© Paul Moore (Fotolia) crayon boy 3
© Paul Moore (Fotolia)
Do your research
Ofsted reports
Look at Ofsted reports, you can find a school Ofsted report by postcode. Ofsted reports give you a larger insight to how your local schools run and what they have to offer.
Find out reputations of the best schools by speaking to parents who live in the area.
Doing an online search can help you to find local schools. Look at the schools online and get in contact with them to ask for an information pack.
It is a good idea to help you to build a list of schools that you check out the DFES website and look at the local school proformance tables. These give a good outline of the schools’ academic achievements.
Remember to take some of this information with a pinch of salt: every one’s opinion and experience can be different.
The shortlisting process
The school environment
When you have established the top schools in your area, ring the schools and ask to make an appointment to look around alternatively. Find dates for open days and when you do this, it is important to take your child with you.
Find out how comfortable your child feels in the environment and how the staff interact with him. This will give you a good idea of whether your child would settle in well at the school or not.
Queries
Take this opportunity to ask any question which you may have. This could help you to make your decision and your child may also have some questions which they might wish to ask to put their mind at rest.
Additional support
If your child will need additional support in any area (left-handed or ADHD for example), the school head may be able to share with you ways in which they could assist you in meeting their needs and helping them to achieve their full potential.
Sometimes parents will look purely at the results schools have achieved but quite often, the impression you receive when looking around the school and meeting the staff can be the most important.
