Parents’ evenings are a common fixture in schools across the UK. These offer a valuable opportunity to discuss points (both good and bad) and ultimately build a stronger connection between the school and family unit.
Research shows a tangible link between parents’ evening attendance and test scores, highlighting just how important these events are in fostering progression in the classroom.
However, teachers and school administrators know only too well that organising a parents’ evening can be a real challenge — especially if you depend on outmoded processes.
A cutting-edge system designed to streamline the entire process is essential, but what can you expect from the best?
User-friendly accessibility is vital
Planning a parents’ evening can be much easier with the right software, but accessibility is crucial: any staff who struggle to use the system will feel frustrated and be more likely to make time-wasting mistakes.
The best parents’ evening system is well-designed and user-friendly, as welcoming to the novice as the seasoned, tech-savvy pro. Teachers and administrators of all levels should feel confident using the system to make bookings.
Parents, too, must be able to access the system to schedule appointments without becoming baffled. The aim of a good parents’ evening system is to minimise confusion and maximise convenience — and if someone has to pick up the phone to bypass the system, it’s a complete waste of time (and money) altogether.
Give parents flexibility to reschedule appointments
Plans change. Availability varies.
Parents may schedule an appointment with a teacher at a specific time, but be unable to actually make it due to commitments. Perhaps they can’t get away from work in time or have to see their doctor.
Whatever the issue, the best parents’ evening system will offer impressive flexibility, empowering parents with the freedom they need to reschedule appointments at any time.
Simply being able to hop onto the booking system to alter the time is a major convenience for busy parents, consuming far less time than having to call the school directly. Teachers and administrators can review the changes and be fully aware without depending on a receptionist to relay a parent’s message.
As a result, appointments are less likely to be missed and teachers will face less wasted time. A good system helps staff know exactly how much free time they have between appointments, enabling them to prepare for the next conversation or catch up on some marking.
The best parents’ evening system suits all schools
A good, reliable system will suit all schools: primary and secondary schools alike should be able to plan their parents’ evenings with equal ease.
Investing in software and tools is a big commitment for schools. We all know budgets are tight and every penny has to be accounted for. Paying for a parents’ evening system that fails to offer the simplicity and high performance you expect will leave you out of pocket for no good reason.
Busy staff simply don’t have the time to waste trying to wrangle a poorly-made, incomprehensible piece of software. The right system is easy to set-up and start using with minimal delay, in every school.
Communicate with parents quickly and easily
Communication is a vital element of any successful parent-teacher relationship. Both want the best for the child, and coming face-to-face at parents’ evening enables them to engage in an informal, honest way.
However, there are times when quick messages have to be sent to the parent, and the best system facilitates this with ease. For example, a teacher may want to confirm that the parent will be attending the appointment or check who to expect.
Sending messages through the system should be simpler and faster than drafting an email or picking up the phone. This allows teachers to enjoy hassle-free planning from their desk while they mark books or plan lessons; the right system streamlines this process, causing the least possible disruption to their day-to-day work.
Keep all bookings in one place
Your parents’ evening system keeps all information on appointments centralised, cutting down on confusion caused by scribbled notes and unclear emails. Messages passed from parent to receptionist to teacher may be delayed or miscommunicated, ultimately causing time-wasting mistakes on the evening itself.
A comprehensive booking and appointments system presents teachers with all the information they need to prepare for the parents’ evening. Parents can go into the calendar and book their own appointments, choosing those available slots best-suited to their own schedule; as a result, there’s less risk of troublesome double bookings.
Teachers and administrators can simply check the app at any time to clarify their schedule too, rather than having to track a hard copy down.
Gather data with reliable security
The ideal parents’ evening system empowers schools with strong reporting tools. You should be able to track parent attendance to identify those parents who failed to show, and monitor which teachers are fully-booked.
Full GDPR compliance is a must too, for everyone’s safety. Gathering data and recording people’s details demands a high level of effective security, providing peace of mind for all parents and teachers involved.
Administrators can organise and plan the parents’ evening without having to ask teachers about their appointments. All they need to help the event run smoothly is access to the app: once all slots have been taken, a complete rundown of the evening will be available.
Webanywhere’s Parents’ Evening System is the ideal solution for all schools, offering teachers and parents a simple, user-friendly way to manage bookings. The system has been designed to maximise convenience at every stage of parents-evening planning, and is a terrific complement to School Jotter’s other apps.
Want to know more about how our Parents’ Evening System can help your school organise key events? Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our expert team!
