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

Good education at school plus sports(football, judo, swimming) after school make my kids happy.

Happiness is of utmost importance to me, because if they are not they end up loosing the natural love of learning that all children have. Teaching someone who doesn't want to be there and doesn't want to learn, you may as well be trying to tie up the sea with a piece of string.

Of course, I want my children to be safe and happy at school primarily.
As for education, I do want my children to attend a school that will help them to achieve their academic potential but without stifling their creativity. Too much testing and too much focus on academic achievement can limit children’s creativity and thinking.

I think the most important thing to me is that EVERY child is stretched and challenged to get the most out of whatever level they are at. My children are very "middle of the road" They achieve just about whats required of them - they don't cause trouble in class or misbehave to get on the teachers radar - but also neither of them are in top sets or "over achieving" Consequently its my belief they are being sidelined- because all the focus is either on the high achievers or the naughty troublesome kids. The ones in the middle who are doing "just enough" do not get the attention they need.

I would like more access to schools for poorer families. I live in a Grammar school area and my children both were a couple of points under qualification for the Kent test. My eldest went to a local comprehensive and got 10A’s gcse and so could have coped with Grammar but during open days couldn’t help noticing most children who got in had middle class parents and lots of extra tuition & knew the system because they had gone through University.
Next best (Offstead outstanding) local school in our area is Christian and needed a letter from local vicar and 2years church attendance, (we are not religious so excluded from that one even though 80% taxpayer funded. )Said child swapped to Christian school at 6th form level & there is a HUGE difference in teaching standards & classroom behaviour.
It has been a harder road for my children as teaching staff can be patchy at non grammar and I think the segregation of Christian/Catholic & now Muslim schools is not the way forward and leads to an increasingly segregated society (& why should religious children get better education chances than non-religious?)

Early identification of and appropriate support for special needs of whatever type (learning or social difficulties, high achievers).
Soft skills like resilience, independence, creativity, work ethic.
Good behaviour, respect and tolerance of other beliefs and lifestyles.
Opportunities and encouragement to try out all kinds of ideas and experiences, getting outside the comfort zone, trying new things.
Encouragement to look beyond school at opportunities in the wider community - volunteering, work experience, cultural events, national competitions, networking with like-minded individuals who share niche interests etc.

I want her to be happy at school. Happy children learn. I try not to pressure her to read unless she wants to. I love books and I hope she will too

I wanted my daughters to be encouraged to think independently, challenged intellectually, given opportunities to try new things, to be allowed to get wrong and learn by their mistakes. I wanted their school to equip them for the workplace with technology and a curriculum that adapts to a rapidly changing world.

I want them to be happy.

I want them to find their niche - sport / maths / music / whatever

I don’t want them to be put off anything - I was told I was rubbish at PE in school, it’s taken me till my mid thirties to discover I love sport!

Children should feel happy and safe in the school environment, have teachers that want to teach, teachers that help them explore different was of learning and are willing to help each child gain the conference in themselves.
Parents need to have confidence in the school to help there child achieve everything that is within their ability.

We have a child on the autism spectrum in our family. At his first school, he didn't do very well and was frequently upset or withdrawn. Now at his new school two years on, he's one of the best students in his class, fully engaged and progressing well. Reason? Teachers who really listened to what the family told them about him, and drew up a daily lesson plan especially for him. He thrives on routine, so his school day starts with a quick run through of what's on his daily planner, any changes are discussed in more detail until he understands what's going on, then off he goes to join the rest of the class. Result - happy child, happy teachers, happy fellow students, happy parents.

a happy environment at school- great set of friends and support at home is key to success at school.

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

I think a good education is one that will equip my children to be economically independent and find a path in life that gives them some degree of satisfaction.

Are strong academic results what make a good education?

It depends on the child, but for most children, yes strong academic results will be the end product of a successful education.

Or do you think there is too much focus on exams in schools?

