School visits

[sanityisamyth]

I'm doing some visits to primary schools for my 5 year old DS. He is very able at maths, reading and writing. I am a secondary school science teacher but I don't know much about how primary schools work! It will be a primary school near Cardiff too, which is in a different education system as well!

What questions would you ask as you're on a visit? I've got some questions in mind but I've probably missed out lots of sensible things to find out. I'm only visiting schools which I have been told have spaces so I shouldn't need to worry about that.

Thanks!

[sanityisamyth]

@DelilahfromDenmark thank you :) a lot of that info I have found online and have made decisions based on that but always useful to keep in mind

[DelilahfromDenmark]

What % of pupils achieve the higher standard in KS2?
What is the percentage of children with EAL?
Do many children join mid year?
I’d also want to know the percentage on pupil premium. However I would probably use this website (or its Welsh equivalent) rather than ask:
www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables

[Happysummer]

We've looked at secondary schools. Some from my list, but may not be relevant to you:

How is progress assessed? What progress is expected each year?

Are classes mixed ability/is there setting in core subjects (maths/English)?

What is done to improve attainment/progress?

What do you do with under achieving pupils?

How many unfilled staff vacancies are there?

How many staff are temps?

How do school communicate with parents i.e. school app/email/letters?

How do the school use social media (many seem to use Twitter now)?

What happens if bullying is reported?

[sanityisamyth]

Thanks @Msgiggles30 :) I've got a few to look at in a couple of weeks, including one which is relatively new. I will definitely look at structure of the curriculum and support staff

[Msgiggles30]

Where in Cardiff are you looking? I teach here . We are having a new curriculum which includes a new ICT framework so id want to know about provisions for this in addition to any info on the new curriculm. You may want to know how they structure the foundation phase..some here are really formal and some very play based. Our budgets have just been slashed to the tune of 100s of thousands so Id want to know about support staff too x

[sanityisamyth]

Thanks Scissy I had that one but it's good to be reminded :)

[scissy]

A more practical question (you might not need) - what's their after/before school school childcare provision like? Round here not all schools offer it, and of those that do some are more flexible than others (one man's you book set days for the entire school year!)

[sanityisamyth]

Thank you :) I get that unless you're planning on living/working in Wales forever it probably is of much less use than French/German/Spanish or something but I'm not going to change my degree and career choice based on DS learning a few words of another language?! It might be that learning a European language becomes easier down the line? Anyway . . . I digress . . .

Feel free to add any more questions to my list!!

X

[catmack16]

Indeed, the level of disdain for Welsh is quite remarkable considering it is rather older than English.

Where I live at the moment, elsewhere in Europe, children routinely learn two or three other languages in addition to their own from a much earlier age than England does but the same approach taken in Wales with the learning of English or Welsh in addition to first language Welsh or English from an early age is disregarded by English people. I think the OP has a sensible approach and hope your visits go well and you have a great time in Cardiff. Pob lwc!

[MyOtherProfile]

This is fascinating. It's not a bad thing for children to move and get experience of different languages and cultures. And this is Wales not outer Mongolia!

[sanityisamyth]

I'm ecstatic to be able to go to such a good university at my age and I don't understand why some posters seem to be pissing all over that? All I asked for was useful questions to ask on a visit to a primary school!

I've got three visits booked in for 9/10/11 April which I'm looking forward to so will compile a list of questions.

Thanks to all those who were genuinely helpful x

[MyOtherProfile]

Precisely @sanityisamyth you have to go where the right course is.

[BubblesBuddy]

Yes. My DD studied two MFL at University. With Welsh speakers. They had no advantage at all. I tend to agree that learning a language is great, but having to do one that is other peoples' culture is a bit forced. If OP does not stay in Wales, what use will Welsh be? What a shame there was not a suitable course nearer to home without any disruption at all. I do wish you all the luck, OP and I hope you do well in your choden career. I hope your Welsh takes off too. You might, of course, decide to stay there.

[sanityisamyth]

MyOtherProfile Bristol doesn't do pharmacy. The only one in the SW that does is Bath and it's too expensive to live there.

[MyOtherProfile]

Oh op if only you had gone to Bristol uni eh?

Not sure why learning Welsh would be a hindrance. The benefits of learning a language are far reaching and well recorded.

[BubblesBuddy]

Well it depends if you think having to learn Welsh will hinder learning in other areas. However you have made your decision and that’s that! Bristol would have been easier!

[catmack16]

Information on the new curriculum being developed for Welsh schools:

gov.wales/new-curriculum

[sanityisamyth]

I'm not sure how that's useful? I am going to a University in Wales do I need a school nearby for my son. There's nothing to suggest that he'll stay in the Welsh system after I've graduated, and I'd like to think that I'm bright and motivated enough to support him through the next 4 years.

[catmack16]

amp.theguardian.com/education/2019/jan/21/gcse-pupils-in-england-outperform-those-in-wales

This article provides a few different viewpoints on differences between Wales and England in relation to schools.

[BubblesBuddy]

Welsh exam results are the lowest in the UK. There isn’t much evidence that learning Welsh helps much. Certainly not on a world stage. Do the Welsh have a high percentage of DC doing MFL at university?

[sanityisamyth]

I'm actually looking forward to the Welsh aspect. I'm useless at languages and wish I had exposure earlier to different cultures, experiences, languages etc 👏👏👏

[sanityisamyth]

Yeah it's a massive catch 22. I'll be renting whilst I'm at uni but I can't decide which area until I know which schools I like, and I can't apply for a school until I've got a house and post code.

The council TBF are being helpful. They're telling me which ones are currently full, which currently have 1/2/3 spaces (so could potentially be full) and which have quite a few spaces (so more likely to be able to take him in September).

Thank you so much for the questions to ask - they're all really useful. Will compile a succinct list! X

[Hoppinggreen]

redhas a good point
Until you have moved you can’t apply for a School place I don’t think so just because a school has a space now it might not have one by the time you’ve moved.

[RedSkyLastNight]

I perhaps made my point badly.
You've been told which schools have places now. If you don't want a place until September, no school will hold a place open for you for a term. So you need to understand how many spaces they have available (if they have a few, there is less chance of all the places being taken) and/or what the likelihood is that a place available now will be still available when you want it. If I've misunderstood and your DC will be starting straight away, my apologies.

As well as the points already made, I would ask about SEN provision (even if your child doesn't have SEN, he may need additional help in the future and it gives an idea of the school's ethos - some schools like children that fit a particular mould and are not so good with ones that don't).
I'd also think about all the things you really like and really don't like about his current school and ask associated questions.

[tinytemper66]

Your child would learn Welsh. I don't know how much in a primary school but they will have lessons. Some elements of school life .. good morning etc some numbers and register will be answered in Welsh.