23 October 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
Calm Swan Sessions - Discover your creativity and find your calm!
Calm Swan Sessions is a new Tuesday lunch time club at 12:40pm for Year 7 and 8 in R02.
November session dates are Tuesday 04, 11, 18 and 25.
Please encourage your child to come and join our therapeutic art sessions and express themselves, manage stress or simply explore their creative side! It's not an art lesson and you don't need any artistic experience. I encourage them to take this opportunity to discover the therapeutic benefits of art. I look forward to seeing your child!
Miss Emms
World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day was on Friday, 10 October 2025. To mark the event pupils completed hope clouds in their connect sessions on Wednesday thinking about what makes them feel hopeful. They also learnt
about techniques to help with stress and anxiety such as the 5,4,3,2,1 method and breathing exercises. Pupils studied the effects of "doomscrolling" and how to limit this.
Staff wore yellow as part of the YoungMinds "Hello Yellow" campaign to show support for mental health awareness in young people.
Some pupils taking exams this week took part in "guided relaxation". This is where pupils practiced techniques to help them with anxiety and stress during the mock exam period led by Mrs Kindlysides and Miss Sutherland.
Thank you to all staff and pupils who took part in raising awareness of mental health during the week.
Tailored Shorts
As you are aware, we recently carried out a survey regarding the wearing of tailored shorts via pupil voice.
Of the 1340 pupils on site, 595 completed the survey. As stated previously, 48% of those pupils said yes and
52% said no. The decision at this time is that we will not be changing our uniform to include tailored shorts.
Please be reassured that, in the summer months when the weather is extremely hot, we will allow and encourage pupils to wear their PE uniform as we have always done.
Leave of Absence Forms (LOAFs)
Recently Hampshire County have updated the Leave of Absence Request Form (LOAF) to reflect a policy change. Schools are now authorised to issue Penalty Notices to parents/carers who attempt to avoid penalties by scheduling holidays that fall during weeks containing a Bank Holiday or INSET Day.
Please be aware that if the leave is not authorised and the pupil has 5 college days/10 sessions or more of unauthorised leave in the last 50 college days/100 sessions, a Penalty Notice for Unauthorised Absence will be issued after the pupil’s return to college. This action is in accordance with The Education Act 1996, section 444A.
Further information on Penalty Notices can be found here: PenaltyNotices-for-non-attendance-guidance-parents-carers.pdf
PE Kit Skort Update
Due to a successful Pupil Voice Survey, we are adding a plain black Skort to our PE kit expectations list.
This is not a compulsory item of kit, but it does provide pupils with an alternative style of clothing that can be worn in PE lessons.
Careers and Next Steps News
We have a roundup of the vital opportunities for pupils and parents to explore the exciting next steps after Swanmore College now available on the website: Click here to go the newsletter
It includes important information about:
- Virtual Work Experience for aspiring medics, dentists, and healthcare workers.
- Apprenticeship opportunities with major employers like EDF, Dunelm, and the British Army.
- The SETA Engineering Apprenticeship Jobs Fair and Apprenticeship Open Days at Steve Willis Training Centres.
- The upcoming Sparsholt College Open Day for post-16 education.
- Crucial Unifrog parent sessions covering apprenticeship applications and post-16 options.
Year 7
There are no specific items for Year 7 only.
Year 8
There are no specific items for Year 8 only.
Year 9
There are no specific items for Year 9 only.
Year 10
There are no specific items for Year 10 only.
Year 11
There are no specific items for Year 11 only.
