What's the point of a 5 minute parents' evening for A levels

[MerryMarigold]

My son is in Y13. Is there really any point in a 5 min parents' evening? The classes are not so huge that teachers need to fit in 30 appointments. I think it's really disappointing (verging on pointless) as it's such a crucial year.

My other children go to a different school and despite being in Y10 they get 10 minute appointments and a whole day is dedicated to parent- teacher consultations in order that the teachers can see every parent for 10 mins. (Other year groups are off school and have online work). In my opinion, this prioritises the parent/ school relationship.

@MerryMarigold have you asked your son who his tutor is?

I teach 2 Y13 classes, near 30 students- that would mean a nearly 5 hour parents evening with no breaks if everyone were to get an appointment! That's why it takes your other child's school full days to run these.

Personally, I don't think losing 7 days a year of teaching time is ideal- and lockdown definitely taught us that online independent work often isn't completed for all sorts of reasons.

I can see you have serious concerns, but really you need to be discussing these with the school before parents evening- parents evening is really just intended to be a quick catch up with maybe one or two pointers for improvement.

Yes. He told me a name. I asked what subject he teaches. He didn't know!

Does that matter? He's the tutor, not the subject teacher.

Is there a staff list on the school website?

teachers may very well be struggling to find something to say for 10 minutes, and padding out with all sorts of fluff - not worth the lost learning time imo. If you dont want to go to the parents evening ask for a 5 minute phone appointment instaed

The point I was making is that he doesn't know Ds (and vice versa) and we won't meet him at parents' evening either. I fail to see what he can add. His Maths teacher has taught him since Y10 and the others he's had since last year.