Parents Evening, is this normal, year 8 and no feedback yet since she stared secondary?

[NullcovoidNovember]

Just wondering if this is normal please, year 8 dd started secondary last year 2019 - and since she started we have had report cards - with the numbers on eg 5-6 or 7-9.

And an effort grade. I have had no further personal feedback at all since she started secondary, the PE was obviously missed due to covid and I have been informed the next parents evening is Spring!
I know some other secondary schools did go on line AND did hand written report cards, and others around me are also doing PE via zoom?

Maybe this is the norm? I dont know she is my first child at secondary I just find it very removed that I dont get any personal feedback at all?

My sons' school always have parents evening in Autumn. Ds1 had his in October and Ds2 has his next week. I like that. My parents evening was always in the summer and I felt if there was an issue it was a bit late to bring it up as the summer term was ending!

I think you should email your child's form tutor. My sons' school are always happy to discuss their progress officially and unofficially.
Hope you get through to them OP. I know its a tricky time for teachers, but parents need to know how their child is doing. It's good practice if parents and teachers work together.
Sorry for the long post!

Not odd I'm sure we had an annual parents evening. However the child had to book the appointments with the teachers so maybe yours didn't book you any and don't tell you it was on?

*bit odd

We are in the same situation.
Parents evening year 7 missed due to COVID. DS did get a couple of termly assessment grades (mini reports with just grades, no verbal feedback. No end of year report.
Next parents evening for year 8 (which will be his first in secondary) is in the spring term.

It's been a bit of a weird year! But normal in secondary to have parents eve once a year only, and not to have masses of feedback before Y10. DD is in Y9 and obviously we didn't get Y8 parent's eve or much feedback. We have an online parent's eve coming up soon, but understandably the school have been more focused on settling in the Y7s, and checking how the Y10s and Y11s are doing than worrying about Y8 and Y9.

Ok, so some PE in spring, some in Autumn. Only one a year?

And usual not to have any written feedback? Eg.. Good grade and effort, needs to work on x, y, z?

We have one a year for DS (year 9) in theory, and a termly report with numbers only, no comment, but he didn’t have one last year in year 8 due to COVID. I think they are different times of year depending on year group.

We have one a year for DD same as toptomatoes .
Also a termly report with just numbers (attitude and attainment).

When parents evening is depends on the year group. e.g. y9 are in Jan just before selecting options, y7 generally in the summer term.

Your DD should be able to tell you what she thinks her teachers would say from feedback on her written work. If there is a subject particularly concerning you, you may be able to email the teacher to ask.

Right so for a bog standard comp = this sounds pretty usual then.

We had a parents evening last year for ds2 in year 7 but the parents evening for ds1 in year 10 was supposed to be a month later and didn’t happen. We got a report card with numbers on instead (no individual comments), Nothing for either of the, so far this year.

So I’ve not had any feedback for my year 11 child since he started GCSEs. Just grand.

The se we've heard nothing since DC started secondary last year.

Am in same boat op,
My ds started year 7 last year and has had 2 reports but no parents evening.
Am pretty pissed about it actually as they managed to do one for the new year 7s - I thought we should have had priority.
I contacted the school but tbh their response was couldn’t give a shit and it will be in may next year!!!
So my son started school and missed 6 months of his first year( understandably) but they don’t care about giving a bit more info.

If the schools get shut at some point again- I won’t be busting my arse again on 9am till 3pm on school work whilst trying to keep my job.ill make sure he does the core subject work of course.

We have the same situation - started high school in sept 2019 and had a 5 min ‘meet the mentor’ chat in Oct. 1 Report with numbers in Nov 19, but nothing since. There’s a report coming at the end of Nov according to the school calendar so will wait for that. My dc is clearly happy at school and is naturally a hard worker so am not too concerned but equally I’d be happy with some more personal feedback after more than a year at her new school.
But yes, it does sound the norm for Sept 19 starters at local comps..

As a parent, I’ve had a parent consultation in person- took place throughout the day to minimise numbers, very distanced. DS is yr11, but the same applies to all years.
As a teacher, I’ve done my parent consultations this week. All online using Zoom. I was pleased at how smoothly they worked and it was great to chat with parents.

Yes queen I believe some are doing zoom.

I find it odd that they are not covering the missed PE, either with something in writing or phone calls or zoom?

Just to leave them for 2 years without personal feedback seems odd to me!!

UPdate - Form tutor got back to me and said Spring it is - there is too much work load for any more feedback than the reports at present.

My DD is in yr 8 and we've been told May too. So nothing for nearly two years - really poor IMO.

We have had reports just with grades for attainment and effort.

Plus not much homework being set, has to be photographed and sent in. Then it seems they just get a comment back on the homework - they can't really mark a photograph.

We have yearly parents evening in autumn term, this year by pre-booked Skype meetings. Also a short report card at the end of autumn and spring terms and a longer report in the summer.

How are you supposed to help solve any issues if no-one tells you anything? Getting accurate information out of a 13yo is impossible.

L @NullcovoidNovemberYes that is standard in my child’s secondary school. We just have a half termly effort report which also includes attendance and detentions. We can check on behaviour points as they are all entered on the school’s online homework system that parents and students can access.

Before the 2nd lockdown, my child’s secondary was doing mandatory catch up lessons after school every day. An extra hour of planning and teaching every day. This will continue after lockdown lifts.

I know the staff at the school have additional duties and have lost many of their ‘frees’ they have for marking and planning due to needing to cover absent staff who are ill or isolating. (I don’t work there but know some of the staff.) It may be similar in your child’s school so could explain the form tutor’s workload comment.

If your child is really struggling with any of the set homework I would email the subject teacher or form tutor to raise concerns or if they need pastoral support otherwise the school should contact you if they’re worried about anything.

Same, my DS is in Y9 and has had one parents evening in that time and the science teacher wasn't even there! My other one has now started Y7 and apparently there's one scheduled for spring but not hopeful

"I know the staff at the school have additional duties and have lost many of their ‘frees’ they have for marking and planning due to needing to cover absent staff who are ill or isolating. (I don’t work there but know some of the staff.) It may be similar in your child’s school so could explain the form tutor’s workload comment."

^^ Yes absolutist and verbally and in email I have praised and thanked the teachers for their work, I know myself how that feels to be on the front line so I have thanked them, its not really the teachers at fault here, is the SLT team.

" Getting accurate information out of a 13yo is impossible."

Isn't that the truth!5 times I was asking about something and still I wasn't told the clear truth.!