Ever since starting as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed NQT at Mickley Grange, I've always dreaded the prospect of parents' evening.
Given our catchment area, I am always alert to the possibility of arsey, argumentative parents turning up and being confrontational. It hasn't happened yet, but it's still something that runs through my mind in the days leading up to the dreaded late evening shift.
In today's article I thought I'd share some of my tips for making parents' evening as pain free and productive as possible. If you want to cut straight to the chase then I will list the key points at the foot of this article. If you have a bit more time, you might be kind enough to indulge me by reading the entire thing.
Preparation is key
As with most things in life, preparation is key. If your school is anything like Mickley Grange then parents will use an online system to book appointment slots. This system will open a week or two prior to the parents' evening in question, but there is usually an opportunity for the teacher to update their availability to include a couple of refreshment breaks during the evening.
Generally speaking, it is a good idea to raise any behavioural or performance concerns with parents at the earliest opportunity. Concerns like this should be conveyed by telephone, instead of being held back for parents' evening. Breaking bad news to little Jonny's parents about his standard of behaviour or level of effort could well derail any parents' evening consultation, so is best avoided.
A typical Mickley Grange parents' evening, of which there are four a year, begins at 3.45 pm and finishes at 7 pm. I might block out a 10 minute break at around 5 pm and another at around 6 pm. Remember that if you're employed part time, then the length of the evening should be scaled accordingly - e.g. if a full time colleague does a 3 hour parents' evening then a 0.5 colleague should only be expected to do 1.5 hours. Employment law is such that a part time colleague cannot be placed in a less favourable position than a full time one, otherwise the school would be wide open to claims of discrimination.
In the fortnight before parents' evening it's a good idea to get on top of your marking, so the standard of each student's work is fairly fresh in your mind. You will, of course, know all of the high flyers and those that are less able, but the 60 percent in the middle are often less memorable and slip between the gaps. Slipping between the gaps is more of a problem now at Mickley Grange as every class has at least 35 students in it, meaning teachers have a far greater workload than they did when I first started. It's also a good idea to use that fortnight to make a note of any students that fail to complete their homework or whose behaviour gives cause for concern.
The online appointment booking system usually closes a day or two before parents' evening. As soon as it does be sure to print out a list of which parents are attending. Armed with that information it's a good idea to dig out the relevant exercise books and folders and take a closer look at the work of each of those students. This also gives a final chance to finish off any little bits of marking.
It's also a good idea to identify any students who require additional support in lessons. Their parents will want to know how the teacher is supporting them as an individual, so be sure to refresh your memory of their specific needs.
For years I went to parents' evening without the students' exercise books, because I didn't want the potentially arsey, argumentative parents mentioned earlier finding fault with the standard of marking. In more recent years I have gotten into the habit of taking the books with me, making sure they are sorted into the correct order beforehand.
Parents' evening itself
At Mickley Grange all parents' evening meetings take place in a wide open space like the gym or hall, where tables and chairs are set out for every teacher. Each table has a little sign with the teacher's name on it, so parents can put a face to the name. Having everyone present in the same large room reduces the possibility of confrontation and affords a degree of collective security. If anything does go wrong, one of the Senior Leadership Team is close at hand for firefighting duties. A clock is projected onto the wall or screen, so that each parent can approach the relevant teacher at the right time of their appointment.
I would arrive early and set up my laptop and/or mark book on the desk. I'd also make sure I had a bottle of water or mug of tea, as talking pretty much non-stop all evening is thirsty work. I'd make sure the relevant SIMS marksheets and attendance registers were open on my laptop. Parents' evenings at Mickley Grange usually follow a reporting period, so I'd make sure each student's report was available to me. Finally, I'd have each student's exercise book to refer to.
Over the years I have developed a bit of a format that I use when meeting parents. I would begin by welcoming them and asking if they had any questions about the report they had recently received. I would pass them their youngster's exercise book to have a good look through. I would then talk them through the report, telling them the work their youngster had been doing in lessons. At various points I would refer to the exercise book, critiquing the work that had been completed. I would also make reference to the student's standard of homework and their level of effort and behaviour in lessons.
Parents often want to know what their youngster can do to improve their standard of work, so it is a good idea to consider this beforehand. I often refer to their standard of presentation, written communication, use of subject-specific vocabulary, ability to draw accurate diagrams etc. I also mention resources like books and websites they could use at home.
Having said everything I wanted to say, I would then ask the parents if they had any further questions before thanking them for attending and wishing them a good evening.
Do not make the mistake of letting any parent sit down in front of you without an appointment. If that happens, just politely remind them that someone else has booked that slot. Likewise, as soon as parents' evening is over, be sure to leave as promptly as you can. Do not be drawn into conversation with any parents hanging about on the off-chance you will see them.
Parents' evening checklist
Things for the teacher to remember:
- Get on top of marking in the weeks before parents' evening.
- Any concerns about behaviour or performance should be raised with parents at the earliest opportunity. Do not hold these concerns back for parents' evening.
- Block out some time during the evening for refreshment/toilet breaks.
- Have something to drink.
- Have access to relevant marksheets, attendance registers and reports.
- Be prepared for questions about how you are supporting students with additional needs.
- Be prepared for questions about what students can do to improve their level of understanding or quality of work.
- Use the student's exercise book as a point of discussion.
- In the unlikely event that a parent becomes abusive or confrontational, simply end the appointment and refer them to a member of the Senior Leadership Team.