Parents’ Evenings are a valuable opportunity for collaboration between parents and teachers to support your child's education and development. By being prepared and proactive, you can make the most of these meetings and contribute to your child's success in school.

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Preparing for this meeting is a great way for parents to make the most of the limited time they have with teachers and to get a comprehensive understanding of their child's progress.

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Here are some tips to help parents prepare:

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Review your child's work: Take some time to look over your child's recent schoolwork, homework, and any reports or assessments that have been sent home. This will give you a sense of their strengths and areas where they might need improvement.

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Prepare questions: Think about any questions or concerns you have regarding your child's academic performance, behaviour, social development, extra-curricular activities or accommodation for Special Education Needs or Disabilities. Write these down so you don't forget to ask during the meeting.

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Set goals: Discuss with your child and the teacher what specific goals you have for your child's progress. These goals can be academic, behavioural, or social. Setting clear goals can help both you and the teacher focus on what's important.

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Listen to your child: Before the meeting, talk to your child about how they feel in school, what they enjoy, and if they have any concerns. This will help you understand their perspective and can inform your discussions with the teacher.

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Be open to feedback: Parents' evenings are an opportunity for teachers to share their insights into your child's progress. Be open to constructive feedback and be prepared to discuss strategies for improvement.

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Bring examples: If you have specific concerns or issues you'd like to discuss, bring examples or evidence of your child's work or behaviour that illustrate the point. This can be helpful in providing context for your concerns.

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Respect the time limit: Parents' evenings typically have limited time slots for each family. Be respectful of the time allocated and try to keep the conversation on track so that both you and the teacher can make the most of the meeting.

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Be proactive: If the teacher identifies areas where your child might need extra support, ask about strategies you can use at home to help your child. It's important to work together with the teacher to support your child's learning.

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Politeness: Please remember that in all your communication to be polite and to the point. At a Parent-Teacher meeting, the teachers would have already had a day of teaching, planning, and assessing. It is also likely that they will go home after the meetings and complete more work. So please be kind, in light of this. You will find that teachers will be more receptive to this approach.

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Take notes: It can be helpful to take notes during the meeting, so you can remember what was discussed and any action points that were agreed upon.

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Follow up: After the parents' evening, follow up with your child's teacher and continue to stay engaged in your child's education. Regular communication with the school can help ensure your child's success. If you don’t know the best way to communicate with the school, have a look at our Who to Contact at Primary School and Who to Contact at Secondary School pages for further information.

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If you would like bespoke advice on this or anything school related, please do get in touch.