Explained: Seven communications tips to reset relationships with parents
Seven communications tips to reset relationships with parents is examined in this 2026 education briefing, which sets out the central development, the practical context for schools and the questions leaders may need to consider.
What happened?
Parents and schools want the same thing: the best for children. Yet misunderstandings, unmet expectations or a lack of clarity can create tension, and tension too often escalates into formal complaints.
Key details from the report
- New complaints guidance for schools and parents has been published today, and the education secretary has signalled a desire to reset parent–school relationships in the forthcoming white paper.
- But if we are serious about reducing complaints and rebuilding trust, we need to address a root cause sitting beneath policy and process: communication.
- Working closely with hundreds of schools means we have a unique view of complaints.
- When we scratch beneath the surface, we often find patterns of initially poor communication, about even relatively straightforward matters, snowballing into tricky, complex, persistent and vexatious complaints.
Why this matters for schools
The issue is relevant to school leaders because policy announcements, funding decisions and regulatory changes rarely operate in isolation. Their effects can reach staffing, budgets, curriculum planning, pupil support and communication with families. Leaders should distinguish confirmed requirements from proposals, check the implementation timetable and identify which decisions need action now.
For classroom and SEND teams, the practical question is how the development affects access, inclusion and day-to-day provision. Schools may wish to review existing plans, clarify responsibilities and make sure staff receive information in a form they can use. Where national details remain incomplete, recording assumptions and revisiting them as guidance changes can reduce avoidable confusion.
Questions for leaders and governing boards
- What has been formally confirmed, and what remains under consultation or development?
- Which pupils, staff or services are most likely to be affected?
- Are there financial, workforce, safeguarding or SEND implications that require early planning?
- What evidence or updated guidance should be monitored next?
- How will the school communicate any resulting change clearly to staff and families?
