Mum and the city: how to choose the right school for your child

Cllr Bruce advises parents against trying to fiddle the system. “Please don’t vacate your habitual residence to move into accommodation to increase your priority in gaining a school place – schools and local authorities undertake thorough address verification processes.”

You have been warned.

Look at the day to day needs of your family. Do you want your children to be able to walk to school or are you willing to do a lengthy school run? Is there a school bus? Will you be close enough to attend school plays and sports games? Is there an after school club? Is the SEN provision good? Are there scholarships? Where will their siblings go? What is the catchment area? What secondary schools does this school lead on to?

Make a list of what you definitely do and do not want to deal with for the next few years.

Think about your child’s personality, needs, interests and strengths. What does your child need – academic brilliance, sports, social development or emotional well-being? Talk with your child and come up with a list of five things you each want in a school. Even if they are still tiny, try to accommodate their thoughts and feelings.

At such a young age you can’t know if they will be a gifted physicist or an Olympic swimmer, so you have to use your intuition. Which school can you imagine your little one thriving at? Look at how your child deals with pressure. Will your child thrive or flounder in a high pressured environment?

Also, you must consider your own preference – will you enjoy getting involved in the PTA and parent social activities?

“Every school website is going to look amazing and every school is going to give you the impression that they are the best school in the area," says Hyatt. "Visit lots of schools and decide for yourself.”

Cllr Bruce agrees: “The things you hear about certain school are most likely from a vocal minority and may not be a true reflection. You definitely should read the school prospectus and listen to what others are saying, but I cannot stress enough the need to visit schools. You wouldn’t buy a house without looking round it first, would you?”

Here’s some questions to add to your probably already long list:

What is the school’s driving philosophy?

What qualities do children leaving this school possess?

What are the staff like? What is the staff turnover? Does the head know something about each child?

Can children flourish is non-academic areas?

What happens when things go wrong?

It’s also a good idea to ask your child’s pre-school teacher where the other children go on to, and where they think would suit your child.

Cllr Bruce adds, “If you get an opportunity to talk to some of the children who go to the school make sure you ask them some questions too – they will be very honest about the good and bad aspects.”

Once you have chosen your school, the application process is the next hurdle. The application process for schools can be is very different. Orchard House School requires adding your child to the waiting list as soon as they are born, whereas the state-run schools work a year in advance.

Most private schools will have an admission interview process, even for pre-prep children. This will be more of an observation of how well socially adjusted the child is. It also allows schools to observe how well the parents will fit into the school community.

Are there any shortcuts to securing a private school place? Hyatt says no. “Contrary to popular belief Fortnum & Mason hampers will not bump your child’s name up the waiting list. If a place does become available, keep an eye out for any emails from the school and if you are contacted, respond promptly. Keep the school informed of any changes to your contact details and keep your fingers crossed.”

Cllr Bruce advises state school applicants to: “Make sure you look at the admission criteria for the schools. These are generally similar for most schools but not always. You can check the most recent allocation data on the council’s website.

Do use all your six preferences – listing one school only will not give you a better chance of getting that particular school. Each preference is considered individually against the admission criteria of each school. And remember, attending the nursery of a school does not give you priority or guarantee a place – you must apply for it again for a reception class place.”

While schools are closed, probably until September, going to view a school in action isn’t an option. Contact prospective schools and ask what alternatives they are putting in place. Is there a video prospectus or virtual tour? Can you video call the teachers or head?

Read between the lines of the school’s website. Do they mention academic achievement or wellbeing the most? Their philosophy will shine through. Look at Ofsted reports and primary school league tables

Ask how the schools are dealing with the lockdown, this will give you a good idea of their versatility and resourcefulness.

This is the most important thing to remember. You will get a good sense of where your child will be happy, and they will too. “At the end of the day, use your parental instinct," says Hyatt. "You will get a feel for the school the minute you walk through the front door. You will look at the current children and imagine your little one sitting in the chair, putting their hand up to answer a question, charming the visiting parents. When you find the right school, you will just know.”

Once you have applied, how do you help your child transition smoothly into school? Cllr Bruce has some great advice. “Include your child in the process and start talking to them early about starting school. Clearly with a four year old this has its limitations, but doing this in an age appropriate way really helps with the transition.

"Try not to be school specific before you find out which school they have got in to. If they don’t get into the school you were hoping for, try not to share your disappointment with them, the more positive you can be about their new school, the more positive they will feel about the process.

"Once you do know the school, begin talking to your child about this. Perhaps there may be a different routine or different grown-ups involved in the drop off and pickups. Talk about the uniform, what class they will be in and who the teacher is. Again, try to be as positive as possible, they will feed off your enthusiasm as well as your concerns. Do remember that your experience of school will not necessarily be the same as for your child, so be positive but listen to what they are excited about and looking forward to as well as their concerns.”

Good luck!