School visits - what would you do?

[tricot39]

DH and I are considering a move from London to Edinburgh. We have many reasons for moving, but as it will be very expensive we do not want to find out that we have chosen a new house in the catchment of a secondary school we do not like. Our DS is 3. Will a secondary school laugh in our faces if we ask to visit them now???? (And yes we are aware that all sorts of things can change in the many years ahead!)
TIA

They probably won't laugh in your face but they might roll their eyes behind your back.

Seriously though, I don't think a school visit is always a very reliable way of finding out what a school's about. Maybe you could find out local people's opinions of the schools.There may be people on Mumsnet who know. Look at whether they are over or under subscribed - if people are queuing up to get into the school it tell you a lot.

I once had to stand by the classroom door when we had an open day at school to stop a class of 'naughty' boys running riot down the corridor! A visitor later told me how nice and peaceful the school was!!

Do you need to tell them that your ds is only 3? Alternatively tell me which schools you are considering moving in to the area of and I can give you the lowdown!

Loads can happen with a school in 8 or so years, around here the 'avoid at all costs, special measures' is now 'must go to outstanding' and another school has moved in the exact opposite direction. Wait a few years before you start looking or you will really start stressing yourself out.

hi. thanks for the replies. i am slightly embarrassed to say that we are looking at james gillespies high school. embarrassed because it seems like the typical school to consider if moving to edinburgh,so i am clearly lacking imagination!

inspection report good but not great. exam results consistently good when compared to other scottish schools. seems to have a good longstanding reputation.

good point about the visits maybe not being representative & a bit subjective, but it is probably still worth it, right?

Tell them you want an explanation of Scottish education.

great idea!
except that could be a bit odd coming from me with my scottish accent!
time to shove dh forward & remain tight lipped methinks!

How about finding out about really good primaries and arranging to visit them and asking the head at the primary about the destinations of the majority of the Y6 pupils and checking the results of the destination schools. Good primaries often feed into good secondaries. If your ds is only 3 focus on the primary and if you need to move into a different catchment when he's 10 there's lots of time to do that unless you are dead set on buying a forever house.

That is sort of how i used to think until i found out how much it costs to move! We can't afford to chase about after schools - i would rather have the cash.in my pension than pay out in stamp.duty..... But maybe i am odd like that!

James Gillespies is due to be rebuilt shortly- so by the time you are needing a high school it will be established in its new building. Currently it is half way to falling down. www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20101/schools-buildings/1230/james_gillespies_schools_campus/3
Also note it is the only state school in Edinburgh which has no uniform with students free to dress as they wish.
In Scotland, your secondary school catchment depends on your address, not your primary school necessarily , so if you apply out of catchment for the primary you are not guaranteed entry to that secondary.

Thanks for that info - I'm not sure I am terribly keen on the idea of no uniform! I always liked mine and it saved having traumas about what to wear everyday. How long has it been like that?

Aside from the uniforms, buildings and inspections reports, do you have an opinion on what it is really like to go to?

Our local secondaries here in London have regular bag and metal detector searches etc. I'm hoping that might not be the case here.....

My school experiences are also not the best and I remember always having to dodge spital when walking upstairs. The toilets were unspeakable and I would avoid going all day in order to stay away from them. Was this just our revolting school or did everyone have to put up with this sort of thing for the first few years? .....I think you can maybe understand why I am worrying so far in advance!