Most schools hold parents’ evenings every term, and they’re a very important part of the relationship you develop with your child’s school and their teacher. Whether you’re about to have your first experience of a parents’ evening, or already have several under your belt, we’ve got some suggestions to help make sure you get the most out of the meeting.

Post first published in 2016 and updated November 2023.

Before parents’ evening

Here are some ideas on how to get the most out of meeting with your child’s teacher:

• Check whether or not you should take your child with you, as this varies from school to school.
• You may not see your child’s work at every parents’ evening. Very often the first meeting of the year is all about meeting for the first time and discussing aims and targets for the year.
• Talk to your child and ask how things are going at school. Ask them what they would like you to ask the teacher. Afterwards, tell them how the meeting went, focusing on the positive comments from their teacher.
• Try to come away from the meeting with some positive steps that you, your child, and the teachers will take to help your child succeed.
• If your child is in reception or Key Stage 1, you can familiarise yourself with how reading and maths are taught and assessed in school by taking a look at the following areas of the Oxford Owl website.
  • Phonics
  • Maths
  • Introduction to Key Stage 1 SATs
• If you have a child in Key Stage 2, you may like to know more about the Year 6 SATs and how your child’s school will be approaching them. Take a look on the Oxford Owl website for:
  • Introduction to Key Stage 2 SATs

Getting the most out of parents’ evening

Children can be rather uncommunicative about their life at school once they get to primary school – which can be difficult to adjust to if you were used to a greater level of communication while they were at nursery or pre-school.ÌęParents’ evenings are a great opportunity to get to know their teacher and find out more about time spent in class.

There can be a lot to cover in a ten minute meeting, so write down any key questions to take with you to make sure they don’t get forgotten. It’s a good idea of jot down some notes during the meeting too, especially if your child’s teacher has suggestions for supporting your child at home.

Here are some ideas for questions to ask at your parents’ evening:

• ‘Do they get along with other children and have strong friendship groups?’
• ‘Do they contribute to class discussions?’
• ‘Which area of learning is their strongest and which do they seem to enjoy most?’
• ‘Are they making good progress?’
• ‘What can we do at home to help?’
• ‘Are there any areas where they are not making the progress you’d expect and what additional support are they receiving?’

Working together

Occasionally you may be told something that comes as a surprise. Remember that working together with school will be of the greatest benefit to your child and be prepared to hear something you didn’t know about their behaviour in class, or that they’re falling behind in a particular topic. Parents’ evening is an opportunity to share insights about your child, how they respond to other people or situations at home, their approach to homework and more. If either you or your child’s teacher is particularly concerned about an issue, they may suggest arranging a further meeting to create an action plan together – ten minutes at a parents’ evening can go very quickly.

After the meeting

• If some key issues were raised in the meeting, arrange a follow up meeting a few weeks later to discuss progress.
• If you’re unsure of any terms or phrases used by the teacher but didn’t have time to ask, take a look at our educational Jargon Buster on Oxford Owl.
• If there were some areas that were highlighted as needing more support, don’t forget that Oxford Owl has a number of resources aimed to help parents support their children at home
  • Phonics
  • Maths games
  • Free eBooks library
  • Tips for supporting struggling readers

Tips from our readers

Ask your children if there is anything they want to you to ask your teachers on their behalf. I think that way, children feel they are also part of the process in a good way, and they always have some great questions.
Taslin

Jot down little points on a small paper of what you want to talk to the teacher. Ask them how you can help your child at home reading etc. if he/she has any difficulty in that area.
Atiya

If you’re unsure of anything or don’t understand, ask for an explanation.
Kim

Don’t just focus on what they are doing academically, but find out how they are doing in their social circle. Are they happy? A happy child will learn.
Jen

From ‘thinking outside the bookbag’ to reading for a purpose, children’s author and mum of three, Isabel Thomas shares some great advice on helping reluctant readers get excited about books.

You can spot a reluctant reader by putting a book in their hands. Five minutes later they’ll be gazing out of the window, wriggling on the floor, or building an intricate paperback tower – anything but read the words on the page.