Next Week’s Events
Monday, 27 October - Friday, 31 October - Half Term
Monday, 03 November 2025
- Professional day - the College is closed to pupils
Tuesday, 04 November 2025
- We look forward to welcoming pupils back to school
- U16 Girls Football Hampshire Cup v Calthorpe Park (A)
- Year 7 Girls Netball Hampshire Cup v Perins (A)
- Year 8 Girls Netball Hampshire Cup v Perins (A)
Wednesday, 05 November 2025
- Football Year 9 v Year 10 (On Grass Pitch)
Thursday, 06 November 2025
- U14 Boys Basketball v St Georges (H)
- Year 8 Boys Football v Crestwood (H)
Friday, 07 November 2025
- Year 7 Boys B Team Tournament @ Ganger Farm 1:30-4:30pm
Community Notices
Winchester Youth Counselling - Support Programmes
- Parent support group in Bishops Waltham
Wednesday, 29 October 10-11am
Jubilee Hall, Bishops Waltham
Drop-in, no booking required - Parent support evening 'Loss & Bereavement, inc divorce/separation'
Thursday, 13 November
Solent Mind Wellbeing Centre, Parchment St, Winchester
Booking essential (free) - Booking link
More info - katy@winchyc.org / 01962 820444
Please see the attached posters for further information.
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford are offering the following online opportunities for students and families who would like to find out more about Higher education in general and The University of Oxford in particular.
For Families - A Guide to University Webinar
What? This session will be of interest to parents and carers of students in Years 10, 11 and 12 and will be particularly useful for those who did not attend university themselves or who feel they would appreciate updated university information and guidance. In the session, we will focus on effective ways parents and carers can support their child’s progression to higher education.
We aim to build confidence and knowledge about what a parent and carer's role is in the process of a university application and to clarify the benefits and costs of going to university. We will also touch on
some aspects of the University of Oxford. There will also be a live Q&A with some current undergraduate students who'll share some of their own experiences of applying to university and answer any questions parents and carers may like to ask.
Who? Parents/carers of children in state secondary schools
When? Monday 3 November (18:00-19:30)
Where? Online
Deadline? Registration is open until 48 hrs prior to each session.
A Guide to University - Supporting your Child
For Families – A The University of Oxford and the Application Process
What? This session will be of interest to parents and carers of students in Years 10, 11 and 12 and is particularly useful for those wanting to hear specifically about the University of Oxford and the application process. In this session, we will also focus on effective ways parents and carers can support their child, should they decide to apply to the University of Oxford in the future. We aim to build confidence and knowledge about what a parent and carer's role is in the process of a university application and to clarify the benefits and costs of going to the University of Oxford. There will also be a live Q&A with some
current undergraduate students who'll share some of their own experiences of applying to Oxford and answer any questions parents and carers may like to ask.
Who? Parents/carers of children in state secondary schools
When? Thursday 6th November (18:00-19:30)
Where? Online
Deadline? Registration is open until 48 hrs prior to each session.
A Guide To University - Part 2
Oxford Materials Science Open Days (in person and online)
What? Experience what it's like to study Materials Science at Oxford for the day! At our annual Materials Science Open Days, you will get the chance to experience what studying Materials Science at Oxford is like. You will gain insight into the subject through taster lectures and workshop sessions, along with a feel for Oxford itself with tours of both the department and an Oxford college.
Who? Prospective students in Year 11 & 12
When? 17 & 18 February 2026, 17 & 18 March 2026, ONLINE 20 February 2026
Where? Department of Materials, University of Oxford
Science Open Days Booking essential
1+1= 2 Talk
SuperCurricular Opportunity for students interested in Mathematics
In the first of a series of short talks on the equations that make mathematics, Robin Wilson begins with at the beginning with 1 + 1 = 2. In just ten minutes Robin asks: how did early civilisations count? When did negative numbers and zero emerge? Can all numbers be written as fractions? What are rational, irrational and real numbers? And can we prove that 1 + 1 = 2
This video is available on the Oxford Mathematics YouTube Channel.
Charity Christmas Fair & Car Wash
On Saturday, 15 November 2025 there will be a Charity Christmas Fair and Car Wash to raise money for The Hampshire and I.O.W Air Ambulance. Members of the local youth group, many of whom attended Swanmore College, will be taking part in the car wash. For further details, please see the attached poster.
Please note that any external clubs / events that are advertised here are not endorsed by or directly affiliated with Swanmore College in any way.