Secondary Open Evenings, some questions about them....?

[MidnightVelvetthe3rd]

So I have 3 open evenings at different schools this month for my year 6 DS1 & these are the first ones I've done & I have some ridiculous questions as I don't know what to expect.

They are all state schools, one is pretty much a no no but its our catchment school so there's a possibility DS will end up there. The other 2 are OK but I have a preference.

The one this Wednesday is from 5:45-8:00. Is this a drop in arrangement or do we have to be there for 5:45 & stay til 8? Is there some kind of talk from the Head or do we just wander around at will?

Before we go to each I'll read the prospectus & the Ofsted report, is there anything else I need to do?

Thanks very much :)

Agree with the poster who said look for what isn't said or demonstrated. You are seeing the school " on show" so if the work on display is last years, or all higher years work ask why etc

Talk to you guide loads. I disagree strongly with the poster who said kids shouldn't be acting as guides during the school day - interacting appropriately with adults you don't know is a skill to learn too. These will also be the nice kids. They may not be the cleverest but they are not the difficult ones either.

Check that you can go back during the school day. A head who is happy for people to walk around during the day generally runs a good school.

A massively over-subscribed and successful comp near me does one two hour open evening. You usually get about 2000 /3000 parents turning up (not exaggerating). You can't ask anyone anything because it's too busy, have to shuffle through the corridors shoulder to shoulder, and it's overall a horrible experience for the children who've been bought along to have a look around. I think the school's refusal to run enough open evenings and open days to allow parents to ask questions and to see the school at work speaks volumes about the school's complacency and lack of respect for families.

school's refusal to run enough open evenings

Open evening is a huge event to set up and run. It requires hours and hours of teacher work, working very late into the evening. School kids have to come in to do tours. It's bloody exhausting. We also have sixth form open evening a few weeks later. I'm not surprised the school only runs one, running more than one might finish off a few teachers at what is already a busy point of the year.

Start to let go. Your OP is all about you. It's goodto still have parent guidance at this age but they have to start to become independent too, so listen to your son and what he thinks - and ask him what he thinks!

If you have the time, try to arrange a visit during normal school hours; open evenings are good to get a feel for a school, but they all put on a bit of a show and are very careful about selecting the children that will be present and representing the school. I'd do a visit during school hours (the best headteachers I've worked for were always happy to do tours themselves actually) and see what the lessons, kids and atmosphere are like on a normal working day.

If your child has particular interests, say is sporty, arty or musical ask if you can be in a group led by a pupil with similar interests. No point in seeing the music rooms if your child won't go anywhere near. Plus a child to ask questions of someone like minded about what the school is really like.

And be gentle. DD was grilled on how feminist the school was by a particularly fierce mother recently. She had never thought about it, so was left feeling a numpty.

Open evenings in massively over subscribed schools can be very busy. But why should teachers waste a lot of time and effort on families that have no chance of ever going to the school. I know some schools that are really trying to put people off applying, you only get to see the 'real' school after you have a place. So talking to other families about their experience seems to be more important.