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| Parents' evenings fail to connect | Parents' evenings fail to connect |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Parents' evenings all too often end with parents having no clear idea of how their children are doing at school, claims a survey. | Parents' evenings all too often end with parents having no clear idea of how their children are doing at school, claims a survey. |
| According to a survey of 2,000 primary school parents in the UK, 55% felt parents' evenings did not really tell them how their child was progressing. | According to a survey of 2,000 primary school parents in the UK, 55% felt parents' evenings did not really tell them how their child was progressing. |
| The study also found the average time spent with a teacher was 13 minutes. | The study also found the average time spent with a teacher was 13 minutes. |
| Developmental psychologist Janine Spencer says parents can leave a hurried meeting feeling "bewildered". | Developmental psychologist Janine Spencer says parents can leave a hurried meeting feeling "bewildered". |
| Dr Spencer, a lecturer at Brunel University, says that parents need to plan questions to ask before they go to a meeting with teachers, so that they make use of the time available. | Dr Spencer, a lecturer at Brunel University, says that parents need to plan questions to ask before they go to a meeting with teachers, so that they make use of the time available. |
| Parents should also make sure they ask the teacher how they could help their child at home, she says. | Parents should also make sure they ask the teacher how they could help their child at home, she says. |
| Rushed conversation | Rushed conversation |
| The survey of parents of children aged 10 and under, carried out for the educational toy company Leapfrog, suggests a majority of parents would like to have more detailed information about their child's performance at school. | The survey of parents of children aged 10 and under, carried out for the educational toy company Leapfrog, suggests a majority of parents would like to have more detailed information about their child's performance at school. |
| But more than three quarters arrive at parents' evenings without having made any preparations or thought about what information they want. | But more than three quarters arrive at parents' evenings without having made any preparations or thought about what information they want. |
| The survey also claims that two thirds of parents have been unable to attend a meeting because of work commitments - and one in three fathers think that going to a parents' evening is a job for their partner. | The survey also claims that two thirds of parents have been unable to attend a meeting because of work commitments - and one in three fathers think that going to a parents' evening is a job for their partner. |
| A majority - 57% - would rather receive an e-mail update about their child's progress and the same number would like to have more frequent informal meetings. | A majority - 57% - would rather receive an e-mail update about their child's progress and the same number would like to have more frequent informal meetings. |
| It suggests that too often the experience of parents' evenings can be busy parents arriving for a rushed meeting in which parents are left unsure about their children's school work. | It suggests that too often the experience of parents' evenings can be busy parents arriving for a rushed meeting in which parents are left unsure about their children's school work. |
| "Parents want to get so much from only a few minutes," she says - and the first couple of minutes can be taken up with saying hello and making small talk. | "Parents want to get so much from only a few minutes," she says - and the first couple of minutes can be taken up with saying hello and making small talk. |
| While parents want a clear overall impression of how well a child is doing, Dr Spencer says it is all too easy for the conversation to be diverted into one particular area - and when the meeting finishes, parents do not feel satisfied they have a clear view of their child's achievement. | While parents want a clear overall impression of how well a child is doing, Dr Spencer says it is all too easy for the conversation to be diverted into one particular area - and when the meeting finishes, parents do not feel satisfied they have a clear view of their child's achievement. |
| Another problem in communicating, she suggests, can be the reluctance of teachers to risk offending parents with too much blunt bad news about their children. | Another problem in communicating, she suggests, can be the reluctance of teachers to risk offending parents with too much blunt bad news about their children. |
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