Primary school predicament
A Guide to what to look for when choosing a primary school place
by Jenny Sansom
It may seem premature to be thinking about which primary school to send your baby to but believe us, it comes around all too quickly! For those about to embark on this daunting parenting milestone, we have compiled a short guide to help you make that decision before the 15th January 2018 deadline...
Visit on a school day:
Primary School open days vary, some are during school hours yet some are more open evenings. If you haven’t visited during a school day then make an appointment with the school. An open evening may showcase the school class rooms and present a favourable picture, but nothing can compare to actually seeing the behaviour and happiness of real-life children attending the school. It will give you a better idea of how your child will settle in the classroom and help you visualise what their school day will be like.
School drop off and pick up:
With catchment areas featuring heavily in the admissions process, sometimes it seems pointless to look further afield. Nevertheless, knowing whether you wish to walk to school, or need a school with good parking is important. If it ticks boxes in terms of accessibility then you are on to a winner!
Breakfast & after-school clubs?:
Many of us will be requiring additional childcare before and after school. If the school does offer this, how much is it?, how many spaces are there and what times do they run? You can not assume every school will offer this and if it doesn’t what will you do instead? Do you need a local childminder? Can you combine school drop-off and get to work on time? Knowing how the logistics work now will make you confident in your choices.
Ofsted ratings:
Read the report!! A poor rating may not be a reflection on the behaviour of the children, nor the quality of the teaching. Do you care about middle management career progression of the teachers? If not, then probably your child would thrive just as well at a poorer rated school than a ‘good’ one.
League Tables:
There are some who would read a lot into league tables and there are other parents who will want to look at the bigger picture, not just the maths and literacy results of a school. Attach what weight you feel is appropriate, but remember that there are lots of other issues like discipline, extra-curricular opportunities, the school’s values and how happy you think your child will be at the school that should rank just as highly as the school’s results.
School facilities, activities and opportunities:
Is your child sporty, and outdoorsy? Or a bookworm who likes a bit of space to sit quietly and watch the world go by. Do check to see whether the school is encouraging the children to use its facilities, an amazing outside space or well stocked library is no use if the kids are not permitted to use them regularly.
Go with your gut instinct!:
If there is anything that parenthood has taught you, it is probably your gut instinct is generally right. There is no getting away from the fact that this is a big decision. The main question you need to ask yourself is “Will my child be happy here?” and to help answer that you need to ask yourself if you feel comfortable when you are there too. If you feel the answer is yes then be reassured by your choice.
There are lots of online advice and resources around choosing a primary school. Here are the best links we have found with some very useful information:
Surrey School Admissions
10 Questions to ask when visiting a primary school
Primary School Admissions – where do I start?
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