Parents want text updates on students

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Over two-thirds of parents want schools to use technologies like text messaging and the internet to communicate their child’s progress, according to a new survey by Becta, the government’s education technology agency.

The survey found that 81 per cent of parents surveyed would like more feedback from their child’s school, however, only eight per cent of parents surveyed are being kept informed using text messaging or the internet.

The survey also found that 85 per cent of parents receive updates from their child’s school on their progress four times a year or less, and only 15 per cent of parents surveyed were informed of their child’s progress at least once a month.

Four out of five parents said the only method they are told about their child’s progress is at traditional school parents’ evenings.

Becta spokesperson Niel McLean said: “Engaging parents is key to a child’s success at school. Yet it appears parents and schools are not talking as much, or as frequently, as parents would like.”

Parents said they want schools to adopt a similar model to that used by banks and mobile phone providers, which are better at using tech to send out information more frequently.

McLean added: “Parents want more updates about their child’s progress at school. Using technology, there are many ways to increase the frequency and quality of contact parents have with schools. This can be done easily and cost effectively, without putting extra pressure on teachers.”

In a survey released earlier this year by Becta, some nine out of ten parents said that they wanted more technology in schools because the use of computers and the internet helps prepare the student’s for the world of work.

The survey by Populus interviewed 1,493 parents of school children between 15 and 21 of August 2008.

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