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Primary education

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Original poster

If you go to look around a school (when moving area) would you expect to be shown around by the head (or teacher) or not?

89 replies

Loueytb3 · 16/06/2017 15:14

We're moving. We've looked around 3 schools so far in the new location. At 2 of the schools we have been shown around by the head. Loved both. One has space for 1 child but not the other. The other has no space currently.

At the third school we were shown around by a member of the office staff. The head was in a classroom (but not teaching) but didn't come and talk to us. Nor did any of the teachers. We both came away feeling a bit deflated about the school but I don't know if we are being unreasonable. This school has places for both children.

Now have a dilemma on our hands because admissions are refusing to give out any information about waiting lists until after we apply. But the waiting lists might affect which schools we apply to.

If you moved schools (in-year admissions) - were you shown around by the head?

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sparepantsandtoothbrush · 16/06/2017 15:41

No. We were shown around by some brutally honest year 6's! We did get to meet the head afterwards though for a quick chat

GreatWhites · 16/06/2017 17:38

I would expect a HT to do the open days/ evenings, but not any others.

They have far more important things to do with actual parents and children. That must take priority over prospective parents and children.

Sirzy · 16/06/2017 17:40

I would expect to be able to make an appointment to discuss any concerns questions with the head which haven't been answered by the office staff but I wouldn't expect them to be free to show around.

QuackDuckQuack · 16/06/2017 17:42

It depends on the size of the school and catchment/applications. It wouldn't be practical to do individual tours for big schools or ones that have a huge number of applicants.

We had a tour from a member of office staff who wasn't able to answer my questions, so I rang to ask them and was put straight through to the head.

Pickerel · 16/06/2017 17:42

At my DC's school you would not be shown around by the head. As others have said she's got lots of calls on her time already. It's a good school though.

Yorkshiremummyof4 · 16/06/2017 17:46

We are looking at schools, and the office staff made the appointment when the head teacher was available and we are going to look around same school again but this time with our children and again the appointment is with the head teacher. Other than secondary school open days we've always been shown around prospective schools by the headteacher.

expatinscotland · 16/06/2017 17:46

No, I wouldn't. I'd expect they all have more important things to do than play tour guides to people who aren't even pupils there yet.

rollonthesummer · 16/06/2017 17:49

I wouldn't expect the head to show potential parents around, no. Our head is busy dealing with the current children in the school.

bonbonours · 16/06/2017 17:50

Yes, or at least have the chance to meet them if shown round by someone else. My feeling abut the head influenced my choice of school in all cases, as did the fact we never met the head of one and were shown round by a secretary.

catkind · 16/06/2017 17:52

Our school have year 5s/6s show people around. You get an honest view, though somewhat limited by the interests of the child you are assigned! I would expect to be able to speak to head or deputy or someone at some point in the process, but they don't need to do the tour.

DumbledoresArmy · 16/06/2017 17:52

Just in the process of moving schools.
I was shown around a school by the deputy head last week.
She really went out of her way to help. I was impressed.

2014newme · 16/06/2017 17:57

There aren't spare teachers sitting around at our school, they are all teaching. There are people looking around all the time it's not a good use of HT time to show people round. Most schools have scheduled open days when the HT will show you round and give a talk.

starfishmummy · 16/06/2017 18:00

Same as sparepants. At one school was shown round by pupils. Tbh they seemed rather "awkward" (maybe their first time) which made me feel awkward about asking them anything.

RandomDent · 16/06/2017 18:03

I am a teacher. If the head had an emergency, the deputy or senior staff should do it. I'd be wary of the head not showing you around, I'm afraid.

TheMysteriousJackelope · 16/06/2017 18:03

they all have more important things to do than play tour guides to people who aren't even pupils there yet but what would be the point of giving tours to people who are already pupils?

I wouldn't expect the head to give a tour. I would prefer it if I was given an opportunity to at least meet the head and a couple of teachers to get a feel for what they are like.

My DC interviewed at a middle school. We weren't expecting a tour at that time, but when the teachers interviewing them found out we hadn't been on a tour already, they asked the head to take us around and she did, on the spur of the moment. She took us into several classrooms during lessons and introduced us to many of the staff. I certainly gave us and the DC a good feel for the place. Even though the building was older and a lot less well funded than the local school, the DC have had a very good three years there.

At a high school we booked in for a tour. Nobody greeted us or knew why we were there or where we were supposed to do. This was an enormous 3,000 pupil high school so that was a problem. We found the place and the teachers doing the presentation were late, as was the head. The head grunted at us and that was it. The teachers took us on a tour of the most depressing place I've ever been, which includes chemical plants in Grimbsy in the depths of Winter. I felt like the staff were well meaning but not backed up.

