General guidance
General information and guidance for Southampton's schools. Find the information you need on a variety of topics below, including helpful documents, other resources and contact information.
Further sections
Admissions
National guidance about school admissions.
Documents
- Best practice guidance – School admissions appeals
- Education outside normal age group - Guidance
- School admission appeals code
- School admissions code
Further information
Contact information
Online: Enquiry form
Telephone: 023 8083 3004
Childcare in schools
Local advice and guidance for schools about childcare, specifically wraparound and holiday childcare.
Early Help/Families First
Local advice and guidance about early help is available through the following links:
Emergency planning
Southampton City Council's Emergency Planning team is able to support schools and academies with development, training and testing of their emergency arrangements.
Documents
Should an incident affect your school you can develop an effective response with the school emergency plan template.
Contact information
Email: school.emergencies@southampton.gov.uk
Family Information Service
The Southampton Family Information Service (FIS) offers information, advice and guidance to families and professionals regarding childcare, early learning for two, three and four year olds, working in childcare, family advice and support services and signposting to a multitude of other agencies. A brokerage service is also available when families need specific support to find childcare. The Bookstart Programme in Southampton is also managed by Southampton FIS.
The FIS was previously known as the Children and Young People's Information Service (CYPIS).
If you need to contact the service, you can find their details on the Southampton Family Information Service webpage.
ICT strategy
The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy Team supports Southampton City Council and Southampton Schools/ Academies in the use and development of Management Information Systems (SIMS & ONE).
ICT strategy on the Schools Extranet
Information, guidance and resources for Southampton Schools and Academies is available on the Schools Extranet. If you do not have a username/password then contact the ICT Strategy Helpdesk.
ICT training
The ICT Strategy Team offers training sessions in SIMS. If you have any queries about the training available, our facilities or course content then please contact the ICT Strategy Helpdesk.
Documents
How to get to the ICT Strategy Training Room.
Further information
Contact information
Email: csl.ict@southampton.gov.uk
Telephone: 023 8083 4555
Safeguarding
National and local guidance for schools about safeguarding.
Documents
- Children Missing Education - Statutory guidance
- Children Missing Education guidance for schools 2021
- Children Missing Education policy
- Educational neglect advice for practitioners May 2021
- Guidance for child protection policies
- Guidance for safeguarding policies
- Guidance on the Retention and Transfer of Child Protection records, Child Welfare and learning records for Education, including Children Looked After
- Prevent Flowchart and Vulnerability Awareness
- Prevent Self-Assessment Toolkit Education Settings
- Safeguarding self-evaluation tool
School attendance
Local guidance about school attendance.
Documents
Read the school attendance guidance.
School monitoring group
Local guidance about the school monitoring group.
Documents
Read about the school monitoring group annual visits.
