Is Your Parent Communication Working?

Most schools communicate with parents a lot. But volume isn’t the same as effectiveness. 

If parents feel unsure, miss key updates, or keep asking the same questions, it’s rarely because you aren’t trying. It’s usually because communication has become fragmented, inconsistent, or hard to find. 

So here’s a simple communications review you can run at any point in the year, especially before the calendar ramps up with activities, summer events, and end-of-term moments. It helps you identify what to improve without increasing anyone’s workload. 

A 5-point parent communication health check 

1. Can parents find what they need in under 30 seconds? 

Think about the last time a parent asked: 

• “When is the trip?” 
• “Where’s the homework?” 
• “What time does the event start?” 
• “Where do I sign the form?” 

If the answer requires searching emails or multiple platforms, parents feel behind and staff get pulled into repeat admin. 

How to Fix it: centralise essentials in a parent portal and pin the “must-find” content. 

2. Are messages predictable? 

Parents don’t need constant updates, they need reliable patterns. When communication is sporadic, parents either tune out or worry they’ve missed something. 

How to Fix it: agree a simple rhythm (weekly class update, fortnightly newsletter, keep calendar always up to date). 

3. Is every message purpose-led? 

The best comms are fast to understand and easy to act on. 

A useful message answers: 

1. What’s happening? 
2. Why does it matter to my child? 
3. Is there anything I need to do? 

How to improve it: use a consistent structure and keep action steps obvious. 

4. Is communication personalised enough? 

Parents care most about information that helps them support their child: 

• learning progress 
• celebration moments 
• support needs 
• next steps 
• relevant opportunities 

When updates are too generic, engagement drops. 

How to improve it: prioritise child-relevant updates and use targeted groups so families only get what matters to them. 

5. Does your system build trust and peace of mind? 

Effective comms do one big thing: they help parents feel confident in what’s happening at school. 

If parents are calm and informed, they become partners and advocates. If they’re confused, comms becomes a constant firefight. 

How to improve it: Have one secure hub with clear history of messages which results in fewer “where do I look?” moments. 

From review to action 

You don’t need a full communications overhaul to make things better. Most schools see the biggest impact from fixing just one or two friction points: 

• make key info easier to find 
• reduce unnecessary channels 
• tighten structure so messages scan fast 
• increase child-relevant updates 
• publish a simple communication rhythm 

Small changes here create calmer parents, fewer follow-ups, and more trust. 

Want a short playbook to fix the gaps? 

Next week we’ll share a 2-page Parent Communication Audit & Improvement Guide with: 

• a simple audit checklist 
• quick wins you can implement immediately 
• copy-and-paste portal posts you can reuse all year.