Visiting a School

Asking the right questions ensures that you make the right decision about the best school for your child

If you are able to travel to the UK to visit schools on your shortlist, you should have the opportunity to spend time with the headmaster or headmistress, a boarding housemaster or housemistress and a pupil. Be prepared to ask questions of each of them on the key aspects of the school and how these could affect your child. If this is not possible, try to speak to a current or past parent or pupil and ask them about their experiences.

The following is a list of questions to consider asking. The list is not exhaustive; use it as a guide and adapt the questions to your own needs – you will have to be selective, given the relatively short time available.

Academic issues

What are the entry requirements? Is our child likely to obtain a place and when?

This is a crucial initial administrative matter to sort out. Remember that the majority of places available will be for the main ages of entry – normally at 7, 8 and 11 for a prep school, and at 11, 13 and 16 for a senior school. There may, however, be vacancies at other ages. You need to know whether to have alternative schools lined up, and at what age the school recommends entry. You should also find out what arrangements need to be made to take any entrance exams or tests or interviews.

What are the school’s plans for the 14-19 Curriculum and proposed reforms?

The debate on the nature of the 14-19 Curriculum is ongoing, and most parents should be able to feel confident and reassured that the school has realistic plans for the future. Larger schools will be able to offer both A-levels and the International Baccalaureate (IB), but the smaller ones will find it more difficult and expensive. Additionally, schools are now able to offer the Cambridge Pre-University Diploma (Pre-U) and the AQA Baccalaureate (AQA Bacc). Most schools, though, will be attempting to broaden their sixth-form curriculum and introduce more vocational courses.

Can we see your academic results for the past three years? Also, can we see details of the school’s position in the league tables and the number of places obtained by pupils at UK universities?

There is now much talk about ‘value added’, but measuring it or benchmarking it is difficult. Average points scores per subject and per pupil have become important indicators. League tables need to be treated with caution though, as they do not give a rounded picture of the school’s real success or failure at enabling pupils to reach their full potential. However, the annual tables or, better still, the averages over the past three years can be used to identify trends within a school, and most schools accept that these tables are used for obtaining comparisons. The tables should make information available in a form that is understandable and helpful to parents. These, and the places obtained at UK universities, will give you an indication of pupils’ attainment and progress, particularly with reference to the top of the ability range, and of the school’s success at helping pupils realise their academic potential.

How does the school approach the teaching of English, sciences, mathematics, modern languages, and information and communication technology (ICT) for the most and least able students?

These are key subjects, and your child could be at either end of the ability range. It is important to know how a school responds to a child’s individual abilities and needs. It is also important to find out how subjects fit into a broad, well-balanced curriculum, and how essential study skills, particularly in ICT, are being developed and integrated.

How will the school get the best out of our child, who has a particular interest in sport/music/drama/art?

This is a very general question aimed at finding out about the school’s extracurricular activities, and how the school encourages participation in them. Ask about the activities that interest your child most or in which he/she has a particular talent.

What is the school’s policy on careers education and applications to further and higher education? Does the school have particularly strong links to any professions?

Good careers advice is an essential part of education throughout the school. Providing advice and help to pupils so that they can take the right steps into the outside world and its many career opportunities is a crucial role for the school. Careers departments should have an established local support network of contacts in the main professions who are able and willing to pass on the benefits of their experience. Recent school-leavers’ lists of university places and courses studied will provide a valuable indicator of the school’s strengths and successes.

Rules and regulations

What is your policy on use of the internet, mobiles phones and Skype?

Internet abuse is a major international problem, and parents should feel confident that the school has realistic, sensible and positive policies in place to ensure pupils use the internet for educational purposes and to communicate with friends and family, but not to spend time playing computer games or downloading dubious material. Similarly, mobile phones have a constructive use, not least as a means of keeping in touch with parents, so long as rules on their use and security are in place and put into practice.

What are the school’s policies on alcohol, drugs and smoking? Is the school facing any particular problems in any of these areas at present?

