- SchoolsBuddy
- Best practice
- School admins and PTC organisers
Plan a hybrid PTC season that works for every family
A practical guide for international schools running parent teacher conferences (PTCs) in person, online, or both.
This article is about planning and good practice. For step-by-step set-up in SchoolsBuddy, see the Parent Teacher Conference guides.
Why hybrid PTCs matter
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33%+
of schools now hold face-to-face meetings again.
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90%
of schools say offering both online and in-person options is important or critical.
-
Two thirds
of international schools use online systems for their PTCs.
Hybrid is now the most popular format. Families are busy and often travelling, so being able to join from anywhere means more parents take part in their child's conference.
It gives the chance to parents who otherwise wouldn’t have taken part in PTCs, to be there with their child.
Elena Darnell, School Secretary, International School of London
We are needing to provide a hybrid solution... parents want the choice as many of them are travelling and historically have had to miss such conferences.
Rory Parkinson, ICT Director, International School of Uganda
Plan your hybrid PTCs
- Agree the format togetherInvolve all stakeholders in the decision, and survey parents to understand what they prefer.
- Tell parents earlyShare the chosen set-up well in advance and be ready to answer questions or concerns.
- Support your teachersGive staff the help they need, especially if some meetings are online and some in person on the same day.
- Use an online systemManual set-up can take anywhere from a few hours to a week. An online system cuts this down and reduces errors.
- Keep messages clear and consistentConsistent communication raises engagement and avoids confusion.
Make the parent journey smooth
A stress-free PTC depends on accurate data and good communication with parents.
| Do this | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Set up PTCs from a system linked to your management information system (MIS) | Avoids errors, and parents only see the meetings that apply to them |
| Invite parents through their preferred channel | They are more likely to see and act on the invitation |
| Give clear booking instructions and dates, with sign-up links | Parents know when and how to book, and what to expect from a hybrid meeting |
| Send a clear booking confirmation | Prevents double bookings and missed appointments |
| Name a contact for the day and have a back-up plan | Problems with in-person or online meetings are sorted quickly |
The time saving for Parent Teacher Conferences could be hundreds of hours. If you tried to manage PTCs without a platform like this, that would be a nightmare.
Ric Perry, Academic Systems Manager, International School of Zug and Luzern
Create a smooth digital experience
Even when meetings are in person, sign-up and communication are usually online. These habits keep things simple for parents and staff.
- Prepare contingency plans for anything that could go wrong on the day.
- Offer short training for parents and staff before PTC season starts.
- Use single sign-on where you can, and ask parents to check their login before their slot.
- Keep spare slots free for no-shows and cancellations.
- Use embedded video for online meetings so nobody needs a separate app such as Zoom or Google Meet.
No matter how comfortable your parents are with tech, there’s always going to be some outline cases where you have to provide extra support. We record videos which the parents can view online beforehand, send very clear emails and ask them to check immediately after making the booking that the appointments have appeared in their online diaries.
Ric Perry, Academic Systems Manager, International School of Zug and Luzern
Keep parents engaged between PTCs
Many schools hold two PTCs a year, and engagement can drop in between. Running PTCs inside your everyday community portal keeps parents connected all year.
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Familiar for parents
Parents already know the system, so engagement is higher.
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Less training
Fewer extra sessions for staff and parents.
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Fewer login issues
One account and one place for messages means fewer missed communications.
For the best results, choose an online system that connects to your MIS so it pulls in accurate data.
We had a separate system for PTCs, but we got rid of it, as it made sense to integrate everything into one platform.
Louise Skerry, After School Coordinator & Bus Coordinator, British International School of Houston
I love the ease of booking and connecting through the embedded video in the schedule, the ability to use both the Web Portal and App is fantastic. Very efficient and flexible to organise Parents Evenings.
Maryam Damra, Educational Systems Administrator, Amman Baccalaureate School
Need help setting up your PTCs in SchoolsBuddy?
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