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Original poster

Do you take your child on a school tour?

21 replies

MrsNonsense · 09/07/2019 13:41

For primary?
I am going round to schools now to apply before the deadline to start at 4 next year. My child has just turned 3. I always thought people took children, but at that age they can be easily distracted or sometimes talk loudly, schools probably won't want that? Or do people still take them?
The tours I have booked are all during school hours this week and next, so there will be children trying to learn and toddlers can distract them too I'm guessing.

OP posts:

that25cUKHeatwaveof2019 · 09/07/2019 13:47

I have taken mine when they were around, and left them at nursery if they had a session that day.

Mine were not allowed to disturb anyone and I had bits to keep them occupied if they were being fidgety. Nothing worst than a screaming child when you can't hear a word the head says!

Either way, I am the one who made the choice of their school, I never asked them - how can a 4 or 5 year old decide on his school.

Hmmmbop · 09/07/2019 13:52

I won't be taking mine (he'll be at nursery).

Original poster

MrsNonsense · 09/07/2019 13:56

No nursery for some of the times.

Mine is generally quiet, especially when there are strangers around, but I'm thinking it's probably when you REALLY need them to be quiet that they'll have a sudden personality change, like when they're ill and you go to the doctors for them to just have a sudden recovery haha.
Hopefully it will be fine 🤞

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Ivegotthree · 09/07/2019 13:59

No way at that age! Not til secondary.

Ivegotthree · 09/07/2019 14:00

Most people don't take children IME

Floralnomad · 09/07/2019 14:03

Long time ago but we didn’t take ours . I think you might miss a lot of information if you are being sidetracked by looking after your offspring .

Comefromaway · 09/07/2019 14:05

Yes I did. The school hd an open day with little activities set up in each classroom for the children.

babysharkah · 09/07/2019 14:06

I don't take mine but lots of people did, I think leaving them would be less stressful.

Tiredmum100 · 09/07/2019 14:10

I went to visit a local primary school on my own first, then a second time with dh and DC who were aged 4&6 at the time. The second visit was just after school had finished for the day.

Flippertybob · 09/07/2019 14:12

Our school had activities and toys set out for the children. The fact that they were so welcoming to families was one of the reasons why I chose to send my children there.

If in doubt, ask the school(s) what their expectations are.

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 09/07/2019 14:13

I took my son and took his reactuon to each school and how they interacted with him into account when choosing the school we wanted.

whatsagoodusername · 09/07/2019 14:14

I had to take DS2 (3yo) when looking for DS1 going into reception. It was a PITA. The tour would go one way, DS2 wanted to go another way.

The school I liked best whisked DS2 off to their nursery and let me go on the tour in peace. I think everyone was grateful.

Maryann1975 · 09/07/2019 14:17

Do the schools do open days in the autumn term? Ime these are geared up for you to take your child with you and have activities set up for the dc to join in with. Our reception teachers/TAs do a story time, and have a little activity out for the dc linked to the story, I think last year it was Elmer and they made an elephant.

If you don’t need to take your child when school is actually working, then don’t. Try to play down the whole school move for as long as you can, it can make some dc really anxious.

Chocolateandcarbs · 09/07/2019 14:25

I did 4 school tours and took my child to 2 of them. He was really upset in my preferred school - so that one was out - and really settled and happy in the one we selected. I found it a good indicator as he just felt at home in the second school. I didn’t bother taking him to the other 2 tours as the decision was made really.

REllenR · 09/07/2019 14:29

I took mine to one (the one I thought we wanted - and did). My younger daughter came on another as she wasn't at the childminder and I didn't have childcare. I will take her on the tour of her sister's school in September to have a look around.

Original poster

MrsNonsense · 09/07/2019 14:39

Perhaps I should just call and ask each one. Or rebook for the autumn if they have things to do to keep them occupied and quiet.
I do like the idea of taking her to see where she feels most comfortable though. Although, to be honest, that might just be whichever has the biggest climbing frame and most brightly coloured childrens work on the walls.

Try to play down the whole school move for as long as you can, it can make some dc really anxious. She doesn't care, I'm the only one who's anxious and all "oh my little baby going to school" 😢. She just wants to go to school ASAP like her cousin and Topsy and Tim and buy some smart school shoes. Gets upset when we pass schools and she can't go in. Let's see how long into actually starting this will last haha!

Also, is this common for a school- i called school to book a visit, they said they do not do visits for 2020 children until July 2020. I said I'm sure that's past the deadline to apply, and they said yes, just apply and then you should visit in July if you've been accepted.
Weird or no?

OP posts:

BarryBarryTaylor · 09/07/2019 14:43

To me that’s weird and I wouldn’t apply to a school I had no prior knowledge of.

EssexGurl · 09/07/2019 14:45

With my son, one tour he came with us - as it was my no -work day and so he wasn’t in nursery. The other he was at nursery so didn’t come. Most parents don’t have children with them - but it is unavoidable, sometimes. I don’t think we told the school, just turned up with him! This is the school he is at now, Different head now and school now very anti pre-schoolers. Makes life very difficult for my friends with younger children as quite often they miss out on school events as they can’t bring younger sibling with them. It’s a primary school FFS!

ifonly4 · 09/07/2019 14:45

My DD's school had open days, which included talk, activities for children and also two prefects showing two families around at a time. The other school we looked at just wanted to see parents alone, without any children or other parents. I think you need to check if you're in doubt, you need to check. The first school immediately gave us an idea of how they were with children and were a lot more welcoming, and DD was excited to go and have a look.

Maryann1975 · 09/07/2019 14:51

Completely normal for the children to not visit until the July just before they start. I wonder if the school have misunderstood what you are asking though. I also think it’s a bit early for you to be visiting. I would expect them to be wanting prospective parents to be visiting in the autumn term. It will be all about the children transitioning up to the next class, moving to their next schools and the children starting school in September at the moment. Once everyone is settled in September, that is when schools will be welcoming parents to look round. In England, I think the deadline is normally January for primary applications and you don’t get any more priority because you got the form in early, so you do have plenty of time to make a decision.

SimonJT · 09/07/2019 14:51

I didn’t, I went on tours on his nursery days. He starts school in September, he goes to the primary nursery so this week and next those who are staying (all but three) are doing a two week transition into the main school site.

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