picking a high school

[workshy]

wasn't sure whether to put this in primary or secondary but this page gets more traffic

DD due to start high school in 2013, so preference forms to be submitted by October

when do high schools usually do their open evenings for prospective pupils?
I've been on all of the local school's websites, not of which mention anything

will our primary let us know when they are happening or do I need to contact the high schools to find out?

pretty sure I know my top 2 choices but wout would like to go and have a look

Our Year 5's have started their visits already but will be in full flow in the Autumn term. We only get to know if a child tells us, the secondaries sometimes ask us to pass on details but not always, most are advertised in the local papers. ( We feed into around seven different secondaries so procedures can vary!) I would start phoning in September and ask for details

The two near us run open evenings just before or after half term in the autumn term. We heard via our primary school (yr 4, 5 and 6 children were sent home with letters) but with not much notice. So this year as its our last chance (dd will be yr 6) I'm going to email the schools in September so I can make sure we don't double book the dates.

The school my DD1 attends which DD2 will start in September has their open evening on 19th September which the new Y7's attend to show parents around the school. Our school is one of the first but the others follow within a week or so. We were told the dates at our Y5 meeting regarding the 11+ so knew about them before we broke up for summer and our local paper advertises them a couple of weeks before they happen. The school should also have the dates for you so I would ask within the first couple of days back.

Your LEA website will probably start publishing information about How to Apply for a Secondary school place for September 2013 in mid to late August. This will include information about Open Days etc. It could be worth looking at the website earlier to find out whether your preferred schools were oversubscribed this year as this may help you to work out how likely your child is to be awarded a place. However this is only a guide as the birth-rate is higher in some years than others!
Booklets are usually give to Y6 pupils in early September and Open Evenings tend to start in mid-September.

All of the secondary schools in my LEA have their open day in Sept or Oct.

Local to me, the Grammar schools have already had their open evenings, before they broke up for Summer Hols. The closest Secondary's open evening is at the end of September. I need to go on the web page of the second nearest Secondary school to see when theirs is. Is on tonight's to do list...