Again, for some children who find exams stressful and challenging - probably. Most seem to manage though.

Does a well-rounded education involve sports and creative arts? Does learning languages and communication skills give children better life skills?

Children are like sponges and the more they can learn the better and that should definitely include creative subjects, languages, sport and any other life skill you can build into the curriculum. I think personal finance, cookery and home management skills should be compulsory too for all pupils.

I think effort is important, in that a child realises that working and trying hard really does have effects. Praising effort rather than results is important. Support at home and helping with things like bedtime routines and eating well are ways parents can help

Difficult to pick one thing as a successful education isn't about just one thing.

Hopefully its a prerequisite that every school keeps children safe and respects them.

In terms of academics - an environment that fosters a love of learning and critical thinking is important. An education that pushes each child to be the best they can be, whether it be grade A or D.

Pastoral care - a focus and appreciation of social and personal needs. Teaching children to develop into well rounded adults.

Extra curricular - a school that promotes and encourages a child's passion be it sport, music arts etc.

I want expectations. I don't want the school to settle for "that'll do".

I want the squeezed-middle to have their fair share of attention i.e. not all the attention on the super-bright or the super-naughty.

I want teachers to teach, not spend their time in admin and box-ticking.

I think it's important for them to be given the chance to take part in lots of extra-curricular activities and to be praised and recognised for these as well as for academic achievements.

I remember that when I was at school awards were only ever given to this who achieved high grades or were good at sports.

Those who weren't so academically able or more interested in taking part in the orchestra, drama productions or chess clubs were rarely given any praise for their efforts.

Education

To be educated at their level and be understood

They need to be happy and to be learning effectively at their pace.
They need to be excited about going to school, have good friends and teachers that are still enthusiastic about teaching.
They need to be guided and looked after in a safe environment- they need to learn to take risks and push themselves out of their comfort zone while still feeling secure and understanding that it doesn’t matter if they don’t get it right it’s the fact they tried that counts.
It’s important to me that I feel while they are in school they are being cared for both academically and pastorally.
Opportunity to develop their voice, their skills and their personality is also key. They are in education until the age of 18 at the very least.

I want my children to have the academic skills to enter the career of their choice. I also want them to have practical skills so that they have no problem living independently, and hobbies (music, sports, special interests). So a well-rounded education is one that builds my children's confidence, helps them reach their academic goals in further life, and has a range of extracurricular pursuits available that will continue beyond school years as future hobbies or pursuits.

I want my children to have the ability to master subjects they find difficult and not to give up if things are tricky and to learn how to get on with people from all backgrounds. I think this should stand them in stead for a lot of the life situations they'll face as adults.

Smaller class sizes to start with. A busy teacher in a class of 30 of which some will need more close attention than others has meant my quiet, well behaved dd is over looked. Teaching assistants don't make much difference in this aspect, in my experience. They are too busy with more challenging behaviours.
The things that matter to me, good maths, music and arts teaching and provisions are only going to be of use to kids children if the teaching staff know who they are and have the time to make the most of the facilities they have. All the money and stuff in the world is useless if no one has time to properly use it.

I think what’s most important that the child is happy and valued for their particular talents whether that’s academically, artistically or if they’re good communicators, I think that they’ve got a better chance of a fulfilled and happy life if they’ve been given solid foundations as young people and have confidence whatever their abilities are.

Happiness and the ability to do what they love and be creative. I think too much is put into core subjects. I do wish we had more lessons like growing vegetables, budgeting and saving, diy, things that can actually be put into practice in adult life.

Put simply- a good education makes you the best you can be.

But to expand on that....

A good education means:
Outstanding teachers who inspire a love of their subject.

Teachers who facilitate learning rather than dictate and mould.

An environment where everyone is respected and valued by teachers and peers alike.

A good education encourages children to have a good even if they don't excel. Having a sports team for everyone.

A good education uncovers aspects of a child that they and there parents weren't aware of by offering experiences and clubs.