Talking Futures: Parents Evening Appointments

This activity supports the following recommendations for good parental engagement :

• Build on current parental engagement
• Create a parent-friendly environment
• Build trust with socially-disadvantaged families
• Stimulate family conversations
• Combine home and school
• Involve the senior leadership team

Research shows that parents often prefer talking to subject teachers about their child’s future. Given parents are already discussing their child’s learning, parents’ evenings present a good opportunity to build on this engagement and include a structured conversation around their child’s options and aspirations. Appointments may need to be lengthened to allow for this. 

Parents are encouraged to prepare in advance for the appointment either independently or in an additional support session, and there are tailored materials for Key Stage 3-4 and 4-5. Guidance is provided on how subject teachers can also be supported in their preparations and this guidance can be applied to any interactions with parents so they can be used as an opportunity to explore future options.

This activity works better face to face than virtually because of the typically short, fixed online appointment times and the lack of opportunity for careers teams to have conversations between appointments with parents.

Activity objectives

• To support parents with getting the most out of parents’ evening appointments and using the time to get their careers questions answered, particularly those who are most disengaged.
• To provide structure for parents holding careers conversations at home with their child and guidance on where to find support.
• To build parents’ confidence in getting support from their school/college with careers information.
• To broaden parents’ understanding about the different routes that might be available to their child.

Activity information

• Engaging parents
• 30 mins