Diary and calendar

Diary and Calendar show what is happening at the school and when.

Between them they carry the dates you would otherwise have to ring the office for: opening and closing days, half term, exam weeks, parents’ meetings, sports days, trips, public holidays.

Using it

Check it at the start of term, once, and put the dates you need into your own phone calendar. Closing day and the parents’ meeting are the two most people wish they had noted earlier.

Check it before making plans. Exam weeks and closing dates move more often than you would like.

Look for events that need something from you — permission, money, a packed lunch, attendance.

Live classes

Scheduled live classes appear here too, with a join button that becomes active shortly before the start.

For younger children this is worth knowing about: they may need help getting into the class the first few times, and they will need a device and a quiet corner.

If a date changes

Schools do move dates. Changes are usually announced by SMS or notice as well as being updated here.

Where the two disagree, the diary is the live record — a notice sent three weeks ago may have been superseded. If it matters, ring and confirm.

If the diary is empty

Some schools populate it fully and some barely use it. An empty diary means the school has not filled it in, not that nothing is happening.

If your school’s diary is empty and you would find it useful, say so — it costs the office very little to maintain and saves them the phone calls.