What's most important to you when it comes to your child’s education? Share with the GDST for the chance to win a £300 John Lewis voucher!

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We all know that education is important and the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), a family of 25 schools across the UK, would like to know what’s most important to you when it comes to your children’s education. Please share your thoughts below to be entered into the voucher prize draw.

When thinking about 'what makes a good education', what do you think is most important? Are strong academic results what make a good education? Or do you think there is too much focus on exams in schools? Does a well-rounded education involve sports and creative arts? Does learning languages and communication skills give children better life skills?

Whatever you think is important for your children’s education, please share it below and you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 John Lewis voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Terms and conditions apply

A school should be a place where every child feels happy confident and valued. No child should ever feel that their contributions are less important than any other child’s. Children should be encouraged and supported to work to their strengths, whatever they may be.
Life skills such as social confidence, resilience, internet safety and interview skills should be learnt at school as a matter of course.

To be able to read, write and understand Maths.

A good education is the foundation to a career, however there needs to be a balance to education and 'down time' for hobbies, play and family time. I believe exams should be a focus, to prepare for further education and work, but there MUST be a balance with other activities and good pastoral care.

I like school to still maintain a balance with academic subjects and the more hands on subjects which bring the children a release and as long as my son or daughter reaches their own potential I would be pleased.

I try to encourage my daughter to always do her best. If she feels she can't do something or feels overwhelmed I tell her to not be afraid to ask for help. I have stuck many a post-it note in my daughters homework books asking for more support if we feel it necessary and tell her it's ok not to be able to understand everything. Teachers have a lot of pressures and goals and these pressures are then passed down to the children (SATS, Ofsted...etc), so I have explained that situations like this are ways that teachers are being tested and not her and not to feel to caught up in it all.

Not answered this before as I have not had good experiences with the fit of my DC at schools
I've done private mostly - pre prep,prep and a v selective single sex indy- a brief foray into a grammar for sixth form and boarding sixth form soon
I couldn't offer anyone advice tbh
All I want is for them to be in an environment where they can thrive
So agreeing with PP's - being happy in a school that knows them as individuals as can nurture any talents

A context where my child can be valued as they are, have their strengths encouraged and recognised and be supported to overcome their weaknesses. Ultimately, if they're happy in school, most other stuff falls into place....

A teacher that is inspirational and interesting rather than just going through the motions

The most important factor for me is that my child is happy in her school, which lead to her being confident and trying her best at studies.

I think that learning to get along with other people is just as important as academic achievements.

What I think makes a good education is that children are happy and content in an environment they feel safe and comfortable to be their themselves. Children need to be able to express their individuality and teachers need to encourage that. What I have found is that there is so many guidelines and boxes children are supposed to be ticking the boxes to by certain ages and if they don't hit those boxes there immediately is an intervention such as a specialist. Every kid is different they all have different levels of intellect social and emotional abilities, certain things they haven't mastered yet will eventually come. Every child learns at they're own pace let me take as long as they need. Don't pressure them. I want my child to have ample opportunity to find what they are passion about to be able to peruse that passion whether is be through art music sports. I want my child to learn things in school that will actually matter such as money management and budgeting. Cooking meals that are healthy and nutrious, banking and managing money. Things that actually matter on the real world who actually use algebra they learned other than a maths teacher.

I want them to have fun, they need to enjoy the type of learning they are doing, i've never learned by starting at a whiteboard and just following forced knowledge. they need to have interaction to understand

Happiness is paramount - as long as a child is happy, feels secure and safe, then they have the best chance to thrive and of eventual success in what they do. From a curriculum perspective, core areas should be covered, creativity and languages are important aspects too.

That my children are happy and enjoy the freedom which childhood should give them. Education is not all about constant testing and passing exams. That's why I home educated.

I like that my daughter's school consider how she relates to others as important as her progression in core skills such as English and Maths. I want my children to be taught to be strong with others, yet compassionate and supportive too. A school in which there was no bullying, because the students would not tolerate bullies, would be my perfect school for example. A school of principles and kindness.

for me I want to be sure my child get the attention he needs to progress through School and do well in exams.
large classes worry me as he is shy and I worry that you need to shout loudest to be heard.

High level of pastoral care and support. Bully free environments. Each child working to their best level. Academia balanced out with sports and extra curricular activities.

Unfortunately, my middle child experienced a very negative teacher in reception that never praised anything he did and put him down constantly. She always found fault and spent everyday criticising the fact he liked to sit with his legs straight instead of crossed. He would apologise profusely at home and get very upset if he forgot to cross his legs, begging me not to tell his teacher as she would be angry with him - it broke my heart that she had effected him like that. He made very little progress that year as he began to lack confidence and dreaded school.

The next year he had a wonderful teacher who worked with him on the things he struggled with, and gave him a lot of praise and encouragement. His self esteem improved massively and he made lots of progress.

This made me realise that the most important things in my children's education is having a supportive and caring teacher.

I think that a good education is well rounded. I would like exam results to be less important than they are, but I can't see that changing anytime soon. Excellent pastoral support is also vital.

DS has ASD and severe depression and anxiety. The wonderful relationship he has with the two teachers in the SEN department means he is comfortable telling them when he is not coping and has been instrumental in keeping him in school.

The school are also very good at dealing with bullying and promoting a caring environment, to the point where DS has never been bullied despite being a natural target.

I think my daughters school do it brilliantly. They’re taught that they’re all valued members of the school and to sharing their core values is the heart of their education. Building on this strong ethic provides a security to all of them and the children build great bonds as a whole class.
Inspiring and fun teachers who really care about what they do make all the difference in my experience!

I agree with some of hear previous posts that he most important thing is for my child to be happy. If he's happy at school, he'll be more willing to learn.

My children need to be happy and have the chance to do well

I chose an all through girls school for my dd because I want her to feel free to be whoever she wants to be without gender stereotypes. It was also important to me that the school was small and nurturing and that everyone would know her name and she’d feel at home there. It helps that there’s a broad curriculum so she can find and develop her talents and experience lots of things she might not otherwise. All this comes before academic performance (although that’s important too.)

I am a teacher I can support them academically. I think schools should focus on a more holistic approach, emotional wellbeing, and awareness of the environment, respect for diversity as well as being educated about personal wellbeing healthy eating, learning the about money, vocational skills. I believe schools need to celebrate and encourage different skills not just focus on academia. I Think schools should also teach social science and politics. As a teacher I hate exams , they are a snap shot view of ability under unnatural alienated conations and environment they focus only on written work and largely memory.