Standard+7.3.2

=Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of communication between school and home. =

The [|email] from ‘A’ is indicating concern about her daughter ‘G’s concerns. During Parent Staff interviews I always invite parents to contact me either by phone or email. Often parents find email easier as it is not always easy to catch each other by phone.

I feel it is important to reassure parents and to inform them of exactly what is happening with their children at school. The matter was easily resolved and both parent and daughter were satisfied with the resolution.

The email trail to ‘Parent E’ was initiated at the parents request as I had voiced concerns about their daughter’s engagement with the assessment process.

‘Parent E’ appreciated being kept in the loop and ultimately student ‘E’ admitted that she had decided to discontinue Biology and therefore was not putting any effort into her assessment tasks.

Frank but polite communications with parents concerning their children’s academic progress has always resulted in positive school-community relationships, in my experience.

For several years I have been a pastoral tutor. At the beginning of each year I send the parents an email with a class photo, taken on the first day of school. I introduce myself and mention that over the next few weeks I shall telephone them just to make that personal contact. This has always been appreciated and it sets the tone for fruitful communications.

I use Microsoft [|OneNote] as a general note taking, planning and research tool as it allows very flexible filing. At the beginning of each year I set up my classes with a class list, parent/guardian names and contact numbers. As I make my Pastoral calls I am able to jot down notes of the conversations. I can see, at a glance whether I have made contact, and if not I go back until I have contacted all parents. Whenever any communications relevant to a particular student come to me, I am able to send them straight from Outlook to OneNote, so that I have an instant reference. I am able to monitor not only each student’s progress but also each communication I have with parents.

I have found that effective communication with parents needs to be prompt and no nonsense. Parents need to believe that you always have their daughter’s best interests at heart while not bending to possible manipulation. The email trail showing how a particular [|student incident] was dealt with shows that I have empathy and understanding of both the daughter’s problem and the mother’s concerns. This communication is also kept in OneNote.

I have now started communicating with my subject student’s parents. I started with year [|Yr 7 Parents]. The response has been positive and appreciated.

While these varied forms of communication have had positive outcomes in terms of Parent/Teacher and Student/Teacher relationships, I have not yet found a way to evaluate whether there has been any effect on learning outcomes, other than those that come with better relationships with the teacher.