When it comes to the next stage in your child’s life when it comes to their education, secondary school can feel very daunting. It is such a milestone for your little one and if truth be told, they probably still look too young to even be considering secondary school. But when the time arrives for you to attend open days or evenings, you may be wondering what you should be looking out for. Choosing a secondary school can be very overwhelming, not just for the kids, but parents to, so here are a couple of things to think about during and after your visit to help you make the right choice for your child.
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- How do the students look?
- Are the facilities well-maintained?
- Are the classrooms organised?
- What are the results like?
- How are the teachers with you?
- How do the teachers interact with the students and children?
- Will the school cater to your child’s needs?
- Will the size of the school suit your child?
- Do they offer any extra-curricular activities?
- How is discipline handled?
- What does your child think?
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How do the students look?
One of the first things to look out for would be to see how the students are presented. Do they look smart? Do they look proud and happy to be there? How do they come across when you ask them a question? Are they confident if they are showing you around? It can be daunting for students when parents come to visit their school, but you should be able to tell a lot by how they look and interact.
Are the facilities well-maintained?
Another thing to look out for would be the facilities and the school grounds. How do they look? Are they well maintained? You can tell a lot by a school with how their grounds and areas are presented. Even if it is an older school it should still look well-maintained and fit for purpose.
Are the classrooms organised?
You might want to consider how organised the classrooms are. Do they look like they are a setting ready for students to learn in? Are the books stacked away? Is equipment accessible? It might be a small thing to think about, but this will be the place your child spends a lot of time.
What are the results like?
It isn’t always about the results, but they are an important factor that you need to think about. Do they reach their targets? Are the children performing well in exam results? The school would usually offer this information. You could also check out the Ofsted report online before attending which has a lot of useful information. `
How are the teachers with you?
The teachers play a vital role when it comes to your children, so you may want to look at how they interact with you. Do they give you information? Are they welcoming and polite? Do they seem interested to hear what you have to say?
How do the teachers interact with the students and children?
Another consideration would be to try and observe how the teachers are with the students and with your children. Do they engage well? How do your children react to them? How do the students react to them? An open day or evening is a slightly different environment but you will still be able to gauge their reaction.
Will the school cater to your child’s needs?
Some children require extra support and needs within a school environment and so it is something that you will need to check when it comes to your child’s specific needs and whether the school can meet them.
Will the size of the school suit your child?
Secondary schools are usually much larger than primary schools but they will still vary in size in comparison to other secondary schools in the area. Will the size suit the school? It might be that you want to find a smaller school if your child is easily overwhelmed. You should get a gist of how your child feels based on their feelings and opinions when you visit.
Do they offer any extra-curricular activities?
Some schools are better than others at this but it is always worth seeing what extra-curricular activities they have available. Your child might be interested in sports or different subjects where they want the opportunity to learn more. Does the school provide clubs that your child can attend?
How is discipline handled?
While we don’t like to think about discipline with our children it is an essential element of schooling and helping children o learn from mistakes. So you may want to see how discipline is handled. Do they get detentions? Are they kept in at lunchtime or on breaks? Will parents be consulted and if so when?
What does your child think?
Finally, one of the most important things to think about would be what your child thinks. They will have good judgement and mostly should feel excited about attending high school or specifically the school you are visiting. Speak to your child and ask them what they liked and disliked. How they felt, etc. It should give you a great insight into the school.
Hopefully, these suggestions will help you know what to look out for when attending secondary school on open days or evenings.
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