DD1 is Yr 7 and so we are looking for a independent senior school for her for year 9. We started with a long list of about 10 and have narrowed it to 3.. Hopefully we will tour them again with DD in a couple of weeks time (though one has just cancelled due to COVID..).
However in the last 2 weeks we have heard from other families who have chosen schools for their girls at yr 9 and for various reasons are having to move them to other schools (both because the girls were unhappy - one is a big co-ed boarding school and it sounds like the children were pretty much feral). 1 after 1 year and one after 1 week!!! This adds to the stress of trying to find the right school first time.
Any tips on avoiding these pitfalls. Its very difficult to 'try before you buy' with schools other than taster days? Brochures are not worth the paper they are written on and I can see it is all bums on seats these days so schools will tell you anything to get you in the door? (We are outside of the M25 so no trouble with competition for places)..