Parents Evening

The world has gone mad.

The school reports have gone out in phases - Year 7 a couple of weeks ago, Year 9 this week and Year 8 in a couple of weeks. Our Headmistress is a bit of a pedant and the reports consist of a page for each subject with targets, current attainment and what they are studying - 185 words in each section, so as you can imagine they are quite hefty.

So as a parent you are faced with reams of information about your child's academic progress. Super. But oh no, our Head then decides to hold a parents evening for each year group the week after the reports have gone out. Then she wonders why very few parents turn up despite her staff having given up another evening of their time.

The parents have more information than they really need, so what more could they possibly have to ask. I don't know about you, but I only go to parents evening if there is a problem (my evenings are too precious). The parents don't need to ask the Teachers anything - they've said it all in the report. The only people who do turn up are the persistent moaners who will do anything to have a go at a teacher for some supposed wrong that has occurred to little Johnny.

Now, I believe that parents should get a one side of A4 paper with each subject. It should show the national curriculum grade that they child should be at for their age, the grade they are currently attaining and the target grade they should get by the next report. Then have the parents evening and answer any questions. Or, do the mega report and then have a parents evening a couple of months later to see how things are progressing.

But then who I am - I just have to type the damn things!