Quick answer
Open Messages and select a group from the unified inbox. Staff who are members can write even in noticeboard-style groups, attach files and mute notifications without losing messages or unread status.
The Messages inbox brings together direct conversations and club groups. Groups appear because you belong to them, even if you do not have permission to start direct conversations with families. A square group icon distinguishes them from a direct contact’s round avatar.
Before you start
Select the correct club and check that you belong to the group or one of its linked teams. Use the thread only for its intended purpose, and remember that families see other participants with limited personal information.
Changes to assignments in linked teams appear in the chat within seconds. The open inbox refreshes automatically every 10 seconds, without leaving Messages. If an issue delays synchronisation, the change remains pending and is recovered automatically. A manual addition to the group remains even if you leave the team.
The Send messages to families permission applies to individual conversations: removing it does not prevent you from reading or writing in a group you still belong to. If you leave the group and the app confirms that you no longer have access, it hides saved content, the composer, and editing and notification actions. While offline, it cannot learn about a later removal; reconnect to check your current access.
Step by step
1. Open a group from Messages
Open Messages and select the group. The navigation counter and thread row show pending activity. If you take part in several groups, use the quick selector to switch without returning to the full list.
2. Check the context and history
Check the name, description and members before replying. Load earlier messages when needed. Depending on the club’s settings, your history may start from the date you joined.
3. Send text or files
Staff who are members can post in open groups and noticeboard-style groups, even when families cannot reply. You can attach up to five files and send a message made up of attachments only.
4. Edit or delete your own message
You can edit a message you sent during the first 15 minutes. You can also delete your own messages; the thread keeps a reference to deleted content to preserve the conversation’s context.
5. Mute notifications
From the group options, mute notifications for 8 hours, one week or indefinitely. Muting stops push notifications, but messages continue to arrive and count as unread until you open the thread.
You must be a group member to mute it. If your group-management permission lets you view and post in a group without being a member, the mute option is not shown.
Nearby messages are grouped for about 30 seconds, and a notification may replace an earlier one from the same group and request another alert. Its sound depends on your phone settings. Temporary sending errors are retried a limited number of times. If your account is both staff and tutor, group alerts prioritise the staff app; if it has no available devices, the tutor app is tried, without duplicating the alert in both apps.
To turn on alerts and troubleshoot iPhone issues, see Turn on and check phone alerts.
6. View an archived group
Archived groups remain visible as read-only history. If work needs to continue, ask an administrator to reactivate it; staff cannot reopen it in the app.
If something goes wrong
- You cannot see the group: ask an administrator to check your direct membership or assignment to the linked team.
- You cannot send a message: check your connection and whether the group is archived.
- You can no longer edit: the 15-minute limit has passed; you can delete your own message if appropriate.
- Unread messages remain after muting: that is expected; muting affects alerts, not read status.
Next step
For individual conversations, see Manage conversations from the staff app. For a one-off announcement, use Send an announcement from the staff app.