Guide
What to look for on a primary school visit
A school visit is the best chance you will get to see how a school works on an ordinary day. Arrange to visit during lessons if you can, rather than at an open evening, and go with a short list of things you want to find out.
In the classrooms
- Watch how teachers speak to children who are struggling or misbehaving.
- Look at the work on the walls. Is it the children's own work, or a few polished pieces?
- Notice how children move between activities, and how long it takes a class to settle.
- Check whether there are books children can reach and choose for themselves.
Questions for the head or admissions staff
- How large are classes in the year your child would join, and how many adults are usually in the room?
- How does the school support a child who is ahead, or behind, in reading?
- How do staff tell parents about progress, and how often?
- What happens at lunch and at break, and who supervises?
- How does the school handle bullying, and can you see the policy?
- How many teachers have left in the last year or two? A high turnover is worth asking about.
Around the building
Look at the toilets, the playground and the lunch hall. Ask where children go if they feel unwell, and how the school controls who comes in and out.
Afterwards
Write down your impressions the same day, before visits blur together. If you are comparing schools in another country, a directory that lists schools city by city helps you build a shortlist before you book visits.