10 essential questions parents should ask their child’s teacher about academic progress

6. What happens when my child does not understand a lesson or falls behind?

Every student encounters difficult topics at some point. What matters is how the difficulty is identified and addressed. Parents should ask what the teacher does when a child is confused, performs poorly in an assessment or has missed important lessons.

Depending on the school and the child’s needs, support may include additional explanations, revision activities, small-group teaching, practice questions or guidance on foundational skills. Parents can also ask how the teacher checks whether the support is working and when progress will be reviewed.

It is important to understand whether the child feels comfortable asking for help. Some learners remain silent when they do not understand because they are embarrassed or afraid of appearing slow. If this is happening, parents and teachers can work together to encourage the child to seek clarification early rather than allowing confusion to accumulate.

The Australian Education Research Organisation recommends collaborative planning between families and schools, including agreeing on learning goals and strategies that respond to a student’s individual needs.

7. How are my child’s study habits and approach to learning affecting their performance?

Academic progress depends not only on what students know but also on how they approach learning. A child may understand lessons but struggle because they leave assignments until the last minute, revise inconsistently, lose track of materials or rely heavily on help from adults.

Parents can ask whether the teacher has noticed patterns in the child’s preparation, organisation, concentration and completion of tasks. It is also useful to find out whether the child participates actively, checks their work and makes an effort to correct mistakes.

The answer can help parents identify practical changes at home. A consistent study routine, an organised homework space or a simple plan for preparing for tests may be useful, depending on the child’s needs. The aim should be to develop habits that encourage independence rather than turning every evening into a prolonged struggle over schoolwork.

8. What can I do at home to support what my child is learning in class?

Parents often want to help their children academically but may not know which activities will be most useful. The teacher can suggest practical ways to reinforce current lessons without requiring expensive materials or advanced subject knowledge.

For example, parents may be encouraged to listen to their child read, discuss a topic covered in class, practise basic calculations during everyday activities or help the child organise revision time. They can also ask whether there are recommended textbooks, learning materials or school resources that would support the child’s current needs.

It is equally important to clarify how much assistance is appropriate. Parents should support children in understanding instructions and developing good habits, but they should avoid completing assignments on their behalf. Children need opportunities to think independently, practise skills and learn from mistakes.

The Education Endowment Foundation highlights the importance of practical guidance for families, noting that support which helps parents engage meaningfully with learning at home can be more useful than simply asking them to provide general help.

9. Are there any academic concerns I should know about before the next report card?

Waiting until the end of a term to discuss academic difficulties can leave parents with limited time to respond. A teacher may already have noticed that a child is struggling with a topic, missing assignments or showing a decline in performance. Discussing these concerns early allows the family and school to consider support before the next formal report.

Parents should ask whether there are emerging concerns involving particular subjects, attendance, concentration, homework completion or preparation for assessments. They can also ask whether the teacher has noticed a change compared with the child’s previous performance.

The conversation should focus on evidence and practical next steps rather than blame. Parents may have information about circumstances at home that could help explain a change in the child’s learning. Sharing relevant context can help the teacher understand the situation more fully and respond appropriately.

10. What academic goals should we set for my child, and how will we monitor progress?

A productive conversation should end with a clear understanding of what the child needs to work on next. If the teacher identifies a difficulty in reading comprehension, for example, the next step may be regular practice with short passages and follow-up questions. If the child struggles with assignment completion, the goal may involve improving organisation and submitting work consistently.

Parents can ask the teacher to help establish realistic, specific goals and explain what support will be provided at school. They should also clarify what they can do at home and how progress will be communicated. Where necessary, agree on a suitable time to review the child’s development.

Goals should be manageable and focused on improvement rather than perfection. A child who is working towards a clear target can better understand what progress looks like and recognise when their effort is producing results. Collaborative planning also helps ensure that parents and teachers are reinforcing the same learning priorities.

Turn the conversation into academic support

Parents do not need to ask every question at every meeting. The most relevant questions will depend on the child’s age, academic performance and current challenges. However, preparing a few focused questions in advance can help ensure that a short meeting produces useful information rather than ending with a general comment about grades.

It is also important for parents to share their own observations. A child may be struggling to complete homework at home, expressing frustration about a subject or showing greater confidence than before. These details can help teachers build a fuller picture of the learner’s needs. In turn, teachers can explain what they observe in class and suggest strategies that are realistic for the family.

Effective communication is a partnership, not a one-way report from school to home. A study published in the Journal of School Psychology found that teacher practices for communicating with parents were associated with parent reports of school contact and with students’ academic adjustment and achievement.

While communication alone cannot resolve every learning challenge, it can help families and teachers identify concerns earlier and coordinate their response.

Ultimately, asking thoughtful questions about academics allows parents to move beyond simply knowing whether their child passed or failed. It helps them understand what the child has learnt, where further support is needed and how progress can be strengthened. When parents and teachers share information and work towards clear goals, academic support becomes more focused, practical and responsive to the child.