School contact and parents evenings??

[Jigglypuffler]

Obviously, totally appreciate schools are doing the best they can due to covid, bubbles etc etc.

We are getting very minimal/next to no contact from DC's school (primary/infant), and this has been the case since March. We've now been told there won't be an autumn parents evening of any kind as normal (either f2f, phone or virtual), but we will receive a written report instead, and that if we have concerns we can contact school to discuss.

AIBU to feel that this isn't OK, and while I appreciate the restrictions this school is working within, that there must be some way of allowing more of a dialogue between teachers and parents? We have no idea how DC are doing - we're just guessing based on the reading books they're bringing home, there's no homework or anything similar coming back. I know a report will give some answers, but it gives us no opportunity to ask questions (both ways) or obtain any further understanding. I also think only having a discussion if there's a concern isn't particularly helpful for any of us - it feels like conversations will only happen in a negative context instead of with a more rounded and holistic approach.

I always worry I'm being 'that' parent if I object to their approach, even though sometimes I know it's OK to be that parent and to want to have more contact between us and the school... AIBU to want to say something?

Our parents evening is via Zoom, same 10 minute time slot as always, and I'm sure it will actually be much more convenient than both of us taking an afternoon off to be at school. I hope they keep this option going forward, especially for working parents or anyone who is co-parenting remotely, etc.

As for contact with the school, I don't need updates. I assume if there is something urgent the school will be in touch (I got an email two weeks ago to tell me that dd, in fact, does not like jacket potatoes I had ordered her for lunch and isn't eating them - which was helpful, but I don't need more contact than that). If I did, I'd email the teachers or the office.

Many teachers are really struggling this term for all sorts of reasons. In some schools they are expected to do cleaning, have no breaks and supervise DCs at lunchtime. None of these should they be asked to do but it's expected.

Maybe they need the evenings to rest and recharge their batteries.

Give them a break.

The idea of a socially-distanced parents' evening is completely unrealistic for all of the reasons that have already been highlighted.

We are doing a virtual parents' evening however, I feel I must say, a written report will actually be more work and take more time so posters calling staff lazy because they are writing a report are way off the mark.

How this school has chosen to do this is not what I would do but that doesn't make it wrong. Writing a report and then having a follow-up call if there is in issue will mean that all parents are informed as to how their child is doing and all parental concerns will be addressed. The only thing that won't happen will be hearing the "Oh he's lovely!" style comments from the teacher's mouth. To be perfectly honest, that isn't much of a sacrifice.

Judging by this thread some schools seem to be weirdly bad at planning effective communication. My DC's school (primary) are offering 10 minute Zoom calls next week. I can see from the schedule that the teacher has 5 minutes between zooms to be able to gather thoughts/ rush to loo etc. Really not hard to plan it in a way that suits both the parents and the teacher. (If you don't want Zoom for any reason you can have a phone call instead). It's a one class per year intake school (so approx 30 kids) but surely with bigger schools whatever the school was planning with traditional parents' evening was going to be just as time-consuming as offering zoom ones instead?!

I don't understand the attitude of people objecting to the OP for desiring better communication. Yes teachers are having a hard time in many ways but let's not get into a tit for tat here and the fact is offering a 'virtual' parents' evening isn't adding to a work load when a FTF one is surely harder work!! (Or writing all those reports).

I don't think you're unreasonable OP and I would take them up on their offer of following up with a phone call after the report!

I can see from the schedule that the teacher has 5 minutes between zooms to be able to gather thoughts/ rush to loo etc. Really not hard to plan it in a way that suits both the parents and the teacher.

It can be hard to plan that way if you teach secondary and need to fit in more parents than you have time for, so a 5 min break between each no longer becomes feasible. Please realise that not every school has the same circumstances and have some empathy/understanding of this current complex situation.

We’ve just had our zoom parents consultation for one of our DD’s. Worked brilliantly and was exactly 10 mins.

I’d read the report and call if I needed to, but I’d contact the school as and when issues arise rather than wait for parents evening. No issues, I don’t need to be in touch. I see my kids teachers briefly when I pick the kids up and both teachers will grab me quickly if they need to - in one case the teacher did grab me to tell me how well my child had settled in to class. So, not always about the negative.

I guess some schools will have a bigger challenge than others but if the option is there to call the school I’d be proactive and do that.

As I've said and reiterated @LastGoldenDaysOfSummer I get teachers haven't got it easy at the moment, but most of us are still suffering an impact of covid to some extent. The difficulties of this year aren't exclusive to that profession. Our DC have been off for excessive amounts of time, reliant on us to bridge the gaps in what they'd have been learning, and it would be nice to have some/any/the normal contact we we would with them to make sure everything is OK.

I don't think I'm asking for much IMO - just the normal channels and/or opportunities to be available without us feeling like a nuisance.

Appreciate those who have given a different point of view, and of course those who understand what I'm getting at.

We get a phone call.....means they have snuck in another "inset/no teaching day" as they are doing them all day rather than the usual evening and means taking ANOTHER day off work - not sure schools really consider the impact on working parents of the decisions they make sometimes 🤷‍♀️

Our DC have been off for excessive amounts of time, reliant on us to bridge the gaps in what they'd have been learning, and it would be nice to have some/any/the normal contact we we would with them to make sure everything is OK.

You'll be getting a written report and an invitation to a phone call if there are matters arising. You are asking too much by asking for the normal channels, these are not normal times.

Teachers are exhausted and to ask them to work evenings is a step too far.

The teachers will be working the evenings to write the reports anyway so I don't think that's the issue. It'll take longer to do that anyway.

