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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Year 7 Parents Evening - Unavailable slots for core subjects

406 replies

User32243535 · 09/02/2018 16:26

Sorry, but this might turn into a bit of a rant.

DC (Y7) attends what is meant to be a well respected grammar school. But at the moment, I am struggling to comprehend how they have developed such a lousy system for arranging parents evening appointments.

DC is our eldest child so we were not acquainted with this system before and didn't see it coming. Basically, we received a report and then according to the report, we were advised (via dc taking a sheet around to their teachers and booking a time slot) to arrange a meeting with the necessary teachers.

DC is a scatter brain and this hasn't helped with making the arrangements but on eventually contacting their teachers for Maths and English. dc was informed that there were no available slots left. Sorry, but Maths and English are core subjects and we care about our dc's education, I am fuming that we are not able to discuss these subjects with the relevant teachers (parents evening is held on just one evening).

DC doesn't have huge difficulties in these areas but reading the report there are one or two areas for improvement and I think it is important to discuss these two subjects in particular.

Anyone else experienced similar? The system of arranging slots on a piece of paper seems outdated from the outset. I e-mailed the head teacher regarding my concerns about dc not securing appointments a few days ago and I haven't received a response and I'm not able to discuss with anyone as the school office is now closed (dc has just informed me of the situation, which I believed would be resolved today.) Quite frankly not impressed with the schools communication either right now in regard to replying to my e-mail. Grrrrh...just so frustrated!

OP posts:
TooDamnSarky · 09/02/2018 16:59

Our school uses the same (shit) system. Main disadvantages are that (on average) it is the organised kids who often least need the slots that get them. And it makes it really easy for kids to avoid parents meeting teachers who may be somewhat negative. Some (sensible imo) teachers save some slots for the parents they most want to see and make sure said kids are booked in.

Original poster
User32243535 · 09/02/2018 16:59

Brighton...this should be exactly how it works...parents evening over two evenings plus an on-line booking system...Great...you have confirmed to me that my rant is totally relevant and that this system needs to change.

OP posts:
KeiraTwiceKnightley · 09/02/2018 17:00

So if you want me to give up another evening, how does that work? I'll obviously need paying so which training night can be dropped instead? The one on dyspraxia? The one on how to ensure children are safely looked after in school visits? The one on safeguarding?

TeenTimesTwo · 09/02/2018 17:02

I agree with Giraffe and other posters.

Just email the teachers, say you couldn't get a slot with them and raise your points / ask questions.

With online systems the 'pushy organised' parents take up all the slots.

Our school has same system as yours, and the teachers can request the booking sheet from any pupils they are particularly keen to see the parents of. They considered online but decided it would be less good than their current system (and would cost money).

Scary At DD's comp in y7 her maths teacher taught 3 sets, so ~75 pupils and only 30 slots at parents evening.

TeenTimesTwo · 09/02/2018 17:03

Actually, maybe that was only 2 sets but that would still have been 50+ pupils for 30 slots.

TeenTimesTwo · 09/02/2018 17:06

User No. You can't have parents evening over 2 evenings. In a school with a 6th form that would be 14 evenings for parents evening alone. teachers have lives an other duties and training too.

If you 'insist' (not that you can) on this you may find that extra curricular clubs, school shows, trips abroad etc stop - none of these are generally contracted requirements, teachers do them out of goodwill.

franzen · 09/02/2018 17:07

So 14 PE's a year? Yeah, great solution.

AChickenCalledKorma · 09/02/2018 17:07

We have an online system. This year we were a bit later than usual booking (I'm talking day 3 rather than day 1). English, History and Geography all filled up for Year 8 parents' evening.

However, I've been able to get feedback from the teachers we didn't see which is just as useful as seeing them on the evening. We still saw teachers representing a reasonable cross-section of subjects. So it kind of worked out.

Original poster
User32243535 · 09/02/2018 17:08

Keira...I don't have the answers but this system clearly isn't working for all is it?

OP posts:
brizzledrizzle · 09/02/2018 17:08

The teachers are staying in the evening for parents evening, the slots are made available and people who don't book in time don't get the slots - that's how it is. Rather than moaning about the teachers why not teach your child some responsibility.

My brother had parents evening at his school last night, his is also online booking and all of his slots were taken by parents who were organised enough to book when they got the email about the evening. Some will have missed out but that's down to them and not the teacher.

It's about time parents started appreciating what teachers do rather than moaning about them.

GreenTulips · 09/02/2018 17:11

We have online system and I have to be quick to book because all the slots get taken in minuets -

Teachers are limited to the hours they can offer

Plus they don't tell you much anyway -

Any real concerns should be highlighted prior to parents evening anyway - it's a quick way review not a lengthy chat

Sorry - teachers aren't super human

BrightonBollock · 09/02/2018 17:12

I'm just stating how our school does it.No pushy parent here.Just check emails from school and organise it that way.With so many in year seven it's the only way to do it!

