Parents' Evening - When in school year and how many?

[FrayedHem]

Just interested to hear about other schools.

My DC school won't be doing a Parents Evening until after January, and likely around the Feb half-term.They do have an assertive monitoring system in place so we get half-termly reports. But they only report on Maths, English and Science and there's no information on how they have settled in (or not). And the reported information is a number and a letter code so not exactly detailed. My reception aged child doesn't get such a report, presumably as this particular system is tracking KS1 and KS2 data and Reception isn't included.

This was how they did it last year, but in previous years they'd held the first meeting in the first term, another in the Spring term and then a full report home in the summer.

I'm not exactly enthused by this system, but just wanted to see if it was common approach.

We get two parents’ evenings (one in Oct, one in Feb) plus a written report in July.

We have one each term now, used to be two in the year. The one in spring term we get a mid year report also.

We usually have 2 parents' evenings each year.

The first one is in November, where they talk about how the children have settled in and what their targets for the year are.

The second one is near the end of the Spring term, and is about progress so far.

They have mini-reports with codes for things like behaviour, progress and attainment. I think they are given out every half-term or so. In July they have a full report.

October, February and an open day in July

Thanks for the replies. Looks like min of 2 is quite standard.

I do feel going down to one a year and not until the 2nd term isn't the greatest set-up. I want to raise it but they will likely be defensive and I'm not really sure how to approach it.

We’ve had one in October and get another in March but not in the summer term (get reports then instead).

Week before October half term, week before February half term and then written report at the end of school year

At ours it depends what year you are in.

Y1,3,4,5 (so non-statutory assessment years) - parents' evening in November, 'report' in March (detailed, sentences as well as number/letter codes), parents' evening in July. At PEs we are also given a 'scorecard' with number/letter codes.

Not great tbh if there are any issues e.g. you feel DC is not getting enough support, not being stretched enough, needs something different re managing behaviour. Because at first PE teacher will usually say 'ok I will assess and put something in place if necessary' then nothing happens, or something is put into place but fizzles out. Then second PE teacher will say 'oh it's too late to do anything now' and that is true enough - the second PE right at the end of the school year can only be as a review of the year, which is a bit pointless as the new teacher in new year will make their own opinions anyway.

YR, 2, 6:
First PE in November, 2nd in March, reports out in July.
Much better to have a 2nd PE midyear, to review how things discussed at 1st PE are going and actually be able to do something/change something before school year is finished.
Downside is you don't get to discuss your child's statutory report, though that doesn't seem to bother most people.

thanks for further replies. No votes yet for just the 1 per year.

brilliotic The non-statutory years cycle reminds me of DS1's SEN meetings throughout his time at primary! Thankfully now he's a specialist unit at secondary things actually get done.

I do need to speak to the Head about another matter so I'm thinking I will try and mention my surprise at no feedback in the first term for the reception year and see what happens...

3 parents evenings here and 3 reports sent out. We have a parents evening in October, one after Christmas and one after Easter.

We have one in Oct before half term and one in Feb. But I don't really see the point of Oct one tbh. If you have specific worry, maybe, but otherwise at that stage teacher doesn't really know your child well enough. Last few years, I thought Oct parents eve was totally pointless.

The statutory requirement is for schools to provide one parents evening and one written report. Most schools provide more.

• Parents' evening in October
• Report in December
• Parents' evening in February
• Report in April
• Report in July, followed by 'learning showcase' (look at books, opportunity for informal chat with teacher)

Reading previous replies, this is quite a lot, but I do think it's very useful to have regular feedback from the teacher. The written reports are not lengthy. (except for in reception, where the teacher was clearly that rare thing: someone who loves writing reports!)

Unlike Irvineoneohone, I really value the October consultation. Six weeks is plenty of time for a teacher to get a good idea of a child's personality and what they can do. As a parent I really value that early interaction, which reassures me that the teacher is starting to 'understand' my child. I can highlight any areas of concern to the teacher, and likewise the teacher can give their early impression of what my child needs to focus on this coming year.

Two different sixth forms here:

One has parents’ consultations in September and April.

The other has no face-to-face parents consultations at all ever. Communication is by half termly reports and parents can log in to see progress results for tests etc.

I actually prefer this second system!

Ginmummy1, I think I felt the same way earlier in the primary.
Something has changed since yr3 which is sad, but I just don't feel that we gain anything from it. I feel quite similar about Feb one and reports as well.

We have just one and a
Written report at the end of the year. I'd like more to be honest but can't see that happening .

Amaried what part of the year does your school do the parent meeting?

My DC is Ofsted Inadequate and one of the many issues raised was home/school communication. It seems they feel the assertive monitoring reports covers this and that is presumably why they've dropped one of the parents' evenings. But as reception year don't get these reports, it actually means there is less feedback for those children. Which I think given it's the first year at school is a bit poor really.

The school do usually do a start of term open invitation to all parents to hear what they will be doing throughout the year, and a chance to look at their school work towards the end of term.

I do think a first term meeting can be helpful. I have no burning issues, but I would like to know how they've settled.

Thanks again all.

Years 1-6 get two in Oct and Feb and a report in July.

Reception gets just one in Feb and the end-of-year/EYFS report. They don't do one for the littlies in October as its a bit close to the home visits in Sept for too much to have changed since then. They don't get any reading or phonics home til Oct half-term so no academic progress to monitor.