Visiting schools. what questions do I ask to get the most out of my visit.

[EdwiniasRevenge]

DCs have the 'option' to move schools at end of year 8.

I will be visiting the 'new' school with DCs and without.
The school is in a transition from being an 14-19 school to a 11-19.
My DCs would potentially be in the first ever yr9 cohort.
School is ofsted 'needs improvement' and gets average-good GCSEs from the data available.
Is it reasonable to ask for more detailed perhaps subject specific data? What would be useful data to ask for?

I also have an open evening at current school in a couple of days. I already have lots of questions around resourcing but what would you ask? School is currently in transition from 11-14 to 11-16. DCs would be in the third cohort to start GCSEs but we wouldn't have any performance data until 2 weeks before they would start yr10.

One question close to my heart is which universities/courses/professions the leavers go to, and what provision is made for them in terms of career choices - at the 11-19 school.

Thanks.

I had already got a q about proportion that stay for A level but I hadn't thought beyond.

Any more questions?

Do all dcs need to reapply for sixth form (if they move school) or would they give priority to dcs already attending?
What GCSE options are available at both schools. A child in Y8 may already have some ideas about which subjects they like / are good at and it could be potentially very frustrating to move schools and then find that the GCSE in their favourite/ best subject isn't available.
Look very closely at MFL options are these the same e.g. would they study French at both schools?
What provision is there for sports and extra curricular clubs?
If they are having music lessons at current school - are there music lessons available in their instrument?
HTH

Great questions I'm taking copious notes (I am going to be the annoying parent)....

Any last questions before I head off to one school tonight and another tomorrow?

woman's hour on radio 4 on Monday had an article about this subject - you can still listen to it or download it from bbc/iplayer

I'd ask the requires improvement school to explain their post-Ofsted action plan.

Everyone else's ideas also good so won't repeat!

Well it seems all is going to be fine.

The new GCSE school are going to have an exceptionally high number of pupils with 5 A*-C inc English and maths in the first cohort. The number quoted is so high that it is 10% better than the best state school in the county.

I don't trust con men; and I don't trust people in cloud cuckoo land. Either way I don't trust him.

I did think highly of the school but a couple of the facts and figures quoted tonight are beyond ambitious. They are insane.

Check out the loos. ESP imp for girls. Clean and well maintained inc locks on doors?

Look at %a*/A as well