Admin checklist for successful parents’ evenings

Parents’ evenings don’t just happen. Behind the scenes, admin teams are juggling bookings, staff availability, room setups, parent communications, last minute changes, technical checks and many other moving parts – all to ensure interviews are well organised and give parents a positive experience. 

This guide walks through everything you need to consider before, during, and after interviews to keep things smooth and stress free. 

1. Decide on your format: in person, online or hybrid 

Every school community is different, so choose a format that best supports your families and staff. Each comes with its own benefits and considerations: 

• In person: great for personal connection, but requires careful room planning 

• Online: ideal for busy families, split households and rural and remote communities – but can lack the connection of in-person meetings 

• Hybrid: the best of both worlds – parents choose what works for them 

If you’re offering online meetings, make sure your platform: 

• Doesn’t require parents to download an app 

• Allows extra guests to join 

• Supports screen sharing 

• Has built in chat for quick links and follow up notes 

• Is secure and browser-based for easy access 

Tes Parents’ Meetings handles all of this, making video interviews streamlined, easy and efficient while maintaining professionalism.

2. Build the timetable: booking rules, buffers, and schedules 

Admin teams can lose hours trying to coordinate appointment times – especially when multiple teachers, siblings, or specialist staff are involved. 

A good scheduling setup will: 

• Enable teachers to set their own availability 

• Offer parents a simple, intuitive booking experience 

• Create efficient routes for families and minimise waiting times 

• Offer optional buffer time between meetings 

• Make last minute changes easy 

Software such as Tes Parents’ Meetings simplifies this process with an automatic booking mode – so each family can quickly find an efficient schedule. 

3. Get your data ready: integrations, staff access, and setup 

Before bookings open, check that: 

• Your student, parent and class data is up to date 

• Staff know how to log in (single sign-on helps reduce friction here) 

• Teacher availability is confirmed 

• Room allocations are assigned (for in-person meetings) 

• Video call devices have been tested (for online meetings) 

Systems that integrate directly with your school management software save admin staff a huge amount of setup time and reduce the risk of errors. 

4. Communicate clearly with parents 

Great communication from the outset means fewer parent emails, phone calls, and last-minute problems. 

Consider sending parents: 

• A clear ‘How to book’ email 

• FAQs with information on how long appointments are, whether children should attend, and what to do if they can’t attend or book sessions (e.g. due to working hours) 

• Reminders closer to the day 

• Instructions for video calls (if applicable) 

Platforms like Tes Parents’ Meetings can send reminders automatically – so your admin staff have one less job on their list. 

5. Prepare for the day: environment, tech, and timing 

A calm, organised setup makes a huge difference for staff and families alike. 

For in-person interviews: 

• Ensure waiting spaces are comfortable and clearly signposted 

• Provide water stations 

• Keep printed timetables handy for staff 

• Ensure each teacher’s room is labelled 

• Have an admin ‘base camp’ for support requests 

For video interviews: 

• Encourage teachers to test their device and connection early 

• Ask staff to keep backgrounds tidy and professional 

• Use countdown timers to keep meetings on schedule 

A countdown timer and automatic end to appointments help prevent bottlenecks and ensures all families have an equal opportunity to talk to teachers – the right software will have these features built in. 

6. After interviews: follow-up, reporting, and next steps 

Great admin doesn’t stop once the last interview ends. After the event, you should: 

• Check reports to identify any students who didn’t have appointments 

• Follow up with families who need another time or format 

• Review attendance rates to identify any patterns 

• Gather teacher feedback on what worked (and what didn’t) 

• Make notes while the experience is fresh so you can improve next time 

Using a platform with built-in reports such as teacher availability, popular appointment times, and students without bookings provides instant insights. 

Better parents’ evenings with Tes 

Tes Parents’ Meetings is trusted by schools worldwide and supports you with: 

• Integrated video calls: a secure platform with no app needed 

• Hybrid scheduling: offer both virtual and in-person options 

• A built-in countdown timer: keep interviews fair and on time 

• Automatic booking mode: optimise parent schedules 

• MIS integrations: quick and automated data sync saves valuable admin time 

• Reports: identify gaps and improve engagement 

Parents' meeting software saves your admin team hours they would spend scheduling interviews, managing chaotic timetables and chasing parents for responses. 

Download our free guide to explore how you can streamline your parent-teacher interview process. 

Read the guide