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?

[Loueytb3]

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?

"I am a teacher. If the head had an emergency, the deputy or senior staff should do it. " my head would show you around if he was available (not likely unless you'd made arrangements with him beforehand) . The deputy and senior staff would be teaching their classes so would not be available.

Sometimes the head shows people round at ours, sometimes a teacher does and sometimes Y6 kids do.

When looking at secondary we were shown round by a very honest and amusing 6th form of one school. We got to see the areas he "wasn't meant to show us" and hear honest answers to some difficult questions.
The other secondary we were shown round by the head of the school who gave off pat answers which were total rubbish. (including the answer to what do you do about bullying being "we don't have bullying here")

We went for the first school, and it was at least part of our decision.

We've been looking around schools recently. At one we were shown around by a member of the admin staff, at one by the preschool manager (we are looking at entry to the preschool) and at one by the head. We liked the school where the head showed us round least, but not because of that. Although I did find it weird how much she seemed to know - every room we walked in she said "x class are doing y subject at the moment and they are learning about z topic." Seemed far too over involved to me.

DD moved schools and I never met the head until she turned up on day one and led DD to her class

At our school it's always the Head. Occasionally I ( office staff) will start them off if the Head is tied up but he always finishes off and gets to meet them etc.

I do it as the HT because I want to talk about learning and find out about your child's learning and educational needs. My admin staff wouldn't be able to do this.

We got a tour of the school ds got assigned as we hadnt seen it before. It was one of the office staff, but the head did pop out and apologise he couldnt do it because he had to interview potential new teachers.

Office lady knew loads and offered to find someone to answer questions on academic stuff she didnt know about. As it happened we ran into a teacher in one classroom and had a quick chat. Definitely more happy than with the school that wheeled a defensive head out for Q&A and Y6s who showed us round but werent allowed to enter any classrooms.

Some really interesting perspectives here, thank you.

I actually went and spoke to DS2's current head after school (they've had the school fair tonight) and she said that she does the tours at their school and if she isn't available, then she would ask a member of the teaching staff to do it.

Obviously there may be times when the head/teachers are not available to show parents round but it was odd that the office lady did not even offer to get a teacher or the head to talk to us. She was a perfectly nice lady but she wasn't dynamic and wasn't really talking about the curriculum or teaching and it didn't really give us any idea of the ethos of the school. It's a small school, one form entry and the yr 1 class has only 25 kids currently so you would think they might want to fill it up.

At the second school, the head took us into a yr4 classroom and asked the children whether they wanted to tell us anything about the school. About 10 kids put their hands up and gave some fantastic answers. She knew all their names. She was very helpful, even though she knew at the outset that she didn't have space for both children, to the point of saying that they can accommodate slightly staggered pickups when they have children at different schools.

"then she would ask a member of the teaching staff to do it. " did she say what happens to the children they should be teaching while they act as tour guides?

the office lady did not even offer to get a teacher or the head to talk to us

Perhaps they were busy, y'know, actually teaching.

Yes, but they don't teach all the time. And why not suggest a time when they know someone would be free? Even a 2 minute conversation with a teacher would have been nice.

When they aren't teaching they are hardly sat around drinking coffee and gossiping though!

I assume you want your child to have well planned lessons? Marked work? Assessments done to monitor progress? Support put in place when needed etc etc!

"Yes, but they don't teach all the time" don't they? When aren't they teaching?

What information can you possibly get in 2 minutes?

I volunteer in a small private school. Tours are always done by the Year 6s, if they are on a non Open Day day. I think a senior teacher is always available to speak to the parents if needed , not necessarily the Head. On official Open Days, the Head is always available to speak to, but the Year 6s still do the tours.

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.

You just reminded me, we looked around 3 schools when my DS was preschool, and at the biggest (and subsequently assessed as needing improvement by OFSTED), we were left to wait for 30 mins (despite having an appt), were shown round very fast by the school secretary, who didn't know answers to any questions...so we asked for a prospectus, and she refused, because they didn't want to waste them! My DC did not go to that school.
It can be very illuminating to sit in reception too though - in a very smart secondary school with great facilities, we listened to reception staff talk to a teenager who was waiting to go home ill in a really nasty way, then be super polite to their parents! From the girls reaction, it was obviously quite normal there

At our school it's usually the office manager who shows prospective parents round. If the ht is not in her room, she's probably teaching (she's an amazing teacher), usually a small booster group. When she's in her office, she's doing whatever it takes to run the school - sorting out staffing / interviewing , meetings, responding to correspondence and whatever else it takes. Teachers don't have time to be tour guides unfortunately , unless on ppa, they do teach the whole time and use their breaks and lunchtime to get classrooms ready for the next lesson or marking books from the previous lesson. I don't know a single teacher at our school who takes longer than 20 minutes for lunch. We don't have spare teachers who could take over if you want to ask questions.

I have been in your position. Saw 4 schools:

1. showed round by HT, single form entry, no places in years we needed

2. showed round by member of SLT, single form entry, no places in years we needed

3. showed round by SLT, 2- form entry, no places in years we needed by recommended we look at school her children attended (which is previously discounted as in wrong direction/distance for where I thought we'd live)

4. school recommended to us by 3). Turned up without an appt on an afternoon just in case we could look round - HT was in office & took time to chat with us, then show us round. Places in one year group but not other.

We applied to 4) and both DC now attend. The HT showing us round and being so enthusiastic, and how much she knew the kids and how happy they seemed was a big factor.

I wouldn't choose a school where I had met none of the teaching staff- for a pre-booked appointment to view I really would expect someone to make themselves available even if just for 10 minutes.

Learning mentors do it at our school.

Who is supporting the children they are meant to be working with?

NoSquirrels
I really would expect someone to make themselves available even if just for 10 minutes.

So you'd also be happy for your child's teacher to leave a class for ten minutes to show a prospective student around? What do you suppose will happen to the class in that time? Who do you suggest minds the class, because, as I said, in our school we have no spare teachers? If you came after school has ended it could probably be arranged, but most parents want to visit during the day when teachers are teaching.

So you'd also be happy for your child's teacher to leave a class for ten minutes to show a prospective student around? What do you suppose will happen to the class in that time?

And for the teacher to do this every time there's a request from a parent. In some schools you can have at least one new child every week.

If it's a small school they will likely have a small staff who are busy with other things. Also, they won't be bothered about 'filling it up'!