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What questions to ask?

2 replies

whatsagoodusername · 22/06/2014 17:59

We have an appointment with the headteacher at the local private school coming up, and I'm trying to think of all the questions we want to ask him while we are there.

It's the first school we've looked at, so I'm not quite sure what to ask, and if I don't go in with a list my mind will go blank. So in the interest of not wasting anyone's time, what are the important and less important questions to ask when looking at a school?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
toomuchicecream · 22/06/2014 19:58

What's important to you about your child's education? Why have you chosen to look at that particular school?

SomeSunnySunday · 22/06/2014 20:33

Ask what you want to know! Here is the list of questions which we asked the independent schools which we spoke it before choosing one for our DSs (on return from abroad, so our eldest was not joining at reception stage but slightly further up the school - we had conversations with each headmaster on Skype before selecting a few schools to visit when we made a brief trip back to the UK for this purpose). Lots of this is tailored to our particular child's needs, but it might give you some ideas. Lots of the value in these questions, to us, was in seeing how the headteachers handled them and the general tone of their responses, rather than, necessarily, the detail:

How would you integrate a new pupil socially?

How would you assess a new pupil academically and deal with any gaps in learning (eg re phonics)?

What curriculum do you follow, and where can parents find out this information?

What improvements have you made since your last inspection in respect of ...? [pick up on any weaknesses highlighted, e.g. for one school we specifically asked about maths teaching at the top of the school, especially re information gathering and handling, as these had been highlighted as areas for improvement and our son is a keen mathematician.]

How would you stretch an academically able pupil, e.g. in maths?

What are your standard forms of communication with parents? How much communication is envisaged?

Can you explain to us further what the school's approach is to teaching modern foreign languages? How are lessons structured?

How would you help a child for whom this does not come naturally to build self confidence, particularly e.g. re public speaking and performance?

What is the school's anti-bullying policy? Who is responsible for implementing this? How do you deal with bullying issues when they arise?

What assistance does the school offer in terms of applying for secondary schools? Which secondary schools do most of your leavers go on to?

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