Every school will have a policy in place to cover these matters. The real issue is how such matters are dealt with and whether the individuals concerned learn from their mistakes. This is a chance for prospective parents to consider the school’s personal, social and health education programme (PSHE), and its disciplinary policies; to see what medical and counselling services are available; to discover what happens if serious offences are committed; and to find out on what grounds a pupil may be expelled or suspended and when this last happened. You should feel that matters would be dealt with consistently, sympathetically, but firmly, and, above all, fairly.

What are the key rules for boarders over the weekend, and how do these rules relate to what day pupils are allowed to do by their parents?

This is a question for either the head or a housemaster or housemistress. It is aimed at finding out as much as possible about what boarders can and cannot do at weekends and the school’s ability to offer a variety of recreational, cultural and social opportunities for all its pupils.

Boarding life and pastoral care

Who is the first staff member our child should see if there is a problem? Whom can we contact if we are worried about our child’s progress or behaviour or the quality of teaching they are receiving? Does the school have a counsellor?

The right member of staff can deal with many problems immediately. Knowing who that person is and, above all, developing your confidence in them is very important. Most boarding schools have very good pastoral care and counselling systems, and knowing how these operate is very important. These questions will also allow you to find out how well and how often the school communicates with parents, what other means of communication are available and what opportunities there are for visits to the school to meet teachers and other parents.

How good is the catering? Do the pupils have an input into the choice of menu offered? Also how do boarders supplement their eating requirements?

These are questions you should ask the pupil showing you around the school. The general standard of school catering nowadays is remarkably high, with a strong emphasis on balanced, healthy diets. You might like to ask about what kinds of meals are typically available, or if the school is able to cater for any special dietary requirements your child may have.

What medical arrangements does the school have in place?

Obviously, it is important to know what happens in the case of either illness or an emergency or accident, who the school medical staff are, what the facilities include, and when and how parents are informed. Check on what arrangements are made for insurance particularly for sporting fixtures, expeditions and trips, both at home and abroad.

How many pupils in my child’s age group are full boarders?

Some schools now offer weekly and/or flexi-boarding, which affects the number of boarders over the weekend. This can mean some children are virtually on their own at weekends as their peers can go home. It is important to find out the average number of boarders remaining in school over a weekend and how they can occupy their time.

How important is the role of chapel in the life of the school?

The chapel will play an important role in school life. Whilst not every pupil will necessarily be expected to participate in the religious services, a great deal can be achieved through the more general assemblies which can also take place in chapel. These play an important part in personal, social, moral and cultural education, and particularly in helping to develop the pupils’ life skills and a sense of care, concern and respect for others. Find out what the school’s policy is on attendance and the range of topics covered in chapel.

Financial issues

Why have your fees increased above the rate of inflation this year? Why are the fees higher/lower than? What are your salary scales for teaching staff and how do they compare with salaries in the maintained sector? What extras can I expect to pay? Can I see the latest set of accounts?

Overall educational costs have risen considerably over the past decade, mainly because of increased employers’ contributions to teachers’ pensions and increases in National Insurance. Potential parents should obtain the school’s explanation. Well over two-thirds of school fees go on staff salaries, and the advent of performance-related pay in teaching means that independent schools will need to ensure their salary scales match those in the maintained sector. Also, annual increments will almost certainly ensure fee increases in line with, if not slightly above, inflation. Extras vary according to your child’s extracurricular involvement and stage of education. But heads and the prospectus should explain, right at the outset, any additional expenses or financial developments. There is normally no reduction for periods of study leave – you may well ask why.

What is the role of the school’s governors?

In boarding schools governors are the source of all authority within the school and they are responsible for overall policy. They control finance and administration, responsibility for which is normally delegated to the head or the bursar. Probably their single most important task is to appoint the head. Governors give their time and specialist expertise voluntarily and a good rapport between governors and head is essential for a well-run school. Crucially, governors are responsible for all practices and procedures for the safeguarding of the school’s pupils and legally they must ensure the school complies with the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools and for independent schools, the Independent Schools’ Standards Regulations.