Questions to ask when visiting a new school

Six top questions you could ask when visiting a new school

Choosing schools is always a worrying time for any child and many parent have said I just do not know what to ask. In response to this, I thought about what was important to me and what I asked when choosing schools.  . Here is a list of the some of the questions I might ask and below are also our responses to these questions. I would also be guided by gut feeling – you know your child best and know whether they will fit in – trust your instincts. This is just a starting point and may not be right for you or your child but hopefully it might help  Please come and see me if you have any more concerns or would like to talk through this further.

• How will school support my child?

Who will oversee, plan; work with my child and how often?

• How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

What are the school’s approaches to differentiation and how will that help my child?

• How will I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?

      What opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child’s progress?

• What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?

      What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the school?

• What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
• Who can I contact for further information?

All schools should have published responses to these questions on their website, which is a great place to start looking, but it is always good to have them talked through when you go to visit then you get that feel.