An investigation into queries that school offices receive from parents and carers

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is committed to improving the quality of information parents/carers receive about their children’s education. The provision of useful information is important to families and schools. An important
aspect of family-school communication is the effective handling of queries and concerns. The school office is often the first contact for parents/carers seeking information or voicing concerns.

At present there is no existing documentation about the kinds of transactions that occur between parents/carers and office staff. This research was commissioned by the DfES in order to fill this gap in knowledge. It provides evidence on the number and type of queries received in school offices, materials that are used, referred queries, and effective methods of dealing with queries.