Navigating School Open Days: A Guide to Making Informed Choices for Your Child’s Education
Choosing the right school for your child is a important decision that requires extensive research. School open days offer an invaluable opportunity to explore the environment, meet the teeachers, and gain insights into the school’s culture. In this guide, we provide you with some ideas of what to look for at a school open day as well as questions to ask so that you’re fully informed.
How warm and welcoming is the atmosphere?
When you arrive at the school, pay attention to the atmosphere. A warm and welcoming environment is often a sign of a positive school culture. Look at how staff and current students interact with visitors. Also important is looking how staff and pupils interact with each other when not directly engaging with visitors. This will give you a better idea into the overall warmth of the school atmosphere and community.
Explore the facilities
Assess the learning environment and envision your child in that space. Look for tidy classrooms, displays that showcase and celebrate the work of pupils and quality educational materials such as charts, maps, and learning aids to support learning.
Many schools use external facilities – make sure you ask how often these are used.
Discover the curriculum
Learn about the school’s curriculum and educational ethos. Consider whether the school offers a well-rounded education that includes not only academics but also extracurricular activities, arts, and sports. This will give you a sense of how the school supports the holistic development of students.
Speak to as many people as possible
Take any opportunity to speak with the headteacher, teachers of all year groups, office staff, pupils and existing parents. This will allow you to build a realistic image of the school. Does what they say match up with the school’s ethos, values and priorities? Do the teachers speak genuinely and passionately? Are the pupils polite and confident?
Useful Questions to Ask
General
- How do the school’s values and ethos permeate everyday school life?
- How does the school support students with different learning styles or needs?
- What extracurricular activities are offered to enhance the overall development of students?
- How does the school incorporate technology into the learning experience?
- How is student progress assessed?
- How do pupils perform compared to the national average?
- How are teachers and staff trained to handle diversity and promote an inclusive environment?
- What measures does the school have in place to ensure the safety and well-being of students?
- How does the school communicate with parents regarding student progress and school events?
- Can you provide examples of how the school fosters a sense of community among students and parents?
- What resources and support systems are in place to help students navigate their academic and personal challenges?
Questions to ask pupils
- What do you do during break times?
- What is the headteacher like?
- What subjects do you enjoy the most? What subjects do you enjoy the least?
- What extracurricular activities would you recommend?
- Are there any school traditions or events that you particularly look forward to?
Visit Wandsworth Prep School
We are an independent school in Wandsworth, just off the common. Our next open day is on 5th March at 9am. Click here to book your space.
