Choosing a School
It’s that time of year when secondary schools try to show themselves off at their best and parents start thinking about where they want their child to go. Not every family has a choice because of catchment or for other reasons.
During this time in a pandemic, schools are looking at other ways of marketing themselves as they can’t run big events. There’s more to choosing a school than watching a video and looking at a website.
So, here are some things that you might want to consider if you’re making this choice.
Communication
What is the communication like from the school to parents?
What method do they use to communicate with parents?
How involved are the parents?
Is there a parent group that you might want to get involved with?
Good education is a combination of schools and parents working together.
Curriculum
Do they give out their curriculum, or give it on the website?
Some parents like to know what is covered in PHSE. Does it reflect your own values? Where do they get their resources from?
The needs of your young person
It’s not all about exam results or Ofsted ratings, (and yes I include Maths and English in that). Things can change a lot in 5 years, and the results that your young person receives will not be reflected in the current results. Ofsted ratings are often based on exam results and could be old.
Instead, think about what other needs your young person has and whether the school will be able to meet them. It might be helping them with anxiety, clubs outside of school hours that will excite them in their education and build their confidence, or a curriculum that helps them develop independent skills.
How to get the information you need
If you can’t see the information that you want from the school’s website, social media or their ‘open evenings’ then write to them or give them a call. Seek out friends whose children go to that school.
Remember it is most important to look at how the school operates now as last year’s results won’t reflect the current year 7. Moving to secondary school can be a scary thing and it is best to involve your young person in this decision too.
Get help…
If you want help from an educational professional in supporting your young person when making this decision, or for other educational advice, then I offer a one-to-one call which includes questions to set the scene beforehand and resources afterwards.
