What to look for in a school?

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

What would you look at when choosing a secondary school besides the ofsted report?

Pastoral care
Ethos (push academic, more laid back, very sporty, very musical, lots/little homework, attitude to uniform)
Results for my type of child

Support for strugglers, if applicable
Extension for most able, if applicable
Flexibility/Range of GCSE options (though these are subject to change)
After school/lunchtime clubs

At the open evening, do the staff relate well to the children
Would you like your child to be like their typical year 11

basically everything teentimes said and in the same order. Pastoral care would always be top of the list.

What I wouldn't do is:

• go where friends are going just because that is where they say they are going
• let the 10 year old decide (though by all means listen to their views)
• listen to what 'everyone says' if they don't have up to date information, as reputations in towns can be years out of date

10 years olds don't have enough knowledge of the world and maturity to make such a critical decision. Friendships change a lot in year 7.

However, don't rubbish other schools once you've decided.
Just say 'I think X school is the best for my child' or similar, not 'I wouldn't send them to Y I've heard they're rubbish'.

As much as is possible you need to interview people with similar backgrounds who have sent their children to the school and have moved on.

Sometimes you can see who they are on the school's Facebook page or google + page in the comments sections.

But don't read the reviews do actually interview these people, they will tell you what it was like on the inside:

Staff turnover
Homework requirements
Sports
Bullying
Etc

Great list thank you!
How do you make a judgement on the school's pastoral care? On what would you base this?

Don't write off a school just because it doesn't have a great Ofsted, or its not the favoured school of the sharp elbowed middle classes. Go to the open evenings and tours with an open mind, or you could potentially miss out on a school which would be a great fit for your child.

Gut reaction for me - hasn’t let me down so far!!!!

How do you judge pastoral care? Good question! It’s a number of things;
Do they listen to children’s concerns/worries how do they do that?
How do they promote kindness,respect and tolerance in the school?
Are there named members of staff a child can go to with a worry?
How quickly and robustly do they respond when an issue is identified?
Do they actually follow their own anti bullying policy?

Those are the sort of questions I would be asking.

You can certainly ask existing pupils acting as tour guides re pastoral care:

• if you were upset, who could you go to
• is there much bullying, how is it dealt with
• are the bigger pupils 'kind'

I remember I asked a member of support staff about teenage pregnancies and dealing with anorexia.

Our school (whose pastoral support I have found to be good)

• has a dedicated pastoral support person for each year group and a dedicated office. Children can pop in there if they need help.
• They respond well if you ring up the school.
• They run 'social skills' sessions for those that need it.
• School very supportive of DCs going on trips who are a bit anxious.
• School takes transition and placing in tutor groups very seriously so new y7s are well supported.
• School supportive about issues at home leading to behaviour at school. I don't mean they let it slide but they take a 'lets solve it together' approach rather than a '3 strikes and you're out' one.
• Generally they don't 'give up' on children

Likelihood of getting into said school. No point in getting overinvested in a school that you have no chance of getting in to.

That sounds like a nice school teenx2

Agreed lostinleics I am trying to decide what I need to focus on and the right questions to ask - ofsted reports don't really help with getting an actual feel for how a school will make a child feel / develop / become socialised imo - some helpful points made here thanks all.

I cannot emphasise enough the point made by teentimes about the need to consider results and school ethos for YOUR child. Rave reviews from other parents and their vibes on open days, or with children already at the school mean nothing if your child is not like their child. And that has to be considered on all levels, not just the academic ability of the child. If it's a really sporty school, is that right for a not so sporty kid? Does the school have strong departments in the subjects that your child enjoys/is best in? Would your child have a straightforward journey to school (for them)? Some thrive on a bus, some cope better than others with longer journeys. Do the extra curricular activities fit with your child's interests? Having had a child come from a primary that sent kids on to about 5 different secondaries in a non selective area, I also thought it was interesting that the schools the kids have ended up at reflect their personalities - footballers to one, bookish kids to another, those who try really hard to do their best to another. See if you can see any patterns from where kids have transferred to in prior years and see where your child would fit into that pattern.