MANY parents must soon make decisions about which high school they wish their child to attend.

Penketh High School head teacher John Carlin has taught for almost 15 years and is now facing this experience as he tries to determine the school for his son.

John said: “As a principal I anticipated this would be easy, I know what I’d look for and be able to judge a school quickly and know exactly what to ask staff at open evenings or tours.

“This couldn’t have been further from the truth and I’ve had to disassociate myself from the finer details to focus on the important question – which is the right school for my child to develop both academically and holistically?”

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There has been significant changes to the educational system recently with the introduction of a new grading system, revised specifications and greater academic focus.

“This, says John, has added a level of uncertainty for parents.

He said: “It’s difficult to assess performance across a period of time and I’m sure it’s frustrating for parents.”

Check the Ofsted reports

Recent Ofsted reports provide information on the quality of teaching, the behaviour of pupils and other areas of school life.

John added: “It’s always useful to know if a school is part of a multi-academy trust, where institutions work together as part of a wider organisation.

“If possible, identifying the context and vision of the trust is useful; how many schools make up the trust, the type of schools and how it works to improve the educational experience of all of its learners."

Attend open evenings

“Open events offer a greater understanding of the vision of the school so that you can decide if these resonate with your own core values.

“They also allow you to see if the environment will be one that best suits your child.

“You can interact with pupils and staff, ask questions and get a greater sense of what is offered in terms of extra-curricular activities.”

Ask for a tour

John advises asking for a tour of the school afterwards for a second look around and to ask more questions.

He said: “These are often more personalised visits and are normally conducted during the day so you can see the school in action."

Look to the future

“My final consideration is something I’ve personally wrestled with throughout my son’s process – looking to the future. Giving serious thought to where the school will be in five years, is the school on an upward trajectory and does the vision align with what I think is right for my child.

“A school with good results this year won’t necessarily have these in five years.”

Penketh High School open evening is on Wednesday, October 10.