List of questions for open days

[AndrewD]

We are looking at schools in London (mostly ind. and a couple of state) for our son, but also keeping an eye out for our daughter (2 years younger). Both at state primary and getting exceptionally good reports. We're off to the first of several open days tomorrow.

I compiled a list of questions to have to hand, in categories, which might be useful to others. I suspect I have missed lots of essentials.

Does anyone had any useful additional questions or thoughts?

Admissions

• How many for how many places?
  
• Policy for admissions (catchment area, maintained schools, siblings)
  
• Key dates for registration, exams, interviews etc
  
• What input is needed from primary school? (school reports, headmistress letter etc)
  
• Is tutoring essential for exams in the school's opinion?
  

Education

• How are students "streamed" to ability?
  
• Where do the students go when they leave?
  
• What is the staff turnover at the school like (average years of service, number of new staff per year)?
  
• What subjects, sciences and languages are offered at GSCE and A-level?
  
• Who gets to do separate sciences at GCSE?
  

Extra-curricular

• What sports is available and where (football, rugby, cricket, rowing, tennis, hockey, etc)?
  
• What music is available and where (orchestra, choir, piano etc)?
  
• What other activities are available (drama, social, etc)?
  
• What and where are the facilities for these activities?
  

Pastoral

• How often do parents meet with teachers?
  
• What contact methods are there between school and parents?
  
• How do they help new kids settle in?
  
• Are parents involved immediately in issues such as bullying, behaviour, or other issues?
  
• What is the mobile phone, internet and social networking policy at school?
  
• What is the incidence of alcohol or drug abuse and how does the school handle it?
  
• What is the incidence of bullying, eating disorders etc and how does the school handle it?
  

Facilities

• Do students need to leave school grounds for any activities (subjects or sports)?
  
• Check out kitchens, dining rooms, toilets.

[Leeds2]

I would probably find out if the extra curricular sport, music etc was free, or had to be paid for.

Some may want to know about the PTA.

Amount of homework to be expected.

[BackforGood]

It's kind of you to take the time to post, you quite often get posters asking what they should be looking for in a school visit

[lljkk]

Blimey, that's a lot.

[lljkk]

Lucky if the school even HAS a permanent head appointed.

[hellsbells99]

I would also ask:
What subjects are 'setted' from year 7 and what subjects are put into sets after that?
How many in a form?
Make sure you listen to your 'gut feeling' about the school - whether your DC will feel comfortable there etc.
Good Luck and enjoy your visits.

[ladygoldenlion]

at the number of questions...they will cover lots of this during their open days.

TBH, you are seriously overthinking the whole thing. Go and see the schools, you will know instantly whether you like the school / head and that will count for a lot.

[DizzyHoneyBee]

That's a great list of questions, but you might struggle to get such a long list answered in the time you will have available

[coppertop]

I would've thought that the answers to a lot of those questions would be on the school's website.

[GreenPetal94]

questions are fine, but prioritise them in order of importance. Most of your questions whould be answered by a good prospectus. I think for a private school you need to understand if its a very bitchy, snobby (I'm richer than you) kind of atmosphere. This is quite hard to judge.

[TunaPastaBake]

Also if a state school and not yet an academy ask if they are considering it - if yes - why - if no why .

Also lot of schools encourage the children to go with them on open day - well state schools round here anyway round here anyway.

You may not have the time to go through all these questions on an open day bit alot also do an open evening where you may have more time to chat with staff.

[Roseformeplease]

"Extras" can be crippling in a private school and are billed termly. These might be for books, trips, kit etc. Find out exactly what you get for your money.

[Takver]

Great list, and I wouldn't thought it would be hard over the course of an open evening to ask most of them. I've been to a couple, and you spend what feels like hours going round every room in the school - and a surprising number of people seem to pretty much ignore the teachers & just look at the displays so you get plenty of chances to grill them

The two things I would add (will be adding) would be

• to read the OFSTED report, and identify any particular issues from there - eg at the school we're looking at, a very high %ge of children entering the school functionally illiterate - how will such things affect other pupils?
  

• any questions specific to your dc; eg in our case what are their policies on allowing use of laptops for written work, how do they support students who have problems with written work, how will they set where ability varies dramatically
  

From another thread, a suggested question was the number of students who went to Russell Group universities

[jamdonut]

I was going to say, have questions for the children who are "on display" in the classrooms.
If they are knowledgeable and enthusiastic I think that speaks volumes.

[Takver]

Oh yes, DH asked all the children: what is the best thing about the school / what is the worst thing about the school Generic question but gets them talking

[JumpingThroughMoreHoops]

Staff turn over and pastoral care.

Don't touch a school that won't let you near the pupils, always something to hide

[JumpingThroughMoreHoops]

What is the incidence of bullying, eating disorders etc and how does the school handle it?

Child protection, you will not be told that information. Do you really think a school is going to tell you they have XYZ anorexics? Even if they could tell you that, how on earth are you going to decide whether it's as a result of sexual abuse from home or they missed a spelling test?

You're a bit warped I'm afraid - you would be the parent from hell

[amidaiwish]

thanks for posting the list, very interesting set of questions to tick off either by the prospectus, talks or asking the question.

[ravenAK]

Ask a student:

'What's your favourite lesson you've had this week?'

Good answers: 'Science! We exploded sheep lungs yesterday, it was AWESOME!' or 'Maths, Mrs Coggins always makes it interesting, she's great' or 'History, because I spent all half term on my project & it won the house prize'.

Bad answer: 'Geography - Mr Oxbow's been away with flu so we've been watching videos...' or 'Dunno, really'

You want students who are engaged & enthusiastic - that generally means the teaching is good. Much more important than asking about dates & facilities (that info will be on the website, anyway).

[BackforGood]

I agree with Takver - I've done the rounds of schools with 2 of my dc already, and am about to embark on third round. Where we live, there are 10 or more schools that the pupils in Yr6 with them spread out to, so there are real decisions to be made. It would be easy to cover that number of questions in the 2 hours or so I spend in the school I am looking at. Obviously, being my 3rd dc this time, we've got it narrowd down a bit, but it's amazing how things change over 3 years or so since the last time you did it like dc2's school getting a new HT whose only communication with parents is a one way, patronising, 'pat the parent on the head and tell them to go away' type conversation, and then converting to an Academy. You also find out lots of things they never told you at the initial show round. So I do think it's a great idea to go with a list of questions you want to find out the answers to - perhaps prioritising for your own circumstances - and hopefully get them all answered by a combination of subject staff as you move round, pupils, the HT's talk, the prospectus, and ear-wigging other parents conversations where you can.

[FarrowAndBollock]

I think the individual visits are much more illuminating - best to do the open days first to see which ones to go back and visit though. Ask to see the children in break time - it can be very telling to see whether they are respectful to adults or whether they shove past you.

[befrazzled]

We recently went to a local secondary school for an event which ended up being a bit of an open evening but we hadn't realised this so not prepared any questions. I was pleasantly surprised by DP who, having had a terrible time in secodary school and has few qualifications went up to the headteacher and, after lulling her into a sense of security with his laid back easy going chit chat turned, looked her in the eye and said 'So, why should I send my son, one of the most precious things in my life, to your school?' It worked a treat and tbh he was impressed with her answers.

[gazzalw]

Yes, we did lots of the open evening sessions but it is useful, if allowed, to go back and do some the daytime sessions (when you usually get a senior member of the school team to show you around) when you see how the school really functions, what discipline is like in lessons etc....

Good luck and try to chill - it becomes quite tiring after you've done a couple of evening visits......