Successful parents' evenings

By Tamsin Kelly

How to make the most of the 1 to 1 with your childs teacherb>

Parents' evenings are usually held at the end of the first term, so both parents and teachers can see how children have settled, and towards the end of the academic year after reports have been handed out.

Different schools have different policies on whether children can attend too. Check in advance and decide with your child. He might enjoy showing off his classrooms and work to you, especially in secondary school, but might find it embarrassing to be talked about during the actual meeting and you might find it inhibiting.

To avoid long queues, most schools have an appointments system to see teachers, whether in their own classrooms or in a large hall. You'll rarely have longer than ten minutes. If you have specific concerns, make another appointment, rather than keep other parents waiting.

Make the effort

Firstly, do make an effort to go, even if late afternoon-early evening appointment times seem designed to penalise working parents. By attending parents' evening, you're sending out a positive message to your child and the school that you're a supportive, interested parent, and of course you'll hear first-hand how he's getting on.

In the early years of primary school, you might see your child's class teacher every day, but once your child is in Key Stage 2 years and secondary school, parents' evenings are an important time for parents and teachers to 'put a face to a name'.

Be prepared

Talk to your child before the parents' evening. Is there anything that he'd like you to ask or any work he'd like you to see, or, if at secondary school, a particular teacher he'd like you to meet? Is there anything bothering him, a particular teacher, subject or children?

The teacher will probably have prepared what she wants to say, if only by way of introduction, and will probably cover your child's progress and attitude to school. But you're not expected to simply do a nodding dog act, thank her and leave. Most teachers will ask if there's anything in particular you'd like to know.