Choosing a school for your child is a massive responsibility and should involve some careful planning. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a school and some are more obvious than others, such as location.
To help ensure you have all of the important factors covered, Mount House School in Hertfordshire has provided the following helpful advice…
What matters most to you?
Start your search for the right school by making a list of what is most important to you and your child. Here are a few examples to get you started:
- Do you want your new school to be within walking distance?
- Does your child have any special needs or a second language?
- Will any of your child’s existing friends be at the school?
- Will the new school’s learning methods suit your child’s learning style?
Get researching!
Once you’re clear on what it is you are looking for in a school, you can then start to gather as much information as possible about the most suitable schools.
You can research school league tables and Ofsted reports and you can learn about their curriculums and values. What are their class sizes? Do they offer school trips? Do they provide additional enrichment opportunities such as language and music lessons?
The most beneficial way to collect this information is by visiting the schools you are interested in.
Visit the schools
If possible, try and arrange a tour of the school on a normal school day. This will give you a true insight into daily life at the school, whereas some open days are arranged outside of school hours.
When visiting prospective schools, here are a few things to consider:
- Does the school feel welcoming?
- Are you made to feel comfortable when asking questions?
- What impression do you get from the head teacher and the teaching staff?
- How well do the children interact with the teachers?
- Does the school seem safe and clean?
- Are school dinners provided and what are the facilities like?
- What can the children do at break time and which play area will your child’s age group occupy?
Ask for your child’s opinion
Finally, it is vitally important to listen to your child and their opinions and feelings about their new school. After all, they are the ones who will be spending most of their time there.
Try to include them in the decision making and arrange a time for them to visit the schools with you.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Mount House School.