What to look out for at secondary open days?

[Oceangreyscale]

I'm going to see a bunch of schools.

What should I look out for and

What questions should I ask staff or students?

Of course they will tell us all the good stuff but is there anything that will give some extra insight?

Ask the children what they like or dislike. They can be brutally honest.

Ask about toilet policies (especially if you have girls) when are they allowed to go?

Ok thanks. Yes it's important to be able to use the toilet, and also perhaps that's a sign that there are behavioural problems if they are locked?

Any more?

If subjects are on rotation or not. Which languages are offered.

What do you mean if they're on rotation or not?

Ask the children if they have a lot of substitute teachers.

Ask how GCSE options are structured/blocked. We chose a school that gave students free choice of subjects - the other schools we looked at put some subjects in the same 'block' e.g. geography and history, which meant you couldn't do both.

I didn't realise before applying that my DD's school is one of these high control ones - instant detentions for various minor rule infractions such as having the wrong shoes. It hasn't really suited her because she's very anxious so I wouldn't choose a school like that again.

They might do a term of Art, followed by a term of Food followed by a term of Textiles as one example from DDs school.

• What language they teach and if you can choose
• Policy on streaming
• Substitute teachers

Don't be wowed by amazing trips especially overseas- often very very few kids go on these but they are really hyped at open days as though open to all.

My brother is a teacher and when I was looking at schools he said always have a look at the state of the toilets and ask about toilet policy!
Nice toilets usually means nice school

If the school has a blazer / jumper as part of the uniform ask if the kids have free will to remove them. Some schools insist on blazers / jumpers on at all times, some schools the kids have to ask permission to remove them. My DD's secondary jumpers are optional. Blazers can be removed in the classroom but must be worn in the corridor.

That wasn't the only reason we chose the school but it was important to me that DD could manage her own comfort re: temperature.

Also ask about their transition plan from primary to secondary. My DD had visits at primary from some of the secondary teachers. Then she had 2 transition days in July. In Sept the Yr7s had 2 days in school with just Yr11s too. So had a chance to get their bearings without the full school being in.

Accessibility to toilets is a good question to ask.

Ask what pastoral support is available to the kids and how that is accessed.

Their disciplinary structure and how / when it is administered is a good one to ask about. At DD's school it's called a consequence: a C1 (consequence 1) is a warning. C2 is a 10 minute break time detention etc etc up to a C5.

Not that I'm saying that you need to know because of your DC but it's handy to know if your DC is in a class with someone who is disruptive, and how you can expect that to be dealt with.

After school clubs, what do they have on offer and are there any costs?

Breakfast club and any costs if you think your DC may access it.

Do they do homework clubs?

Examples of what is available for lunches. We got a copy of the current menu at the visits.

Yes this, my DD have half the year doing French and half doing Spanish and they stick to that through years 7-9. My DD was allocated Spanish (so obviously won't be able to choose GCSE French)
Didn't bother us but if you were very keen on them doing a particular language or subject it's worth asking.

Which sixth form they are a feeder school for - if that applies where you are.

It depends what is important to you? And what your child is like...
If you are concerned about behaviour, ask about what sort of things they get detentions for. This could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending if you want a strict school or have an anxious child who would struggle.
Ask about their SEND provision. Even if you don't have a child with SEND now, you never know what is round the corner. And how schools treat their vulnerable students is very reflective of how they treat all their students!
Ask the students what they would change if they could - even if they have been told to be positive, this is a way of finding out what they don't like 🙂
And ask the students if they volunteered to help or were chosen..

This is all really useful thanks.

Some of the schools are massive and have loads of subjects like psychology, archaeology, astronomy that I never knew you could do at school. Some are smaller and don't offer those. Are there pros and cons to that?

Is breakfast and after school club still useful if the kids will be making their own way there are back? We're in London so I'd expect them to use the tube/bus.

Good idea to ask the kids what they would change!

A 'good' school screens the pupils who take the parents on tours. When I was at school any pupil who was overheard criticising the school to prospective parents was suspended. It's still one of the top ranked schools in the country. Ask teachers what the staff turnover is like, look at the facilities and ask how much homework is set.

My old school let anyone do the school tours - even some 'interesting' kids ... funnily these were the ones that always wowed the parents the most

Look for prit stick stuck to classroom ceilings.

🤣 actually a pretty good indicator

As a parent of a child who has started y7, ask a child or two about what rules they find most ridiculous

Loads options are good if you don't know what your child might take to.
Some schools offer less which is prob easier.
Yr7 u

Yr7 up don't need wrap round child care. But our school does offer free breakfast club and loads afterschool clubs. Not london but city state school

Why?!
Are they chucking it around?