Making Meetings Matter
Our Making Meetings Matter guide shares tips and advice to help you prepare and feel confident for meetings.
You can download the PDF using the link below, or scroll down to read the full text version.
[PDF, 6 pages]
Tips and advice
Before the meeting
During the meeting
After the meeting
Before the meeting
You may want to consider the following ideas to help you prepare for meetings:
Meeting details
Check the date, time, location, expected duration, and who will be attending.
Understanding the purpose
Understand the purpose of the meeting and what you hope to achieve.
Gathering information
Collect any relevant documents, reports, or notes about your child’s progress and needs.
Preparing Points
Make a list of points and questions you’d like to raise using our Meeting Planner. Share these with the attendees beforehand.
Question ideas (choose what feels right for you)
- Is my child on the SEN register?
- What support is my child receiving?
- Is the support working?
- What assessments have been carried out?
- Is there additional help from school staff? How often is this provided?
- Are there specialist services involved?
- How can I support my child at home?
Things to consider
Involving your child
Communicate with them about how they’re feeling and include their views. They can share their thoughts through drawings, photos or any other way that feels right for them, helping them feel seen, heard, and included. If appropriate, discuss their attendance with the organiser. Their involvement is important and truly matters.
Considering support
You can bring a friend, family member, or supporter to help share your views and key points. Let the organiser know in advance who will be attending.
Requesting reasonable adjustments
If you need support to access the meeting, let the organiser know beforehand. This can help you feel comfortable and reassured.
Organising paperwork
Keep your documents and notes in one place so they’re easy to find and help you feel prepared.
Type of meeting
In Person Meetings
Plan your journey, think about travel time, parking, and whether you know the location. If anything feels uncertain, ask the organiser for more details.
Online Meetings
Check the link works and you can access the software. If you have any issues, contact the organiser for support.
Think about your environment, how you’ll use the camera and mute button, and ways to minimise distractions. If you’re joining with a supporter, plan how you’ll communicate together.
During the meeting
You may want to consider the following ideas to help you during meetings:
Introductions
Note taking
Confirm who will take notes on key points and agreed actions.
Agenda items
Focus on your child’s needs and the outcomes you want. Use your meeting planner to stay on track, ticking off points as you go. Starting with easier topics can help set a positive tone. If some points are harder to agree on, you can revisit them later.
Communication
Meetings work best when approached with openness and collaboration. Listening, asking questions, and exploring ideas together builds shared understanding. If anything isn’t clear, ask for clarification.
Taking time
Take your time when making decisions. If you need space to think things through, let everyone know. What matters most is feeling informed, supported, and confident in your choices.
Closing meeting
Make sure everything has been covered and agreed actions are noted and will be shared afterwards.
Planning next meeting
After the meeting
You may want to consider the following ideas to help you after meetings:
Meeting notes
Review any notes or agreed actions. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s important to share your views.
Involving your child
If appropriate, communicate with them about the meeting. Share what was discussed, any decisions made and what will happen next using language that suits their understanding.
Keeping a written record
If no summary is shared, send a short thank you message that includes what was discussed and agreed.
Organising paperwork
Keep your documents and notes in one place so they’re easy to find when needed.