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

Life skills are more important than knowing the square root of -1.

I hope my child leaves the education system with confidence, a can do attitute, emotional intelligence and empathy, and a love of learning and knowledge for its own sake.

I feel that far too much emphasis is placed on making children "happy". Not to say that I don't want my DD happy, but I don't think it should be the goal of a school - rather it's the by-product of an excellent school.

In addition to the core subjects, I would add learning a musical instrument, some kind of sport(not necessarily team sports which don't suit all children) or dance for physical fitness, learning how to draw, at least one foreign language to a good working level, and public speaking.

The curriculum should be knowledge based, not skills based. And finally, when all is said and done, nothing matters more than the quality of teaching. A great teacher can get pupils excited about a subject that has bored the, in the past, and can inspire a student to real achievement.

When thinking about 'what makes a good education', what do you think is most important?

I think that it is an education that provides a foundation of knowledge (ability to calculate and know how maths 'works', ability to write and speak clearly and accurately and think/assess critically, UK and world history, 'greats' of literature, numerical skills, a working knowledge of at least one foreign languages, and at least basic science)

Are strong academic results what make a good education?
Well, they help, but I would also expect a good education to develop critical thinking, leadership and team-working skills.

Or do you think there is too much focus on exams in schools?
Yes. These are rather an artificial way to measure ability, particularly the 'sudden death' GCSE we seem to be moving back to.

Does a well-rounded education involve sports and creative arts?
Yes, yes, yes!

Does learning languages and communication skills give children better life skills?
"You have as many lives as the languages you speak". Learning languages also opens up new neural pathways in the brain and encourages the development of many other skills, such as ways to explain, summarise etc.

To have the highest confidence that the school will find a way to engage my child (and each childe) and build a long lasting love for learning. The rest will follow on its own.

For me I wanted a school that suited my daughter's strengths. She is very sporty and so we chose a sports academy but also wanted a school which did have good academic results. My daughter was so settled and happy at this school she excelled academically and fpgit amazing GCSE results and is now busy studying second year A levels. A good well rounded education was important

I think well-rounded includes sports, arts, music, drama, self-confidence etc

I would like to banish comprehensive education in state schools. I would prefer to have a richer mix of secondary schools that won't shoe horn students a into standard education especially it won't suit them and won't prepare them for the world of work.

Typing on phone. Please excuse bad grammar.

That they are treated kindly and end up with good self esteem. That they are treated as individuals.

No qualifications are worth a child feeling awful about themselves. Too much emphasis these days on results.

That they're treated as individuals and supported and challenged appropriately, with recognition of achievement in all areas of life, not just academic.

It's so important that they enjoy their education. It plays a huge role in achieving and effective learning. It's also important for them to learn how their education relates to real life scenarios. Also, they should be praised for their personal achievements, not just those achievements on test papers

A happy child, in classes with other children that want to learn, being prepared for life and exams - not just for exams.

Happy.
And that means taking bullying seriously, not victim blaming
The effects of bullying are lasting.

I believe that a person with good self-esteem and confidence can achieve anything in life so these would be the focus of any good education for my children. Praising those things that they can do well and also praising progress and attempting new things.

Also a health focus, so nutrition, cooking, budgeting and an element of global awareness and culture. The academics are important as well, but life is about so much more than that. Good life skills so that children can leave school with greater independence, confidence and common sense.

I think whats important is that a child gets a well rounded education and approach to it. I want my kids to experience the full breadth of learning. I feel that school is very exam dominent and its a very one size fits all method which having a child that doesn't fit the box can come with its own challenges. I want my kids to develop creative and social skills through school to learn as much about coping and self awareness as about maths, english and science. I think a good education is one where the young person comes out understanding themselves better and recognising and celebrating their own strengths and weaknesses not just feeling like they could have done better.

That they come away with the skills to make life easier, being able to read, write and do basic maths which will all be important skills day to day

Building confidence and being able to speak publicly, and to people older than you, is great but not as necessary as English and maths in day to day life. It's also something that you can work on at home

I think the most important thing we can teach our children is to swim, this is something that really could save their life one day. Unfortunately I don't think that the school swimming lessons achieve this as it's too short a time slot with too many children to too few adults. I think that this should be focused on more, or maybe the council should offer free lessons up to a certain level of swimming, because children from a poorer household are less likely to have lessons outside of school or even be taken to a pool with their parents due to the cost

A wide choice of subjects with a chance to try everything.

I think a good balance of academic and life skills is important. I think getting the basics like reading and writing as solid foundations is essential. I want them to be happy.

Working in schools and being a parent it is more important that children develop confidence, social skills and resilience for future life skills. Yes academic work is important but the curriculum should be less pressured and support children’s emotional development. When children suffer with mental health issues due to pressure from school they leave school with poor outcomes and this needs to be recognised as a contributory factor to the mental health crisis that is currently taking place. Children also need to be able to come to school and have fun and it should be enjoyable as they spend many years in school.

Having a good teacher that wants the kids to do well.

that my child is happy and confident at school to ask for help when they need it - I would rather my child was in the top ten at a good secondary school than in bottom ten of a grammar school

For me it is all about providing the opportunity that encourages a child to develop and love to grow in learning. We should promote individuality and give children the tools to enjoy their learning taking them down whatever avenue their natural ability leads them whilst underpinning with the basic key skills necessary. I love providing experiences that drive the imagination....we cease every opportunity to embrace new and visit places whenever we can....I encourage questions and never hide from providing answers wheresoever possible....It is about real-life NOT data/figures and scores

For me it's not about how academic they are it's that they enjoy going to school, socialise well and are smiling when they see me at the end of the day. A broad curriculum that suits all types, a good reward system and build up a child's self esteem to help with their future.

All children have different abilities. Let them find their own path. DD 6 is not very academic, but excels at sports, ironic, as I was the total opposite! I encourage and support her in all subjects, we practice spellings, reading, numbers, writing etc. but she also does football, ballet, street dance, gymnastics, tennis, rainbows... At her current age I don't want to push her too much, I think it's important to have academic knowledge, but just as important to enjoy childhood and sports. I have friends who are 30 with degrees and are still living at home unable to find jobs and friends with zero qualifications and successful businesses. Whilst I think education is important, I also think enjoying life is.

happiness and love of learning is more important than tests constantly and enjoying their childhood.