Parent/teacher meetings
The aims of Parent/Teacher Meetings are:

  • To facilitate an exchange of information among staff members and parents

  • To let parents know how their children are progressing in school

  • To let teachers know how children are getting along outside school

  • To establish an ongoing relationship and communication with parents

Informal parent/teacher communication:

·       Communication between parents and teachers is encouraged.

·       Parents are required to make an appointment (by phone call to Reception, by email, or by note in the Homework Journal) to meet with the child’s teacher if/when needed. Pre-arranged appointments facilitate better quality communication between the parent and teacher, rather than the more rushed and distracted type that takes place when the teacher has to supervise the pupils in the class from the classroom door while at the same time communicating with a parent. Pre-arranged meetings allow for more discreet communication and avoid potential embarrassment for a child when his/her parent is talking to the teacher at the classroom door. Staff members are instructed to advise parents that they would be happy to meet with them at another time that is suitable to both parties.

·       Particular care is taken to ensure that parent/teacher consultations do not take place within the hearing of other pupils and/or parents.

·       It is understood that from time-to-time certain ‘sensitive/urgent’ situations (eg serious illness of family member, family crisis, etc) will arise which will require a parent to arrive at the school without appointment and such situations will of course continue to be facilitated. Outside of such situations parents should not arrive at the classroom door unannounced/without appointment to seek a consultation with a staff member. If parents wish to drop in lunch boxes, sports gear etc, this can be done through Reception as it is important to keep class interruptions to a minimum.

Formal parent/teacher communication

Formal timetabled Parent/Teacher Meetings take place each year. These meetings are an important opportunity for parents and teachers to exchange information regarding the child’s progress and every effort should be made by parents to attend the meeting.

  • Letters are issued to parents during the week prior to the meeting. If unable to attend, parents should notify teacher(s) accordingly so that an alternative appointment may be made.

  • In the case of married but separated/divorced parents, requests may be made by both parents to meet their child’s teacher(s) individually for parent/teacher meetings

  • In the case of unmarried separated parents, requests may be made by both parents to meet their child’s teacher(s) individually for parent/teacher meetings, subject to the natural father having established his ‘guardianship, custody and access rights’ through the court and/or by means of statutory declaration made by the natural mother.