How early can you take a look around a potential secondary school?

If it helps I went to one secondary open day when my child was 7, I was planning to move to the area and it was the most likely school, my son is now starting there this september. I got a general feel of the school, basically already knew it had good results but wanted to see if it was formal or pressured- could tell by the visit it was quite relaxed.

You can go to Open days. No one checks. Although it would be odd to see a parent without a 10/11 year old in tow at our local school open days.

I suspect you may get little value out of it, not just because the school may change, but because your child definitely will. If they are 5/6 now, you have absolutely no idea about specific things that might be key for them when they get to secondary stage.

I don't think you're mad to be factoring in local secondary schools when choosing your 'forever' home. Of course schools can change quickly, but it makes sense to bear it in mind.

If you know parents of students at the schools, a chat might be sufficient, but if you have the time and interest, of course you (parents only) could attend the open days. I think people are being rude to call you mad for considering it at this stage (though other factors such as whether you love the house, commute to work etc are also important!)

We visited our two local comprehensive schools a year early (when our DC was in Y4) because some local grammars had introduced catchment areas which reduced our DC's chance of a grammar place. We would then have had time to move house if we were not keen on the comprehensive schools.

We were very glad we did this, because Covid hit several months later, and that turned out to be our only chance to visit those two schools before filling out the CAF. We weren't able to visit any other schools at all.

I wouldn’t visit before year 5 and I certainly wouldn’t 6 or 7 years ahead. There might be two inspections during that time, if you place a lot of emphasis on Ofsted. I’d decide where you want to live, focusing on your other criteria too and then do your research nearer the time you need it.

For DS I had to do it all in year 6 due to Covid, but a year earlier would've been good as some of them clashed. But a lot of the schools had changed massively since he was in reception. I'll probably look in year 4 for DD as she has SEN and the process and timescales are different, don't see any point before that.

That said, a HUGE amount can change in 6 years. I'm not convinced it would be that helpful, or worth your time.

Like others have suggested, I went to quite a few open days in the September when dc1 was in Yr 5. We live in a City and could potentially apply for quite a lot of schools and I wanted to narrow it down and just take dc1 to a few, in Yr6.

So I went on my own. I don't ever recall being asked where my dc was, but would just have said 'not well' or 'at cubs' or whatever. So no issue with you going to the open evenings.

When I started viewing schools it felt a bit like looking for a house- walking around and listening to music gut, seeing if I could "see" dc there, see them actually learning. And because my child was 10 at the time, it was easier to imagine as they were so close to the age they would be when attending.

There are some things you may not even consider, if you look too early - bus routes (but they are only 4 I'll drive them), sports clubs (they like gymnastics now but might not in 5 years), trips (eg they may develop a passion for history as they go into y4,5,6, but the school focuses on sport trips rather than history etc).

We've been going to open days of local secondaries since my dd was in nursery. Obviously we'll revisit over the years and not base an application on a single visit 8 years ago! If you have the time, why not go and see? As others have said, open days are open to anyone. I've even visited some boys' schools out of curiosity, despite having all dds 😂

We actually and himself would like to stay away from most of his class. I don't think that friendship is always the best criterion to use. My son's friend is very sporty. My son is more academic than sporty. They are planning to attend two different schools

@CarlaTheGnome

A lot can change within 4 years. Only here where I live the Oustanding were downgraded and as heads of school change the local Inadequate became Outstanding. Seriously. The same for GCSE results. Also you don't know what talents will your kid develop. My kid in Y3 was an avid Chess player. Now at the end of Y5 he completely lost the interest in Chess and got into programming...etc ...

@Treacletoots

>Including one of the very famous formerly outstanding grammar schools.

two that I know. Tiffin Boys and Sutton Grammar

I viewed a couple in Y4. However my views on what schools would work best for my child changed dramatically between YR and Y4. My top choice in YR was not my choice when it came to it.
It might be worth viewing to avoid a really awful school but I think viewing too early is probably a bit of a waste of time.

Pointless to visit before year 5.

My kid is about to go into year 9 and there have been 4 different headteachers since we visited in year 5.

I agree, most 10yo aren't mature enough to take an all round vision.

Listen to their opinion and include it in weighing up the options, but don't just give them a free decision, particularly if they'll just base it on where friends are going.

They might want to choose but it's not a decision for the child to have 100% say over

Yes, that would be completely mad. Any school could completely change before you child is due to start it.

Far too early to view a school , schools can change so much in 6 or 7 years.

It’s just too far in advance. Round here they made a massive change to catchment areas the year before we applied for ds which totally changed the schools he could get into from our house anyway.

Go to open days/evenings. Some schools run them in July rather that Sept/Oct so watch out.

Personally I think you're (kindly) nuts. You'll have no idea so early what you are looking for in a secondary school because your child will develop in the next few years, and schools can change massively in 6 years as well.

Just find an area close to a few schools classified as Good (preferably recently). That's probably the best you can do right now.

Choose based on the new primary schools you visit, and ask them where most of their pupils go to secondary.

I honestly wouldn’t bother viewing before Y5, when we did open evenings. You have no idea what their skills and talents and interests and needs will be in 5 years’ time, how much nurturing vs how you academic excellence etc etc. And the catchments are so much bigger at secondary that you usually have a few good options anyway.

Yes definitely arrange to go to the open evenings, even if you have to fib about your child's age.

Also remember that your child will also likely choose their own secondary based on where their friends are going, regardless of what you want.

this is so important

You could go to open evening but they won’t do personal visits, imagine the time it would take if they did that for everyone. I’d look at ofsted and ask locally for experience but it will be a bit of a gamble with the many years gap until she goes

Don't be that parent OP. The over obsessed narcisstic parents round our way do this, sending their little darlings to the outstanding schools outside of their own area.

Backfired spectacularly this year when 5 of the local schools got downgraded. Including one of the very famous formerly outstanding grammar schools.

A lot can change in a year, nevermind 7. You can't control what a school will be like in a year or two let alone this long. Buy the house if you like it. Deal with the school closer to the time. Also remember that your child will also likely choose their own secondary based on where their friends are going, regardless of what you want.