Things to look for in a Primary School

When deciding on a primary school, many parents are quick to compare Ofsted ratings in their primary school catchment area to determine which is supposedly performing better.

Whilst the inspectorate can get an overall feel of how schools are performing in terms of the behaviour of the children, the quality of the lessons and the way the school is run, they do not account for whether the school is a happy place where children feel safe and are maximising their potential.

Here are a few things to remember when looking at prospective primary schools:

Take a tour

The first step in deciding on a school for your child is to make a shortlist of all potential schools in your area. Conducting online research will help you to have a clearer idea of all the options that you have available to you.

For example, if you have searched the web and subsequently encountered a fantastic establishment like Trinity Episcopal School (where teachers urge you to “Visit Us Online“), you can start your research as soon as possible and can get the ball rolling when it comes to taking a tour of the grounds.

When arranging a tour around the prospective schools, always try to do it face-to-face rather than via phone. This gives you a better idea initially of how the reception staff are.

The tour should be a full tour of the school, including the playground, facilities such as the library/IT suite and the classrooms. This allows you to evaluate each area of the school in terms of cleanliness, equipment and size.

Is the library well stocked? Is there sufficient outside space with lots of fun and well maintained equipment? Is the canteen clean? These are a few of the questions you should ask yourself as you look round.

Plan some questions to ask the headteacher as you go round, just a few that you think are important such as information about wet play, meal options and class sizes.

Being a parent, it’s natural for you to be concerned about the safety of your children. Some schools usually conduct regular safeguarding audits, and hence you can ask the headteacher about the school’s approach to ensuring the safety of the children. You may inquire about their safeguarding policies and procedures, staff training on child protection, and how they handle potential safety concerns or incidents.

Most importantly, have a think about whether your child will like the environment. Is it a place that they would enjoy? If they are with you, look closely at their reaction to the school and identify if there are any extracurricular activities that they may enjoy.

Take a look in the classroom

Always ask if you can take a quick look at your child’s prospective classroom. This is where they will spend a lot of their time, so it’s important to make sure it is an environment they’ll enjoy. If the classroom is nice and spacious with a bit of colour this generally bodes well.

Look at the walls. If there are a good mix of interesting teaching/learning materials, children’s work and information on class targets, then this shows that the teacher values the children just as much as the curriculum.

Try to talk to the teachers

Inevitably, the staff at the school will be on their best behaviour when visitors are around, but you will still be able to pick up on how focused they are with their teaching, how they interact with colleagues and students and their stress levels.

If you get a chance, try asking a few of them how long they have been at the school, this can sometimes help to determine staff turnover.

The children

These are the people that really matter. Try to avoid asking them if they enjoy school specifically.

Instead ask what subjects they like, what they are learning in class at the moment and ask them if they know their writing/maths targets. If they give answers with enthusiasm and are happy to show what they are learning, then it shows that they are enjoying the school and are engaged.

As a whole, almost all primary schools are of a high level and offer a great learning environment for your children, but with by looking at the above areas, you may be able to spot a few differences between your top choices.