Questions To Ask When Visiting A School - Academic Matters

Academic performance and results

Top of the class or could do better?

There are no right or wrong answers - but award 10/10 and you may well have found your ideal school.

1. How good is ‘value-added’? Value-added measures the improvement in pupils’ performance over the years. If a child enters school with an expectation they will attain all C-grades and then does - no-value has been added (so it can be impossible to add value to the A* student - but lots of scope for the E/F grader). 

   How does overall value added compare with the national average? Is this consistent over all subjects or is the good news all in one or two areas? (If you are a subscriber we carry this information and much more on school's pages). NB The Graph here illustrates a school that adds good value to the top 25% of the ability range, (failing the odd one) BUT is failing a significant number of the least able (note the tall blue bar on the right) so, not a great school for strugglers!

 

2. How does the school monitor progress? 

   The best will use regular tests integrated with the value-added system, which allows the school to pick up under-performance quickly (within a term). If they are working well, they will result in lots of happy stories about pupils rescued and enthused teachers. 

 

3. Which exams will my child take?

   All is ferment at the moment – A levels and GCSE, the IB, IGCSE and Pre-U, various specialist university entrance exams, and alternatives to GCSE from eg Bedales and Wellington. 

 

4. What about exam pressure? 

   How is the school coping? Is it managing to fit in a full range of extras?

 

5. What do children study? 

   Are pupils taking an interesting spread of courses – or have they relapsed to 3AS, 3A2s and the rest not taken seriously? Talk to sixth formers about how they are finding it.

 

6. What languages are genuinely on offer? 

   One or two exotic foreign languages are more likely to imply a cohort of overseas students than a diverse offering for your off-spring.

 

7. How much work do pupils do and where? 

   At school? At home / in prep? Consider which system will work best for your child. 

 

8. 

   How are pupils grouped?

   Setting? Streaming? Mixed ability? Vertically? Horizontally? Or a mix of methods?

 

9. Homework - how much, how often? 

   Is there a homework club pupils can attend? Is homework supervised - where, how? Is additional help available from tutors or subject teachers via email? How is homework monitored, recorded and reported? Is there a holiday reading list or holiday homework? Ever? Never?

 

10. What are the schools academic strengths and weaknesses? 

    Does the school have any academic features it considers unique.

 

"Enlightened approach re setting - 'we don't have an ideology' we look each year at what will work best' - and parents praise the flexibility of pupils moving up and down as appropriate. "

Extracted from The Good Schools Guide review of Drayton Manor High School

Do your homework 

Subscribe to The Good Schools Guide 

Check-out the performance of English state and independent schools at KS2, GCSE and A-level.

Providing extra help

 
Talented children may require curriculum flex; the gifted and those with special educational needs may need curriculum enhancement.

Mainstream schools that do well by children with SENs are often excellent places for all sorts too – the systems of individual attention and understanding that support SEN pupils mean that any child in any trouble is picked up quickly and dealt with sympathetically.

 

1. Expert help? 

   Does the school have special help on tap for learning difficulties? If so, how much help, in what form, and at what cost?

 

2. Does the school take the responsibility of all learners seriously? 

   If an independent school, will they fire misfits/slow learners if they don’t shape up quickly? State schools - ind out what help is really on offer - is this delivered by experts and professionals or just a friendly mum helping out? 

 

3. Asked to leave? What happens next? 

   For independent schools, if pupils are encouraged to leave, how well are they supported in this decision: are they given lots of notice, and experienced help in finding somewhere else?

 

4. Does it expand horizons? 

   Is there a program of activities or special classes for gifted, talented or able children?

 

5. Flexibility or rigidity? 

   Will the school adapt its timetable or arrangements for an especially talented child?

 

6. Tablets of stone or education explorers? 

   Are children instructed or taught? Are they slaves to the interactive whiteboard or is it used as an educational tool?

 

7. 

   Are they alert to different teaching and learning styles?

   Will these flex to meet your child's needs or will your child have to 'fit-in' with the teacher's methods?

 

8. Do they view children with SEN as less able? 

   Beware those who talk down children with SEN and be wary of any school that proclaims it doesn't have any children with special needs!

 

9. How do they manage children whose first language is not English? 

   What proportion of children receive EAL support; how are they helped to integrate. 

 

10. Your child. 

Discuss your child with a cross-section of staff, ask how they can help and monitor reactions .  A good school will educate your child holistically, not just patch-up the bits they view as in need.

 

Further reading

Understanding the school and education systems...

From Embryo To Eighteen - How To Survive The Education Highway

State School Admissions - How To Secure A Place

Grammar & Selective Schools

Mix and Match State and Private Education

Choosing A School Thoughts For Parents

Coming Into The British School System From Abroad

Sussing Out Independent Schools And Horses For Courses

Choosing A School For A Talented Child

School Open Evenings

More Questions...

Questions To Ask Staff When Visiting A School

Questions To Ask When Visiting A School - Financial Factors

Questions To Ask  When Visiting A School - Beyond the Classroom

Visiting A School - Questions For Pupils

And Answers...

State School Admissions - How To Secure A Place

Independent School Admissions - Insider Information On Getting In!

Independent School Admissions - It's Not Just Ability To Pay 

SEN Admission To Independent School

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