How to get your child into the secondary school of your choice.....

Parents across the country are currently trying to work out the best secondary school for their child - not to mention their chances of getting in. Open days galore are on offer, and there are many a confusing application form to fill in. Meanwhile, all the information available (those league tables and Ofsted reports among others) doesn't always help.

Katie Krais runs her own consultancy advising parents on choosing secondary schools for their children. Here she gives us the benefit of her expertise, and explains why you need to start thinking about these things well before year 6....

A few extra tips I would add are that you shouldn't choose a school on the basis of your child's friendships (or yours - the "school gate" scenario is completely different at secondary school). They will make new friends, and you need to to make sure they go to the right school for them. You should try to get the opportunity to speak to the pupils in your chosen school and ask them some questions (e.g. how well behaved they think the children are?) and always remember that there is one great question you can throw at a teacher: would you send your child here?

"Getting a child into secondary school is the single biggest educational challenge facing most parents of children aged 8-11. Our school system is incredibly confusing. The choice is potentially wide – state or independent, mixed or single sex, local or in another borough, grammar, crammer, faith, boarding, special needs...Parents are required to visit many of these, fill in a multitude of confusing forms, navigate the catchment areas-vs-house prices dilemma, supervise practice papers with their child, and stay sane. Parents feel ‘overwhelmed’ by the process – from knowing what is available, to finding the most appropriate school for each particular child, to supporting their child through the process.

When does it begin to go wrong? Right from the beginning! Parents need to be given more information from the start. 

Your first important step is to question the class teacher more fully at parents evenings and after end of year tests. This can start as early as year 3. What are their end of year optional QCA test results and what are their standardised scores? – this takes into account your child’s birthday and is used as a scoring system for selective and private schools. If your child scores between 115 and 130 there is the potential for plenty of choice. If they score 100 they are bang on average – not a bad thing but it won’t get you into a top state selective school. You also will want to ask how your child is performing compared with the rest of the class.

Step number two is do your homework and don’t listen to playground gossip. For every one person who tells you how good a certain school is, you will always find another who can find fault. Check the Ofsted reports and individual school sites on the internet. Where are they in the school league tables for GCSE’s and A Levels? Try to visit the open days ahead of the game by year 5 rather than leaving it to year 6. Become familiar with the admissions criteria of each of the schools – are you in the catchment area and do they give priority to siblings?  Think about what you want for your child – is it a religious school, a co-ed school, a small school or a local school?  Would your child benefit from going to a school with specialist status in ICT?

Once you have decided which schools you would like your child to be considered for the fun has only just began.....you need to start filling in loads of forms. Step number 3 is make sure you fill in the forms accurately, and you complete all the forms necessary. All Local Authorities have their own secondary transfer form, but some schools request you fill in their forms in addition. They will not consider you unless this happens and it can cost you your precious place if you don't.

Step 4 – remember you are not alone – there are thousands of parents who feel just as confused and anxious as you do. Emotions are very powerful and can potentially cloud good judgement.  Being well informed of where your child is and what is out there allows you to rise above the trauma and – yes, even enjoy this next stage in your child’s school career."

Read School Gate on:

Applying to primary school, what you need to know

Secondary schools - explained

Top ten tips for a happy transition to secondary school

(picture by Ben Hanbury on flickr.com)

Comments

[David]

If my grand-daughter lived near here she would be banned from persuing her dream of going into marine biology because the schools are all "business" specialists. I even had the Deputy Head of a local Comp state categorically that my company was wrong (he used the word "criminal") in testing applicants' simple mathematics ability because it is "the job of employers to teach them".
The outright lies I have heard from teachers about my own childrens performance were almost unbeleivable - and they refused pointblank to help with his dyslexia.
Avoid the state sector if you possibly can or get some additional private tuition.

[susan]

What if your chid is gifted and talented in sports are there any schools in london which are also academic too?? can you get a child who is gifted and talented in sports into a good school?

[Steve]

@Whimsely:

Maybe its a comment on the parents.

There are those who'll pay and measure quality by the size of the bill.
There are others who can do for themselves.

[John Chard]

Most parents will now have completed their preference forms and will now have an agonising wait until March next year to see if their applications will be successful.

If not there is still hope through the independent appeals process. Most admission authorities will give general advice about the process but sometimes this is not enough. There is a lot of help available for those parents that need help. Try putting school appeals into Google and see what comes up.

[nicky]

I hated my son's secondary school when we went to the open evening there last year! I thought the buildings were dark and depressing. Unfortunately, there is only one in our area, unless you want to pay lots of money and travel for miles every day. Fortunately though, I kept my mouth shut, and he liked it and is settling in very well there.

Given the stress that some of friends are going through in trying to find the right school for their daughter, though, perhaps it is after all fortunate that we have little choice. It's certainly easier that way.

[whimsey]

Those open evenings are invaluable for the children as well. Mine definitely 'took' to the school during an open evening. It's a question of whether they can 'see' themselves there in a year or two.

Mind you, I was nearly put off for good when the pupil showing our group around, a year 8, blithely said they'd been off on a school trip hiking through the Atlas mountains. NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! (fortunately, such lifethreatening expeditions are not compulsory - phew!)(they are also fiendishly expensive, so that's a great reason not to go on them!)

[fiona lupson]

A wise person seeks the best advice before embarking on a new journey!

[Talya Goldstein]

As a mother of a Year 5 child about to embark on the transition process, I can confirm how overwhelming it is. I would relish the opportunity to discuss the options availiable to my daughter, with an objective, experienced professional. We shall certainly be contacting Ms. Krais for advice. Thank you!

[Juliette Morrison]

It's great to visit all the schools and see what the current pupils think. You get a feel for the school when the person showing you around is polite, opens doors and is enthusiastic (at least about some of the subjects)
A consultant to help you along the way and help you make a more informed and accurate decision is a fab idea

[whimsey]

They might well if the school is not one they thought their own child would thrive at, which is why it's a daft question to ask a teacher. A teacher could easily have a child that would far better suit a different type of school than the one their parent is suitable for teaching in. I know someone who is very academic, and is a teacher, but their offspring are not at all academic, and would do far better at a school where arts were predominant, not academic excellence.

[Erica]

Would a teacher really admit they wouldn't send their own children to the school they work at?

[Rob's dad]

Excellent advice....the "fun" begins now.

[JM]

For any parents interested in the top State Selective schools, a visit to their Open Evening is an eye-opener.

I attended the open Evening at Tiffin Boys (2nd top State school in the Country) last week and it was worse than Waterloo Station at rush hour. You could not move. A press article the next day said that Wallington Boys called in the police to control the crowds on their Assesment day.

[whimsey]

What a comment on the state education system that now parents have to hire consultants to guide them through it.....

Insane.