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Parents’ Evening: Questions to Ask

Prepare useful questions, understand the teacher’s evidence and leave with a clear next step for your child.

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Editorial

  • Portrait of Robin GibbonsLead authorFounder & CEO·Latimer Tuition
  • Reviewed byHeather LatimerTutor Matching & Customer Service·Latimer Tuition

Before the meeting: bring what helps the conversation

  • Ask your child first

    What feels easy, what feels difficult, and what would they like you to ask? Include something they are proud of. Ask how they feel about joining the conversation and check whom the school expects to attend.

  • Choose your priorities

    Write the two or three questions you most want answered. Put a concern that needs a decision ahead of a general request for an update. You can use the question bank below without trying to ask everything.

  • Bring a few examples

    Have the latest report or teacher feedback available, plus one or two pieces of work that illustrate your question. A short note such as “homework takes a long time because they cannot start the first question” is more useful than a large folder with no clear purpose.

  • Share relevant context

    Note changes in confidence, routines or circumstances that may affect learning. Tell the teacher what your child manages outside school too. Describe what you have observed rather than assuming why it happens.

  • Arrange access and enough time

    Use the school’s booking instructions. If you need interpretation, an accessible space, a remote option or a longer private conversation, ask in advance what can be arranged. Keep a way to take brief notes.

Questions to ask at parents’ evening

Choose the questions that match your concern. For this conversation, attainment means what your child can currently do; progress asks what has changed over time. Ask for examples of both. For help decoding grades and written measures, use school reports explained.

  • What is going well?

    Which recent piece of work shows a strength? What should we encourage them to keep doing? Start with a specific success as well as any concern.

  • What can they do independently now?

    Could you show an example of what they can do without help, and something they still need support with? What is the most useful next learning goal?

  • What has changed since earlier work?

    Where have they improved, and where has progress been slower? Which examples make that clear? This helps you understand more than a single grade or broad judgement.

  • What is getting in the way?

    Do they understand the task, know how to start and ask for help when needed? Are difficulties appearing in particular activities or across the day? Share what happens at home and ask how it compares with school.

  • What support is already in place?

    What is being tried, how is my child responding and what would you change next? Who should we speak to if the difficulty continues?

  • What would useful help at home look like?

    Could you suggest a manageable activity and show the approach you use in class? What should we do if they cannot complete it? Agree support you can realistically provide.

  • How will we know the next step is helping?

    What work or behaviour will we look at, who will get back to whom, and when? Write down the agreed review point before leaving.

Adapt the questions to your child’s stage

These are example prompts, not national assessment rules. Use your child’s actual course names and include older learners in choosing priorities and follow-up actions.

Example meeting questions for early primary, later primary, secondary and exam-course learners.

StageUseful focusFollow-up question

Early primary

How are they settling, joining activities and explaining what they need?

Which reading or number activity should we practise, and how do you model it?

Later primary

Which skill is holding up the next task?

Can you show where they work independently and where they need a prompt?

Secondary subject meetings

Is this difficulty specific to this subject or appearing elsewhere?

Which piece of work should we use to understand the problem, and who will bring together feedback across subjects?

GCSE, A-level or other exam courses

Which learning priority matters most for the next assessment?

Is the main issue understanding, applying knowledge or completing the task? What should independent practice focus on?

Wording to adapt

When feedback is too broad to act on

When this applies

The teacher says “needs to be more independent” or “must put in more effort”, and you are unsure what to do next.

Suggested wording

“Could you show us a recent example? What would you like them to do differently at that point? Is there something they need to understand or practise first? Let’s agree one small step they can try, with the support they need.”

Why this helps

It turns a broad judgement into an observable task. If the teacher’s picture differs from yours, describe a specific example from home and ask what might explain the difference.

Your notes

A meeting record you can copy

When this applies

Use one short record per priority and agree the details and review date with the teacher.

Suggested wording

Child, class or subject: …

Strength to build on: …

Priority and example of the difficulty: …

School action and person responsible: …

Home or learner action: …

Evidence we will look for: …

Review date, contact person and method: …

Why this helps

The record separates the learning goal from the jobs needed to support it. Read back your understanding so an unanswered question does not become an assumed agreement.

After the meeting: make the agreement usable

  • Talk it through with your child

    Share the specific strengths discussed as well as the next step. Ask what they understood and what help they want. With an older learner, let them take ownership of the part they have agreed to do.

  • Keep the actions manageable

    Put the agreed task and review date somewhere you will find them. If several subject teachers suggest extra work, bring the priorities together with your child and ask the relevant school contact to help resolve an unrealistic load.

  • Follow up using the agreed evidence

    At the review point, look at the named work or task and ask what changed. If an action has not happened or the difficulty remains, contact the named person with a concise account and agree the next response.

  • Use a learning goal if you consider tuition

    If you decide to seek subject support, share the specific goal and relevant feedback. Our guide to briefing a tutor from reports and mocks helps organise that information. You can request a tutor match or find a tutor; keep any additional work aligned with the meeting’s priorities.

Support and clarity

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.

Should my child attend parents’ evening?

Ask what your school has arranged and discuss it with your child. Whether they attend or not, gather their questions beforehand and tell them afterwards what was agreed. For an older learner, make space for them to explain their own work and take part in the decisions.

What if I cannot attend or need an interpreter?

Contact the school before the event and explain what you need. Ask whether another time, a telephone or video conversation, interpretation or another suitable arrangement is available. Agree how you will receive feedback and raise questions; do not assume a particular option is offered.

Do I need to bring a report if none has been issued?

No. Prepare your questions and any relevant work or feedback you already have. Ask the teacher which examples they can show you. A missing report does not prevent a useful conversation about learning and the next step.

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