How private are your parents' evenings?

[yellowkiwi]

I was a bit disappointed with ds parents' eve today. It was held in the small school hall with all the books from every year group in the same room. When I arrived there was another mum talking to the teachers about her child and although I sat as far away as possible and tried to busy myself with looking at the books I could hear every single word that was said. When it came to my turn there were two other mums in the room with me just a couple of feet away from where I was sitting with the teachers. I felt very uncomfortable discussing my ds when I knew other mums would not be able to avoid hearing. I have had experience of other parents' evenings in halls (different schools) but the parents wait elsewhere and the halls are big enough to allow plenty of space between teachers and no possibility of overhearing. Has anyone else ever had a public meeting like this?

No, ours are very private - held in a classroom, and if someone else passes through the teacher stops talking.

Ours are in the hall, with tables far enough away from each other so conversations can't be heard.

Books can be perused at parents' leisure in the classrooms.

We used to do parents' evenings in classrooms, but after a few aggressive/violent encounters too many, we decided to do it in the hall and keep an eye on each other. Feels much safer.

Seems ridiculous - I would speak (pleasantly) to the head and say that you found it hard to discuss your child in a situation where there was no privacy.

Our books are laid out in the hall and TA's entertain the younger siblings if parents need to bring them along, the interviews are always held in the classroom, the only person who pops in is the Head with the coffee!

Maybe it's also from a safety point of view, carefulwiththataxe? So not so ridiculous after all. I think it's the reason many schools do this. Don't know why parents can't look at books in classrooms though, then there wouldn't be as many people in the hall.

Although our parents have, on occasion, been found rifling through the teachers' desks, so not as great a solution as it could be.

Our school also has the child's work set out in the classroom whilst the meetings are held in the hall or the school ilbrary - TBH the background noise is such that you can't hear what the other tables are saying and the distances are long enough so it isn't an issue for me.
I wonder too whether it's all about an effort to economise on heating costs this time of year?

Classroom, by ourselves

Blimey - I am amazed and I stand corrected! My children went to a very small friendly primary school (where I now work) and it had honestly never occured to me that there could be a risk of violence in these situations......and as for rifling through a teacher's desk ! I will never complain about our parents again!!!!!!

Ours was in the classroom. Our first parents evening - felt very grown up . The teacher had a little slide show of each child so parents could see what their child is up to at school - liked that, as our DTDs never tell us ANYTHING.

I teach and have had experience of both classroom meetings and hall ones in different schools. I prefer to see parents in my classroom, but can understand why the hall is sometimes seen as a safer option.

I don't mind having the meetings in a hall as long as there is no possibility of being overheard, but this hall is only the size of a large classroom and there was no background noise at all. Surely there should be some degree of confidentiality?

Issues we've had is we left books in the classroom and parents looked through other children's book rather than their own child and displays etc were damaged. Putting teachers in the hall, leaves teachers vulnerable.

We have separate nights for different classes so there are never more than two classes per night which means parents see the teacher either in the heads office or the school office privately. Books are left on a table for parents to look at before talking to the teacher.

Why do you think putting teachers in the hall makes them vulnerable, Teacher401? We feel safer - it's why we changed it from classrooms.

ours are in the hall, to be honest you can't hear other conversations at all. doesn't bother me either if they could hear.

secondary is like a cattle market here, everyone huddled in two halls

We don't get to see books at the parents meeting (that's a separate event with all books laid out, and TAs hovering).

Amazed by the slide show !

I guess safety/otherwise in classrooms depends on school layout - ours is very open plan with glass divisions, so although the doors are shut, everyone is very visible. Given it is an small and extremely rural school, I suspect any potentially problematic parents are very well known, so others can hover in sight

Ours (secondary level) are held in the school hall, desks extremely close together so you are actually sitting next to another parent at another table. The waiting area is set further back so whilst waiting you wouldnt be able to hear, but if you wanted to listen in on next doors conversation when you are actually having a discussion with your child's own subject teacher, it would be easy.

Mind you the background noise is so loud that its a job listening to anything you should be hearing, so not much chance of tuning in on any other conversation ....

Should add of course, as the subject heading was primary schools, that ours were very private, door shut and no-one allowed in.

Just wanted to prepare you all for the change at 11

Secondary will almost always be all together in the hall.

Very. In classroom just with teacher.

Don't look at books though. Do that with child at pop-in every term.

Having seen some pretty terrifying "consultations" on parents evening (I've told the tale of the colleague who got screamed at for 20 minutes+ before) - I'd be objecting to being in my classroom alone without backup.

Ours were in one of the year group classrooms with the books laid out in the other classroom - so two teachers sharing and on hand as backup. Head went around ostensibly delivering hot drinks to teachers but in reality making sure things were ok and that she was just passing by when our known flashpoint parents were due in.

Sorry but I'm not putting my personal safety at risk. Sounds ridiculous but I've seriously seen (not been on the recieving end of many thankfully) some fairly nasty incidents - we're not allowed to have the "be abusive to our staff and we won't serve you" signs that hospitals etc are :(

I guess schools differ a lot in their catchments . . .

At dd's school, you have to say quick if you are trying to catch the teacher on a purely practical matter, otherwise you're liable to find yourself ushered somewhere private, when all you want to ask is whether date X would be convenient for the cake sale!