Family Learning Conferences

What is a Family Learning Conference (FLC)?

The Family Learning Conference is held as a celebration of your child’s learning. In a meeting with your child and their teacher you will have an opportunity to positively recognise how your child is working in school. We expect that your child will do most of the talking – talking about the work and learning they have been doing in school and giving a commentary. They will also be able to explain their thoughts and feelings about their progress.

They will talk about:

• What I am proud of
• What I am better at
• What I need to do next

The conference gives parents and carers the opportunity to listen to their child talking about their learning and to ask questions of their child and the teacher.

These are some of the prompts and questions that might help focus your child at a Family Learning Conference:

• How did you do that?
• What do you enjoy about learning with your talk partner?
• Can you explain this?
• What helps you learn?
• What can we do together to help at home?

The Family Learning Conference is held instead of a traditional parents’ evening. The teacher will help you and your child to keep the learning discussion on track as well as advising, informing and supporting both of you.

Before you meet with your child’s teacher, you will have an opportunity to look through the Family Learning Arrangement to aid the discussion.

Why do we do Family Learning Conferences instead of Parent’s evening?

After an extremely successful trial in 2018, we made the decision to continue with Family Learning Conferences as these empower your child to take ownership and understanding of their learning and therefore have a clear understanding of their next steps. Your child will be able to explain how they are learning as well as what they are learning which will also enable you as parents to support your child in their next steps. This was a natural development from the celebration of learning events which usually run.

At the end of the conference you will be asked to contribute towards a family learning agreement. This sets out next steps for your child and how you, the school and your child can work together to achieve these. 

 

Family Learning Agreements

   

Parent Guide to FLCs

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

Do we have a Family Learning Conference (FLC) as well as a ‘parents’ evening’?

No. The Family Learning Conference is held instead of a parents’ evening meeting. However if you would prefer to have a more ‘traditional’ meeting without your child present please communicate this to the class teacher via the class emails.

 

What is the difference between an (FLC) and a ‘parents’ evening’?

At a parents’ evening you meet the teacher and they tell you about your child’s progress and achievements. In a Family Learning Conference, your child also attends and leads the discussion about their progress and learning.

 

What if I need to speak to the teacher without my child being there?

We operate an Open Door Policy and you are welcome to contact school with any questions or queries as they arise during the course of the year. If you have an important issue please make contact via Class Dojo to arrange to speak to your child’s teacher straight away, don’t wait for the Family Learning Conference.

 

How long is a Family Learning Conference?

The Family Learning Conference will take the usual 10 minutes.

 

So, I get a chance to look at my child’s classroom displays before the meeting begins?

Prior to your appointment, please spend a little time looking at the displays in the classroom and talking with your child about their learning in school.

 

How do I book my Family Learning Conference?

As we are holding the Family Learning Conferences in place of our regular parents’ evening please book a slot as you normally would. Prior to the meeting, please spend a little time looking through the Family Learning Agreement.