We love hearing from you!

Here are just a sample of the things parents, pupils and the community say about...

...our students & staff

"I would like to send some praise back to The Swanage School. My daughter had a surprise 13th birthday party at home on Friday, with 17 of her school friends, some of which I had not met before. What a lovely group of girls and boys! They are so caring and supportive of each other, which I feel is a reflection of The Swanage School ethos. Many thanks." [Parent]

"A friend and I spent a day out in Swanage yesterday, and on the way home encountered a number of your pupils. Can I say how impressed we were with the way they were dressed. A simple but very smart grey suit, ties still perfectly in place; going home on the bus with a number of them, they were without exception sensibly behaved (while still being children!) [In my home town] there is a very sad comparison. Whatever you are doing it is working."  [Well-wisher]

"Dear Mr Hobson, I have the privileged job of teaching young people when they are ill in Poole Hospital. We like to get to know our students and often talk to them about their schools and how they get on. When we asked these questions of one of your students recently they were very positive about your school and commented that "students are treated as an individual and not just a number". It was so lovely to hear a young person speak so warmly about their secondary school that we wanted to pass on their feedback." [Curriculum Area Leader - Hospital]

"Please could you pass on my thanks to Mr Hobson, your Y7 teachers and the lovely student tea-deliverers for a really super parents' evening! Your staff's enthusiasm and care for the students really shone through and we are very appreciative of their time and the useful written report. Our son has loved every day at TSS and really enjoys all his classes - and this has made his transition to secondary so easy and positive. Thank you all, and have a great (not too manic!) rest of the term." [Parent]

"Dear Tristram Hobson, thank you for several things last evening. For the courtesy of pupils who made way for my wife, seeing her blind white stick, for the helpfulness of staff "on the door" getting a pupil to find us best seats for poor sight, for the member of staff who phoned for a taxi for us, for the show itself, and your explanation to us of how it was developed by the cast, back-stagers etc, for the pleasure of being carried back to the days as a head, when I so enjoyed putting on primary school plays - so did the children - Oh yes they did! Keep up the good work, and meanwhile, Christmas and New Year good wishes" [Aladdin Pantomime audience member]

...the things we do in and for the community

"Thank you for a lovely afternoon; your school, teachers and pupils are amazing." [Seniors Tea Party attendee]

"Good afternoon, I have just bought a poppy from two very cold looking young ladies from your school outside of Boots in town. They were an absolute credit to themselves and to your school - as were the two lads in Co-op. What they were doing is fantastic and a vital part of supporting the wider community. Thank you for supporting this cause and the town in this way." [Well-wisher]

"Dear Swanage School, today 7 of your students came to Explorers to work on getting things ready for the up and coming youth club.  I would just like to say a big thank you to them and your school. They were excellent ambassadors for the school. They all worked very hard and were courteous and polite at all times, making an excellent impression on all the staff and children here today. I look forward to working with them in the future and know they will be an asset to the new youth club. Thanks again" [Director, Explorers Childcare Group]

"We would like to say a huge thank you for hosting the visit from Ludmilla, the Ukrainian school director, Ksenya, her interpreter and Jon from Hope Now, last Friday. It seems they had a wonderful visit and were very impressed by the teaching methods and all that you do for the students...Thank you for all you do in encouraging your school's involvement in the things we do at Emmanuel" [Community Team Leader, Emmanuel Baptist Church]

"Dear Mr Hobson, just a note to say how very much my friends and I enjoyed the tea party that your school gave last Friday. A massive thank you to you, your staff and the lovely young people who looked after us so well. I'm sure you are very proud of your pupils, whatever part they played in the festivities they played the role well. They were all so polite and a credit to their parents and to your school. My grateful thanks for a really lovely afternoon. Best wishes to you all." [Seniors Tea Party attendee]

"Please can you thank everyone who helped to make such a wonderful afternoon on Friday. All our members who came thoroughly enjoyed the choir singing, joining in with some Carols and especially the refreshments. The students were so courteous and welcoming - congratulations on a successful achievement and for sharing this with the local community" [Swanage Disabled Club, attendees of the Seniors Tea Party]

"Dear Mr Hobson, I am writing to say how much we appreciated being invited to the Seniors' Christmas Tea held at the School yesterday. I had no idea that so many people had been invited and it was apparent immediately on arrival that there was a very large attendance. It was also very obvious that an enormous amount of effort had gone into the preparations for the Tea by the staff, students, and volunteers. It was clear that the production of roulade and biscuits for all those attending the teas (and in particular the making of individual Christmas Cakes to take away) must have been a major exercise extending over several days. We very much enjoyed singing the carols with the choir and, not least, "The 12 Days of Christmas" which for us was the highlight of the event. I heard many others talking in the same vein after the event and it was quite plain that everyone had enjoyed themselves enormously." [Seniors Tea Party attendee]

