Choosing The Right School

In the first of his series with Northern Insight Mr. David Tickner, Headmaster at Newcastle School for Boys, shares in his advice on that all important milestone in every parent's life – how to choose the right school for their child.

Choosing a school for your child

As we move into the new year, places will be offered and decisions made for thousands of children starting new schools in September. How can parents make the right decisions for their children?

In choosing a school, you are trying to match your child’s individual needs to the school with the most suitable approach and priorities to meet those needs. Parents need to identify what’s important in their child’s education then seek to ensure that the school is well matched to those priorities. This is more important than the school’s brand, facilities or exam results.

It is a good idea to do your homework: look at school websites, inspection reports and exam results. However, these will not tell the full story.

A visit to a school is invaluable and, if at all possible, try to hear first-hand about the school from its Head. Establish what it is that is unique about the school. What are its aims and priorities?

How will your child be cared for in the school? Who are the key people who will be overseeing not just academic progress but wellbeing and personal development?

What about the co-curricular programme? Does it offer opportunities for your child to develop existing or new interests?

Arrange to tour the school ideally during the working day. Open days and events are all well and good but what are the lessons and corridors like on a wet Wednesday afternoon in February?

As you tour the school, try to notice how the school’s aims and priorities are lived out in its daily life? How do the pupils seem? Are they happy and cheerful? Do they engage well with their teachers and with one another? Are they able to articulate their learning and the progress they are making?

If you can, arrange for your child to spend some time in the school on a taster day, experiencing lessons, lunch and the changing rooms first-hand.

How flexible are the admissions arrangements? Some large schools may only admit into particular year groups at particular times. Does this suit your circumstances? And the final question to ask yourself: will my child be happy at this school? If the answer is yes, they will also have a much better chance of being academically successful and personally fulfilled.