SCS News Update 02/09/2025

Dear Families,

A very warm welcome back to school. We are very much looking forward to welcoming your child to school on Wednesday 3rd September for the start of what we hope will be a successful year of working together to achieve the best outcomes for your child.

Below is some key information that we hope you will find helpful for the start of the school year, including our school Vision & Values, Key Upcoming Dates & Information, Communicating with Teaching Teams, Other Useful Contacts and our Home-School Agreement.

The Swiss Cottage School ‘Vision’

The positive school culture and ethos
are supported by our ‘School Values’

Key Upcoming Dates

Date	Event	Notes
Individual meetings (a text will confirm your slot)	Parent/teacher start of term meeting	Each parent has a meeting slot with the class teacher and a senior leader (you received a letter at the end of the summer term with your meeting slot and will receive a reminder text tomorrow). We hope you can attend in person but if unable please email admin@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk to arrange an alternative slot.
Thursday 4th September 10.30am – 11.30am in school.	Evidence for Learning Workshop	We have an optional workshop on Evidence for Learning, the online platform where you will get updates about progress and learning in school. We can help with log in support and with how to use the app. If you cannot make the session but need support, please email accountsupport@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk
Friday 5th September (end of day)	Teaching & Classroom information	At the end of the school day on the Evidence For Learning App, you will receive the class termly timetable, a photo of the classroom, a photo of the staff and children in the class and your child’s proposed termly targets (called PLIMs – Personalised Learning Intention Maps).
Tuesday 9th September 10.30am – 11.30am in school	Coffee Morning Q&A	This is a chance to talk to some senior school staff informally and ask any questions that you may have. You are also welcome to just join for coffee and a catch up.

Key Information

School Day	School day starts at 9:30am. School day finishes at 3:30pm. Transition into the school day begins at 9:15am and to home begins at 3:15pm. If you must collect or drop your child outside of these hours, this should be authorised by the school. Please email admin@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk with your reasons.
Pupil Absence	Call the school by 9:00am on 0207 681 8080 select option 2 each day that your child is absent. State your child’s full name, class, and reason for absence. You can also email admin.
Optional Uniform	An optional uniform is available for pupils https://swisscottage.camden.sch.uk/families/school-uniform
Contact Details	Please ensure the school has your current: Phone numbers, emergency contact numbers, email address, house address. You can provide this by emailing admin@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk
Medical Information	Please ensure the school has updated information on medicine and allergies. - Doctor/GP surgery name, GP address, GP phone number
Website	General information on the school including term dates which can be found here: www.swisscottage.camden.sch.uk https://swisscottage.camden.sch.uk/parents/termdates

Communication between Teaching Teams and Families

Type	Types of communication
Home-School communication book	The home-school communication book will be provided to all families on the first day of school. It is completed daily by the teaching team and we ask families to also fill in relevant information from home.
Phone call	Reception is open from 8:30-4:30pm daily. Families can call the school office on 0207 681 8080. You can request a phone call with the class teacher, which will be held outside of teaching hours. Teachers will call every family in their class across the first two weeks of the school year to discuss the transition process for your child.
Email communication	Parents/carers can send emails to the school using admin@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk The office will direct the email to the appropriate staff member. Teachers will respond to your emails outside of teaching hours.
Evidence for Learning	his is the online platform for teachers to share pupil’s learning and formative assessment with parents/carers. Teachers upload regularly and parent/carers receive the download every two weeks.
Meetings	There is a settling in meeting at the start of Autumn term, and an optional progress meeting every term with the class teacher that families can join, and one Annual Review meeting for the EHCP. Families can also request additional meetings with relevant staff – email admin@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk
Verbal Updates at drop-off / pick-up	Families can speak briefly with teaching teams at drop off / pick up, however the teams are focussing on supporting pupils entering school so a longer conversation should be planned through a requested meeting (as above).
Reports and Assessments	Families receive a class timetable, summary of targets on the Personalised Learning Intention Map (PLIM), and useful information every term. Families receive the summary electronic learning journal from Evidence for Learning and a progress summary at the end of the term.
Class visits	There are two family learning sessions over the year when families are invited to join a classroom session. Additional invitations (for example, to view an exhibition or join a school trip) will also be specific to classes.
Whole school events	Weekly coffee mornings shares school information and themed workshops with our Family Inclusion Team. Targeted workshops are also offered - for example with outside agencies. Families are also invited to join whole school celebrations (such as International Day)
Newsletter	The weekly newsletters (sent electronically on Fridays) give updates of learning and events across the school as well as useful local contacts and resources.
Text	The school uses a protected text system to send school updates to families (teachers and staff cannot use personal mobiles in school).

Other Useful Contact Details

Below are some useful contact details of the teams working outside of the classroom and across different services to support your child.

Service Area:	Who to Contact:	Contact Details:
Therapy provision by NHS at school (Speech and Language, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy)	NHS Therapy Coordinator Anu Anna Antony	anuanna.antony@nhs.net
Disability transport provided by Local Authority to/from School	Camden SEN Team	020 7974 6500 sen.enquiries@camden.gov.uk
School Uniform (optional)	School Uniform (optional)	finance@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk
School Dinners Free School Meals	School Finance Team Elga & Rima	finance@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk
Accessing the right services, filling in forms, support with behaviour	School Family Inclusion Team	FIT.Team@swisscottage.camden.sch.uk

Home-School Agreement

As a school

We will do our best to:

Ensure our school values and ethos are positive and supportive.
Support your child’s wellbeing and safety by providing a safe, supportive and caring learning environment.
Help and encourage your child to reach their full potential.
Monitor and communicate with parents and carers regularly on your child’s progress.
Communicate between home and school through
- Regular Evidence for Learning uploads with photos, videos and learning commentary.
- Home/school communication books that are filled in daily by staff and should be updated by families.
- Families and teachers can communicate by email or phone depending on family preferences. Any incidents are reported home, and teachers will also share positive updates.
- n addition to the Annual Review meetings, there are termly progress meetings with families
Respond to communications from parents in a timely manner within school working hours. Reception is open from 8:30-4:30pm. Teachers are teaching during the school day, and able to respond to messages via admin from 3:45-4:30pm.
Address any concerns with parents or carers where necessary or refer you to the relevant staff member or agency.
Offer opportunities for parents and carers through our programme of coffee mornings, workshops, Family Learning Weeks, and annual events.

As the Parent/Carer:

I will do my best to:

Work in partnership with the school teams to get the best outcomes for my child.
Treat all members of the school community with care and respect.
Engage in parent meetings and work together with the school in order to achieve the best outcomes for my child.
Read all communications sent home by the school and respond where necessary.
Communicate to the school any concerns that I have about my child that may affect their behaviour in school or ability to learn
Communicate with school staff during core school hours (8:30-4:30pm for reception; messages for teachers will be responded to after their teaching is finished and not during learning time).
Make sure communication with the school is respectful. I recognise that abuse against staff or other parents will not be tolerated.
Follow the school’s policies around attendance- notify the school if my child will be absent and request approval for holidays during term time.

Who Does What?

Swiss Cottage School, Development and Research Centre is a community-maintained special school in the London Borough of Camden. We appreciate that you are liaising with a range of different Local Authority teams for your child. This overview outlines what the school is responsible for in orange, and the teams responsible for the other services supporting your child and family.