When did your DC go to parents evening?

[BouncingOnATightrope]

We've just had forms through to choose parents evening slots and we have to say if DC will attend with us.

DC is 7 and unsure because it would be weird. Then, said it would be too late for her and she would be too tired to go! (the latest option is 6pm so hardly past her bedtime)

Does it have any merit at this age? I never went to my parents evenings all the way through school so it's a new concept for me. I'm not sure if we should insist she comes too.

In our primary school are students are encouraged to attend. In fact I think it states something like please bring your child with you, mine have therefore always gone.

I never took my child to Primary school parents evenings, they were never expected either.

We took ds to his school nursery one when he was 3, and then 4. Luckily since being in reception we have booked them in for when he is afterschool club. I like to give the teachers my full attention which never happens with ds about.

I never take my 2 in case there is something that needs to be discussed without them being there so both myself and the teacher can talk freely and I'm not distracted by them. I think it became expected at secondary school that I attended with my parents but I'm not there with my DC yet.

Secondary school with my two. They came to the primary school ones but didn’t come in to see the teacher

I went alone to parents evening in reception but had to take both children in year 1 (have a toddler as well). For us if my husband isn't away with work i won't take them but if he is I have to.

Saying that, it was fine having the children for the last one but we knew there weren't any significant issues.

The school we are at encourages it because it is supposed to engage the children more with their learning. I’m not a fan as it prevents certain questions and discussions and changes the dynamic but the idea is that parents, the and the teacher are all stakeholders who should discuss things together.

I’ve always taken mine. They are definitely expected to attend at our school and participate in the discussion, so from Reception. I don’t know what many people with do with them otherwise tbf, unless they happened to have two parents home at that time.

I am a lone parent, so DS always came to Parent's Evening with me.

I take mine if I have to due to childcare issues but they sit and play with the toys, or sometimes they put a crèche on

It wouldn't occur to me to take mine unless I didn't have childcare (fortunately dMil is very helpful in this scenario) in which case I would bring but probably encourage to play with books/toys while I spoke to teacher.

My child has come with me all the time cos I'm single so it's necessity

But when I go the other children are there too

I've never had a parents evening without my DC being there.

Since he started school, I'm a single parent so I haven't much choice.

Dd is in Y10, it’s the first time this year that I’ve ever taken her with me and that was at the schools request

Yry. DC tried in Yr5 and was sent back outside, but in Yr6 they were expected to be there and then in secondary they have to be there.

From the very beginning at Primary school .

Primary school - not at all. Any parents that turned up with children were asked to leave them outside the classroom ( or sometimes they had a designated room with a DVD)

Secondary school - always taken them. I tend to find the teachers talk to them more than the parent!

At primary if you needed to bring your dc they just sat outside the classroom while you talked to the teacher. They have never suggested having them there at secondary either, as yet.

Never took my children to a parents evening. Some parents do and the kids just sit on the benches and wait.

My DD has always attended with us. She's 14 now. I think it's weird when parents don't let their kids attend tbh!

From reception but it was actively encouraged by the school, after all you are talking about them, it reinforces the parent/teacher or parent/schoo partnership.

Plus they are given a target for improvement and the child gets input as to which one it is. The teacher usually has a couple for them to choose from.

No, it's definitely that they're intended to sit in on the meeting with the teacher, not to sit in the corridor playing.

because it is supposed to engage the children more with their learning.
Yes, this is the idea behind it. They also get a lesson of "free study" a week when they're supposed to pick a topic they're having difficulty with and work on it...

I had to take all 3 to all parents evenings for years. Until they were either old enough to stay at home (always came to their own parent evening, but not their siblings) or they left school.

Never in primary. Only in secondary.