FutureMrsTempah · 09/02/2018 17:13

The system does generally work, if the students are organised enough to ask for appointments. You have identified yourself that your daughter is scatterbrained, so maybe instead of looking at the school changing their working practices for your family you need to be more proactive and phone the school to book appointments yourself.

MimpiDreams · 09/02/2018 17:13

I think parents evening is kind of pointless beyond showing your face. What can seriously be discussed in 5 minutes? Surely if there was anything that needed to be discussed it would already have been raised?

Original poster
User32243535 · 09/02/2018 17:15

Future...the on-line booking system would solve this for us...I would be straight onto it.

OP posts:
Middleoftheroad · 09/02/2018 17:16

Nearly 140 pupils in our year seven.Parents evenings split over two evenings to ensure everyone has a chance to see relevant teachers.I thought all schools had this system now?

Yes but many comps have far more than around 140 pupils per year though - 250 is average around here.

Original poster
User32243535 · 09/02/2018 17:17

Future...I did contact the school via e-mail, albeit too late on this occasion to say that dc was having difficulties making the appointments - some kind of response to my e-mail would have been nice in any case!

OP posts:
Danglingmod · 09/02/2018 17:20

It would be completely unreasonable to expect two evenings of parental meetings per year group. That's 14 evenings across 7 year groups, plus a general open evening, plus a sixth form evening, plus GCSE options evening, plus A level options evening, plus year 7/12 meet the tutor evenings... 20 evenings where secondary teachers are expected to stay at school until 8/9pm?! That's a lot more than primary...

At our school, some staff teach 3/4/5/6/more classes in one year group. Its impossible to see 180 sets of parents on one evening and, as above, impossible to have a second night.

However, I don't know any teacher who wouldn't offer an email or a brief telephone conversation with parents whom they couldn't see on the official night.

Julie8008 · 09/02/2018 17:21

The system works fine for normal parents. It probably isn't working well for helicopter parents who expect teachers to work for free just so their precious first born can be given special treatment.

It doesn't require much effort for a 'scatter brain', 12 year old. Tell DC to hand form to Maths teacher during class, teacher fills in form and hands back to DC. Done, no genius skills needed.

Online booking has as many if not more problems. You end up with helicopter parents sitting online the second appointments go live, disadvantaging the people who probably need the appointments. Much better the student/teacher relationship is involved.

Just take a chill pill and send off an email for info if needed, like every other normal parent.

Original poster
User32243535 · 09/02/2018 17:22

And, I don't see why I should have a go at dc for this lousy, inadequate system...we are working with dc all the time on improving responsibility etc. but it is a life skill that sometimes takes a while to develop...I wouldn't turn around and say you should have got a gold medal for long jump when sport isn't their thing.

OP posts:
Bobbybobbins · 09/02/2018 17:23

Might be more likely to get a response from the school if you contact the head of year. They could also explain how to get feedback for subjects you are not/can't see.

In my school if a teacher has multiple classes in the same year the hod or another teacher will get written feedback then see the parents, especially those who are on target.

noblegiraffe · 09/02/2018 17:24

Our system allows teachers to make appointments with the kids they really need to see before it opens to parents. Any parent who doesn't get a slot can get an email.

I think you might have over-inflated expectations about what happens at a secondary parents' evening. It's speed dating, you get a couple of minutes of 'your kid behaves well, has missed a couple of homeworks, needs to be less chatty in class' and boom, next appointment. There's really no time for in-depth discussion of areas for improvement.

BrightonBollock · 09/02/2018 17:25

Have no idea how that would work Middle ..short of teachers and parents camping out in the assembly hall for a few days. Also agree with pp on trying to get your kids to be a little more organised in secondary school. (Much easier said than done i know)Wink

8wheelsgood · 09/02/2018 17:25

I had a parents evening this week. I teach 60 pupils in that year. All my appts were booked but it didn't stop me being in a chair with no break from half 3 until gone half 6. I couldn't walk properly afterwards to get to my car.
I saw 40 parents. Some who had no appt as there child hadn't bothered, some took 2 appts as mum and dad both wanted to see me separately. I have sent about 5 emails today to parents I haven't seen who asked for feedback.
Last year I had 4 classes in one year and was stuck from half 3 until 8pm.
Don't be so ungrateful, don't blame the school, teachers are human, it's not their fault your child isn't organised.

Tipsntoes · 09/02/2018 17:26

IME this happens when the child doesn't want you to see the teacher.

I don't know that you need to "have a go" at your child but certainly he will have know about the system for some time and it was up to him to take some responsibility. That's actually part of the education you're so keen on. It won't help him if it's all done for him.

What are you expecting from the parents' evening? Email the teachers concerned with any specific questions you have and ask them if there's anything they need to talk to you about. You're likely to get a better answer by email than by putting them on the spot at parents' evening anyway.