Parent-teacher interview questions: the complete guide for teachers
Why preparing the right questions matters
Parent-teacher interviews move quickly. Before you know it, eight minutes have passed, you’re already behind schedule, and there’s a line of parents waiting outside (or in the online lobby).
Having a clear set of questions – both the ones you intend to ask and the ones parents often want answered – helps you guide the conversation, stay focused, and make every minute count.
These questions can be your anchor points: they help you steer the discussion, remember important details and make sure every family walks away feeling informed, reassured, and valued.
Questions teachers can ask for meaningful parent-teacher conversations
These questions help you understand the student’s world beyond the classroom and build a stronger partnership with families.
1. Context and wellbeing
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How is your child feeling about school at the moment?
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Have you noticed any changes in their confidence, friendships, or general wellbeing?
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Is there anything happening at home that might affect their learning or behaviour?
2. Learning habits and support
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What does homework look like at home? Are there any challenges?
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How does your child talk about their learning?
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Are there any subjects they’re feeling especially confident with or worried about?
3. Identifying parent priorities
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What would you most like us to focus on over the next term?
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Are there skills or behaviours you’d like extra support with?
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Is there anything your child really wants to achieve this year?
4. Additional support needs
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Have you noticed anything we should be aware of such as attention, sensory needs or anxiety?
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Is there anything we can adjust in class to better support your child?
Questions parents often ask teachers during parent-teacher interviews
Parents want to gain clarity, reassurance and actionable insight from their interviews with teachers.
These are common questions they bring to interviews – preparing answers for these ahead of time helps the conversation flow, and ensures you don't forget any details.
1. Academic progress
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How is my child progressing compared to expectations for their year level?
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Are they on track with literacy/numeracy?
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Which areas should we focus on at home?
2. Behaviour and participation
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How do they behave in class?
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Are they engaged in lessons?
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How do they work with others?
3. Social and emotional development
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Are they making friends easily?
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Is their confidence growing?
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How do they handle challenges or mistakes?
4. Classroom routines and expectations
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Is their homework completed to the right standard?
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Do they stay organised?
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How well do they follow instructions?
5. Support and next steps
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What can we do at home to help?
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Are there school programs that could assist them?
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What will the next term or several terms of learning look like?
Kindergarten-specific parent–teacher interview questions
For younger students, parents are often navigating interviews for the first time. They may ask:
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Are they settling in well?
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How are they developing socially?
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Are there early signs of strengths or areas needing support?
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Are they meeting early learning milestones?
As a teacher, you can ask:
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How is your child adjusting to routines?
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What helps calm or soothe them at home?
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What activities do they enjoy most outside school?
Tips for guiding conversations and staying on track
A solid set of questions makes life easier, but your approach matters just as much. Here are a few simple ways to keep interviews smooth, supportive, and purposeful:
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Start with positives to set a constructive tone
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Keep an eye on the clock with a phone timer or by using meeting software with a built‑in countdown
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Use your notes so you can stay focused and remember key points
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Invite parent voice early by asking their priorities upfront – this makes them feel heard and helps you know where to direct the conversation
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End with next steps and clear follow-up actions, as these give families clarity and confidence
Want to make interviews even easier?
Tes Parents’ Meetings helps schools run fair, on-time, and well-organised interviews -whether in‑person, online, or hybrid.
Schools love it because:
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Video meetings are secure and simple, with no app needed
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A built‑in countdown timer ends appointments right on time
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Auto‑advance moves parents to the next teacher without delays
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It integrates with your school management system, saving precious admin time
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Reporting shows you the students without appointments, teacher load, and most popular times
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Staff can use single sign-on for quick access
Our free guide shows you how Tes Parents’ Meetings can help your school have smoother interviews – with less admin and less stress.