Not sure how to choose the right secondary school for your child? Feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of information and choices? You’re not alone. This crucial decision can be exciting and daunting for parents and students alike. But fret not because help is at hand! The latest episode of the Opening Minds Opening Doors Podcast guides you through the process, providing invaluable insights and practical tips to make the right choice.
Your Expert Guide: Niall Gallagher, An Education Insider
In this episode, we’re fortunate to have Niall Gallagher, an Education Director with E-ACT and a former Ofsted Inspector, as our expert guide. With his wealth of experience and knowledge, Niall explains what to look for to choose the right Secondary School.
What Sets a School Apart?
While many aspects of schools may seem similar, the subtle differences truly matter. Niall and other education insiders will help you identify these differentiating factors. From a school’s vision and ethos to its pupil behaviour strategy and extracurricular offerings, this episode will equip you with the questions to ask and things to look for during school visits.
Key Topics Explored:
1. Decoding Ofsted Ratings and Attainment Data
Understanding Ofsted ratings and progress and attainment data is essential. It allows you to gauge how much value a school adds to your child’s academic journey. Niall will provide tips on breaking down this data to make informed decisions.
2. Staying with the Primary Cohort vs. Transitioning to a New Group
Consider whether your child would thrive by staying with their primary school peers or if they would benefit from joining a new group of students.
3. The Importance of a Sixth Form
Does the school offer a Sixth Form program, and how crucial is it for your child’s future career pathway? Niall will shed light on this topic.
4. Meeting the Right People at Schools
Knowing whom to meet with during school visits is key. From SENDCos and pastoral leads to extracurricular heads and subject leads, Niall will advise on the right individuals to connect with.
About Opening Minds Opening Doors Podcast
Opening Minds Opening Doors is an inspiring education podcast created by E-ACT, a network of 28 academies. Each episode is carefully curated to cover a range of topics relevant to students, parents, and education professionals.
Every parent wants their child’s school years to be filled with both happy memories and achievement; and choosing the right school for them to attend feels pivotal when it comes to secondary schools. Unlike when they started primary school, children now, rightly, have opinions on where they continue their education. Sometimes it’s hard to know what questions to ask when you attend an open day. A lot of parents look to Ofsted for guidance and, while their gradings are helpful, their reports only provide a judgement based on a snapshot in time, so it pays for parents to do a really deep dive of their own into a prospective school. We hope this episode of Opening Minds Opening Doors will help parents and their children feel confident and informed while making this life changing decision
Tom Campbell, CEO of E-ACT
Tune In and Get Informed!
Don’t miss out on this essential guidance. Listen to the full episode of the Opening Minds Opening Doors Podcast at openingmindsopeningdoors.co.uk or search for it on your preferred podcast platform. You can also watch it at youtube.com/@openingmindsopeningdoors and stay updated on Facebook and Instagram by following @Openingmindsopeningdoors and @OMOD_Podcast.
Choosing the right secondary school is a significant decision, and this podcast episode will equip you with the knowledge you need to make an informed choice. Don’t miss it!