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Secondary School

Remember that when your son or daughter starts secondary school, it is not only a daunting time for him or her, but also for you. You may not know many of the other parents and the school building is unfamiliar.

Your child’s school career

If your son or daughter goes to school in England, this table will give you a quick overview of what happens when:

Choosing a secondary school

Your child’s primary school will usually be able to offer advice. However, another good way of getting practical information is by talking to parents whose older children already attend nearby secondary schools. You can also find details on www.schoolsnet.com.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a secondary school for your child:

• Location
• Performance tables for GCSEs and A-levels (www.dfes.gov.uk/performance tables has archives too)
• Most schools have their own websites, which can be accessed through www.schoolsnet.com
• Special strengths - bear in mind your child’s interests in music, sports, the arts or curricular subjects that may be available such as languages and ICT. For further information about Specialist Schools, check www.specialistschoolstrust.org.uk
• You can also access Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) reports at www.ofsted.gov.uk

The best schools

www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk is a very informative website that picks out some of the top secondary state schools in the country.

The top-rated state schools can be difficult to get places at, unless you live very close. Any estate agent will tell you that a good school has a big impact on local house prices within their catchment area.

Options and subjects

As your son or daughter progresses through the education system they will specialise more and more. So, at GCSE level, your child will need to drop some subjects.

If help from your child’s teacher and advice from the school aren’t enough, you can spend time online at www.learn.co.uk to see what topics your child will be studying for different subjects. There are full details of the curriculum to be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/parents too.

Getting involved

You will find that it is usually much harder to get involved in your child’s schooling than it was at primary level. To have more insight into the school’s policies and activities you could consider standing for a parent governor position.

Teachers prefer to take up problems in class or emotional problems directly with your child, rather than with parents. So it is vital that you and your child talk. That way you can keep in touch with what is going on in school, and whether your child has any worries or concerns.

Secondary schools will usually have someone with whom students can discuss problems of stress or unhappiness at home or at school. It is important to make sure that your child knows how to access these services.

If there is a serious problem, both you and the headteacher will usually be involved.