Do I have a legal right to see teachers at parents' evening?

I am usually quite, erm, tough on teachers. But get a grip.

Have you ever had the last appointment at parents' evening? Wild eyed staff, maddened with exhaustion and thirst, who have been going for 12 hours, with more to come? Not that helpful always, IMO, despite impressive stamina and charisma on the part of the teachers. And plenty long enough. And there are plenty of late nights throughout the year for staff without a second one for each year group.

You'll get a much more considered view in an email, and can follow up with the teachers concerned if there are any questions. If there really is a problem with slots for core subjects for lots of children, then maybe raise it casually with whichever SMT member is lurking at parents' evening to deal with problems. If the booking system is computerised, perhaps they could email the letter with the appropriate link, rather than sending it by the notorious child mail?

You have a right to communication from teachers/school informing you of your child's progress. You do not have any 'right' to a consultation evening appointment.

I don't know the situation at your school. At ours, consultation evenings run from 6:00 pm until 9:30 pm. Sandwiched in between what can be two full teaching days, this is quite long enough.

Parents have a right to expect that teachers will be positive, constructive and, most of all, coherent during consultations. We are expected to be able to summarise, in five minute bursts, strengths, areas for development, current attainment, likely attainment etc, plus answering any other questions. This is hard enough to sustain after 3.5 hours, without it being added to.

In our school, teachers are asked to telephone or email parents if there are not enough slots available. Scheduling in an additional consultation evening would not be considered for a whole host of reasons.

Well, they will email you. And set up an alternative time. You've been told that.

Why are you harassing the ht?

Storm in a tea cup.

Get a grip of ds and tell him to give you the letter when he gets it next time. Or ask learning support to set up a coping strategy for him if he has sn which mean this scenario is unlikely.

Contact the teachers you want to speak to, and make an appointment. I have no idea what you think you are going to achieve by moaning to the ht - he or she will only email the teachers concerned and remind them to get in contact with you, so you are introducing an inherent weakness and delay in the communication chain.

Legal. Hah.

Phone the head. It's unprofessional not to return your calls.