How we communicate with parents

As a parent, you want to be kept well informed on your child's progress, as well as being in the loop about school events and initiatives.

As a result of our open door policy, it's easy for parents (and pupils, for that matter) simply to pick up the phone, send an email or pop into school and have a chat to a teacher whenever they like. We're always delighted to hear from parents, and want you to feel that you can always talk to us.

This means that whichever member of staff you'd like to talk to – be they an individual subject teacher, form teacher or Director of Studies – you can contact them immediately and directly. No making appointments or working your way through torturous hierarchies.

In a similarly informal vein, Mark, the Head, is always to be found at the school gate, morning and evening, to chat to parents. Again, there's no need to make an appointment!

More formal communications

Of course, not every issue is suitable for discussion at the school gate. And alongside our informal systems for feedback and communication, we also communicate with parents in a regular and structured way:

  • Parents' evenings once or twice a year, during which you'll meet your child's teachers and receive feedback on their progress in individual subjects.
  • Written reports – Shorter reports and subject grades six times a year, supplemented by full written reports at Christmas and Summer for Years 7-9 and Christmas, Easter and Summer for Years 10 and 11.
  • Settling-in reports In addition to the above, we also send out reports on new students, to let you know how they're settling in.
  • Head's letter every half term
  • End of term newsletter every term, as well as news updates via email and our online news page

Other opportunities for parents to take part in school life

Every year, there are numerous opportunities to visit the school, attend special events or take part in other ways in school life.

As you'll see on our news and events pages, there's a busy calendar of performances, trips and visits. Many of these occasions – concerts, drama performances, sports matches and so on – are popular with parents. And our end of year Awards Day is a particular highlight.

We've had parent art on display (alongside that of students and staff) at our Artweeks exhibition, and parents have visited the school to give careers talks and presentations to our older pupils.

Finally, our parents association, PALS, runs a programme of social events and fundraisers – in which all Leckford Place parents are warmly invited to participate.

‘Being in a small family-like school means that staff can easily discuss students and find ways of offering support that's tailored to the individual.’

Wendy Rawding, Head of Art   More teacher profiles