Broomwood Hall Upper School Head Louisa McCafferty discusses how parents can ensure the application and transition to senior school goes smoothly
Making the choice and managing the entrance to senior school can seem complex for parents familiar with the UK system – even more so for families who are moving (or returning) to the UK. At Broomwood Hall, we recognise the issues that can make the decision so difficult.
The first important step is not to panic. Your priority should be to find a fantastic school for your children – and the good news is there are plenty of excellent choices. A good school will not only actively prepare your child academically and emotionally for every transition but will also support your family throughout the educational journey. Here’s a checklist of areas we suggest parents focus on.
Decide what you are looking for in a senior school
Do you prefer a single sex environment or a co-educational one? Perhaps you are open to all. Are you looking for a boarding school or a day school? While traditionally there was a tendency to look at the league tables and start from there, what is equally if not more important is the ‘value added’. This is a great measure of a school’s determination and ability to get the best out of children and help them to thrive. Also decide what values are important to you as a family. This is particularly important at a boarding school, as your child will spend a great deal of time there and the values and ethos should replicate your own.
Carry out research
While nothing quite compares to visiting a school in person, since the pandemic – when schools couldn’t host physical visits – many offer website tours that give great insights into what the school is all about. The best capture the life of a school. This is useful starting point to focus your search and set of criteria before narrowing down.
Visiting schools in person (or via one-to-one virtual appointments if physical visits are impossible) is the next step. This will provide a clearer sense of the atmosphere and culture. It’s also an opportunity to meet key members of staff who will tell you more about the inner workings of school life. Have questions prepared in advance – you want to maximise your session and leave feeling satisfied that any queries have been addressed.
Don’t be surprised if your criteria change
Many parents I see will have an idea of the type of education or school they envisage for their child. Sometimes this is based on their own experiences, or it might be reputational and based on what they have heard. Sometimes it is purely down to the stats. But education has moved on considerably since we were at school, and it is important to stay open-minded – the first and foremost priority is to find a senior school where your child will thrive, not simply survive. It is very common for families to end their search in a very different place to where it started.
I have parents who only wanted day school but ended up pursuing a boarding route and families who took a risk on a newer school versus more established ones. Time and again, parents will say ‘we never thought to consider that school, but it turned out to be exactly what we were looking for’.
Broomwood Hall northwoodschools.com
Further reading: Pangbourne College on choosing to go independent for senior years
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