Getting The Best Out of the School Years

Whether you are looking at starting school life, moving up schools or finding a new school after a house move, it all comes down to 'will it suit my child?'

• State funded or fee paying? Look at the individual school, not the type of school. Statistical averages and league tables don't show how each child got their result. Increasingly many children in both systems have evening tutors to help in specific subjects.
• What do you want in a school? You (and your child if old enough) should identify these factors before starting a search.
• School open days will have a set route for prospective parents and children - good schools will be happy for you to divert from this. # Individual departments are as important as whole school. # Low staff turnover indicates staff and management work well together. # Look out for 'value-added' features - after school clubs, approach to bullying.
• Talk to other parents and let child talk to other prospective children and those already there.
• Ask 'what are the main strengths of this school?' and 'how are new arrivals supported?'   

Once your child is at a school, build a good relationship with staff. Schools are busy places and misunderstandings and difficult situations will happen on occasion. If there is a problem, make the focus sorting it out fairly for all parties. Listen to everyone's viewpoint, take stock of the actual facts, reflect on the main issues and how actions may impact on your child both short term and long term.

If your child has a bad day or a problem: (1) acknowledge it, (2) let them tell you the problem and (3) let child lead discussion about what they should do. Don't let small problems build into big ones.

Find out the school structure, so you know which member of staff to approach on which issues and make an appointment to see them.

Main source: Make Your Child Brilliant by Bernadette Tynon. Quadrille, 2008 (ISBN 978-184400-579-6)