimmunisations.co.uk/Forms/HPV
For further information: https://www.healthforkids.co.uk/hampshire/hpv/
To choose YES or NO please complete the form to record your decision.
Year 9
There are no specific College items for Year 9only.
Year 10
OSRL: Oil Industry Work Experience Placements
Pupils interested in the energy sector and environmental protection are invited to apply for a week of work experience with Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSRL). As an industry-funded organisation, OSRL specialises in both reactive and preventative activities to support its members globally.
Key Details:
- Placement Date: 20-24 July 2026. Pupils must be prepared to spend the first two days of their summer holiday on this placement.
- The Experience: Gain insight into how the oil industry manages environmental safety and emergency response.
How to Apply:
To express interest, pupils should submit a covering letter directly to Nicola Dunkin at Nicoladunkin@osrl.com
Sparsholt College: June Open Evening
Year 10 pupils and their families are invited to attend the Sparsholt College Open Evening on Thursday, 11 June 2026. This event is a fantastic opportunity for pupils to explore the college’s specialist facilities and learn more about their industry-focused courses.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, 11 June 2026
- Time: 5:00pm – 7:30pm
- Location: Sparsholt College, Winchester
Why Attend?
- Explore the Campus: Tour the extensive grounds and specialist centres dedicated to subjects like agriculture, animal management, Fisheries, and equine studies.
- Meet the Experts: Speak with experienced tutors and current pupils about life at Sparsholt and the various pathways available.
- Career Advice: Receive guidance on how Sparsholt’s vocational qualifications and apprenticeships can lead to rewarding careers in the land-based sector.
Booking Information: Tickets are essential for this event and are going fast.
Book your tickets here: Sparsholt College Open Evening | Eventbrite
Year 11
Unifrog Access: Important Action for Year 11 Pupils
To ensure continued access to valuable career resources, all Year 11 pupils are encouraged to update their Unifrog accounts.
What you need to do: Please change your registered email address on Unifrog from your school email to your personal home email address.
Why this is important:
- Long-term Access: By updating your email before leaving school, you will retain access to your Unifrog account for six years.
- Career Support: You can continue to use the platform's tools for university applications, apprenticeship searches, and CV building throughout your post-16 journey and beyond.
Please complete this update as soon as possible to ensure you don't lose access to your progress and saved information!
Next Week’s Events
Monday, 25 May–Friday, 29 May: Half Term
Monday, 01 June 2026
- Y8 HPV Immunisation
- Y10 Geography field trip to Hill Head and Whiteley
- U13 Cricket vs Mountbatten (H)
Tuesday, 02 June 2026
- Y8 HPV Immunisation
Wednesday, 03 June 2026
- No fixtures/events
Thursday, 04 June 2026
- Y9/Y10 Boys Tennis (H)
- Y9/10 Athletics: Field and Relay Meet at Mountbatten
Friday, 05 June 2026
- Y10 Geography field trip to Hill Head and Whiteley
Community Notices
University of Oxford Outreach webinars
St Hilda's webinar: An overview of the Oxford admissions process
What?
This webinar is aimed at pupils who are preparing to apply to Oxford. It will run through each part of the admissions process and what is required at each stage, alongside reminding you of key deadlines and offering advice on how to make a successful application.
Who?
Open to state school pupils (Y10-11) and teachers
When?
Thursday, 18 June 2026 (4:00-4:45pm)
Where?
Online: An overview of the Oxford admissions process | Register here
Women in Engineering Talks
What?
To celebrate International Women in Engineering Week, Oxford University will be hosting five online talks during the week of the 22 June 2026. The first four of these will be from individual female Oxford University postgraduate students, currently working on projects and research within the Engineering Science Department. The final talk will be an overview of undergraduate life for Engineering Students here at Oxford University and an opportunity to ask questions of female undergraduate students about their time and experience here.
Who?
Aimed at Pupils Y10-11, but anybody of any age or gender who is interested is welcome to attend.
When?
Each day of the week commencing Monday 22nd June. Each talk will run from 16:30 and 17:30.
Where?
Online: Women in Engineering | Sign up
Oxford Online Maths Club – Weekly Livestream
What?
The Oxford Online Maths Club is a weekly livestream that is free, interactive, casual, and relaxed, and the livestreams are recorded so that you can watch back afterwards if you can't make it to the live broadcast on Thursday afternoons. Our regular host is Dr James Munro, and we often have current Oxford students answering questions in chat and appearing on the livestream to talk about maths.
Who?
The club is mostly aimed at people about to apply to university or about to start a maths course, but everyone’s welcome and there’s no registration needed. Whether you’re the only person you know who’s interested in maths, or if you’re amaths club looking for more maths content, we’re here for you.
When?
The Oxford Online Maths Club is live each Thursday at 5:00-6:00pm
Where?
Online (livestreams are also recorded): Oxford Online Maths Club | Watch here
Webinars for Care-Experienced Students (Mansfield College)
Intro to University
What?
Mansfield's Outreach team will deliver a webinar alongside staff members from Become. This webinar will introduce the University of Oxford and will give you an idea of what university life is like. We will discuss support you can receive from your local authority, universities, and Become. You will also get the chance to ask any questions you may have.
Who? For those under the age of 21 who are interested in learning more about life at university and the University of Oxford.
When? Wednesday, 27 May 2026. 6pm-7:30pm
Register here: Care-experienced Webinars | Register
Intro to the University of Oxford for Mature Students
What?
Mansfield's Outreach team will deliver a webinar alongside staff members from Become. This webinar will introduce the University of Oxford and will give an overview of what life is like at university as a mature student. We will discuss support you can receive from your local authority, universities, and Become. You will also get the chance to ask any questions you may have.
Who?
For mature students (aged 21+) who are interested in learning more about life at university and the University of Oxford.
When?
Thursday, 28 May 2026. 6pm-7:30pm
Register here: Care-experienced Webinars | Register
How to Apply to University
What?
Mansfield's Outreach team will deliver a webinar alongside staff members from Become. This webinar will give you an overview of how to apply to university and will explain how the application process for Oxford differs. You will also get the chance to ask any questions you may have.
Who?
For pupils Y11 and up who are interested in learning more about applying to the University of Oxford
When?
Wednesday, 3 June 2026. 6pm-7:30pm
Deadline to register?
Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Register here: Care-experienced Webinars | Register
Weekly News Roundup
The latest stories from around the College
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