Parents evening tips for schools: How a parent communication platform can help 

In an ideal world, a well-organised parents’ evening will ensure conversations are productive AND teachers finish on time. However, without proper planning, these events can become rushed, inefficient and frustrating for both teachers and parents.

Here are some essential parents evening tips to improve organisation and engagement.

Set clear objectives for parents’ evening

In the run up to parents evening, you should establish clear objectives to ensure each meeting is productive.

It should focus on:

• Academic progress: Discussing the students’ achievements, strengths and areas for development.
• Behaviour and engagement: Highlight attendance, punctuality and classroom participation and overall attitude to learning.
• Support and next steps: Providing actionable recommendations for parents to support their child’s learning at home, and any interventions that may need to be put in place at school.

By setting these discussion points in advance, both teachers and parents can make the most of their time and ensure conversations remain focused and constructive. If conversations start to veer off track, encourage parents to pick up the discussion at a later time.

Encourage parents to come prepared

Set the parents homework! I common challenge we hear about is when parents arrive at the meetings without sufficient context on their child’s progress – particularly as their children get older.

To help better prepare parents, you should provide them with access to key information before the meeting, such as:

• Student reports and grades – Providing an overview of performance across subjects.
• Attendance records – Highlighting any patterns of lateness or absenteeism that may be affecting progress.
• Behaviour logs – Sharing merits, disciplinary records, and feedback from teachers.
• Homework and classwork updates – Allowing parents to see how their child is managing workload and deadlines.

Making this information easily available via a parent communication platform will ensure parents come to the meetings informed and ready to ask relevant questions.

Offer flexible scheduling options

Busy parents don’t all have the same availability. A rigid schedule can lead to missed appointments and frustration from both sides. Schools can improve this by offering:

• Self-service booking – Allowing parents to select meeting slots that suit their schedule.
• Virtual meeting options – Ensuring parents who cannot attend in person can still meet with teachers via video conferencing.
• Multiple time slots – Providing flexibility for parents with multiple children attending the same school.

A parents evening booking system, like the one available through Access My School Portal simplifies this process by giving parents an easy-to-use system where they can book, reschedule, or cancel appointments at their convenience.

Use digital communication tools to speed up the process

Managing parents’ evening manually can be time-consuming and prone to errors. Schools can improve organisation by using digital tools that:

• Automate reminders – Reducing missed appointments by sending email or SMS notifications to parents ahead of time.
• Centralise communication – Allowing parents and teachers to exchange messages, ask questions, or request additional meetings if needed.
• Provide real-time updates – Ensuring last-minute changes, such as rescheduled meetings, are communicated instantly.

By integrating a parent communication platform, schools can reduce administrative workload, enhance organisation, and create a smoother experience for both staff and families.

Implementing these parents’ evening tips ensures greater parental engagement, improved attendance, and more productive meetings. A well-organised parents’ evening strengthens the school-home partnership, ultimately supporting students in achieving their best academic outcomes. 

Despite the importance of parents’ evening, schools often encounter challenges that can disrupt its success. Issues such as scheduling conflicts, missed appointments, and administrative burdens can lead to frustration for both teachers and parents. However, using a parent communication platform can help schools overcome these obstacles, ensuring a more efficient and engaging experience for all.

To explore these challenges (and how to overcome them) in more detail, read our article - Parents evening bookings: How to solve the headaches. For now, here’s a high level overview of some of the most common challenges you’ve probably experienced.

Parents struggle to find a convenient time slot

Many parents juggle work commitments, childcare responsibilities, and other personal obligations, making it difficult to attend a scheduled parents’ evening. A lack of flexibility in appointment booking can result in some families missing out on crucial discussions about their child’s progress.

How to solve it:

• A self-service online booking system allows parents to select a time slot that suits their availability, reducing the likelihood of scheduling conflicts.
• Virtual meeting options enable parents who cannot attend in person to participate in discussions remotely.
• A clear, centralised schedule helps avoid double-booking issues, ensuring that appointments run smoothly.

