During my first teaching post, I recall one of the parents evenings there. It was a fairly normal evening which passed off without incident, largely as the only parents who came were the ones who knew that the conversations which they were going to have would be positive ones. I remember that I had time for a quick chat with a colleague who sat next to me. ‘Quiet tonight…for you too.’ With a palpable sense of dismay, one of the senior leadership team reported the next morning that the turnout was 38%. There may, of course, have been other factors - perhaps a big football match was taking place, or a particularly important episode of Eastenders was airing - but it was incredibly disappointing not to have made the most of a chance to have had an impact with students who needed guidance most of all.

Parental engagement is utterly vital as a key driver of student engagement and progress. There can be no counter argument to that. I’ve experienced myself the fact that parents are a child’s first educator: they set the standards of acceptable behaviour from the start; they impart good or bad habits with regard to reading, eating or sleeping; they create the environment around which a young person can either build their confidence and self-esteem in order to strive for their aspirations or to find it all elusive.

Throughout my career, students rarely fail when the ‘triangle of success’ is in place: fully engaged parents who support their sons or daughters through conversations at the dinner table concerning previous, current and next learning; teachers who understand the student on a personal level, supporting, challenging and stretching an appropriate amount in each case; self-motivated students who seek inspiration from their parents and the teaching staff who work to encourage and guide them to make progress.

Ensuring that strong, trusting links are in place between all points of this triangle have a huge bearing on success. Where the relationship breaks down between teacher and student, chances to capitalise on learning opportunities are often lost. On the other hand, knowing that a teacher will go the extra mile can really drive a student on to push themselves further. Similarly, when a student’s home life is settled and supportive, when good routines are firmly in place and it is clear that parents take a keen interest in academic development, the foundations of learning, which are made in school, are built on and extended at home.

The final bond is between parents and teachers. When meetings are arranged between these groups, they are often dreaded - put in place to challenge poor performance or an episode of unacceptable behaviour - though it is as important to highlight achievement and improvements in effort. Hence the importance of well planned and executed parents evenings. For our part, at the College, the parents evenings which have been arranged from this week give a chance to discuss progress in an environment of transparency. Following on from the Months Marks data for January, which has already been shared with parents, patterns can be identified and suggestions made for new approaches. A unified approach is fundamental to ensure a clear message to the students: we will hold you to account on high standards because we want the best for you.

We’ve made a great deal of effort to maximise the availability of staff for parents evenings this week. We found during Covid that online meetings worked best for some, and we’ve retained that option, operating a hybrid system with face to face meetings ongoing for those who can make it into College. As I sit looking at my schedule of appointments for the week ahead, personally, I’m at 95% booked, and I’ll be chasing those 5% who remain as best I can before Tuesday and Thursday. All of the staff will. With the establishment of helpful technology, there really are no excuses for an inability to have 100% attendance. What is said during these meetings can make a substantial difference - and there can be no better time than the present to enter discussions on how that difference can materialise in a positive way.

I recall one of my colleagues within the Bellevue group, John Floyd, the Headmaster at Bruern Abbey School, being of the opinion that written reports should be abandoned for more parents evenings. While I’m not quite in agreement - seeing the value in having a record by way of a comprehensive summary of a term’s work - I can sympathise with his point. Parents meetings are an integral part of an approach which forges a trusting relationship. We feel that ‘little and often’ works well at the College through emails as the principle line of communication, complemented by face to face meetings - regular and concise messages across the year, month by month or more if requested - utilising the parental meetings as an opportunity to delve further into those issues which have proved more difficult to resolve.

It is absolutely essential that time is set aside for those issues to be discussed in order to ensure that the ‘triangle of success’ is never compromised.