How / when do you get to visit local schools?

[Finelinebetweenchaos]

Newbie with all this school malarkey. DD will be starting in 2017 and I know we have to submit our choices at some point in January I think.
But do I need to call all the local potential schools to go and visit? Or do we get sent a letter with open days? I realise this might vary from place to place but just wondered what "usually" happens!

Usually you need to ask. Even within the same area it varied massively from school to school. Some schools had a couple of big open days and advertised them via websites and stuff. Others showed round handfuls of families at a time or even individuals.

Easiest thing is to make a list of the ones you want to see, give them a call when schools have been back a week or so in September and ask if they have any open days lined up. We got appointments from about half at that stage, and the rest a mixture of we'll call you back/call back in a couple of weeks/watch the website.

I think you phone and ask

Phone up and ask

Ok great! Thanks very much! Phone and ask was my plan so I will do that in a couple of weeks once they've got the first couple of term over with! We already know which ones we are interested in (and hopefully have a chance of actually getting into!)

Have a look at the catchment distances from this year. Try on the council sites and if you can't find it there try rightmove.

Look on your council website, as many post lists with details of open days, or links to school websites which will tell you when they are.

Also check when applications open - it's usually in October (can vary between councils) and bear in mind that the 2017 national deadline is 15 January.

Applications open today - 1st Sept.

Phone and book onto the tours/visits. TBH phone sooner rather than later as popular schools get booked up quickly (for their tours).

Yes applications for 2017 start today and you need to have applied by end of January

Work out which schools you have a realistic chance of getting in and then call and ask. Ours do tours once a week. Others do that, or individual tours or open days. I viewed five to understand the differences. Three we would have got in (one on distance, one on faith and one under subscribed) and two were outside contenders. All quite different.