10 Questions to ask at the parent's evening of your KS1 aged child

10 Questions to ask at the parent’s evening of your KS1 aged child

Most parents love the chance to discuss their child with their teacher and parent’s evening is one of the best opportunities to get a true understanding of what school life is like for them. After all, your child’s teacher spends a lot of time with your little one and therefore will be able to give you a greater insight into how they are doing and their likes and dislikes. 

We do what we can to find out what goes on during the school day, but not all of us have children that will openly discuss it. We have all had those conversations that start with an insightful question from the parent and a very short and direct response from the child.  

The parent’s evening can often take place during the day or at night, and these days virtually or physically, it is your chance to not only listen to the feedback but to also gain a better understanding by asking questing. KS1 is where school really ramps up a gear from the early year’s foundation stage. There is SATs at the end, a reading and phonics test to contend with, and it is often the time when children start to get homework and have more work time and less play time. It is a big adjustment. So here are some of the questions that you might want to ask at the parent’s evening of your KS1-aged child. 

Their education

The main focus of the parent’s evening is to discuss their education but it isn’t all about results or overachieving, you want to make sure that they are doing what they can and are settled in their environment. 

Is my child meeting your expectations? 

One of the first questions that you might ask yourself is whether your child is meeting expectations. Every school will have a way of understanding where your child is at in terms of expected levels. This could be at “age appropriate” levels or they may grade. Understanding where your child is at in terms of expectations of your child’s teacher rather than expectations set out by curriculums and the government is important. After all, every child progresses at a different rate. 

Are there any areas where my child is struggling? 

Your child may be at the age-appropriate levels but they still could be struggling in different areas, so make time to ask where those areas could be. Reading is important at this stage, so you may find that you need to read with your little one more. 

Is there anything specific they need to work on to help with their SATs? 

The SATs are a tough period of testing for any pupil and at this young age it seems like a lot to put them through. So if your child is in year 2 specifically you might want to ask this question. 

Do they contribute to lessons?

You might also want to find out if they are contributing in class. Answering questions and actively participating within their lessons. This is important at this stage as you want them to be enthusiastic about learning and enjoy what they are doing.  

Are they making progress?

Lastly, are they making good progress? Again it doesn’t matter what stage they may be with expectations but is there progress? 

Social and their environment 

Another thing you might want to think about is the social aspects of their time in school. After all you want to ensure that they enjoy school and have friends. So here are a couple of questions to prompt that conversation. 

  • Does my child interact well with others? 
  • How would you describe their behaviour in and out of class?
  • Do they seem happy in school?

What you can do? 

Finally, you may be wondering what it is you could be doing to help your child in these final years of primary school. So here is how to find out what you can do. 

Can I be doing anything at home to help?

It is important to support your child at home, so asking the teacher what you can be doing or what would be beneficial will give you some much-needed guidance on this. 

What do you want from me as a parent? 

Finally, getting the expectations of you from your child’s teacher is also vital. It helps to strengthen the relationship between parent and teacher and will only benefit your child in the future. 

Hopefully, this has put your mind at ease as to some of the questions you could be asking at your KS1 child’s parent’s evening. 

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