Applying for a State Funded Primary or Secondary School place during the Covid-19 Outbreak

​School admissions is always a hot topic and with application deadline dates looming, there is understandable concern this year about how to make the right choice.
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It has become routine for people to uproot their entire lives to move close to their school of choice and house prices are often significantly higher in areas with good schools.  School places are in high demand in most parts of the country and the harsh reality is that you may not be offered a place at your preferred school and sometimes places are not offered at any of your preferred choices.  That doesn’t mean, however, that you shouldn’t look at schools and try to find the best fit for your child, it means it is vital that you are realistic about the schools you choose and are informed about the admissions criteria.  Different local authorities and schools with their own admissions policies will weight criteria in slightly different ways but the most common priorities include:

• Distance
• Siblings
• Children in receipt of Pupil Premium
• Religion (for faith schools)
• Feeder school (for secondary admissions)

Some schools may require children to complete an entrance exam which will have a bearing on the offer of a place and all state funded schools must give top priority to Looked After Children (in social care).

Ordinarily when looking for a primary or secondary school for your child, you would attend an open event or at least take a tour of the school and meet the staff.  So, at a time when all large gatherings are banned and the number of visitors allowed in schools are at a minimum, how do you possibly decide which school is right for your child?  Like most people and businesses, schools have had to adapt their ways of working which includes how to showcase their school, their teachers, their facilities, and their successes.  Most secondary schools are offering virtual visits available on their websites which will often include video addresses from the head teacher, other members of the senior leadership team, various teachers, and a number of pupils, as well as a tour of the school building and facilities.  This is a fantastic resource and should give you a good feel for the school, its ethos and teaching style.  But there are other ways you can gather information to help form an overall picture of the school.  Whilst a number of primaries will also provide some form of virtual event, not all will have the resources to be able to offer that and almost certainly not to the same level as secondaries.  Therefore, we have put together some suggestions of ways you can find information and recognise whether the school is right for your child:
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• Prospectus:  This may seem like an obvious suggestion but schools will have put a lot of thought over the years in to the contents of the document to ensure you have as much information as you can to use as a foundation.
• Website:  Schools will have a plethora of information available on their website so utilise that as much as possible.  Look at the images, read the newsletters, look at staffing structures, SEN support – all of this information will help you to get an overall view of the school and the support it provides to pupils.
• Ofsted Reports:  Schools are regularly inspected by Ofsted and the findings are published in a report and made available to the public.  This is a great way of understanding the school from an independent professional perspective.  It will highlight the strengths of the school but also the areas where the school could improve.  The length of time between inspections varies depending on the outcome of a previous visit so it wouldn’t be unusual for a well performing school to not be inspected again for a number of years.
• Governing Body Reports:  The governing body do not get involved in the day to day running of the school, that is the responsibility of the head teacher and senior leadership team.  However, there is plenty of information contained in the minutes from governors’ meetings and their reports.  Accessing these will give you a good indication of the strategic view of the school.  If these documents are not available on the website, you can request them from the school office.
• Parent/Teacher Association (sometimes also known as The Friends):  Often the PTA will have a page on the school website displaying information such as recent events held, planned events, money raised, target amounts and items they are fundraising for.  They may also have a social media page with additional information.  As well as an understanding of the fundraising facet, this will help to demonstrate the community aspect of the school and give you an insight into the social side of being a parent of a child there.
• Social Media:  Many schools are now active on a variety of social media platforms.  Follow them to get an insight in to what is happening on a day to day basis at the school.  It will also show you how they communicate with parents.
• Current Parents:  You may be able to contact current parents through local community groups on social media.  Asking for recommendations or experiences is a good way to gain an overview.  They will be able to tell you not only of their experience as a parent but how happy their children are at school.  It is important to remember however that many parents have different experiences and therefore you should try to take an objective view of all the information given to you.
• Visit the School Site:  You may not be able to visit the school during the day when the staff and pupils are there, but it is a good idea to visit when the school is closed.  Depending on the layout of the building, you may be able to get a good sense of the school and the outdoor facilities simply by looking from the school gates.
• Ask Questions:  Schools are aware that parents may have questions that are not necessarily answered in the material available to prospective parents.  If you still have questions, or need clarity on certain areas, once you have looked at all the information available to you, email the school.  They are usually more than happy to address any concerns and make you feel completely informed in order to make a decision regarding their school.

If you are relocating, we would be happy to help and give advice on choosing and applying for a school.  Please feel free to contact us to see how we can assist you.

0118 947 0029
info@therelocationconsultancy.com
www.therelocationconsultancy.com