Have you been using Rightmove’s School Checker to look for a new home near a good school? We all know it’s important to do research before choosing the ‘right’ school, and there’s much more to it than Ofsted ratings…
Our headteacher in-the-know, James Wiltshire, from Muswell Hill Primary School talks through what you should be looking for in a school, in this video below, and read on to see his biggest tips.
What should be your main contributing factors when deciding whether a primary school is right for your child?
- Ofsted reports
- Department for Education Performance Tables
- School’s website
- Their local offer for Special Educational Needs
- Additional activities i.e. breakfast club and after school clubs
What should you be looking for when you visit the school?
- Visit a range of schools so you can compare them
- Look at the classrooms and corridors – what are the displays like?
- What are the interactions like within the classroom? Between children or between the children and their teachers?
How can you improve your chances of getting into a school?
- Know the admissions criteria from school to school
- Know the order in which the criteria are set by the Local Admissions Authority
