education week | Finding the right questions for Open Days

One thing to know is that it's important to do a bit of preparation before you attend, like creating a list of questions.

To make the most of open days, it is essential to ask questions. It is the perfect opportunity to direct all your queries on every topic of concern to the right person, be it students or staff.

Prospective students and parents need to develop a list of questions relevant to them, and every family's list will be different.

As the name suggests, an open day is when you can meet with the principal and ask questions.

It's when teachers get to showcase their classrooms. It's where senior students act as guides.

"When I checked out our local primary schools, I found it was all about whether we felt comfortable with the staff. They were approachable and personable," the parent of a first-year student, Ben Riley, said.

You can also gather information on what is available to you and your child academically, athletically and more.

First, think about what's most important to you when choosing a school for your child.

Is it academic achievement, is it behaviour management, is it the overall feel of the school, is it the teachers, is it the facilities and resources? It might be a combination of all these things. You get to go behind the scenes as a prospective family.

Write down all the things you hope your potential school can deliver. Use these things as a starting point for any essential questions you need to be answered.

Every school will have a handbook covering the essentials of school life. This gives you a good overview of the school and its approach.

However, you may have more questions about the school's teaching philosophy, approach to discipline, and life outside the classroom.

Another way to gauge whether the school is right for your family is to have a look around. Do the students appear happy? Do the teachers seem approachable and friendly? Can you picture your child here?

Sometimes these observations can carry the most weight, and even if your questions have been answered well, if any of these things don't seem right, then it may not be the school for you.

Chat with other families with children at some of the schools you're considering.

"We did talk to the neighbours, but being our first school year, we only knew a handful of the parents from kindergarten," Ben said.

Other parents can give you insider knowledge and share what they like best about the school.

However, always come back to your first list of what's most important to you, as this can vary from family to family. Make sure you choose based on your own needs and values and not what is discussed as a 'good school'.

Many boarding parents want to know things about homework support opportunities, mobile phone policy, how the school deals with issues, and even career pathways. They may have questions about how children will be looked after from a pastoral point of view and their health and well-being.

Parents should consider what elements are most important to them and ask questions accordingly.