Teachers’ Standards

Parents’ Evening with Confidence: Building Trust and Partnership

How can parents’ evenings become calmer, more productive and more supportive for both teachers and families? This course explores how to build strong parent partnerships through clear, empathetic and professional communication that keeps the child at the centre of every conversation. You will develop confidence in preparing for parents’ evenings, sharing concerns sensitively, responding constructively to difficult conversations and helping parents understand how they can support learning and wellbeing at home. Combining research-informed approaches with practical strategies, realistic examples and immediately usable tools, this course will help you create more positive, collaborative and solution-focused communication with families throughout the school year.
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Yiotina Achilleos-Dania,
Hayley Wallace & Carly Watkins


2 hours

Online Course

By completing this course, you will:

build confidence in preparing for parents’ evenings so conversations feel calm, purposeful and focused on supporting positive outcomes for pupils;
learn how to communicate pupil strengths, needs, progress and next steps clearly, honestly and with empathy;
develop strategies for handling difficult, sensitive or emotionally charged conversations professionally, calmly and without defensiveness;
strengthen active listening and responsive communication skills so parents’ concerns can be acknowledged and addressed constructively while building trust and partnership;
understand how to maintain proactive, ongoing communication with families throughout the year, helping to avoid ‘surprises’ at parents’ evenings and enabling parents to support learning at home in realistic, manageable ways.

Course Lessons

Written by: Yiotina Achilleos-Dania

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Yiotina has spent over a decade immersed in the world of primary education. For most of her teaching career, she juggled the roles of science and maths subject leader, while working across key stage 1 and 2 (mainly based in years 2 and 6). Armed with degrees in Marketing Communications, Business Analysis and Primary Education (plus a National Qualification of Middle Leadership), she’s been at the forefront of introducing new initiatives, reshaping curricula and championing practical, hands-on learning to ensure every pupil thrives.

From training staff to supporting long-term skill progression, Yiotina has always been passionate about helping both pupils and teachers grow. Now, as a Twinkl CPD content writer and editor, she uses her expertise to craft engaging, impactful resources that continue to support educators and learners.

Presented by: Hayley Wallace

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Hayley is a video content creator on the CPD team at Twinkl. She has over 15 years of teaching experience as a primary classroom teacher and specialist science teacher in both primary and secondary. She has been a subject lead in science for over 12 years and successfully led departments of experienced and trainee teachers. As well as completing a PGCE in Primary Education, she has achieved a BSc (Hons) in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a postgraduate qualification in Forensic Science. Hayley has also held leadership roles in whole-school wellbeing and is passionate about school culture and making education a positive experience for both pupils and staff.

In collaboration with: Carly Watkins

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Carly Watkins has over 20 years of experience as a primary school teacher, including several years as an assistant headteacher, with responsibility for whole-school curriculum development and overseeing pupil progress and attainment. She also holds a master’s degree in Education Practice and a NPQ in Leading Teacher Development. Carly has been a mentor for both student and Early Career Teachers and currently facilitates the Early Career Framework for ECTs and their mentors, delivering training at conferences and via online seminars. At Twinkl PD, Carly heads up pedagogical professional development – a role which means she can support educators to develop their personal practice and pedagogy, something she is passionate about on a national scale.