The short version
- Secondary parents' evening appointments are usually about five minutes per teacher, so pick two or three teachers who matter most and one question for each.
- The five questions that work best: what grade is my child working at, which topics are costing marks, is that better or worse than last term, is there anything about effort or homework I should know, and what one thing can we do at home.
- Teachers' phrases are polite shorthand. "Working towards" means not yet at the expected standard, "capable of more" is usually about effort, and "we're considering foundation" in maths caps the grade at 5.
- If two teachers name the same gap, or maths or English is below where it should be in Year 10 or 11, act on it this term rather than waiting for the next report.
- Write down what you heard the same evening, talk it through with your child, and email any question that did not fit into five minutes.
Primary school parents' evenings are usually one conversation with one teacher. Secondary school is different. Your child may have ten or more teachers, each seeing dozens of families in one evening, and most schools keep each appointment to about five minutes. Beal High School in Ilford, for example, tells Year 11 parents that appointments are limited to five minutes and that anything which needs longer should be booked for another date.
Five minutes goes quickly. Most of it gets spent on a general "she's doing fine", and parents come home without knowing what to do next. This guide is about getting specific answers in that time, then turning them into a plan.
The five questions to ask in a five-minute appointment
In a five-minute slot, ask: what grade is my child working at now, and is that from a full test? Which topics are costing the most marks? Is that better or worse than last term? Is there anything about effort, homework or behaviour I should know? What one thing could we do at home that would help most?
1. What grade are they working at, and what is it based on?
A grade on its own can mislead. A "5" in October of Year 10 is often based only on the topics taught so far, while a "5" from a full mock paper is a much firmer number. Ask which it is. If the report also shows a target grade, our guide to what the target grade means explains how to compare the two.
2. Which topics are costing the most marks?
This is the most useful question on the list, because the answer is something you can act on. "Algebra and ratio" or "the longer analysis questions" tells you far more than "needs to revise more". If the teacher can name one or two topics, write them down exactly.
3. Is that better or worse than last term?
The direction matters more than the grade. A child working at a 4 who was at a 3 in the summer is on the right track. A child at a 5 who was at a 6 is not, even though 5 looks better on paper.
4. Is there anything about effort, homework or behaviour I should know?
Teachers often wait to be asked. Missed homework, a phone under the desk, or a child who never puts their hand up rarely appears on a report, but it often explains the grade. Asking directly gives the teacher permission to tell you.
5. What one thing could we do at home that would help most?
Ask for one thing, not a list. The answer is usually specific: twenty minutes on the maths homework platform three times a week, reading the set text again, or learning ten key quotes. One thing gets done; a list of six does not.
Before you go: ten minutes that make the five count
On the evening before, or on the drive there:
- 1Read the latest report and note any subject where the working-at or predicted grade is below the target.
- 2Ask your child which subject they find hardest, and which teacher they would most like you to see.
- 3Check the school's homework app for missed or late work, so it does not come as a surprise.
- 4Choose two or three teachers to prioritise: usually maths, English and the weakest subject.
- 5Write one question for each of those teachers, in your phone or on the appointment sheet.
Many secondary schools expect pupils to come too, and from Year 9 it usually helps. Your child hears the same message you do, and the teacher can ask them directly what they find hard. If maths homework is set on Sparx, our Sparx Maths guide for parents explains how to read the homework record before you go.
What the teacher says, and what it usually means
Teachers have a few minutes and many families to see, so they use polite shorthand. These are the phrases parents ask us about most often, with what they usually mean and the follow-up question that gets a clearer answer.
Common parents' evening phrases. A rule of thumb from teaching experience; every teacher and school uses words a little differently.
"Working towards" or "working below"
- What it usually means
- Not yet at the standard expected at this point in the course
- What to ask next
- "How far below, and in which topics?"
"Working at a 4 at the moment"
- What it usually means
- The grade their work is at now, often only on topics taught so far
- What to ask next
- "Is that from a full paper? What would make it a 5?"
"Capable of more" or "could do better"
- What it usually means
- Usually effort, focus or homework, not ability
- What to ask next
- "Where does it show: homework, classwork or tests?"
"Quiet in class"
- What it usually means
- May not ask for help when stuck, so gaps go unnoticed
- What to ask next
- "Do they ask when they don't understand something?"
"Needs to develop longer answers"
- What it usually means
- Losing marks on 6-mark and essay questions, even when they know the content
- What to ask next
- "Could you show me one of their answers and what was missing?"
"We're thinking about foundation"
- What it usually means
- Maths or science tier may move down; in maths, foundation caps the grade at 5
- What to ask next
- "What would keep them on higher, and when is the decision made?"
