Should my child attend the first DP parent-teacher meeting?

Student attendance is often valuable because the DP expects increasing independence and self-management. A student can explain how they interpret feedback, what they find difficult, and what support they believe would help. Some schools structure conferences as three-way meetings, while others speak with parents separately, so check the school's format in advance. If your child attends, agree beforehand that the purpose is problem-solving rather than criticism. Afterward, the student should help write the action plan and take responsibility for the academic steps.

Should I ask about predicted grades in the first term of DP1?

You may ask how predicted grades will eventually be determined, but an early DP1 prediction may rest on very limited evidence. Ask which assessments will be most representative, when the school begins formal predictions, and how teachers judge progress against IB standards. Treat any early estimate as provisional rather than as a university application grade or guaranteed final result. It is more useful to ask what performance at the next grade level would look like. In DP2, predicted-grade questions become more urgent because school and university deadlines may fall between September and November.

What should I ask if my child has received a low first IB grade?

Begin by asking whether the task accurately represents the student's current level and how it was assessed. Clarify whether marks were lost through missing knowledge, weak application, misunderstanding command terms, poor structure, incomplete working, or time pressure. Ask the teacher to identify one or two specific changes that should be visible in the next piece of work. Do not immediately demand extra worksheets or tutoring, because the problem may be technique or organization rather than insufficient study time. Agree on a suitable assessment or date for reviewing whether the targeted action worked.

How can I discuss workload without making my child feel monitored?

Frame the conversation around sustainability and support rather than surveillance. Ask teachers whether work is submitted consistently, whether one subject appears to consume excessive time, and whether the student seeks help appropriately. At home, use a short weekly conversation instead of checking grades or deadlines every day. Questions such as “What is the main priority this week?” and “What support would be useful?” preserve more ownership than repeated reminders. Intervene more directly if there is persistent sleep loss, repeated missed work, withdrawal, or a marked change in wellbeing.

Who should answer questions about CAS, TOK, and the Extended Essay?

Subject teachers may know parts of the picture, but the DP coordinator is usually the best starting point for programme-wide timelines. Schools may also have a TOK teacher, CAS coordinator, EE coordinator, or individual EE supervisor with more specific responsibilities. Ask who monitors each component, where deadlines are published, and how concerns should be escalated. Because schools sequence the core differently, do not assume another school's September-November milestones apply to your child. Your goal is to leave with the correct contact, the next required milestone, and the school's official calendar.

What should I do after the first DP parent-teacher meeting?

Write a short summary containing one strength, one priority gap, and the agreed next action for each relevant subject. Review it with your child and remove actions that are vague, excessive, or controlled entirely by the parent. Put major school deadlines and the agreed review dates into one calendar. Check progress weekly through evidence such as completed corrections, teacher feedback, or improved assessment performance rather than hours spent studying. Contact the teacher or DP coordinator again if the agreed strategy produces no improvement or if workload and wellbeing concerns become more serious.

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Questions to Ask at Your First DP Parent Meeting

IB Diploma Parent Guides IB Study Guides

• 21 Sept 2026•10

Questions to Ask at Your First DP Parent Meeting

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Questions to Ask at Your First DP Parent Meeting | RevisionDojo

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Questions to Ask at Your First DP Parent Meeting

IB Diploma Parent Guides IB Study Guides

• 21 Sept 2026•10

The best questions to ask at your first DP parent-teacher meeting focus on evidence, adjustment, workload, and the next practical step. During the September-November window, one grade rarely supports a firm conclusion, but teachers can identify weak routines, misunderstood expectations, or an unsuitable subject level.

Your aim is not to collect six isolated judgments or negotiate grades. It is to understand how your child is adapting, where marks are being lost, and what the student, school, and family should each do next.

Understand what the meeting can tell you

The IB Diploma Programme curriculum combines six subjects with theory of knowledge (TOK), the extended essay (EE), and creativity, activity, service (CAS). Students normally take three or four subjects at Higher Level and the remainder at Standard Level, creating overlapping academic and organizational demands.

A first-term meeting should therefore cover more than grades. Ask whether your child understands IB command terms, assessment criteria, independent study expectations, and how to apply knowledge under assessed conditions.

School calendars vary, particularly for internal assessments and the core. Ask about your school's actual sequence rather than relying on another family's timeline.

Prepare before the meeting

Speak to your child first. Ask which subject feels least secure, where they understand lessons but lose marks, and what they expect each teacher to say. This keeps the student involved in the conversation.

