Parents new to secondary school will have already found that it’s a different experience to being a parent in primary school. You may feel more distant and disconnected from the school as you and your child navigate multiple subjects and teachers. So, do you still matter?
The short answer is yes! Being interested in your child’s education and learning is still vital. According to UK charity ParentKind, when parents are involved in their child’s education there is a range of benefits including:
Better behaviour
More confidence and greater self-esteem
Higher attendance rates
Lower risk of exclusion
More enthusiasm about learning
Better results
Whilst you may feel more distant from the school and what your child is learning, there are still ways to support your child in their learning. Here are a few tips you can try.
Start a conversation about your child’s day. Maybe check the timetable first so you can prompt them about different lessons. Try open questions like “Tell me something funny that happened today?” or “What was your best/worst lesson today?”
If conversation isn’t flowing, just leave it for now. Short bursts of information will add up to give you a picture of how your child feels about different lessons and teachers. That in turn will help you with what questions to ask.
You are not alone if you don’t understand what your child is learning! So why not learn something yourself. Google can provide a wealth of information on maths, science, history, geography and more so you don’t need to feel left behind.
Still stuck? Email your child’s teacher to ask for help. Schools want children to succeed so will be happy to support you to help your child.
From diaries and planners to school websites and apps, there are so many resources that can help you support your child with their learning. Familiarise yourself with what each one offers and use them to your advantage.
To experience Swotly, sign up as a parent of a child at our Demo School