Secondary school open days/evenings

I've done both. DD is in year 6 now and has an exemplary attendance record (about 5 days sick in her whole school life and never off for holidays or similar) so I feel that at this point I can justify a couple of hours to see a school in normal daytime mode as well as how it was at Open evening last term. We did one today and she was back in school before morning break, not a massive loss of time and it was put down as education in the register. We only have two possibilities, not looking round lots of schools so I may well take her to the other one next month too.

Maybe this is a Geographical thing.
I'm not aware of anyone who has had time off to go to look round schools here (3 dc gone through the process and I chat to LOTS of parents at cubs, swimming, etc.,etc. plus I'm a teacher).
I can't imagine either the secondary schools being too impressed with hoardes of visitors when they are trying to teach (I realise they put on an open morning for the odd family who need to do this for some reason), nor can I imagine the Primary schools would be too impressed. Even ignoring the point that they go to a lot of trouble to put things on for the children at the open evenings.

Some of our schools have evening meetings just for parents and daytime tours for parents and children. Others have open evenings and more parent orientated daytime tours. Lots of children have time off for at least 3 daytime visits. It is useful for them to see the school in "normal" as well as "display mode".
The kids going to private have even more time off for exams etc.

We took DS1 to open evenings in Y5, and then in Y6 went in the day-time to the two we needed to choose between (had passed entrance test to grammar, but had to decide between that and another school). School were more than happy to authorise abscence - and marked it down as educated elsewhere.

Open evenings are designed to be fun, there are activities, it is a marketing exercise. How well they do it may tell you quite a lot. IMO talking to parents of those currently attending, and a daytime visit guided by staff (if possible) gives you better info.

We had a lot more schools to vist than that and we took DD to our top ones in Y4. 2 were in school time, the others, about 4 were either in school time and we didn't take DD or were evenings. In Y5 we mopped up those we missed in Y4. DD was inspired by the girls who showed her round two particular schools so it gave her more incentive to try hard at her entrance tests (state and grammar) so it was priceless her going to the schools. These happened to be the ones out of school time but the rewards reaped as a result of those visits were manifold - so in hindsight if they'd been during the school day I wouldn't have had qualms. DD loved school and we firmly believed in encouraging attendance but also thinking about the future and not just following a defined path without variation -.so I'd say that the message is - within proportion other school visits within school time are exploring solid foundations for the future.

I am doing open evenings with my dd. In fact we have done our first tonight. None of the schools offer open mornings.

I might then go alone in the day. The school we went to tonight has an open door policy, I am not sure about the other 4 we need to see.

Take your DD to the evening ones. I assume these are state schools so Saturday mornings would not be available. We did go on Saturdays to boarding schools. If you both like a couple of the schools, try and go back on the mornings without your DD to see the school in action and see if you like the ethos on a working day. If most go to the local school, check you have a reasonable chance of getting into the other schools or you may be raising your hopes only to have them dashed when they fill up from catchment (or other admission criteria).

I went to loads of Open Days when DD was in Year 4 and 5, leaving her in school. In fact, she didn't know I was going! I took her to the ones I liked at the start of Year 6, having already eliminated a couple. We tended to go on a Saturday, but I wouldn't be bothered about her missing 3 mornings of school for something so important, if you have already selected the 3 potential schools. Her input is important.

Yes, always. They have to go to the school after all.

Open evenings. They set them up so there are things for the dc to try / taste / etc. Really worth while doing. There will be a talk by the HT usually and lots of things to see and do.
On a 'working morning' they will be doing just that - working. Teaching the current pupils, so you won't get to speak to whichever teachers you want, etc.
Makes far more sense to go to the open evenings.
Also not really justifiable to take dc out of school when the evenings are put on for that very purpose.

Our open evenings are set up expecting the kids to come along. When I see parents on a school-time tour they also often have their child with them.

Following. My DS1 is in Yr5. We're going to have a nosey round as many of the options as possible this year, probably just one parent without DS. Next year when he's Yr6 and it's decision time we'll take him to any we are seriously considering. I'd rather see them when they are all in school, but most of the local schools seem to close very early to 'sanitise' the site for the open evening, but I appreciate it must be a ball ache for the school if there are hundreds of potential applicants wanting to look round. I'm going to make a point of chatting to parents of pupils already at the various schools too.

I've only been to one open evening and all the groups were lead by pupils and there were other pupils doing work in the rooms. Eg science experiments to join in with. My daughter is only y4 so I didn't take her but when it comes to next year I think it is vital they go - they need to be confident they could be happy there.