It’s not that they struggle to read (for information and advice aboutÌę, visitÌę). And it’s not that they can’t sit still – give my sons a screen, and they’ll demonstrate Olympian levels of concentration and stamina. Reluctant readers have the skills needed to devour books, but don’t – or won’t – use them.

Does it matter? There’s more to life than books, and children can also learn by climbing trees, making junk models or playing sports. But research consistently shows that children who read for pleasure do better at school, and we all want to give our children the best chance of unlocking adventures and opportunities in the future.

Here are some ways I encourage my sons to feel excited about books, which also come in handy when I’m writing for reluctant readers.

1. Reading for pleasure

Levels and book bands are useful tools, but it’s most important to focus on making reading fun and exciting. To avoid making reading feel like a chore or a race, I learned to be interested and impressed by whatever my sons are reading.

For most children, reading for pleasure starts with snuggly bedtime stories. There’s no need to stop this daily ritual once children can read the words themselves. Listening to stories is a great way to nurture a love of books. It also helps a child to access interesting content above their reading level. As they get older, take it in turns to read a sentence, page or chapter each.

Visit:
Ìęfrom Oxford Owl

2. “Make it funny”

My sons love it when we subvert a traditional story – adding jokes and misinterpreting the pictures for comic effect. Hearing The Hungry Caterpillar be rude about his meals, or Cinderella joke about the prince’s fashion sense, helps them associate books with laughing as well as learning.

Luckily you don’t have to improvise – there are LOADS of funny children’s books out there. Some children will enjoy snot jokes and slapstick; others will like tales of naughtiness that turn familiar rules upside down. Experiment, and see what sticks.

Try:
Ìęby Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton
Ìęby Jonathan Meres
Ìęby Matty Long
Ìęby Jem Packer and Duncan McCoshan
Ìęby Andy Seed
Ìęby John Dougherty
łŐŸ±ČőŸ±łÙ:Ìę,Ìę

3. Think outside the bookbag

My middle son used to run in the opposite direction if he saw me brandishing his school reading book. He hated the pressure of reading aloud. At the time I was working on eBooks for Oxford’s Project X series, and showed him how to access books on screen. Suddenly he was gobbling up two or three books in one sitting.

I wasn’t surprised when National Literacy Trust research found that eBooks make children keener, more confident readers, with the most potential to engage boys who don’t enjoy reading. Look through the library ofÌę.

If you are reluctant to add more screen time to the day, try graphic novels, poems, joke books or magazines and comics – bite-sized texts can be more appealing than a traditional book. My four-year-old even enjoys reading letters and words chalked on trees during walks!

Try:

Ìęby John Foster
Ìęby Michael Rosen
Magazines such asÌę
Comics such asÌę
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4. Read for a purpose

My eldest son is always reluctant to start reading a new story, but happily dips into books that mix reading with hands-on activities. From coding to origami, non-fiction books that give him a clear sense of purpose are always a big hit, and can be enjoyed without the pressure to read them from cover to cover.

Attention-grabbing content is vital – reluctant readers will abandon a book in seconds if they aren’t hooked. Seek out non-fiction books that link to your child’s existing passions, from fossils and football to snakes and space!

Try:
Ìęby David Sinden and Nikalas Catlow
Ìęby Chris Judge and Andrew Judge
Ìęby Catherine Bruzzone

Ìęby Isabel Thomas
Visit:
World Book Day’s list ofÌę
Gary Wilson’s tips onÌę

5. Copy and collect

If your child loves collecting things, they might get a buzz from working their way through a series. The best recommendations come from other children – ask around on the playground, or find out which books have a waiting list in your local library. Books linked to films or TV shows can be a good starting point. My son had chosen his Hogwarts house long before he picked up a Harry Potter book. It’s taking him months to work his way through the story, but it’s the joy of sharing details with friends that keeps him coming back to the book.

