How to Nail Parents’ Evening Without the Stress: My Top Teacher Tips

Let’s be honest—parents’ evenings can feel intense. You’ve got a tight schedule, high expectations, and only a few minutes to cover months of work with each parent. But over the years, I’ve found a few strategies that completely transformed my experience—and today, I’m sharing them with you!

Whether you're a seasoned teacher or new to the profession, these tips will help you stay calm, organised, and make the most of every conversation. Plus, I’ve got a free downloadable template to make things even easier!

🎥 Prefer to Watch or Listen?

Want to watch or listen instead?
This blog post is based on an episode of my Teach & Tell series—your weekly teacher coffee break filled with practical strategies and real talk from the classroom.

▶️ Watch on YouTube: Miss Estruch Teach & Tell on YouTube
🎧 Listen on Spotify: Miss Estruch Teach & Tell on Spotify

Perfect for your commute, a lunch break, or when you’re marking books with one ear free!

☕ Quick Coffee Catch-Up

Before we dive in, a little teacher-to-teacher moment. This week has been one of those beautifully chaotic ones—juggling work, life with twin boys, and yes, all the coffee. I’ve been loving my Grind Coffee subscription lately (not an ad, just obsessed). If you’re a fellow caffeine enthusiast, feel free to use my code KATIE-PW2474M to get £10 off your first order—and thank you in advance for keeping the Teach & Tell coffee flowing!

Your Stress-Free Parents’ Evening Strategy

Here’s how to go from frazzled to focused in five simple steps.

1. Use a Simple, Effective Template

Keep it straightforward. Your parents’ evening sheet should include:

• Strengths

• Areas for improvement

• Clear next steps

• Key dates (mocks/exams)

• Topics being assessed

• Study strategies and revision tools

For example, in Biology, I always include a quick list of active recall techniques, like flashcards and spaced repetition. You’re basically answering FAQs before they’re asked!

🖨️ Bonus: You can grab my free editable template —just tweak it for your subject and you’re ready to go.

2. Stick to Your Time Limit

You’ve probably got 5 minutes per appointment, max. Respect that. Use a timer or your sheet as a visual cue to help stay on track.

If you’re doing online parents’ evenings, the cut-off is automatic (thank you, post-Covid tech!). But if you’re in person and time’s running out, try this line:
"This is our allocated time for tonight, but if you'd like to discuss further, we can arrange another time with the head of year."
It’s polite, firm, and keeps things moving.

3. Bullet Points Are Your Best Friend

When time is short, don’t write mini essays. Use bullet points on your sheet so:

• You can scan quickly

• Parents can understand at a glance

• You stay focused and confident

Clear, concise notes > long paragraphs, every time.

4. Prepare a Few Key Phrases

Having stock phrases ready to go helps when nerves kick in or time is tight.

Try things like:

• "[Student's name] has made great progress in…"

• "One focus area for us is…, and here’s how you can support at home."

The more you prep these ahead of time, the smoother your conversations will be.

5. Only Send Follow-Ups When Necessary

Unless it’s really needed, skip the post-evening emails. Follow-ups are great for complex cases, but if you offer them for every conversation, you’ll drown in admin. Be selective to protect your time and sanity.

Confession of the Week 😂

Okay… true story.

During an online parents’ evening, I looked at the student’s first name and started confidently giving glowing feedback—turns out it was the wrong student. Two kids with the same first name. The parents looked very confused, and I realised mid-sentence that their child… was the other one.

Cue nervous laughter and a very hasty pivot to “I just wanted to focus on the positive and the progress they’ve made recently!” Somehow, I think I got away with it. Just.

🎯 Quick Tip of the Week

Prepare a set of handouts with general study tips, key dates, or useful websites. These can be printed or emailed in advance and will save you from repeating the same advice 30 times in one night.

🧰 Resource Roundup

Don’t forget to download your free Parents’ Evening Template! It’s editable, adaptable, and designed to make your evening easier.

And if you’re as hooked on coffee as I am, treat yourself to a £10 discount from Grind Coffee with my code: KATIE-PW2474M. You deserve it.

You’ve Got This 💪

Parents’ evenings don’t have to be draining. With a little prep, clear boundaries, and the right tools, you can walk into every conversation confident and in control.

Let me know if you try these tips—or share your own #teacherfails with me over on Instagram at @MissEstruchTeachAndTell. I love hearing your stories (and sharing mine!).

Until next time…
You bring the coffee, I’ll bring the Teach & Tell.

- Katie