Top Ten Tips for Choosing a School ‘Virtually’
With the vast majority of school tours ‘gone virtual’ or strictly by appointment only it is certainly more challenging to ‘get a feel’ for a school when choosing for your child. