Great expectations for our kids’ teachers: Study shows 1 in 14 parents want daily contact, update
A national study of parents reveals three in five now expect weekly communication from their child’s school while one in every 14 want to hear from the school daily.
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PARENTS are increasingly prioritising wellbeing, accessibility to teachers and extra-curricular opportunities over a school’s academic accolades when choosing where to send their kids, new research shows.
A national study of parents by McCrindle Research reveals three in five – or 60 per cent – now expect weekly communication from their child’s school.
One in every 14 parents – or 7 per cent – want to hear from the school daily, expecting either an email, phone call, blog or text.
“Parents are really increasing their expectations around the level of detail and frequency of communication they are receiving about their kids,” social researcher Ashley Fell said.
“They really want personalised, instant, regular information about their child, so information about their child’s progress, opportunities for their child – they want to know what initiatives schools are taking to address their child’s mental health and wellbeing.”
Ms Fell said the approach reflected a broader societal trend towards on-demand responses.
“We’re seeing a generation of parents coming through who have grown up with technology at their fingertips, grown up with that instant gratification, so that is permeating into other areas, such as the education of their children,” she said.
Results from the national representative study show a growing emphasis on schools teaching skills beyond traditional learnings.
“Parents aren’t just looking at academics but opportunities for their children to develop soft skills, character qualities and competencies – such as leadership and communication,” Ms Fell said.
“Parents want their children equipped with digital skills, creativity, communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving, presentation skills, curiosity, adaptability, persistence and grit.
“There is a shift from just the educational basics of literacy and numeracy to education of the whole child.”
Edstart chief executive Jack Stevens said the survey results mirrored what parents were saying to him and helped explain why non-government school enrolment trends remained high despite the widening gap between wages and school fees.
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“The message from the thousands of families we engage with is very consistent: ‘We’re willing to invest in this education for our kids because we believe the extra support and experiences are worth it’,” Mr Stevens, whose company provides loans to parents to pay for school fees, said.
He said parents were prioritising opportunities, particularly in sporting and extra-curricular areas and student support. They were also looking for a “tailored” education experience for their kids.
“Parents tell me they are not only interested in their child’s day-to-day education but how well they are prepared for, and guided towards, life after school,” Mr Stevens said.