"Gaps from earlier years"
- What it usually means
- Topics missed in Key Stage 3 are holding back GCSE work
- What to ask next
- "Which topics? Is there anything we can do on them now?"
"Doing fine" or "no concerns"
- What it usually means
- Nothing urgent, but not specific
- What to ask next
- "What would move them up a grade?"
Common parents' evening phrases. A rule of thumb from teaching experience; every teacher and school uses words a little differently.
| What the teacher says | What it usually means | What to ask next |
|---|---|---|
| "Working towards" or "working below" | Not yet at the standard expected at this point in the course | "How far below, and in which topics?" |
| "Working at a 4 at the moment" | The grade their work is at now, often only on topics taught so far | "Is that from a full paper? What would make it a 5?" |
| "Capable of more" or "could do better" | Usually effort, focus or homework, not ability | "Where does it show: homework, classwork or tests?" |
| "Quiet in class" | May not ask for help when stuck, so gaps go unnoticed | "Do they ask when they don't understand something?" |
| "Needs to develop longer answers" | Losing marks on 6-mark and essay questions, even when they know the content | "Could you show me one of their answers and what was missing?" |
| "We're thinking about foundation" | Maths or science tier may move down; in maths, foundation caps the grade at 5 | "What would keep them on higher, and when is the decision made?" |
| "Gaps from earlier years" | Topics missed in Key Stage 3 are holding back GCSE work | "Which topics? Is there anything we can do on them now?" |
| "Doing fine" or "no concerns" | Nothing urgent, but not specific | "What would move them up a grade?" |
The tier conversation is the one to take most seriously. On the foundation maths paper the highest grade available is 5, and on higher it is 9, with a safety-net grade 3. Schools must enter pupils for the June 2027 exams by 21 February 2027, so the autumn term is when the tier decision is still open. If it has already happened, our guide to being moved to foundation maths explains what it means and what can still change.
If a teacher says something you do not understand, ask straight away: "What would that look like in their work?" Most teachers are glad of the question, and it turns a vague comment into something you can check at home.
Ready to find out where your child stands?
The question that matters most in each year group
The five questions work at any age, but each year of secondary school has one thing worth asking about specifically.
What to focus on at parents' evening, by year group
Year 7
- What matters this year
- Settling in, and gaps from primary school, especially in maths
- The question to ask
- "Are any gaps from primary school showing up yet?"
Year 8
- What matters this year
- Work gets harder while the novelty of secondary school wears off
- The question to ask
- "Is the work getting harder faster than they are keeping up?"
Year 9
- What matters this year
- GCSE options, usually chosen in the spring term
- The question to ask
- "Would you recommend this subject for GCSE, and what grade could they realistically reach?"
Year 10
- What matters this year
- The GCSE course is under way, and maths and science tiers start to form
- The question to ask
- "Which topics from this year are weakest so far?"
Year 11
- What matters this year
- Mocks, predicted grades and sixth-form entry grades
- The question to ask
- "What is the predicted grade, and is it above or below what they need for sixth form?"
What to focus on at parents' evening, by year group
| Year | What matters this year | The question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Settling in, and gaps from primary school, especially in maths | "Are any gaps from primary school showing up yet?" |
| Year 8 | Work gets harder while the novelty of secondary school wears off | "Is the work getting harder faster than they are keeping up?" |
| Year 9 | GCSE options, usually chosen in the spring term | "Would you recommend this subject for GCSE, and what grade could they realistically reach?" |
| Year 10 | The GCSE course is under way, and maths and science tiers start to form | "Which topics from this year are weakest so far?" |
| Year 11 | Mocks, predicted grades and sixth-form entry grades | "What is the predicted grade, and is it above or below what they need for sixth form?" |
If one of these is the worry, these guides go further:
In Year 11, the grade boundary that matters most is often between a 4 and a 5. The Department for Education calls a 4 a "standard pass", and many sixth forms ask for a 5 or 6 in the subjects your child wants to take. Our guide to grade 4 vs grade 5 explains the difference.
The week after parents' evening
1. Write down what you heard, that evening
By the next morning, six five-minute conversations blur into one. Before bed, write one line per teacher: the grade, the topic they named, and the one thing to do at home. That list is your plan for the term.
2. Talk it through with your child
Ask what they heard, not just what you heard. Teenagers often remember the praise and forget the rest, or the reverse. Agree one change together, such as the maths homework done on the day it is set, rather than a list of everything that needs fixing.
