Whether you are choosing a primary school for the first time, trying to find the best secondary school, or thinking about making a change to your child’s schooling, making the decision on which school is the best one for your child can be incredibly difficult. Here we take a look at the steps you should take to try and make sure you are choosing the school that is the right one for your child.
The Government offers advice about the procedural aspects of applying for a school place, but not a huge amount in terms of what you should be looking for from a school and things you need to consider in order to make the decision about whether a particular school is the best one for your child.
How to choose a school
There are several ways to choose a school, but firstly you should make a list of potential schools that you think would be suitable and that would work for the rest of your family. This means schools that are easy to get to, as well as ones that would be a good fit for your child. When you have made a list, go to visit some of these schools. Some schools have ‘open days’, but it works best to try and visit on a day when school is in session, so you can see first-hand what the school is like on a regular day.
How you will know if it is the right one
You will get a feel for whether a school is the right one for your child. However, it’s also important to check the school’s academic record, what they offer in terms of enrichment activities and whether it’s the right learning environment for your child. You may think that a private school would be the right choice and there are plenty to choose from, including Gloucestershire private schools such as https://hopelands.org.uk/.
Hopefully, this has shown you what you should be looking for when making the decision about your child’s school. The criteria are generally the same, whether it is an older child starting secondary school, a little one starting primary, or one in between who might benefit from switching schools. The most important thing is that the school you choose is the right fit for your particular child.