Group Text Messaging service

[Wonderstuff16]

Does anyone use a company to send out group text messages to parents regarding information about the setting? Hoping to send out text alerts to inform of newsletters now on website, reminders, emergency closure days, bank hols etc.

Any companies you would recommend? Thoughts

 

 

 

[Guest]

Our school and nursery use a text service but I don't know which company does it..... Sorry!

[Guest]

Parentmail can use a text service as well as email alerts.

[NettyNoodles]

We also use Parent Mail. Most schools around here do - parents also pay lunch money, trip money etc through this but I'm not sure of the costs.

[Jeany]

I looked into it but was quite expensive for the amount we would use it. I now have email addresses for all parents and send group emails only takes seconds and costs nothing. Lots of parents have emails set up to their phones so is similar.

[Panders]

we do same as Jeany, works ok for us

[Inge]

we had a work mobile phone and had all parents on it as contacts.. made it easier to call in an emergency as the number was always easy to find plus that allowed us to send text messages to many recipients at the same time... so could send it to all parents or just those we were targeting..

Edited April 22, 2014 by Inge

[Wonderstuff16]

Thanks for the info, think I will look into Parent mail.

[woodlands1997]

We do as jeany and panders and have a closed Facebook group too!

[Buttercup]

We have a closed face book page for things like that. Most people are on face book now. Texting is a good idea but you need to weigh up the benefits to the cost.

Any thing to make sure messages get to parents is a plus.

We had an inset today but still one child turned up.

Buttercup

[Poohshouse]

We use OurSchoolsapp. It is fantastic, you can upload all your policies etc, send instant news. However anyone can download it so not for sensitive info.

 

It was £180 for a year and we have used it lots.

Info here: http://www.the-contactgroup.com/products/ourschoolsapp/

[Emmawill]

We use teachers2parents its £325 a year for unlimited text messges, started using in January and this along with our facebook page has made such a difference in parents responses. Well worth the money.