At another high school the group booked on the tour were greeted in the office, were taken around by the head and a member of staff, we saw classes in action and met several teachers.

It later turned out that the schools where the head is interested enough to give a tour had mostly well behaved pupils, glad to be there, and enjoying the experience. Possibly because the heads are good at choosing who attends and are interested enough to weed out the ones they don't want. The school with the lackadaisical head has classrooms where pupils have to wear headphones to deal with the noise, where teachers can't teach as they are doing classroom control the whole time, a lot of students are very unhappy there.

I understand heads can't be available for tours, but it would give me a better feeling if they do what schools in my area do - set specific times available for tours so they can meet prospective parents.

Joinourclub · 16/06/2017 18:04

No I wouldn't. They are busy people! And if they are confident in their school they probably have a 'take us as you find us' policy rather than the 'big sell'.

MiladyThesaurus · 16/06/2017 18:04

Part of the reason we chose DS1's school (and we were in the unusual position of genuinely being able to choose) was that the HT talked to us but then let two of the Y4s show us around (and didn't try to manage or qualify anything they said). It didn't really matter that the Y4s weren't possibly the most confident tour guides (they were pretty good though); the fact that the school had confidence in them to show us around spoke volumes about its ethos and attitude to the children. 4 years later we're really happy with the school.

Temporaryanonymity · 16/06/2017 18:06

Having changed primary schools twice due to house moves I have experience of this. In our first school the HT did show parents around but this was party of a strategy to improve the perception of the school locally.

We then moved 150 miles and like you have described places were limited. Having left an excellent school I wanted to replicate that. I was shown around by a very arrogant school secretary who have me the impression that I was wrong to ask questions and was mystified when I said I wanted to meet the HT. They did actually ring me to find out why I didn't apply for a place and I was happy to tell them it was because I wasn't convinced that any concerns I might have would be taken seriously by the school.

At our next school the HT showed us around and his vision of the school and the fact he knew everyone's name impressed me. Likewise, with our third (and hopefully) last school the HT of a 650 plus primary showed me around. I was completely convinced by her leadership skills and felt very confident her ability to provide an excellent education for my children.

The schools I discounted were ones which were reluctant to provide me with information, or time. Given my knowledge of the local schools now, I know that these schools are the ones that aren't doing so well.

cansu · 16/06/2017 18:13

I think it depends on the style of the head. Where I work the head does them if he is available and has the time as he loves talking about the school and is v enthusiastic. However if he isnt around the office manager does it instead.

MurielsBottom · 16/06/2017 18:24

Actually I don't think the issue here is that the head didn't show you around but that there was no contact from any teaching staff which has left you feeling unwelcome. This is the red flag to me.

We have done in year applications and looked around schools, The first time it was the head who showed us around and the second it was the school burser. However each time other members of staff acknowledged us and we were asked if we needed to see or speak to any one in particular.

BeBeatrix · 16/06/2017 18:25

I'd expect someone other than the Head to show you around, but I'd expect you to have the chance to meet the Head.

Eolian · 16/06/2017 18:28

No, not necessarily. I expect it often depends on what else is going on in school that day and at that time. Heads are very busy. There is no reason why a tour done by another member of staff shpuld be any less helpful.

SpareBedroom · 16/06/2017 18:31

No. It might be the HT if he/she is available, but it could equally be the DH or in a big school another senior teacher. In one school I worked in, Y6s were trained to take parents round - it was a Y6 responsibility akin to being a prefect - and the HT just answered questions at the end.

You might get more honest answers, and a better idea of what the school's really like, from people who actually spend time in a classroom, tbh!

SpareBedroom · 16/06/2017 18:34

Having said that, being shown round by office staff, whilst not outside the realms of probability if there's been some sort of emergency, isn't the ideal scenario, and I can understand how you feel.

GreatWhites · 16/06/2017 18:39

Having said that, being shown round by office staff, whilst not outside the realms of probability if there's been some sort of emergency, isn't the ideal scenario, and I can understand how you feel.

That doesn't make any sense. If the HT is doing something important (for example- child protection issue), it's not a personal slight to you and it's certainly not a bad reflection of their school. 'I'm not going to go to that school because the HT dealt with an issue she needed to deal with instead of talking to me?'

And don't kid yourself, the office staff really run the place. Those ladies have The Power.

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