A Parent’s Guide To Applying To Schools

AD | For most parents, applying to schools is a daunting task and requires some careful research. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right school for your child, such as how they have been reviewed by Ofsted and the number of children per classroom.

To help you through the challenge of applying for schools, Taunton School, have provided the following tips…

Before you start looking at new schools, try to make a list of what factors are most important to you and your child. Here are a few examples to get you started:

Does the school have to be close by?

What schools are your child’s existing friends applying to?

Does your child require assisted learning support?

Does the school’s values and ethos suit your child and your family?

Once you have decided on what you are looking for in a school, you can then begin to research suitable options online.

You can use online resources to research Ofsted reports and learn about each school’s aims and values. You may also be able to find out about any extracurricular activities the schools offer, that might benefit your child.

The next step is to make a shortlist of all the schools that appear to meet your needs and then pay them a visit. It is a good idea to arrange your visit during normal classes to get a true insight into daily life at the school. (This isn’t always possible on open evenings when there are only teachers available).

When visiting prospective schools it is important to consider the journey time to the school, if the school feels safe and clean and what their curriculum includes. See if you can see examples of classwork.

If you are able to see a class in action, take some time to observe how the children are behaved and how they are interacting with their teacher.

Finally, it is important to consider how welcoming you found the school and what impression the school left on your child. This is crucial, as your child will be spending a large part of their lives there. Be sure to include your child in all of the decision making when it comes to applying for a new
school.

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