AD | Do you have a son or daughter in Year 5 or 6? If so, you’ll most probably be wondering where the past 10 years have gone. Sending your child to secondary school is an unavoidable part of growing up and there are lots of important things to consider. We’re lucky to have some good secondary schools in and around Bath, but if you’re living in London then you might find these tips from Mill Hill * helpful.
Where is the Secondary School?
First of all, you and your family need to consider what’s important to you, and what requirements you have for the school. For example, does it need to be in walking distance of your home, or at least on a bus route, so that your child can get there and back on their own? If you plan on driving them, does it need to be on your route to work? If Flora gets into our first choice secondary school then she’ll qualify for free school bus travel, which is a bonus.
Is it Right for Your Child?
Location is highly important, but there are other factors to consider. Does your child have a language barrier or special educational needs that the school will need to cater to? Will your child’s friends be attending the school? Be sure to factor in what your child wants out of the school, as they’re the ones who will have to spend most of their time there.
Once you and your family understand what your requirements are, you can start your search. Our first choice secondary school has a strong focus on STEM, learning outside the classroom, and after school activities, which are all things Flora is passionately interested in. And her best friends are also (hopefully) going too, so that’s another comforting factor.
Go and See It
Research is necessary; check out the schools’ websites, their Ofsted reports and their prospectuses. This will give you good base, but the only way you can really get a feel for a school is to pay it a visit, so find out when the open days are and mark them in your diary. When you visit, pay attention to everything! Check out the facilities and make sure they are clean and modern. Observe how the staff interact with your child, or other children if yours isn’t there.
Consider where your child will spend their lunch breaks and whether or the school feels safe and secure. We looked at three secondary schools for Flora and three of us visited them together. We knew beforehand which was our favourite, but it was so important that she was involved in the decision-making process too.
Make a List of Pros and Cons
After your research and visits, think about and write out a list of all of the pros and cons of each school. This will help you come to terms with what you like and don’t like about them, which will lead to a conclusion. And will also be invaluable when you come to write your supporting statement in your application as well. Good luck!
Have you started thinking about applying to secondary school yet? What tips do you think are important when making your choices?
* This is a sponsored post – please see my Disclaimer.
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