3. Email the questions that did not fit
If an appointment ran out of time, a short email to the teacher within a week is normal, and many schools offer a further appointment for anything that needs longer. Keep it to one or two questions, such as which topics to focus on before the mocks.
4. Set the next checkpoint
Find out when the next test, mock or report is due, and put it in the calendar. That is when you find out whether the plan is working. For Year 11, the mocks are the big one; if they go badly, our guide to what to do when mock results are bad picks up from there.
When it is worth getting outside help
Most parents' evenings need nothing more than the plan above. It is worth looking at extra support if:
- Two or more teachers named the same gap, such as algebra, essay writing or exam technique.
- Maths or English is below the expected standard in Year 10 or 11.
- A teacher named the same topics as at the last parents' evening.
- A move to the foundation tier is being discussed.
- Your child says they do not understand what is happening in lessons, not just that the work is hard.
How Tutormint picks up where parents' evening stops
Parents' evening tells you there is a gap. In five minutes, it rarely tells you what is causing it or how to close it. That is what our free demo class is for: a 40-minute one-to-one lesson in which a tutor works through questions with your child to find where the marks are being lost.
What parents' evening gives you, and what a free Tutormint demo adds
Time you get
- Parents' evening
- About five minutes per teacher
- Tutormint free demo class
- A 40-minute one-to-one lesson
What you find out
- Parents' evening
- A grade and a comment
- Tutormint free demo class
- Which topics are costing marks, found by working through questions with your child
What you take away
- Parents' evening
- Your own notes from the evening
- Tutormint free demo class
- Feedback from the tutor: strengths, gaps and a recommended plan
When you next hear how it is going
- Parents' evening
- The next report or parents' evening, often months away
- Tutormint free demo class
- An update after every lesson: topics covered, homework set and what is next
Cost
- Parents' evening
- Free
- Tutormint free demo class
- Free, with no card details and no obligation
What parents' evening gives you, and what a free Tutormint demo adds
| Parents' evening | Tutormint free demo class | |
|---|---|---|
| Time you get | About five minutes per teacher | A 40-minute one-to-one lesson |
| What you find out | A grade and a comment | Which topics are costing marks, found by working through questions with your child |
| What you take away | Your own notes from the evening | Feedback from the tutor: strengths, gaps and a recommended plan |
| When you next hear how it is going | The next report or parents' evening, often months away | An update after every lesson: topics covered, homework set and what is next |
| Cost | Free | Free, with no card details and no obligation |
Bring what you heard to the demo. When you book, tell us the subject and what the teachers said, in their words if you can. "Working towards in algebra" or "loses marks on the 6-markers" tells the tutor exactly where to start. A recent report or test helps, but it isn't required.
We reply within two hours, between 9am and 9pm UK time, by WhatsApp or phone, and match a tutor to your child's subject, level, exam board and personality. If the fit is right, the same tutor teaches your child at the same time each week. If it is not, we match someone else and the second demo is free too. You can sit in on any lesson, and every tutor is interviewed, experienced and DBS-checked.
Our GCSE online tutoring and KS3 tutoring cover subjects including maths and English. One-hour lessons start from £15 at KS3 and £20 at GCSE, with no sign-up fee and no contract; full rates are on our pricing page, and how it works explains each step. We won't promise a grade. How far your child moves depends on where they start and the work they do between lessons, and we will tell you honestly what we find.
Timing matters. From the start of November to the GCSE exams in May is roughly 20 weekly lessons once the school holidays are taken out. Starting after the mocks leaves about half that. If a teacher named a gap this week, this term is the time to find out what is behind it.
Ready to find out where your child stands?
Sources
- Beal High School, Ilford — Year 11 Parents' Evening letter (26 January 2026, for 10 February 2026): "appointments are limited to five minutes. If you have any concerns which cannot be resolved in five minutes, a further appointment should be booked for another date"
- IRIS — What do parents think of parents' evening? (parents describe meetings as feeling rushed and want more time with teachers)
- Ofqual blog — GCSE maths: choosing the right tier (Cath Jadhav, 10 February 2017): grades 9 to 4 on Higher with a safety-net grade 3, grades 5 to 1 on Foundation
- Joint Council for Qualifications — Key dates, June 2027 examination series: deadline for GCSE and GCE entries 21 February 2027
- DfE — GCSE factsheet for parents (May 2019): grade 4 recognised as a 'standard pass'
- TutorMint founder's teaching experience — 10+ years across home, academy and online teaching (the teacher-phrases table and the year-group table)
Written by TutorMint Founder
10+ years of classroom and one-to-one teaching experience. Facts checked 19 October 2026.
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