The partnership between home and school plays an important part in supporting your child’s success. As a parent or carer, you are not expected to be an expert in every subject or to teach the curriculum at home. Showing an interest, encouraging positive routines and helping your child to take increasing responsibility for their learning can make a considerable difference.
We recognise that family lives are busy and that every child has different strengths, commitments and needs. There is no single approach that will work for every household. The guidance below offers some practical ways in which you can support your child throughout their time at Hayfield.
Talking to your child about school helps to show that their learning matters. Questions that require more than a yes or no answer can encourage them to reflect upon what they have learned.
You might ask:
You do not need to know the answer yourself. Asking your child to explain an idea can help them organise their thoughts and reveal how securely they understand it.
Simple, consistent routines can help your child become more organised and independent. Where possible, encourage them to:
The aim is not for you to organise every aspect of your child’s learning. Support should gradually help them become more confident in planning their own time and taking responsibility for the work they need to complete.
You can help with homework and revision without having studied the subject yourself.
Encourage your child to begin by checking the instructions and using the resources provided by their teacher. These may be available in their planner, on Google Classroom or through a subject-specific platform.
Rather than providing an answer, try asking questions such as:
It is important that homework reflects your child’s own understanding. If they find something difficult, encourage them to make a genuine attempt, identify precisely where they became unsure and seek help when appropriate.
Further information about school systems and online platforms can be found on our Google for Education page. Practical revision guidance is available on our Revision page.
Working hard is important, but academic success should not come at the expense of your child’s health or wider development.
Sleep, physical activity, positive relationships, extracurricular involvement and time away from study all contribute to wellbeing and successful learning. Encourage your child to work purposefully while also making time to rest and pursue their interests.
During busy assessment or examination periods, it can be helpful to agree a realistic routine together. A manageable plan is likely to be more effective than long, unfocused periods of work or an expectation that every available hour should be spent revising.
School reports provide important information about your child’s academic progress. At Hayfield, they also include information about Behaviour, Attitudes, Personal and Social Development, giving students and families a more rounded picture of development.
Take time to read reports with your child. Begin by recognising what is going well before identifying a small number of areas that could be strengthened.
Useful questions might include:
Further information can be found on our Academic Assessment and Reporting and Wider Development Reporting pages.
Parent–Teacher Consultation Evenings provide an opportunity to speak directly with your child’s subject teachers, celebrate what is going well and understand what may help them make further progress.
Appointments are relatively short, so some preparation can help you make the best use of the time available.
Make your appointments in advance and prioritise the subjects you would particularly like to discuss. Where possible, leaving a short break between groups of appointments may give you time to consider the information you have received.
Read your child’s most recent report and discuss it with them beforehand. Ask how they feel they are progressing and agree any questions you would both like answered.
You may find it helpful to ask:
Make a brief note of any important advice so that you can return to it afterwards.
Talk through the feedback with your child, beginning with the positives. Rather than creating a long list of changes, agree one or two realistic actions that they can understand and take responsibility for.
The aim should be to turn the conversation into purposeful next steps while recognising and celebrating the progress already being made.
There may be times when your child finds a subject, task or period of school particularly challenging. Encourage them to speak to the relevant teacher and make use of the guidance and support available.
If you need to contact the School, our Contacting the School page explains the most appropriate routes. Using these routes helps ensure that your question or concern reaches the colleague best placed to respond.
The Parentkind website provides useful information, practical advice and guidance for parents and carers on a wide range of issues affecting children, families and school life. It also regularly offers webinars exploring different aspects of parenting and supporting children’s learning, development and wellbeing.
Parents and carers may wish to explore the resources available through the Parentkind website.
[Link to Parentkind]
