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Parent Communications

Clear, open, and two-way communication between home and the College is essential to support your child’s progress and wellbeing. We are a large school with many departments, so we use a few key channels to keep you updated, share information, and celebrate pupil achievements.

Below, you will find details on how we contact you, how to get in touch with us, and our standards for written communications.

1. How We Contact You

To ensure you never miss an important message, please make sure your contact details are kept up to date with the College office by emailing enquiries@swanmore-sec.hants.sch.uk or by using the SIMS Parent app (more information on this can be found by click here).

Email and SMS Text Messages

Most routine communications home - including whole-school notices and general updates - are sent via email from: swanmore@scopay.com

Action required: Please add swanmore@scopay.com to your safe senders or contacts list so our emails do not go to your spam or junk folder.

Stopped receiving emails from us? If you used to get our emails but they have recently stopped, you may have accidentally unsubscribed. To resubscribe:

  1. Go to the SCOPAY Login Page.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
  3. Click the ‘resubscribe’ link and follow the quick steps to opt back in.

Individual departments or teachers may also email you directly using addresses listed on our Contact Us page.

You may also receive messages about your child's attendance from: swanmorecollege@email.attending.school  

Phone Calls

  • College main line: 01489 892 256
    Top Tip: Save this number to your phone contacts so you easily recognise when the College is calling you.
  • Voicemails: If we try to phone you and you are unavailable, our staff will always leave a voicemail whenever possible. This message will include the staff member’s name. If you return the call, please mention their name to Reception so we can direct you to the right person as quickly as possible.

ClassCharts App

We use ClassCharts for day-to-day updates, behaviour tracking, and official Announcements.

  • Push Notifications: Downloading the app ensures you receive instant notifications as well as email alerts.
  • PE and Sports Permissions: If your child plays for a College team, consent is given through ClassCharts.
  • Download: Visit our ClassCharts Information Page to download the app for iOS or Android.

2. News, Updates, and Social Media

We regularly publish news and celebrate pupil achievements across several digital channels:

  • Swan Bites (Weekly Newsletter): Published every week on our website, Swan Bites contains key dates, essential operational information, and community news. Please make a point of reading this regularly so you and your child do not miss out on opportunities. Read the latest issue on our Swan Bites Page.
  • Latest News: Read stories and achievements on our Latest News Page.
  • Social Media: Follow our active accounts for quick reminders, photos, celebrations and updates:

Facebook logo of lowercase f in a solid blue circle

Facebook

Instagram logo with a yellow to purple gradient

Instagram

LinkedIn logo

LinkedIn

For alumni and our local business and careers connections

3. Contacting Us and Response Times

Our staff spend most of their day teaching, in meetings with parents or colleagues, or directly supporting pupils, which means they are not always immediately available to answer calls or reply to emails.

When you get in touch, we work to the following response standards:

  • Acknowledgement: We aim to acknowledge your call or message within 2 working days.
  • Full Response: We aim to provide a full answer or resolution within 5 working days.
  • School Holidays: The College is closed during school holidays, and staff are not available to reply to messages. Please email us, and we will respond as soon as possible after the College reopens.

Who to Contact?

You can find the most suitable email address on our Contact Us page.

4. Emergency and Urgent Updates

In the rare event of an emergency or urgent notice (such as unexpected severe weather closures):

  • A priority banner will appear at the top of the College website homepage.
  • An urgent announcement will be sent via email, ClassCharts and occasionally SMS text message.
  • Updates will be posted immediately on our social media accounts; these may ask you to check your email inbox for an urgent message rather than give full details.

Safeguarding Concerns Outside School Hours

If you ever need to contact us to raise a safeguarding concern and it is out of school hours or term time, please contact Hampshire County Council's safeguarding team on 0300 555 1384 or the Police on 101.

Immediate Danger: If a child is in immediate danger, please contact the Police using 999 immediately.

5. Parent and Carer Communication Code of Conduct

At Swanmore College, we value strong, collaborative, and positive partnerships with parents and carers. To ensure our staff can work effectively and safely to support your child, we ask that all written and verbal communications remain polite, respectful, and constructive.

Code of Conduct

  • Parental concerns should be addressed to the person who was most heavily involved in the incident, unless it is of a very personal nature to do with that staff member, in which case it should be addressed for the attention of the curriculum leader/line manager.
  • The Headteacher will only become involved when there is no resolution.
  • Inflammatory comments or statements should be avoided and the tone should be courteous at all times – emotive and accusatory words such as ‘disgusting’, use of capitals or defamatory statements should not be included. The complaint should reflect the information you have currently received; the assumption should be that you have one version of the matter which is a concern, rather than concluding you have the totality of the information.
  • Defamatory, offensive or derogatory comments on social media sites, or by any means of communication, regarding Swanmore College, its pupils, parents/carers or staff, will not be accepted.
  • Approaching someone else’s child in order to discuss or challenge them because of their actions towards your own child is not acceptable and likely to be reported to the police.
  • Each complainant will represent their own views and should not seek to present themselves as a self-appointed spokesperson for others.
  • We aim to deal with all complaints seriously and work to resolve them. There is no need to threaten with the governors, LA or Ofsted as a means to fast-forward your complaint.
  • Meetings will be arranged where and when it is deemed necessary. Concerns around safety or child protection will be dealt with immediately otherwise appointments will need to be made in advance to meet with a member of staff.
  • Any concerns and complaints which are received which do not comply with our expectations, will be returned unattended until the communications meet the expectations outlined above.
  • Any concerns and complaints, delivered in a meeting or by telephone call, which do not comply with the above, will be reminded of our expectations. Should the behaviour continue, then the conversation will be brought to a close.
  • Parents/Carers who repeatedly breach the terms will be subject to restricted access to staff.

These standards apply to all communications. 

We appreciate your support in maintaining a respectful, safe, and positive environment for our whole College community.

6. Help Us Improve Our Website

We want our website to give you all the information you need, quickly and simply. If you ever look for something on our site and cannot find it, please let us know by completing our quick Website Feedback Form - click here to open.

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