#Parents, are you confused about senior #school choices?

At this time of year many parents are braving the minefield of researching senior school choices as their child approaches age 11 or 13. Trawling through copious websites, glossy literature and visiting open days- the plethora of information bombarding parents makes this process tricky. As time goes on the fog of confusion seems to thicken and the prospect of arriving at a decision seems further and further away.

Here are my top 10 tips to help parents to come to the right decision and perhaps more importantly to stick to it!

1. Keep dinner party banter in perspective. Remember there is no one best school that suits all children equally. Treat your child as an individual and form your own judgement as to what feels right for them.
2. Realistically, how bright is your child? You will need a school to stretch and challenge their capabilities, but not to such an extent that they are struggling to keep their head above water.
3. What are their interests, strengths and are there areas of potential weakness needing additional support?
4. Are you looking at state schools or might you be in a financial position to consider independent education?
5. What location works best in relation to home and work commitments of both parents? Investigate bus routes, lift shares with local families or ability to walk to school.
6. If you plan to invest in private education have you considered weekly or full-boarding to extend your school options? Particularly if both parents’ work, this can be a practical solution where everyone wr=orks hard in the week and enjoys quality fmil time at the weekends.
7. How do you feel about single sex versus co-ed?
8. Depending on your current school leaving age, when will it best suit your child to move?
9. Are you looking for a traditional, structured environment or a more informal one? Will their character suit a large, competitive environment or small and nurturing?
10. How do you feel about siblings attending different schools if they have different interests, capabilities and character?

 For advice on choosing the right school please give our team of friendly consultants a call  on 01865 522066 or email consultants@independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

 For more information visit our website  http://independenteducationconsultants.co.uk/choosing-a-school-age-5-7-11-13-or-16/