OP, if you were saying that they've decided on no communication then I'd completely agree with you. However, they are going to be communicating with you and giving you the opportunity to express concerns and discuss solutions. The 'need' is being met; it just isn't how you'd prefer it to look/work. Some parents may even prefer this method of communication.

I think that when it comes down to your preference versus the school's preference then yabu to ask that yours be prioritised over theirs.

Just to add: it really isn't about what other schools are doing either. As a teacher, I'll be running a virtual parents' evening and writing an autumn term report about a month after. However, it's not my place say what another school is doing is wrong just because it's different to my own. Uniformity cannot exist across schools as each one is different with specific needs.

Honestly I'd at least wait till I got the written report to see how comprehensive it is before you dismiss it.
If there are questions left unanswered, absolutely ask for a telephone /zoom call but to be complaining before you've even seen the report you're objecting to would have me massively rolling my eyes🙄

YANBU. Our school are offering one to one meetings (zoom or phone, depending on parents' choice). I'm completely unclear as to why ours can manage this but others can't? Children have been off for six months, in some cases - quite frankly - with very limited input from their schools. They are now having to readjust to formal schooling, in pretty strange circumstances, and to catch up on all the work they've missed. And parent / teacher meetings are actually beneficial to teachers to, in giving parents a heads up about potential issues and advice on how to support their childrens' learning. So yes, a brief consultation with each parent twice a year is perfectly reasonable and Cos Covid isn't a valid excuse.

@Iamnotthe1 I totally see your points. I guess I'd feel less peeved (and tbf, I'm only mildly peeved) if there was more communication coming from DC's teacher in general. It just feels like nothing, which in turn feels insufficient.

@crazycrazylady very true. I obviously don't know how thorough the report will be, I've just gone on an assumption based on previous experiences. As I've said, I just feel a bit let down in their plans and general contact with us, but I do accept it seems silly to address anything with them until reading the report.

I think that’s pretty poor, I’m in a massive school and we are doing it over zoom this week.

We have a virtual parents evening next week. And homework is being done on google classroom. My son started reception this year so I have no experience of anything different. But I still feel like school are doing the best they can.

@ivfbeenbusy

We get a phone call.....means they have snuck in another "inset/no teaching day" as they are doing them all day rather than the usual evening and means taking ANOTHER day off work - not sure schools really consider the impact on working parents of the decisions they make sometimes 🤷‍♀️

Are you saying the school isnt open to pupils 190 days this year?

We get a phone call.....means they have snuck in another "inset/no teaching day" as they are doing them all day rather than the usual evening and means taking ANOTHER day off work - not sure schools really consider the impact on working parents of the decisions they make sometimes 🤷‍♀️

Inset days aren't taking days away from pupils. Teachers work term time PLUS inset days.

Is your child's school open to students for 190 days (or whatever the standard number is if they are in the rare academy chain that has changed the term lengths)?

A standard school year is 190 days plus 5 inset for staff. Schools arrange their inset to best fit the school needs, not for the convenience of some working parents who seem to think that despite a vast array of working patterns their DC's school should be accomodating to their work and childcare needs.

Well, i'm pretty certain that most parents would prefer the teacher to remain well and the class open and get a short google, zoom or phone meet. The alternative is what? On an average parents evening in primary i'd meet between 40 and 66 adults. That's not really an acceptable ask of anyone right now, is it? Especially not a person who is already in a pretty unsafe position. Frankly, most parents I know don't want to come anywhere near me - they know what i'm exposed to!

My kids 90 intake primary is doing it all over zoom. I guess if you didn't have zoom they would make a different arrangement but all correspondence with the school is over email these days anyhow - we had to book a slot through an app. I thought all schools were - certainly everyone I know with similarly aged kids in a variety of schools.

In my defence I wouldnt be happy with zoom but honestly, lots of schools are not offering zoom or phone calls at all.

Written communication is not good enough I'm expected to select my sons school based solely on a "video tour" produced by the local estate agent and neither the head nor reception teacher has so much as offered a 5 min pre recorded video message, let alone a zoom in place of the usual tours. It's a small village school. I'm sorry but it is laziness - the staff have put in zero hours on prospective parents this year. There are lazy people in all walk of life, teaching is no exception.

Oh and for a larger primary school is it not possible to have only 1 class teacher doing a parents evening per day & spread them through the year? The point being it feels like some schools are saying "here are the reasons why we can't do it in our usual way." not "we will find a way to do it, it will be different but it is possible".

I would be unhappy too OP. I agree that written reports are often not as bluntly worded as needed when it comes to a child needing to do extra work in a particular area and after months out of school parents need those verbal cues a conversation has that tell you what is really important.

Telling people to ring if they have questions is really poor from an equality of opportunity point of view. It will be the kids whose parents really need to be spoken to directly the most whose families don't bother following up.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

the staff have put in zero hours on prospective parents this year

Except recording a virtual tour.

You've also got to put this into perspective with what would happen in a normal year. There aren't long 'chats' with the head or the Rec. teacher usually (I'd say it's short-sighted to be Reception focused anyway). Tours on open evenings/days are usually given by older children.

The point being it feels likesomeschools are saying "here are the reasons why we can't do it in our usual way." not "we will find a way to do it, it will be different but it is possible".

This school has found a way to communicate with parents: it's producing a written report for each child and enabling parents to have a follow-up call with the teacher to discuss any potential issues. Holding a face-to-face parents' evening in the current climate would be highly irresponsible at best and, thus, an alternative has been found.

@SushiGo
It will be the kids whose parents really need to be spoken to directly the most whose families don't bother following up

If a parent would see an issue and not bother following up with something as easy as a phone call then whatever would have been said in a face-to-face meeting would have had little impact anyway. If they won't even pick up a phone, they certainly won't act on given feedback.