St Peter’s School values community engagement and works hard to promote and nurture positive relationships working in partnership with families.
Our St Peter’s staff are passionate about providing a positive learning environment and supporting all students in partnership with families. This requires us all to engage in positive and productive ways of communicating.
Email Communication
Families are encouraged to use email as a communication tool rather than a conversation tool when communicating with St. Peter’s staff. Email is ideal for seeking clarification, sharing information or scheduling, but it is not an effective medium for discussing concerns, incidents, student progress, or personal and confidential matters that may carry emotional weight. For such topics, in-person meetings or phone calls are more appropriate, as they allow for a more nuanced and empathetic exchange whereby our concerns can be effectively conveyed and addressed.
To ensure that all discussions are productive and efficient, meetings with St. Peter’s staff must be pre-arranged via email. This procedure allows us to adequately prepare and schedule time to address your concerns thoroughly. Unscheduled meetings cannot be accommodated, except in emergency situations.
Important considerations
Regulating your emotions before sending an email or attending an in-person meeting is essential for maintaining clarity, professionalism, and positive communication. Taking a moment to pause, reflect, and manage any strong emotions ensures that your message is thoughtful, respectful, and focused on resolving the issue effectively rather than responding impulsively. This helps foster constructive dialogue and better outcomes for all parties involved.
To ensure we address your concerns effectively, we kindly ask that you provide us with a way to contact you. Anonymous communication limits our ability to respond and resolve issues.
The purpose for communicating via email is to:
| Purpose | Example |
| Clarify questions: Seek clarification on class material, homework, or any instructions given to your child. | Dear X,
I am seeking clarification on which day my child has their PE lesson? Kind regards, X |
| Provide information: Share any relevant information, such as upcoming absences, or changes to specific needs of the child. | Dear X,
My child, (name) will be absent from school next week on (date) due to an appointment. Kind regards, X |
| Express gratitude and provide positive feedback: Acknowledge and thank the teacher for their effort and support in the classroom. | Dear X,
Our family wishes to acknowledge the incredible impact you are having on our child’s learning… Kind regards, X |
| Request a meeting: Schedule a parent-teacher meeting to discuss concerns, incidents, student progress, or personal and confidential matters in greater detail.
*Please note: all meetings with St Peter’s staff must be pre-arranged via email. |
Dear X,
Can we please arrange a meeting to discuss an incident that occurred with my child in the yard today? Kind regards, X Please be mindful of safeguarding and refrain from using the names of children other than your own in emails, especially regarding concerns, to protect their dignity and privacy. |
When raising concerns, the first point of call is your child’s classroom teacher.
The process followed includes:
See Complaints Handling Policy, Complaints Handling Procedures for further information.