Parents’ evenings provide an important opportunity for parents, carers, students and teachers to work together. Each year group has one parents’ evening during the academic year, with the timing carefully chosen to ensure that the conversations can make a meaningful difference to students’ future learning and success.

Why do we hold parents’ evenings?

At Ivybridge Community College, we believe that the most useful conversations are those that help students understand what they need to do next.

For this reason, parents’ evenings are usually held in advance of important assessments, examinations, options decisions or other key points in a student’s education. This allows teachers to provide practical, subject-specific advice while there is still time for students and families to act upon it.

Rather than simply discussing what has already happened, the evening focuses on how students can prepare effectively, strengthen their knowledge and improve their future outcomes.

Students cannot change what has already happened, but they can influence what happens next.

Parents’ evenings help families understand how best to support this next stage.

What happens at a parents’ evening?

Parents’ evenings are held online using the TES Parents’ Evening System. Parents and carers can book appointments with their child’s classroom teachers from the available appointment slots.

Appointments are generally between five and ten minutes long. Keeping appointments focused and concise allows teachers to meet with as many families as possible. Some teachers may teach more than 60 students within a single year group, so shorter appointments help us maximise the number of parents and carers who are able to speak directly with them.

During each appointment, teachers will usually explain:

• how the student is progressing through the subject curriculum;
• the student’s engagement, effort and approach to learning;
• any particular strengths or areas requiring improvement;
• upcoming assessments, examinations or important pieces of work;
• the knowledge and skills the student should prioritise;
• practical steps the student can take to improve;
• how parents and carers can support learning at home.

Teachers will base their advice on a range of information, including classroom performance, internal assessments, home-learning completion and information recorded through ClassCharts.

There will also be an opportunity for parents, carers and students to ask focused questions.

How are appointments booked?

Appointment booking opens in advance of each parents’ evening through the TES Parents’ Evening System. Parents and carers will receive information explaining when booking opens and how to access the system.

Appointments are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. As some teachers teach several classes within the same year group, we cannot always guarantee that every family will be able to book an appointment with every teacher.

In some circumstances, the College may contact particular families before general booking opens to ensure that an important conversation can take place with the most appropriate member of staff.

Where parents or carers are unable to attend the evening, they should contact the College. Where possible, we will explore whether an alternative conversation can be arranged. However, we must also carefully manage staff workload, and it may not always be possible to recreate a full parents’ evening programme outside the scheduled event.

How should families prepare?

Before the evening, parents and carers may wish to review the information available through ClassCharts, including attendance, behaviour, rewards and home learning.

It can also be helpful to discuss the following questions with your child:

• Which subjects are currently going well?
• Which subjects are they finding more challenging?
• What assessment, examination or important deadline is coming next?
• What support or advice would be most useful?
• What action are they prepared to take following the evening?

Students are encouraged to take an active part in the conversations. The greatest impact comes when students, families and teachers agree clear and manageable next steps and work together to put them into practice.

What is the focus for each year group?

The focus of conversations will vary according to the student’s stage of education.

Years 7 and 8

Conversations will focus on how successfully students are settling into the College and into their different subjects. Teachers will discuss progress through the curriculum, classroom engagement and the development of strong learning habits.

Year 9

Alongside progress and engagement, conversations may focus on preparation for Key Stage 4 and the suitability of different subject options.

Years 10 and 11

Conversations will focus increasingly on examination preparation, revision, completion of coursework where appropriate, and the specific actions students can take to improve their outcomes.

Towards the end of Year 11, teachers may also provide advice about the suitability of particular subjects for post-16 study and the grades required to continue studying them.

Sixth Form

Conversations will focus on progress through each course, likely outcomes, independent study and preparation for future pathways, including university, apprenticeships and employment.

What happens after the evening?

The most important part of a parents’ evening is what happens afterwards.

Following the evening, students should be able to identify a small number of clear actions that will help them make further progress. These may include improving attendance, completing home learning more consistently, attending additional support, revising particular topics or changing their approach within lessons.

Parents and carers can provide valuable support by helping students establish routines, checking that agreed actions are being completed and continuing to encourage consistent effort.

By working together before important assessments and decisions, we can help every student prepare confidently, make strong choices and fulfil their potential.