'Every school looks wonderful on the tour. What should we actually ask?'
A polished presentation can tell you a great deal about facilities and very little about an ordinary Wednesday. Before visiting, write down your child's needs and choose a handful of questions that every school must answer. Ask for examples rather than adjectives: not 'Is pastoral care excellent?' but 'What happens when a Year 3 pupil becomes anxious about school? Who contacts the family and when?'
Follow the child through a normal day
Ask where children arrive, who supervises transitions, how lunch works, what happens when a child is unwell and how homework is communicated. If a school has several campuses, ask exactly which site your child will use now and after the next transition. A journey that is manageable at age six may be very different later.
Curriculum and classroom learning
Which curriculum and language are used in this year group? How is reading taught? What does homework look like at this age? How does the school identify a pupil who is falling behind?
Daily life and wellbeing
Which campus will my child attend? What is the actual school-day timetable? Who should a parent contact about friendships, anxiety or additional learning needs? How does the school communicate with families?
Admissions and practical details
Ask for written confirmation of fees, admissions requirements, transport, lunch, after-school options and the current safeguarding policy. Verify key claims against the school's official documents.
Compare schools fairly
Take the same questions to every school. A school with an attractive building may still be a poor fit for a particular child; ask about classroom experience, not just marketing.
Ask to see learning, not just classrooms
How does the teacher know whether a child has understood a lesson? What happens when they have not? What reading and maths approaches are used at this age? What does a typical piece of homework look like? Can parents see anonymised examples of the level expected? These answers help you compare educational practice rather than décor.
Take notes you can compare later
After each visit, record the answer to the same questions, what remains unclear, the published fee and admissions conditions, and your child's reaction. Follow up in writing where the answer affects a major decision. No guide can choose a school for your family, but a consistent set of questions makes the choice less dependent on marketing.