Providing parents with flexible scheduling options improves attendance rates and ensures more families can engage with their child’s education.

High rates of no-shows and last-minute cancellations

Missed appointments can be frustrating for teachers who have set aside time to meet with parents. No-shows can occur due to forgetfulness, unexpected commitments, or a lack of clear communication about the scheduled meeting time.

How to solve it:

• Automated reminders via email or SMS help keep parents informed of their upcoming appointments, significantly reducing the likelihood of missed meetings.
• Easy rescheduling options allow parents to adjust their appointment if something unexpected arises, ensuring they still have the opportunity to speak with teachers.
• Instant notifications for cancellations enable schools to reallocate appointment slots where possible, making the most of teachers' time.

These solutions help ensure that scheduled meetings take place as planned, allowing teachers to maximise their time with parents. 

Teachers overwhelmed with admin tasks

Managing parents’ evening manually can be an administrative headache. Teachers and school administrators often spend hours coordinating schedules, handling appointment changes, and keeping track of which parents have confirmed attendance. Without a streamlined system, this can become time-consuming and prone to errors.

How to solve it:

• A centralised parent communication platform automates scheduling, tracks attendance, and manages bookings, reducing the administrative burden on teachers and staff.
• Single sign-on access makes it easy for teachers to view their meeting schedules and student records without switching between multiple systems.
• Comprehensive reporting tools provide an overview of appointment attendance, cancellations, and follow-ups, helping schools evaluate the effectiveness of their parents’ evening strategy.

With the right technology in place, you can significantly cut down on admin time, allowing teachers to focus on what really matters – engaging with parents and supporting students. 

Using a parent communication platform can significantly improve the organisation and efficiency of parents’ evening. However, simply having the technology in place is not enough - schools must ensure that both parents and teachers are making the most of the system. When used effectively, digital platforms can enhance communication, improve parental engagement, and create a more structured and productive event.

Encourage parents to check student progress in advance

One of the most effective ways to ensure meaningful conversations during parents’ evening is to equip parents with the information they need beforehand. When parents arrive informed, they can engage in more targeted discussions about their child’s progress, rather than spending time reviewing basic details.

How to implement this:

• Use the parent communication platform to share up-to-date student reports, including grades, attendance records, behaviour logs, and homework submissions.
• Encourage parents to review this information before their appointment, so they can come prepared with specific questions or concerns.
• Provide guidance on what to focus on, such as recent assessments, areas for improvement, or teacher feedback.

Ensuring parents have access to relevant information in advance allows for deeper, more productive conversations, rather than spending time covering basic details that could have been reviewed beforehand.

Ensure teachers are familiar with the platform

A well-organised parents’ evening relies on teachers feeling comfortable using the platform to manage appointments, access student records, and communicate effectively with parents. If staff are unfamiliar with the system, meetings can become disjointed, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for meaningful engagement.

How to implement this:

• Provide training sessions or step-by-step guides for teachers to ensure they know how to navigate the platform before parents’ evening.
• Encourage teachers to review their schedules in advance and familiarise themselves with each student’s progress reports within the system.
• Offer IT support on the day of the event to assist teachers with any technical difficulties that may arise.

When teachers are confident using the platform, they can focus on engaging in meaningful discussions rather than struggling with technical issues or administrative tasks.

Follow up after the meeting

The effectiveness of parents’ evening should not end when the appointments are over. Following up with parents helps to reinforce key takeaways from the discussions and keeps the school-home partnership strong. A well-structured follow-up process ensures that agreed-upon actions are implemented and that parents remain engaged in their child’s learning journey.

How to implement this:

• Use the parent communication platform to send a summary of key discussion points, including agreed next steps for the student.
• Provide additional resources or recommendations for how parents can support their child at home.
• Allow parents to book follow-up meetings if they need further discussions or have new questions after reflecting on the meeting.

By maintaining open communication after parents’ evening, schools demonstrate a commitment to ongoing engagement, ensuring that the conversations translate into real support for students.