One minute, your child is transitioning from your baby into early years settings and wearing their first ever school uniform. Next, you’re worrying about what comes next, their secondary school education and what is the right path for them to choose.
And before you know it, it’s a whirlwind of applications, open evenings, catchment areas and deadlines.
If you’re approaching this time right now, here are some helpful tips to get you going so you can focus on making the right decision for your child.
When to Start Looking
Realistically, you need to start looking for secondary schools in Year 5 or early Year 6. Secondary schools open their open evenings and days to students and parents in these years, usually between September and December. So, going in September when your child is in Year 5 isn’t too early; in fact, it’s probably the right time. It’s not about decisions at this stage; it’s about awareness. It gives you time to check out the school with no pressure, assess your options, do your research and plan ahead. You then have time to understand catchment areas and other boxes you need to tick for different schools, so you know if you’re likely to be accepted or not.
And then in Year 6, you can still go to open evenings for a refresher and to see if anything has changed before making your final decisions.
What to Look For
It can be all too easy to focus on the school’s exam performance, but this alone won’t tell you if this is the right school for your child. You need to understand how they support different learning styles, where their focus lies, i.e. is it sport-based, technology-focused, or does it have an emphasis on creative subjects? Pastoral care, educational support and more need to help you make your decision alongside external factors such as travel times, transport options, start times and even after-school programmes.
Know the Application Process
Knowing the application process before you need to apply can help you to familiarise yourself with the information you need to submit and when.
In England, applications for secondary schools are handled by the local authority, and parents typically submit their preferences by the end of October in Year 6. You can pick multiple schools and rank them in order of preference.
Placements for schools admissions are based on a set of criteria, typically including catchment area, sibling attendance, distance from the school and in some cases aptitude or faith. Simply listing a school doesn’t guarantee acceptance, which is why understanding this early is essential.
Involve Your Child
Most importantly, you need to understand that you cannot make this decision for your child. They need to be a part of the process and involved in all decision-making. Again, this doesn’t mean they get the school they want. But they will be able to shortlist the schools they want to attend. Take them with you to all open evenings or events at each school. Give them a voice and talk to them about what they do and don’t want and why they want certain schools. Help to manage expectations and anxiety, and allow them to talk freely about the transition to make it easier.
No Comments