Choosing a school, no matter what situation you find yourself in, can be a stressful ordeal for parents. They’re keen to take their children to the best schools in their local area, and some of which can be the best schools in the county. A lot rides on a child in terms of their school success and where it’ll take them in the future.
But to find the right school for your child, it’s wise to take a step back and look at the options you have and research well. To help you with your search for the right school, this one year GCSE specialist has some key advice.
Deciding which type of school is best for your child
First things first is picking out what kind of school you want your child to be attending. Are you considering taking your child to an independent or private school, or are you considering a boarding school or just taking your child through public school? However you choose, think carefully about what you want your child to be learning, specific elements of their curriculum and the opportunity for additional learning.
Ensure you prioritise time to secure your child’s school place
Normally associated with prep schools and other private schools, a lot of school admissions can fill up fast, even months before a child’s first day. It’s important to act diligently and research well ahead of time. Parents are wise to plan ahead, research even months before the start of their first year, or when they’ll be transitioning to big school, to get ahead of others who will be in the same boat.
You can talk to other parents and neighbours about when they’ve started looking around for the best schools in the local area and when you should consider applying.
Take a look at previous exam results
The jump to comprehensive or senior schools will throw a lot of questions to parents. How does the school fare in terms of exam results and success? You want your child to perform as well as they can within their environment, and that will only come if your child is at a school that provides the resources to succeed. Exam results from previous years at schools can be easily found online.
Take part in school open days
You can get a real feel for your child’s expectations at a school open day. Take them around where they could be studying, view the classrooms and explore what other additional learning they can take on. Open days also give parents the chance to talk to teachers and the Head of the school to get personal views on a child’s progression, and ensure that it’s a friendly environment where your child can grow.
Be realistic with your child’s school choice
There’s no point becoming stressed about the situation when it comes to your child’s final school choices. If your child’s in the right catchment area there are always alternatives when it comes to your child’s studies, and there’s no shame in changing decisions early on in the process.
Remember that you won’t entirely know how your child will manage in the circumstances, nor will you exactly know what subjects they’ll enjoy, what their passions could be and even what they want to go on to do in their careers. So long as you find a school that provides an open and welcoming learning environment, your child will be able to find the things that make them happy.
A happy child is the far better option when it comes to ensuring they feel safe in the school they go to, and it’s important that their needs are prioritised first before anything else. Finally, there’s no harm in planning well ahead to talk with your child candidly about what they want to do when they grow up and gauge for yourself.
