What are the essential questions to ask when viewing a primary school?

[solidgoldbrass]

It's time to choose a school to enter DS for Reception next year. We have got 2 appointments for open days next week - what should I ask, what should I look for.... what one thing to you wish you'd asked but forgot about?

The one that says it all imo, is the rate of staff turnover, if the staff are happy it 9 times out of 10 means the Head is good therefore school is good. If they are leaving; not good.

Although how you would ask that on a tour of the school I am not sure.

Where are the toilets?

Seriously?I turned up one day out of the blue and chatted to the school secetary,and then to the HT who happened to be around (THE SCHOOL WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF oFSTED) They were so friendly and the atmosphere so good.I went home and read Ofsted report and then went back to parents eve open day thingy and asked qs.Looked at a couple of others but the school I chose was very friendly and the head seemed so pleasant and committed to the job.DS is very happy so far

On a a similar point to tillyblue - what is the turnover of kids? i.e. how many get moved elsewhere? Obviously some will be due to house moves etc, but you'd get an idea if people were regularly pulling their kids out.

What out of school/after school facilities there are? Sports clubs, etc.

What the mix of staff is? When we were looking for ds1 all but one of the schools had a 100% female staff. For boys I think it's an advantage to have a few male teachers around - especially if like one of ours they're keen enough to run boy-orientated out of school things like tag rugby, cricket and imagineering clubs.