Parental Engagement
Communication with parents
We use a number of ways to communicate with parents. We ask that parents update the school office with any changes to their contact details as we rely more and more on email as a form of communication. We regularly update our school website www.ysgolbodnant.co.uk and ensure that newsletters and events are promoted on the site. The apps, meetings, platforms and their functions are as follows:
End of Week Notices - Every Friday at 4pm we send out notices and updates for the following week via email. We are asked by outside companies to send a lot of information out to families and this is how we send information out. Please mark emails from school as ‘safe’ as they can tend to go into junk / spam.
Parents’ Evenings - online and face to face offered through the School Cloud system.
Newsletter - Emailed out via SchoolGateway and Jotter, updated on the website. Printed copies are also available in reception.
SeeSaw – Classes use this weekly to set homework and have communication direct to home and we use it in the office for the main messages and reminders, we also circulate the newsletter on SeeSaw.
SchoolGateway – Our main system to email parents. This is our main app used in the office and links to sims to enable dual correspondence for blended families. This system has vastly reduced paper waste which helps everyone.
Web site – We update often and always have the updated newsletter available. The web site also has a copy of the updated prospectus which has all the current information about the school.
SchoolCloud – Parents evening web site for virtual parents’ evenings and face to face sessions. Watch out for emails to book appointments.
Jotter - Used for dates as an extra reminder and as another way to distribute the newsletter. Jotter is useful as anyone can receive this information so grandparents or extended family can receive information from school.
ParentPay – We use ParentPay for all money transactions now we are cashless in the school office.
Office phone – Don’t forget that you can call the school office it you need any school advice on 01745854724.
Parent Forum— An opportunity for families to communicate with staff face to face.
Parent Information Sessions – Held twice a year as a face-to-face meeting to disseminate information and support which is available to our families.
PTA - We have an active PTA who arrange events for school. Please get involved if you can.
Coffee and Catch Up - There is a coffee and catch up every month. It is an opportunity to meet through open discussion where we can all help to make the school aware of parental opinion on topics related to school which may cause concern, e.g. home learning, teaching & learning, behaviour, extra-curricular activities, school lunches, facilities, school environment, etc. All parents/cares are welcome. At the end of the session one year group will be invited to show their work to their parents/carers.