Overview 

It is very important to us that we work closely in partnership with parents and carers, and communication between home and school is key. We recognise however that it can often be difficult communicating with teachers because they have a very full timetable; and we recognise that families also have very busy lives. 

Student planner 

Communication by email or student planner are the preferred method:                                           

• Notes in student planners are by far the best way to get a message to a teacher promptly and should be used for most of the everyday communication; 

• The student is responsible for showing the note to the correct teacher.  This is the best way to ask them to contact you if you require a more detailed conversation. 

Teachers want to respond to queries at the earliest opportunity and will do their best to do so, however, most of the teachers’ time is taken up teaching and preparing for lessons. Teachers’ responsibilities extend beyond the classroom, and they may be unable to respond to you on the day a query is made. Our policy is that there is no expectation to respond to queries during their personal/family time. 

Telephone 

Please use the main reception number 01948 660600 to leave a message for a teacher to contact you: 

• Reception staff will relay messages to teachers as soon as possible. 

• If a call is urgent, please inform the receptionist who will attempt to find a senior member of staff to speak to you. 
• We will try to respond to you within three working days, if not the same day. 
• Please note lessons will never be interrupted for teachers to take telephone calls. 

Email 

Please use staff email addresses if you need to contact staff directly: 

• Teachers are not in a position to check emails consistently throughout the day and the school does not expect work email to be checked during a teacher’s personal time. 

• Emails from parents/carers will be responded to during school working hours (8am-4pm). 

• We aim to respond to you as soon as possible and within three working days. Part-time staff may take longer to reply. 

Meetings 

The day-to-day care, welfare and safety of your child is managed by the person who is placed closest to them. 

• In the first instance, please approach the following members of staff who are responsible for your child in the following order: 

1. Form Tutor or Classroom Teacher (if query is relevant to a specific subject) 
2. Progress Leader (for academic issues) or Director of Subject (if query is relevant to a specific subject). Student Support (for pastoral issues) 
3. Assistant Headteacher 
4. Deputy Headteacher 
5. Headteacher 

• Meetings should always be pre-arranged with members of staff. Please do not visit the school without an appointment hoping to see a member of staff. 
• Parents/carers and members of the public are not permitted to go beyond reception to find a member of staff. 
• If you urgently need to see someone, for instance if there is a serious family emergency or a child protection issue, please phone ahead and the reception staff will do their best to find a senior member of staff to see you. 
• For non-urgent meetings we aim to meet with you within five working days. The school will determine the level of urgency at its discretion, to enable it to manage multiple demands. 

No response 

If you have not received a response from the school within three working days, please contact the school by emailing Admin@sjt.mmat.co.uk and we will chase up your enquiry. Communication with parents and carers is important to us, and we will continue to monitor this policy and our approach to improve the process further.