"What a wonderful event for young and old to connect" [Facebook comment, Seniors Tea Party]

"Thank you all for a lovely afternoon - our residents from the Old Rectory had a great time, with two of them having their grandchildren come out of lessons to see them, this meant so much to them" [The Old Rectory, Seniors Tea Party]

"Mrs X enjoyed this, she was quite emotional telling me about it" [Seniors Tea Party]

"Thank you all for a great afternoon - thoroughly enjoyed by all!" [Seniors Tea Party]

....our school productions

Praise for Hairspray (school production 2019]

"Wow wow wow what an amazing show! What talent the Swanage School have. Well done to everyone involved and especially to Mr Peake and Miss Bunney. We all had a smile on our faces through the whole show - just superb!"

"What  fantastic performance! So full of energy! You could clearly see they were all loving every minute of it. Absolutely brilliant! A MASSIVE WELL DONE to all those involved - cast, stage crew, production crew, musicians, wardrobe and make up, all those involved behind the scenes and especially Mr Peake and Miss Bunney for making it happen. Absolutely brilliant! Well done all of you!"

"Wow what an absolutely fantastic show!! We absolutely loved it! It was funny, spectacular on the eyes, fab singing, such talen, great dance moves, wonderful energy....Like a professional production!"

"Fantastic show once again, well done to everyone involved, really brilliant performances"

"Brilliant - we were blown away by how fantastic it was - huge congratulations to all involved!"

"A fabulous show! You were all so good. What a credit to yourselves and the school....and that goes for the staff and crew too! Absolutely crackin' guys!!"

"The show was absolutely fantastic! Such great energy and you could tell everyone was having a ball."

"Wonderful five star production of "Hairspray" at the Mowlem by The Swanage School tonight. Go if you can, on Friday and Saturday too."

"I just wanted to pass on our huge congratulations for the total triumph that was Hairspray. Thank you so much for going so far "above and beyond" the extra mile - what an amazing show! We came to both the Friday and the Saturday shows, and were blown away by the sheer talent and confidence of the students and the truly fantastic singing from the cast. The show was a proper West End spectacle - amazing colourful costumes and brilliant dancing. Loved the professional 60's props - and the humour - especially between Edna and Wilbur - had everyone crying with laughter. It was a real privilege for Finn to be part of this fantastic show, and it was clear from the positive energy on stage, that everyone had an awesome time and didn't want it to end. We really appreciate all the blood, sweat and tears that goes into a major product - so thank you all so much again. As the Deputy Head said "The Swanage School don't do things by halves" - and long may than continue!!

"The show was fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The enthusiasm of the cast was amazing and the quality of the acting was on a part with the professional theatre. The dedication required to produce a show of this quality is a credit to the young people in the cast. The music director was so involved throughout the show, conducting, playing, singling along and inspiriting the cast to reach great heights."

Praise for Treasure Island [Christmas Pantomime 2018]

"What a great night out! Thank you Year 9, Miss Bunney, Mr Peake....Perfect panto, oh yes it was."

"It was an amazing performance done by all, we are so lucky that the school have such fantastic teachers to be able to show our students how a professional job can be done, well done all of year 9 on a fabulous performance, us parents, teachers  & school are so proud to say you belong to us all."

"Brilliant! Very funny - well done to everyone involved"

"Well done!! So funny!"

"Fantastic show, well done everyone!"

Praise for "Grease" [school production 2018]

"Well done Mr Peake & all who helped put this production together, it was fantastic as always. To all the pupils that took part on stage & behind the scenes  you were excellent, a real credit to The Swanage School even after the show last night in the show bar. A real proud parent!"

"So, that was just brilliant. I don't know about the cast, but we can't wait to see what you do next. Well done The Swanage School"

"We had four generations watching and everyone of us loved it"

"Amazing, thoroughly enjoyed it!"

"Nothing has ever made me wish I was back in school aged 14...until I saw how much fun and hard work has gone in to make this fabulous school production. A lovely show, you should all be really proud of yourselves"

"Superb show and production! A great credit to your school - superb casting and such professional performance from all involved."

"Superb performances! Massive congratulations to all the students and staff involved! Well done - loved it!"

"It was fantastic, a credit to all who worked on it and in it, can't wait for next year's show, a lot to live up to!"

"it was amazing, still smiling thinking about it today...so proud of everyone!!"

"It was so amazing! Thank you for making a fabulous show and making all the kids shine!"

"I enjoyed it so much I had to come back a second time! What a great show. A huge well done to everyone involved!"