September 2024 — Use EdTech Impact to find the best Parent Communication Software for your school. Compare customer reviews, features and pricing, or learn more in our Parent Communication Software Guide.
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Free VersionFreemiumFree TrialPaid
5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14-16
Free TrialPaid
0-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18
Paid
5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18
Free TrialPaid
0-4, 5-7
8-10, 11-13, 19, 14-16, 17-18
0-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18, 19
0-4, 5-7, 8-10, 10-11, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18, 19+, 19+
Paid
0-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18, 19+
Paid
0-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11-13
Parent communication software streamlines interactions between schools and parents, offering a comprehensive suite of tools, such as messaging, payment collection, and calendar updates. Typically accessed through a dedicated school communication app or messaging service, it enables direct communication between schools and parents.
Routine tasks, like reporting absences or notifying parents of incidents or illness, are effortlessly managed through school communication software, freeing up valuable time for teachers. Automated features such as online payment processing and group messaging further enhance efficiency.
Parent communication software allows for both personalised messages to individual parents regarding their child, and mass notifications about year group activities or school-wide events. Some platforms emphasise positive reinforcement, while others offer versatility in communication formats, including multiple languages or video messages.
The overarching goal of school parent communication software is to enhance parental engagement, streamline interactions, and ensure important messages are received promptly and acted upon. Successful implementation hinges on aligning the technology with the school’s objectives and the specific needs of its parent community.
School parent communication software offers a range of features designed to enhance communication between schools and parents. While features may vary across platforms, here are some common functionalities:
Implementing parent communication software yields numerous benefits, contributing to both streamlined communication and the achievement of broader school goals. Here’s an overview of these advantages:
Before investing in parent communication software, it’s crucial to consider several key questions to ensure you choose the most suitable platform for your school’s needs:
A clear understanding of the needs of your students’ parents will help you establish what functionality you require from your parent communication software, and help you get the most from the platform you choose.
Consider carrying out a needs analysis of your parent population to get a deeper understanding of the barriers to better parental engagement. A good needs analysis should have a particular focus, such as on disadvantaged and minority ethnic parents, or fathers.
Once you understand who the hardest-to-reach parents are, you can choose parent engagement software that will help you establish better engagement with them. If you have a large number of parents for whom English is a second language, you might want a platform that has the functionality to send messages in different languages and in a variety of formats (video or text messages). Alternatively, if one of your goals is improving motivation amongst students, you can opt for parent engagement software that emphasises praise and encouragement.
Once you’ve carried out a needs analysis of your parent demographic, it’s worth looking at national guidelines to keep you up to date with the most recent findings and evidence-based recommendations on parental engagement. This knowledge will help you to shape your school’s parent-oriented goals and select school parent communication software that has features and functions relevant to your ambitions.
Once you find parent communication software you like, it’s always worth looking at other schools’ reviews of the product before deciding whether it’s right for you. Look out particularly for reviews from schools similar to your own to get the most valuable insight into whether a platform delivers on metrics such as reliability, value for money and impact on attainment.