Students Learning

Sometimes parents/carers can be concerned that their child is having difficulties with their learning or social/emotional development and may require specialist assessment. To find out more about this please click on the button below.

Working with my young person's school to support their learning

Often parents and carers have a high level of involvement in the young persons education whilst they are at Primary School. However this often changes once students transition to secondary school.

There are still ways you can be involved in your young person's school. Have a look at the links below:

Ways to get involved in your child's school

Tips on building a strong relationship with your school

An article on Managing Difficult Conversations With Your Child’s School

Tips from the Raising Children's Network

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else does. Your child’s teachers will want to get to know your child too.

When you have a strong and respectful relationship with your child’s school and teachers, you’re in a good position to give them information to help your child get the most out of education. You and your child’s teachers can work together to support your child’s learning and wellbeing.

When everybody is working together in the best interests of your child, your child is likely to reap academic and social benefits, like:

  • regular school attendance

  • positive school results

  • a positive attitude towards school

  • good social and relationship skills

  • a sense of wellbeing

  • school completion

  • progression to post-secondary education like TAFE, university or an apprenticeship.

You can help your child get the most out of school by communicating and building relationships with teachers, other parents and students from the very first day. This is better than having contact with your child’s school only when there’s a problem, either at school or in your family.

How to build a strong parent-school relationship

You can build a parent-school relationship in several ways:

  • Say hello to teachers and other staff at school pick-up and drop-off times.

  • Ask teachers for information or feedback about your child, and share your child’s special events or achievements outside school.

  • Go to parent-teacher interviews and parent meetings.

  • Check the school website, noticeboard and emails regularly.

  • Be involved and help out in the school community in whatever ways you can.

  • Learn more about the school by looking at its annual report, website, newsletters and so on.

  • Go to school performances, school barbecues, cultural or music events, school fairs and parent seminars.

Not all parents can be involved in school as much as they’d like, but you can still let your child know that school is important to your family. Talking about school with your child, being warm and friendly at school events, and being positive about the school and its staff sends the message that you value education and are interested in what’s happening for your child at school.

Your parent-school relationship includes contact with school staff, as well as your relationships with other parents and your child’s friends. The parent-school relationship might change as your child gets older, or when things change at work or at home.

Parent-teacher interviews

Parent-teacher interviews at primary school and parent-teacher interviews at secondary school are one of the main ways that many parents find out how their child’s education is going. Interviews can be a great way of getting all the important people – you, the teacher and your child – talking together.

It’s important for the teacher and school to know about anything that’s affecting your child’s wellbeing. For example, your child might have a health condition, you might be concerned about bullying, or there might have been a change in your family, like a death, separation or divorce.

Extra parenting support services and resources

  • Department of Families, Fairness and Housing – services and support for families,
    including:

  • Family intervention services – advice on how to develop your parenting skills when you’re having difficulties in managing your child’s behaviour.

  • Child, family and relationship services – family support services to help parents raise their children.

  • Raising Children Network – guidance on supporting school-age children, including resources, videos, articles and apps.

  • Parentline – confidential counselling and support services for parents and carers of children from birth to 18 years old.

  • Child behaviour – information about how to manage and build positive behaviour with your child.

  • Parenting ideas – resources about raising confident, happy and resilient children.

  • MyTime program – support for parents and carers of children with disabilities. Skilled facilitators provide guidance to help access local services and reliable information.

  • Triple P Parenting program – ideas and strategies to help parents and carers including ways to set routines, manage behaviours and how to take care of yourself