English Martyrs Catholic Primary School
English Martyrs Catholic Primary School

Home/School Communications

At English Martyrs we value and encourage good communication between the school and our parents. By having good communication systems in place it will support and develop our pupils.

School Communication is a tiered approach which aims to support both parents and staff and allow the opportunity to resolve issues efficiently and effectively. We endeavour to deal with any queries or concerns as quickly and effectively as possible. However, there are occasions where staff roles determine that immediate correspondence is not possible, but please be reassured that we will get back to you within a realistic timeframe.

The document below explains the approach to take when communicating with school:

Emailing School

Staff Emails

Email Protocols for Staff and Parents

English Martyrs is committed to open, honest and timely communication. We are also committed to communication being respectful, measured, sensitive and constructive. In adhering to these principles we aim to strengthen the goodwill and the positive partnership between parents and the school, to enhance the wellbeing and learning opportunities for our students. To support this English Martyrs has recently introduced a way for parents to contact teachers directly through the email system for communication. For the email system to be a benefit for both staff and parents there needs to be clear understanding of the expectations of both staff and parents in the use of email as a communication tool. Although email is very convenient for parents who work during school hours and find it difficult to catch up with school staff during regular work hours, as a school community, we still value the face-to-face and telephone conversations as well.

Expectation of both Staff and Parents around email use at English Martyrs Catholic Primary School

The following etiquette and tips should be followed when staff and parents are communicating via email:

  • Emails are at their best when they are brief and informative. Issues that require a level of detailed discussion should be dealt with in person or over the phone.
  • At the beginning of an email the sender can use ‘No reply necessary’ to convey an information sharing email only.
  • EmaIls should always be respectful and constructive. If the email relates to a concern or problem, it ought to be focused on understanding the problem and finding a solution.
  • Emails work best when they are positive. Avoid sending negative or confrontational emails. Email is not to be used to vent. We never say in an email what we wouldn’t say to the recipient’s face.
  • Never write about or seek personal information regarding third parties (staff, students or parents).
  • The tone or intent of emails can easily be misunderstood, especially when humour or sarcasm is involved. Be conscious of this and pick up the phone rather than send an email in this instance.
  • Avoid writing in capitals or using exclamation marks to emphasise a point.
  • Parents are to only send non-vital messages by email eg do not use email to inform a teacher that your child is not going to a club after school or a different adult is picking them up at the end of the day. Given work demands teachers will most likely not get to read emails during teaching hours. The school must be informed of these by phone through the school office.
  • Parents are not to email to discuss in detail a child’s academic progress, learning expectations, or ongoing behavioural issues via email. These are best addressed over the phone or in person.
  • When parents are sending an email to a class which has a job share (ie two teachers) it is good practice to send it to both teachers in the one email. Only one teacher will respond.
  • Staff and parents are not expected to respond to emails that are contentious or require ongoing dialogue. A face-to-face meeting should be arranged in this circumstance.
  • Schools do not accept emails and will not respond to emails if more than one parent is included.
  • Staff will not email to discuss a sensitive issue which was not initiated by the parent or had not been previously discussed with the parent.
  • Staff will not disclose other parent emails to third parties.
  • When an emails is received from a parent that requires some time to gather information and reply properly, the staff member should respond acknowledging that the email has been received and indicate when an informed response will be sent.
  • Staff will aim to reply to parent emails within 2 working days. There is no expectation from staff to read emails after 5pm on a working day or at weekends.
  • Staff will not respond to offensive or abusive emails and will forward them to the headteacher who will take the appropriate action.