Do you go to every parent’s evening?

[milesleft]

Ds is in year 5 I have been to every parent’s evening so far and have no concerns but I feel bad having to finish work early.
I went to the autumn term one with this years teacher and it was 5 mins and no problems.
Will it look bad if I don’t go this time? Ds dad can’t make it either due to work and I don’t want it to look like we’re not interested or we don’t care?

Could you ask for a phone call instead?

Let the school know there’s a conflict with work and ask if you could arrange a phone call on a different day?

Yes. I feel its important to touch base.

At primary - yes. At secondary — only if we need to check something/are interested in a particular subject.

I do, but ours are in the evening to accommodate working parents or online. I would hope that the school would underfur to work pressures and would let you know if any specific concerns.

You can rearrange with the teacher, either another day after school for 10mins or a quick phonecall.

Maybe rearrange the time 🤷🏻‍♀️
Even if your kid is doing well, I can assure you they will always remember being the kid whose parent didn’t bother attending.

Edit: typo

Yes but I have appointments that are outside of work commitments. They always have parents evening on days I WFH and finish early anyway.
If they clashed I’d ask for a call on a different day instead.

Yes, but it always ran til quite late - could you ask for the last appointment?

If you can't go, send an email saying it is due to work commitments and ask them to email you if there is anything you need to know.

Yes. I've been to every parents' evening for both my children. My children would be disappointed if I didn't go. I think they are important.

Ok so you don't hear much in 5 - 10 minutes but to me the act of giving it importance, showing that you are engaging with the school and showing an interest in your child's achievements are all worthwhile. It's only twice a year isn't it?

Yes, but our school offers slots until 7pm to account for work schedules and if you can’t make them they’ll arrange a 10 min phone call on a different day.

Ok thank you, I should think I can go but I will have to ask to leave work early which is never popular but so be it.

Not going to parents' evening or arranging to discuss your child's progress is the epitome of a parent who doesn't care about their child's education, in my opinion.

Ours is remote if we request it and parents can just join in. It is on another day. They should offer this option to parents.

You could maybe ask for a phone call, but yes you need to touch base with school and see how your son is doing. Honestly it’s a bit bizarre you’d consider just not bothering. Your kid and his education comes before works feelings so screw them.

Yes. Every single one.
To be fair, I was a stay at home parent

Yes, at least one of you should be able to spare 10 minutes twice a year.

Of course you should. Both husband & I went. Tbf I was STAM but my husband always made time to come too.

How does that help parents who are working in the evening??

I had to miss a couple of early secondary school ones for my DD as they didn't want siblings taken and had no one to have them

I agree parents should go unless impossible, but it's unfair to badge it this way.

It takes much longer than ten minutes with travelling and some people have work responsibilities that are less easy to navigate. Other people have caring responsibilities.

Schools understand this and will usually give a phone call at another time.

Email the teacher, say it is a bit difficult with work, ask whether there are specific concerns requiring you to join or whether it would be possible to have a phone call/email instead.

Interest in your child's education isn't about those 10 minutes plus all the extra time to get there and back, it is about all the small things you do every day.

We have 3 children, now adults, and DH and/or I went to every single parents' evening. To be frank, I don't think a huge amount of useful information was exchanged. For most people it's just a a formality and it isn't the right forum for discussing serious issues anyway as there isn't enough time. I don't think I learned anything new about any of my children at a parents' evening. But I'm still glad I went. I think it is important to show an interest, not so much to the teachers but to your child. I think showing up demonstrates to them that you think their education matters, and, even more importantly, that you are interested in them and what they are doing at school. It's not a disaster to miss once or twice over a school career of course, but I would go as much as you possibly can.

Autumn term one? How often do you have them? I'm in Ireland, but through my own schools and my kids, I've never known there to be more than one parent's evening a year.

Always been 2 a year for my kids, and for me and my siblings when we were at school

I'm a teacher and I don't judge parents who don't attend parent's evening unless the parents directly come up to me telling me what a waste of time it is, which has happened! I am always happy to do a phone call instead, but this will be within my working hours.

As a teacher, I enjoy having chance to have a chat with the parent as it gives me such a sense of the child and their home life. You learn funny little things about the children. I hope I am able to give the reverse to the parents.