Bring a short list containing:

recent grades and teacher comments;
repeated missing or late work;
known assessment and coursework dates;
concerns about subject level or university prerequisites;
changes in sleep, attendance, stress, or motivation;
no more than three priorities for each teacher.

The RevisionDojo parent-teacher conference guide provides an evidence-action-review structure. A concise preparation sheet is usually more useful than numerous general questions.

Essential questions for subject teachers

Use questions that move from current evidence to a realistic action plan.

Area	Question to ask	Why it matters
Current level	What evidence best represents my child's present performance?	One unusually strong or weak task may mislead.
Understanding	Which topics or concepts are least secure?	This identifies what needs to be relearned.
Assessment skill	Are marks being lost through knowledge, command terms, structure, timing, working, or evaluation?	Each problem requires different practice.
HL or SL fit	Does the current level appear appropriate, and when should it be reviewed?	Early adjustment may prevent a prolonged mismatch.
Improvement	What are the two highest-priority actions before the next assessment?	Specific actions are more useful than advice to work harder.
Follow-up	What evidence would show progress, and when should we review it?	This establishes a measurable checkpoint.

If a teacher says your child needs to be more analytical, request a subject-specific example. In history, analysis may involve evaluating evidence and perspectives; in science, it may involve interpreting results and limitations.

Ask how assessment works

IB subjects are graded from 1-7, but an early school grade is not automatically a reliable final-grade forecast. Ask whether the reported number reflects an IB-standard judgment, a school percentage, completed topics, or a mixture of homework and tests.

Also ask:

Which tasks are formative, and which affect school reports?
Are current tests representative of eventual IB assessment?
Does my child act on feedback after work is returned?
When will the school begin producing predicted grades?
What evidence will teachers use for predictions?

The IB describes a predicted grade as a teacher's expectation based on evidence of the student's work and knowledge of IB standards. The official IB assessment explanation confirms that it is a professional judgment, not a promise. In early DP1, discuss trajectory; in DP2, confirm submission and university deadlines using the RevisionDojo predicted grades guide.

Discuss workload and wellbeing

A capable student may struggle because deadlines overlap, work is poorly distributed, or perfectionism makes tasks take too long. Ask whether work is completed consistently, whether long assignments begin early, and whether effort is producing suitable progress.

Check for rushing, procrastination, reluctance to seek help, falling participation, or one subject consuming disproportionate time. Ask what support at home would help without reducing independence.

There is no universal IB rule specifying weekly homework hours. The RevisionDojo guide to IB homework explains how workload varies by school, subject combination, deadlines, and working speed. Persistent sleep loss, withdrawal, physical complaints, or distress should be raised promptly with appropriate school staff.

Cover TOK, the EE, CAS, and academic integrity

Ask the DP coordinator what students should have completed under the school's calendar and what comes next for each core component. For CAS, confirm that experiences and reflections are being recorded regularly. CAS does not award points, but successful completion is required under the official DP passing criteria.

For TOK and the EE, ask when major decisions are due, how guidance is provided, and whom students should contact when stuck. The RevisionDojo parent checklist by year helps families track milestones without taking ownership from the student.

Request the school's academic integrity and artificial intelligence guidance. The IB's academic integrity policy expects parents to understand procedures, support workload management, and avoid unauthorized assistance. Parents may discuss planning, but should not write, rewrite, or overedit assessed work.

Finish with an action plan

End by confirming the main strength, the most important gap, the action required, and the evidence that will show improvement. If several teachers identify weak time management or difficulty interpreting command terms, treat it as one cross-subject priority.

Afterward, let your child help finalize the plan. Use a brief weekly check-in to discuss what is due, what evidence shows progress, and where support is needed.

Avoid comparing your child with classmates, demanding a higher prediction, or buying large quantities of resources before identifying the problem. Parents should not become deadline managers or coursework editors. The RevisionDojo guide for IB parents emphasizes support that preserves student ownership. Where a teacher identifies a specific content or technique gap, targeted work through the RevisionDojo Questionbank is more useful than indiscriminate practice.

Conclusion

A productive first DP parent-teacher meeting should produce an evidence-based picture of adjustment, upcoming obligations, and a small number of agreed actions. Ask how your child is learning, where marks are being lost, whether workload is sustainable, and when progress will be reviewed.

RevisionDojo can support that plan without replacing school guidance. Study Notes and Jojo AI can clarify misunderstandings, while the Questionbank provides focused practice after the teacher identifies what needs improvement.