Welcome to Swanwick Hall School
Welcome to Swanwick Hall School, where our commitment to excellence and our values of Ambition, Teamwork and Honesty define our community. We offer our students high-quality experiences and tailored support both inside and outside the classroom, with a focus on enhancing their life choices. Our well-planned, knowledge-rich curriculum prioritises the development of cultural capital and literacy, and is delivered by our dedicated and experienced staff. Beyond the classroom, we are a supportive, inclusive and student-centric school focused on developing well-rounded individuals. We offer a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, trips, House competitions, careers support as well as an engaging enrichment programme. All students are supported by a highly-skilled inclusion and pastoral team to ensure they feel well-supported throughout their time with us.
We understand that moving from Year 6 to Year 7 can be an anxious time for both students and families; therefore we have developed a rigorous and supportive Transition Programme which ensures all students enjoy and settle into secondary school life. Please take a moment to explore the information below to find out more about Year 6 Transition and what it means to be part of the wonderful Team Swanwick! If you would like to see the school for yourself, please book a tour by emailing enquiries@swanwickhall.ttct.co.uk – we’d love to show you our school.
Key Student and Family Information
What should we expect on the first day of school and what time should my child arrive?
Our school day starts at 8.50am with students’ first lesson of the day and students must therefore be through the gate by 8.45am. They enter through the gate closest to the sixth form block off The Green. Students must never enter the site through the double gates off the turning circle. On the first day, our new Year 7s will make their way to the area outside the sports hall ready to greet their tutor at 8.50am (they will no where to go as we will practise this during their transition days and staff will be on hand to guide them) where their tutor will register them. They will then be taken into the dining room for an assembly with a member of the Leadership Team and the Year 7 Team.
During their first day (and first couple of days) with us, Year 7 will:
- Receive their timetable and be talked through where to go and when (this can be a scary thing for students coming from primary but they are well supported!)
- Have their finger print taken so they can use the dining room
- Have their photo taken so we know what they look like
- Be given their login details for the important apps we use in school
- Be settled in to their lessons and meet their subject teachers!
We will take a great deal of care of them!
What uniform and equipment will my child need?
Students must be in full school uniform and have all the required equipment on their first day. The only thing they won’t need is their PE kit (this will be needed for their first PE lesson on their timetable). All of our equipment and uniform requirements can be found on our school website via the following link: https://www.swanwickhall.ttct.co.uk/culture/ready-to-learn/
How can I help my child prepare for the transition to secondary school?
We understand that this can be a worrying time for Year 6 students and their families, however, we work really hard to support you in the process. We have a team of experienced staff who support students from Miss Owen, the Assistant Headteacher for Pastoral, who has now led Transition for a number of years to Miss Barnsley, the Head of Year 7, who is employed as a static Head of Year for Year 7 meaning she has a great deal of knowledge of and experience with Transition. In a survey which went out to families and students of current Year 7, the overwhelming majority stated that the Transition process had been successful and they were fully settled into secondary school.
A few practical things that families can do to help:
- Ensure your child attends the Transition days in July 2025
- Ensure you attend any after-school events on offer to current Year 6 parents
- Try to attend events put on by Swanwick Hall School such as the Summer Fayre
- Check the letter section of our website as a parent/carer letter is posted on there every week: https://www.swanwickhall.ttct.co.uk/?s=letter
- Show your child the route to get to school and walk them through it so they are confident on where to go and how long it will take to walk
- Ensure you look out for messages or literature regarding Transition – you will receive more of these in the Spring term as we build up to the Transition days
- Of course, get in touch with us on enquiries@swanwickhall.ttct.co.uk if you require anything further, for example, a tour or a meeting with the Year 7 team
Here are a few websites that our families might find useful for Year 6 Transition:
Young Minds
Place2Be
BBC/Teach
Anna Freud
What support is available if my child struggles to adjust to secondary school?
Our Transition process and our Transition days are designed to support students in adjusting to and settling in to secondary school. However, where there are concerns, families can liaise with either the Form Tutor, the Non-Teaching Head of Year, Miss Barnsley who is the Head of Year or Miss Owen who is the Assistant Headteacher. We work with students and families to triangulate our support, all three of us (families, students and school) working together to find a solution. We will always be happy to meet and communicate with families where needed.
Who should I contact if I’m concerned about my child’s academic progress or wellbeing?
You can either telephone us on 01773 602106 or email us via enquiries@swanwickhall.ttct.co.uk. You can also ask to speak with your child’s Form Tutor, Non-Teaching Head of Year or Head of Year. We will share these names and contact details with you before your child starts with us in Year 7.
What are the school’s expectations for homework in Year 7?
We set our homework on an app called Satchel:One and our students receive a login for this in the first few days in September. Parents/carers will also receive a login meaning they can monitor their child’s homework. Year 7 will be set 15 minutes’ worth of homework per subject per week. We also encourage students to complete independent revision or read for pleasure.
What is the process for signing up for school meals?
Our dining room runs a cashless service and we use a system called ParentPay. Your child will have their fingerprint scanned on their first day and will be issued with login details to enable you to create and credit their account. If your child is eligible for Free School Meals, this information will be transferred over from their primary school so we will already have this on record. The FSM allocation is currently £2.80; your child will be able to use the dining room at lunchtime and this amount will be credited to their account each day. If your child wishes to purchase food at breaktime then you will need to ensure that their account does have credit.
Who do I talk to if my child has additional needs?
The Transition team will work closely with the junior and primary schools to ensure that we have all of the information we need about each child. Included in this will be any SEND concerns or provision. For any student with SEND or suspected SEND, our SEND team will work with the student and the families during the Transition process and into Year 7. For more information about SEND at Swanwick Hall School including who to contact, please see our SEND section: https://www.swanwickhall.ttct.co.uk/?s=SEND
When will my child find out which form group or house they are in?
During the Transition days, your child will spend all day with their form groups in order to build strong relationships prior to starting with us in September. Our families will receive a letter before the Transition days to inform them of their child’s form and house.
