How can you find out which schools will suit your child best when there’s a pandemic going on?
The School Run provides some suggestions for researching primary schools and making your decision.
Choosing a primary school for your child is a big responsibility, and this year, shortlisting schools for admission in 2022 could be more complicated than usual.
With pandemic restrictions looking likely to continue in some form into the new year, the usual process of open evenings and tours is set to be disrupted, which means parents will need to find alternative ways of viewing prospective schools.
Here’s our advice for beating Covid-19 constraints and making sure you’re fully informed when you fill in your primary school application.
Primary school websites are a treasure trove of information about school life. Some of the content is aimed at prospective parents – such as the online prospectus – but it’s a good idea to delve deeper to see what else you can find out.
Most schools have some form of social media presence, and looking at their Facebook and Twitter feeds can give you a taste of what’s going on. Often, there are examples of topic work, photos from school events, and news about school life.
If you can’t physically go into the school, one of the best things to do is talk to other families who have children there already. Try to be objective about what you hear: a school that is a brilliant fit for one child might not suit another, so keep in mind that parents have their own biases, and aim to balance differing viewpoints against others.
Look at alternatives
It may seem way too early to be thinking about high schools, but finding out which schools pupils go on to is a valuable exercise. This info may be listed on the school’s website or in its prospectus.
Seeing a school at the start and end of the day can give you a good impression of what it’s like, so try to stand near the gates (maintaining social distancing, of course) and see what’s going on. Are drop-off and pick-up procedures well organised to stick to social distancing rules? Are children happy to leave their parents? Are staff there to welcome pupils? Do children leave at the end of the day with smiles on their faces?
Every school has its own strengths, so when you’re looking – in person or virtually – keep what matters most to you and your child at the front of your mind.
Visit www.theschoolrun.com for more info.