How to Improve Parental Engagement Through Smarter School Communications

When we talk to schools about communicating with parents and carers, a concern we hear again and again is:

“We’re using so many different tools, but we’re still not sure if parents are getting the message.”

It’s a real problem — and it’s costing you more than just time.

Why School Communication Matters for Parental Engagement

Parental engagement is one of the most powerful drivers of pupil success. But when communication is fragmented, it becomes difficult for parents to stay informed, or even know where to look.

Here’s what happens in many schools:

  • Messages are duplicated across multiple channels.
  • Admin teams spend time repeating the same updates in different formats.
  • Parents miss important information or become overwhelmed by too many messages.

This approach creates confusion, increases staff workload, and actually reduces engagement which is the opposite of what good school communications should do.

Are Your Communication Tools Helping or Hindering?

Most schools use a combination of websites, apps, email tools, form builders, and more, often without a clear strategy behind them.

Ask yourself:

  • Do we know what each tool is being used for?
  • Are we duplicating tasks across platforms?
  • Are we confident our communications are reaching parents?
  • Have we asked parents how they want to be communicated with?

These questions are the foundation of a strong school communication strategy and essential to improving parental engagement.

A Simple Way to Review and Refocus

To help schools take control, we’ve created a free School Communication Toolkit packed with practical resources to help you simplify and streamline.

It includes:

✅ A self-audit to map out your tools and channels
✅ A parent communication questionnaire template
✅ Next steps to improve engagement and save time

Whether you’re part of a small school or a large trust, this toolkit can help you make meaningful improvements without a full system overhaul.

school communications toolkit
DONWLOAD YOUR TOOLKIT

Make Your Website the Heart of Your School Communication

At iTCHYROBOT, we design school websites that don’t just look good — they work hard behind the scenes. With built-in features for parental engagement like online forms, newsletter publishing, letters, policy management, and parents’ evening bookings, your website becomes the central hub of your communication strategy.

No more guessing. No more duplication. Just clear, consistent communication.