Share information with your child’s teacher#

Parent-teacher interviews don’t just have to be about learning. If you have concerns about your child’s behaviour or wellbeing, the interview is a good place to connect with the teacher about your concerns. This gives you a new perspective from someone who is also with your child every day.

If your child struggles with learning, behaviour or wellbeing, you don’t have to wait for a parent-teacher interview to talk to their teacher. You also don’t have to feel embarrassed or ashamed. Teachers work with a variety of students and are professionally trained to help get the best out of each student.

Schools encourage families to be part of the learning team – remember, you know your child best.

It helps the teacher if they know what else might be happening for your child. Provide the teacher with any information that could help them better understand or assist your child, including health issues, life changes or learning difficulties.

Ask about what supports the school can offer, and who they might be able to refer you to if appropriate. Establish clear action items and then set a date to check back on them. 

Set goals#

As a team around your child, you can set goals and discuss strategies that the teacher will use at school and strategies you could try at home.

Remember that learner confidence is a big part of success, so choose small goals that can be achieved quickly, and encourage your child to think positively about their learning.

Wellbeing for younger students#

When encouraging wellbeing for younger students, schools emphasise social skills, emotional awareness and self-management. These are often tied to school values and expectations are reinforced in and out of the classroom. If students find these things difficult, there will be systems and processes – first in the classroom and then across the school – to help them.

Many schools operate a school-wide programme that recognises and rewards positive behaviour across the school. In individual classes, teachers can focus on supporting more specific wellbeing and learning needs.

For students in Years 0 to 3, this support may look like:

• being assigned a buddy to help with socialisation and friendships
• working in small groups to play games and practice social skills
• participating in a class reward system
• using specialised equipment for learning, like pencil grips or audiobooks
• having a visual timetable, or being assigned to special roles in the classroom to help self-manage and understand school routines
• taking part in mindfulness activities or programmes that help with self-esteem, friendships and emotional regulation.

How to find support for your child's wellbeing

Find out how your school supports student wellbeing, and how you and your child can access this support.

Identify the person within the school responsible for wellbeing, and the process for contacting them if you are concerned. Make sure your child knows how to access this support independently, too. It’s important that you keep your child informed and involved in this support team.

Talk to them about any discussions you have with the school and any agreed steps moving forward.

After a parent-teacher interview#

After the parent-teacher interview, talk with your child. Discuss their progress and next steps and celebrate their achievements.

Support your child’s learning at home by acting on the ideas discussed at the parent-teacher interview. You can also use the suggestions provided in the curriculum year-by-year learning guides.

If you still have questions or points to discuss, ask your child’s teacher for another meeting or a phone conversation.