Options for Choosing a Secondary School Video

By Idris Musty | August 3, 2011

 

When thinking about a secondary school for your child, there are a number of options and points worth considering. We sat down with the Principal of Excel in Key Subjects, Mr. Idris Musty,  to explore some of these.

  • For teachers at the school, look at:
    • Qualifications
    • Experience
    • Staff turnover, particularly the senior management of the school
  • Try to find out how long the head teacher has been there and how long the previous head teacher was in post. This will tell you a lot about the school’s stability
  • Also, have a look at some of the league tables on the BBC, Guardian and The Telegraph websites
  • Does the school encourage the EBacc for GCSE students?
  • Look at all aspects of the school, including extra-curricular activities
    • Teaching and subjects offered
    • Past exam success
    • Music
    • Sports
    • Art and drama
  • You can find useful sources of information online
  • Visiting the  school on an open day is also important and can be insightful
  • Smaller independent schools tend to be the most focused in terms of getting the best out of their pupils
  • The Times and Sunday Times  publish an annual review of the best private and state schools
  • Similar guides to choosing a secondary school can be found in the weekend press
  • Don’t focus solely on exam results! Extra curricular activities can help your child to thrive as a balanced and rounded individual
  • Just because a school is independent, it doesn’t mean that the school will guarantee successful examination results
  • If you are considering an independent secondary school, there are usually grants, bursaries and scholarships available
  • Long term tax efficient investments can also help meet the costs of private education

All the best!

If you have further questions or queries about your child’s education, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0207 040 5648. We would be delighted to help you. We look forward to hearing from you!

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