Choosing the Right School

You thought choosing your child’s primary school was difficult, fast forward a few years and you’re back thinking about where to send you soon to be teen to school, and it can feel like a minefield. When you look into the options available, it might not be as vast as you first thought.

You may have already made the decision on state or public-school education, in which case this can reduce the number by quite a few, then there are some that are single sex, religious or require exam entry and again this may bring the number down even more.

Most schools also have a catchment area and so your choice of secondary schools for your children may be quite limited when you look into it fully.

Of course, you can apply for a school outside your catchment area, but it all depends on how many others apply that year as to whether they get in or not. Do your own research Once you have reduced the list of schools down to those your child can realistically get into, you will hopefully be faced with a far less daunting list and so now is the time to work out which would be best for your child.

Take a look at the school’s websites, ask around and speak to those parent’s who have children at that school and look on their social media feeds.

Sometimes you find that other parents have a real issue with a local school, but when probed don’t have any real reason for it, so try and ignore these comments and speak to people who actually have some dealings with the school.

Open Days Another great way to get a taste of the type of school is an open day or evening.

These are usually held throughout the school year and allow the current Year 6, sometimes Year 5 to attend with their parents to see what facilities are available and to get a taste of school life.

It is also a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have to the teachers and also pupils who attend the school.

It is also important to check which subjects each school teaches at GCSEs, as although this may seem like a long time away, it will soon come around and it is important that your child has a wide mix of options, particularly if they are leaning more towards one type of career. Ofsted Report.

It is worth reading the schools Ofsted report or Independent Schools Inspectorate, if considering a private school, and also checking government league tables.

Although not a full story of what the school is like, it should give you an idea of the standards of the school.

It is important to factor in other sources when making a decision, as these reports only check the school against the government’s latest criteria which may differ from what you and your child are looking for in a school. Other things to consider Transpor.

– how will your child travel to and from school? Extra-Curricular Activitie.

– if your child has a particular interest in a certain sport or subject then can they continue with this? Parent / Staff communicatio.

– how do you find out how your child is doing once they start secondary school.

Secondary schools often operate differently from primary schools, and they are certainly a lot bigger.

Find out how many parent’s evenings they have, who you need to speak to if you have an issue and how often you will receive a school report. Class size.

– what is the student/staff ratio Transition day.

– will your child get the opportunity to attend the school before they start? Term date.

– are these inline with any other schools your children attends or if you work at a school, do they differ? Fees – if you are looking to send your child to a privately educated school, then you need to fully understand all fees, including meals, uniform and any extras. Take your time when it comes to choosing a school for your child, there is no rush if you start looking early.

Once you have done your research, if you are still unsure then list each schools’ pros and cons and then weight them all up.

Ultimately trust your own instincts as parents.

You thought choosing your child’s primary school was difficult, fast forward a few years and you’re back.