Is your child approaching secondary school age? It can be a huge transition for many children, and the difference between their current school and a secondary school will likely impact them and their education going forward.

However, the school you choose can make all the difference in how well they settle in and how they thrive during the next five years of their life. But how do you pick the best secondary school for your child?

Picking Secondary Schools

I remember when picking secondary schools for Olivia, we had plenty of meetings with her primary school; however, for some reason, open evenings weren’t widely advertised to year 5/6 parents, and when the school did give us a list of dates for open evenings, most of them had passed. 

However, we live locally to a few schools, and as I went to one of the ones in my area, we already had a good idea of what was on offer. The main choices were an all-girls school, a mixed or catholic school. As we’re not catholic, that left two real options.

Ultimately we decided on the all-girls school, which two of my sisters and I went to too. Also, my eldest niece was already in year 7 when Olivia was in year 6. Being in year 11 now and ready to take her GCSEs, it was the right decision, and she has thrived in this school.

So while the decision was pretty easy for us, it isn’t always that straightforward for parents, especially those who need to factor in travel to the school day (we’re a 20-minute walk from the school, essentially the other end of a long road).

How do you pick the best secondary school for your child?

Ask Them

One of the easiest ways to determine where your child wants to go is to ask them. They will likely have had discussions in school or with friends/siblings and have an idea of what they want. It is natural for your child to want to be with their friends, and this should be an essential factor.

Speciality Subjects/Schools

Some schools are recognised for different subjects or specialities. For example, Olivia’s school focuses on media and arts, while others may be more focused on science, IT, sports or more. If your child prefers to engage in these topics, it can help you narrow down your choices by including these schools if these are options.

Also, look at whether you want to enrol your child in a single-sex school or a co-ed environment. A single-sex secondary school in Leicester can help your child’s education more than being in a mixed school and vice versa. Different children will thrive in other surroundings, and Olivia felt more comfortable, as I did, in an all-girls school.

Start Looking Early

Try to look around schools when your child is in year 5 and not leave it until year 6. This gives you more time to look for the right school and more opportunities to get a feel for what each different school is like.

Open evenings are in September, and your application will need to be in by October.

Ask Family and Friends

In most cases, you will have family or friends with children in different secondary schools, and you can ask them for their opinions on the school and how their child has settled in.

However, take advice with a pinch of salt as different people can and have different experiences. For example, Olivia and her cousin have had a really great experience in their school. However, a girl Olivia went to primary school with has had a completely different time, and it hasn’t been as positive.

Go To Open Days and Evenings

All secondary schools will host open evenings and open days. Where possible, attend as many as you can. This gives you a better idea of how the school runs during the day and what goes on during lesson times.

When attending open evenings, ask the students what they enjoy about the school and their experiences so far. Chances are, the most enthusiastic students will be helping out on these nights and can give you a good idea of what school life is like. Olivia has helped out on these a few times, and she really enjoys it, especially when parents try to engage with them.

Also, make appointments to speak to the school head and senior leadership teams too to help you find out more about the quality of teaching and what your child can expect when in lessons.

Make A List Of Your Non-Negotiables

Many different factors can affect your decision. You need to be clear on what you expect and want from your child’s secondary school. This can be something as simple as choosing a school with the best results or reputation – for example, Olivia’s school has world-class status from the World Class Schools Quality Mark organisation.

What would you say to parents going through the secondary school application process? What tips do you have?