Is this the end of the school gate?

Research has shown that two thirds of parents don’t know the names of their child’s friend’s parents

A recent study found that many parents are becoming increasingly remote from their child’s social world at school – with three quarters admitting that they don’t feel as involved in their child’s school life as they would like to be.

In a survey of 1,540 parents commissioned by Classlist – a mobile-friendly service set up by two mothers which aims to bring mums and dads together – 71% couldn’t name their child’s friend’s parents, with fathers nearly three times less likely to know.

When asked why they didn’t know, more than 61% said it was due to their child having ‘multiple’ friends, while a third (35%) said it was because they never drop off or pick up their children from school.

Another unexpected finding was that 8% of parents revealed they never discuss school with their little one.

“This survey shows how difficult it is to connect with other families – who can play a major role in your child’s social life,” says Susan Burton, co-founder of Classlist. “Exam results and attainment are important, but the wider school community also deserves attention.”

“It shows parents trying to juggle the responsibilities of modern life,” adds co-founder Clare Wright. “Work and other pressures mean it’s a struggle to get to the school gate and meet other families. OFSTED’s new metric on ‘parental engagement’ is very welcome, and some of Classlist’s tools should help improve this.”