Is it normal at most schools for there not to be slots available in some subjects at Parents / Teachers evening

[hmcAsWas]

Not been too worried about seeing everyone before (in Y7 and Y8), and although we've attended parents evening haven't sweated it too much....however it is getting serious now ds in Y9, especially since options are coming up.

Ds is currently populating his sheet of paper with appointments slots for Parents Evening. He has just emailed me to say that the Physics teacher isn't at Parents evening tomorrow and there are no slots left for Chemistry. Is this typical?

Yes. If a teacher teaches 2 or 3 different sets, with 25-30 in each set, in a year group then 90 parents with 10 mins slots each is going to take up way more time than parents' evening can accommodate. You just have to get in quick.

Just email the teacher and ask for feedback if you can’t see them at parents evening.

Okay thanks - will email them

Nooooooo OP that's not the right response!

You need to write to the school telling them they need to put on more parents evenings so that all parents can see all teachers. Also that your DS can't possibly be expected to arrange the slots himself and so they need to spend £££ on an electronic system instead.

You are being Far. Too. Reasonable.

Teen, don't give her any ideas! We need more parents like the OP!

I’m a teacher who missed year 12 parents’ evening this year, it’s only the second time I’ve missed one in nearly a decade of teaching (I was ill once but that was year 8 not an exam class). It was my grandmother’s funeral. I left notes with the colleague who teaches the other half of the course. It wasn’t ideal but it wasn’t something I could miss. Life sometimes gets in the way.

Yes it's normal. As I've just discovered when parents' evening slots were launched on the day I was at a family funeral. Evidently in previous years I've been one of the "organised" ones!

(Also the same thing happens with electronic systems. It just happens quicker and in the comfort of your own home .)

Schools can't simply organise more Parents' Evenings. They only have so much directed time to play with.

It’s normal but tbh in 10 years of teaching I’ve never had a parents even that ran according to the appointments that are scheduled. The first few usually do and then it descends into parents darting in and out whenever they can! Emailing the teacher is perfectly fine and the school should have options evening where you can talk specifically and suitable pathways etc etc soon enough.

As a teacher I am regularly fully booked, and even double book/start early/finish late to see everyone - I promise teachers DO. want to see Parents!!. I would definitely go anyway and try to 'jump in' on a free moment...failing that email with a specific question. Can you still see Biology at least so one science is covered??