Getting the most out of parents’ evening: 5 expert tips for primary school parents

Partner Content
7 days ago
5 min read

Author: LS Tuition

With parents’ evenings taking place in primary schools across Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland around now, here are our private tutor’s top tips on negotiating those all-important pupil progress meetings with teachers.

Parents’ evening is one of the most valuable events in the school year, giving parent carers the chance to connect with their child’s teacher, understand their progress, and learn how they’re managing in school day to day. But parents’ evening can pass by quickly. Whether it’s your first or seventh year of attending progress meetings, these expert tips from Edinburgh based private tutor service LS Tuition will help you make the most of the experience, and let you know what to do if the meeting raises concerns around your child’s learning or confidence.

Be prepared for parents’ evening

With most parents’ evening meetings lasting between five and ten minutes, it pays to go in with a plan. You’ll often find that teachers will launch straight into what they want to tell you, but you may still have some unanswered questions. So, before your appointment, note down some key queries. You could ask about your child’s strengths, any areas they’re struggling with, how you can support their reading at home, or how they get on with others in class.

Understanding what’s going well for them in school, or where they could do with some extra help, will guide you in how you can support them at home, or with what to look for in tutoring in Edinburgh if you decide to explore getting extra help.

More than attainment

Parents’ evenings often focus on targets and achievements, but attainment isn’t everything. Recently, a parent of a child tutored at LS Tuition told us the first thing their child’s teacher said at their parents’ evening meeting was how kind and thoughtful their child was. That’s such a nice thing to hear. As a holistic, child-led private tutoring service in Edinburgh, we understand that your child’s curiosity, creativity, and resilience are just as important as their grades.

Your child’s teacher may tell you, or you can ask them directly – how does your child approach challenges? Does the teacher think your child enjoys learning? What sparks their interest in class or during outdoor learning? These all touch on holistic development in early childhood – the idea that children thrive when their emotional, social, and intellectual growth is supported.

If your child is not as strong in some areas as others, parents’ evening gives you the opportunity to find out why. It also helps you learn more about the kind of extra support you or a professional private tutoring service could provide to help improve things.

Focus on the bigger picture

In holistic education, which is the approach used at LS Tuition, we know success isn’t just about grades. It’s also about motivation and happiness. We understand that children’s progress at school isn’t always linear. Your child might surge ahead in one area, slow down in another, or remain at a steady level somewhere else. This is where the adaptability and personalised approach of a child-centred learning plan really come into play.

So, play the long game, and think about the long-term implications of your child’s current experience of education. At parents’ evening, you could ask their teacher how your child approaches challenges, how they contribute to class discussions, or if there are any topics that really engage them. This knowledge helps lay the foundation for your child’s education, signposting how they might show up in high school or college. It will also guide you to better understand what motivates your child, which can help make learning at home more enjoyable.

Pay attention

It goes without saying, but parents’ evenings can be very busy and tightly scheduled, with family groups moving around the room or from table to table (especially when your child gets to high school!). Make sure you arrive a few minutes early. This gives you a chance to get your bearings and ensures you get your full allocated time with the teacher. Plus having a little leeway with time gives you a chance to gather your thoughts.

With so much going on and lots to talk about, it can be easy to forget the details. If it helps, you can take notes during the meeting. This opens up the opportunity to follow up on any worries, or reflect on things with your child once you’ve had some time to process the experience yourself.

Have concerns?

Parents’ evening can be tough, and teacher meetings can sometimes leave you feeling like you have more questions than answers. Perhaps your child is struggling with reading, their concentration levels, or their confidence in the classroom – issues we often see for our learners at LS Tuition.

If that’s the case, it’s ok to be concerned. But it’s important to remember that a teacher meeting is the start of a conversation. At the meeting, or even afterwards if you feel overwhelmed, you can ask the teacher directly: What support is already in place? What can we try at home? When can we check in again?

If you feel your child would benefit from personally tailored, one-to-one support, LS Tuition in Edinburgh can help rebuild confidence and complement the learning on offer at school. We’re known for working with the school system rather than against it, as we understand that your child’s teachers only want the best for your child – just like us.

Can private tuition help?

LS Tuition’s primary school tutor service in Edinburgh has been carefully devised to work alongside schools – not instead of them. We know every child learns differently, and sometimes they simply need a fresh approach or different learning environment – like our purpose-built learning space, which has been designed from a child’s point of view.

Our learning space offers an interactive, immersive experience which blends play with learning and includes a library corner, imagination station, mindfulness area and much more to benefit the whole child, in line with our holistic approach. In our learning space, children work one-to-one or in small groups following a personalised curriculum that reflects their needs and interests. LS Tuition’s highly trained and thoughtful tutors focus on building confidence, closing gaps in understanding, and making learning enjoyable again.

For children with specific learning differences such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or neurodivergence, our tutors in Edinburgh use proven, multi-sensory teaching methods to make reading, writing and learning accessible and rewarding.

We also support home-educated children and those experiencing school anxiety or school refusal. Our approach prioritises holistic development – understanding that emotional wellbeing, curiosity, and a sense of success are essential for academic growth.

So, if you left parents’ evening feeling unsure about your child’s progress, the experts at LS Tuition can help you identify your child’s challenges and create a tailored plan for support.

Follow up

Once parents’ evening is over, it’s time to talk to your child about what was said at the meeting. Focus on the positives by starting with your child’s strengths – perhaps kindness, creativity or good listening – before discussing the next steps.

If your child’s teacher pointed out that they’re struggling with literacy or numeracy, for example, you could create a simple plan together – perhaps ten minutes of daily reading each evening, running through spellings of things the child sees while you’re out and about, or practising times tables through games.

Key takeaways

Parents’ evening should be about partnership between you, your child, and their teachers and the wider school. But that partnership can extend beyond school.

If you left your child’s progress meeting feeling reassured, that’s fantastic. But if you left with questions or concerns, remember, support doesn’t stop at the school gates.

Our friendly, professional tutoring service in Edinburgh helps children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Whether your child needs a confidence boost, help with reading, or a calm space to help them rediscover their love of learning, we’re here to help.