Open days and admissions
I hope that by now we have covered all the key factors to think about when choosing a school. Some might be obvious but others require a lot more thought and you may be wrestling with a few dilemmas. How do you compare one school with another when they appear to offer something very similar?
The first thing to do is to start drawing up a shortlist. And this list needs to give a score or weighting based on your criteria. You may want to draw a series of columns and list each in turn. They can include: co-ed/single sex, the Head, pastoral care, extracurricular, inspection and financial due diligence, and of course, the logistics of the journey to/from school. Give each one a tick/cross or a score out of 10 from what you have been able to research. Fairly quickly, you will be able to discount some schools as not fitting your needs. Have a look at those headings again and see if there are any about which you are uncertain.
Of course, at this stage it might be hard to have particularly strong feelings about say the Head, unless you have met her or him already. That's where the visit – or Open Day – will come in but at this stage, all you are doing is working out what might, in theory, be an...
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I've known Matthew for many years; he offers clear, sensible, and unbiased advice, drawn from his extensive knowledge of the sector, and I'm delighted to see his expertise translated into this thoughtful and practical guide for parents. This book is invaluable for those navigating the often overwhelming process of choosing an independent school, helping parents focus on what truly matters, rather than rankings, hype, or marketing spin. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
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Matthew's new and approachable parent guide to choosing a school is spot on. Naturally, the first thing I looked at was his commentary about Heads. Sage, sensible and savvy advice abounds, as does the caveats and cautions about over glossy marketing spin that schools pump out. The book is really well written, entirely from the perspective of supporting parents. It's also a gentle swipe at some of the nonsense schools promote and how to look past it. Parents, also take heed – there are really good pointers about how to be a great parent in your relationship with the school. Unglossed, direct and delivered with humour, Matthew's book helps make things easier for everyone, and in that way, your child has a better chance of being happy and thriving. Remember, it's a two-way relationship, you're not buying a washing machine.