Try:
Ìęby Adam Blade
Ìęby Rex Stone
Ìęby Tom Palmer
Ìęby Cressida Cowell
Ìęby Liz Pichon
Ìęby Steve Backshall
Visit :

About Isabel Thomas

Isabel Thomas is a science writer and children’s author. She has written more than 120 books for children, includingÌęÌę(Bloomsbury, 2016), shortlisted for the ASE Book of the Year, andÌęÌę(Oxford, 2015) shortlisted for the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize. She also writes for children’s science magazine Whizz Pop Bang and is a primary school governor and zookeeper for three sons.Ìę

By the time your child is in Year 6, you’re both pros when it comes to homework schedules, PE kits, friendships and knowing the building inside out. The move to a completely new school for Year 7, with new rules, a new layout, hundreds of unknown children (and seemingly almost as many teachers) can be a challenge. Christine Jenkins takes us through what is expected of both parents and children in the first year at secondary school.

Relationship with school, and what is expected of you

• The parent/teacher/school relationship can feel different at secondary school. Your child will be taught by up to 10 different teachers, so you are unlikely to feel you know them as well as their primary teachers. Your child may find there are some whose style they prefer to others. Try not to be too concerned about this – it is quite common.
• Your child will be taught by subject specialists who are passionate about their curriculum areas, so do not be surprised if your child develops an enthusiasm for new subjects.
• Form tutors (and heads of year) have a pastoral role, although remember they will be subject teachers as well, so these should be your first port of call with any general worries.
• The school’s website should give details of how to contact members of staff. The best way is often via email. Subject teachers have full timetables, so may not get a chance to reply until the next day. Contact the school office if it is urgent.
• Parents’ evenings are usually held once a year at secondary schools and consist of appointments to see a number of teachers, usually with your child present too. Many schools now use online booking systems, but alternatively your child may need to book them. Either way, try to book as early as possible. If you have a specific query and do not manage to get an appointment for that subject teacher, email instead.
• Try to support the school in terms of rules and expectations – this leads to a more productive relationship.

Your child

• Adjusting to a new school with different expectations, often with a longer day too, can be exhausting. They may need a short break when they come in, before tackling homework.
• Consider limiting the number of out-of-school activities they do to begin with. However, it can be good to have some continuity and see ‘old’ friends, so do not stop all their previous activities.
• Try not to panic if they have not made a new circle of friends immediately. Developing new friendships takes time and self-confidence: as the term progresses it becomes easier for children as they find common ground.
• During this first year, your child will probably grow up rapidly and begin to want greater independence. They may want more private space and time, or perhaps want to start going out to meet friends independently.
• You may feel you know less about their friends, without meeting them on the playground. Suggest they invite them home occasionally. This gives you chance to meet their parents on pick up too.

Work/homework

• At the start of year 7, secondary schools will already have your child’s SATs results and teacher assessments. Many schools also carry out either their own assessment or ‘CATs’ tests, as the summer holiday and the process of transition itself can often cause a dip.
• The national curriculum is no longer assessed via levels; schools are responsible for their own assessment system, which may be explained to you at a parents’ meeting or via their website or documentation.
• During the year, they are likely to be set homework which needs saving electronically. At the start of term, set up folders on the computer for each subject, ready to save homework into. Encourage them to create sensible file names so that they can easily find documents again. Also teach them to save their work as they go!
• Your child may have exams during the summer term. Try not to overload them with pressure but support and encourage them.

You may also be interested in:

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Books

Please note: all book links lead to more information on Amazon.co.uk

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Katherine Hamlyn

Bond is the number 1 provider of 11+ practice, helping millions of children improve their literacy and numeracy skills.ÌęBond Get Ready for Secondary School EnglishÌęprovides essential support to help your child adapt to secondary school education, ensuring they have the core skills expected and the confidence to succeed.

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Andrew Baines

Bond is the number 1 provider of 11+ practice, helping millions of children improve their literacy and numeracy skills.ÌęBond Get Ready for Secondary School MathsÌęprovides essential support to help your child adapt to secondary school education, ensuring they have the core skills expected and the confidence to succeed.