Choosing a secondary school is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make for your child. Whether you’re seeking ‘ambitious academics, balanced with a good dollop of care and jollity’ as The Good Schools Guide described The Tiffin Girls School in Kingston or perhaps a school where ‘musical activity abounds’ as it said about The Kings (The Cathedral) School in Peterborough, The Good Schools Guide is a good starting point.
Since it began nearly 40 years ago its impartial, frank reviews have helped millions of parents choose the right school for their child. Its army of writers visit thousands of schools each year, interrogating heads and teachers and speaking to pupils and parents.
Managing editor Melanie Sanderson says, “League tables and Ofsted ratings can be overwhelming when choosing a good state secondary school. When parents come to us for advice, they usually have two main considerations. Will my child achieve their academic potential there and will they be happy? We know one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to schools.”
Here she reveals what to look for when searching for the best state-maintained education for your child.
Hot-house or greenhouse? Is the school educationally aspirational and how does this manifest? Look for relaxed and respectful teacher-pupil relations. They are key to successful learning. Is the library well-stocked and busy? Teacher recruitment and retention is challenging all schools. Ask pupils how often they have cover teachers.
Tracking – What do parent reports look like? Are pupils regularly assessed? Performance measures such as?Progress 8?are good indicators of how a school adds value as they measure academic attainment rates over time. Are there programmes to stretch the more academic children? What about those with?special educational needs and disabilities? Are they helped, supported and included? How?
Breadth of curriculum – The best state schools we review offer and value a broad liberal arts education or additional modern language options. Bohunt School in Hampshire ‘blew our socks off’ with immersion classes in Mandarin. Brymore Academy, a state boarding school for boys in Somerset even ensures ‘everyone is taught to drive a tractor in year 9 and to slaughter, pluck and draw the annual crop of Christmas turkeys’.
Pastoral – Good schools have clear systems. Every child is known and nobody slips through the net. Ask if reports and open evenings include pastoral updates. Does the school’s praise/discipline system flex to meet individual needs and align with your family values? When our writers visit schools they always observe lunchtimes and ask pupils what they do at breaktimes. Good schools provide spaces for children to seek quiet reflection if they need it. The best state schools see the value in offering a broad co-curricular programme and regular trips. Our writers check out notice boards and the school’s social media to see what the children are doing outside the classroom. Good schools communicate with parents well. The tone of school newsletters and social media feeds can tell you a lot and an active PTA is a sign of an engaged parent community. We always pass by the school at the end of the school day and observe pupil behaviour as they leave the site too. One top tip is to talk with pupils higher up the school. Would you be happy for your children to turn out like them?
Facilities – Some of the best state schools we’ve visited prioritise children’s fitness, investing in top notch sports facilities and coaching, others have outstanding creative or performing arts spaces. Pick a school that suits your child’s strengths. State schools aren’t always pristine, but they should be clean and orderly. Ask to visit the toilets the pupils use – they’ll tell you a lot about the school’s values!
Don’ts
Judge a school entirely by its Ofsted report: a report can quickly fall out of date and one word judgements cannot paint a full picture. Look for more nuanced information that will tell you whether the school will align with your aspirations – other local parents with children already at the school is a great place to start.
Take too much notice of social media community group grumbles about a school. These are usually led by a singular disgruntled parent.
Be swayed by dinner party bragging rights. The super-duper academic grammar school that everyone’s talking about may or may not be the best place for your child to flourish.
Choose a school based on what you would have liked as a child.
Lie, cheat or change your religion to get your child into a particular school!