Communication from prep school - how does your DCs school communicate?

[springalong]

Hi, just wondering if you could share how your DC's prep school communicates with you as parents. I am interested in how they deal with daily issues, academic stuff, etc. Does this differ if your DC board? How do the boarding team communicate with you, the teachers?

Just moving from a state primary school where a home school contact book worked like a dream.

It is unusual for a child with no additional needs to have a home/school book IME- I wouldn't take that as standard.

Our prep does email, parent portal, reading record and chats at the door. Parents meetings and written reports obviously too. (day school). Also website blog (with photos), twitter and termly newsletters for 'generic' stuff.

DH works in boarding and is often on the phone with parents, including in the evening and at weekends. There is also lots of email contact.

DD's (day) school(Y3-Y6) give us a diary/calendar at the start of each term (sets out assemblies/matches/outings etc)

We are emailed weekly newsletter. The older kids will write match reports/comment on outings and there are usually a few photos and details of forthcoming events.

DD has a homework diary, which is the primary method of communication we have with the school (teachers flick through them all by 1st break allegedly). The children write down their homework tasks and letters coming home etc and we sign to confirm that they've done the work. It also has space for comments both to/from the teacher (so sometimes there is praise, other times I might add a comment if DD is under the weather/too busy to do homework etc etc). There is also a reading record book.

The school is pretty good at responding to emails, though I try not to send too many. Likewise, I've had teachers phone me to answer queries I might have (often a bit quicker than an email exchange).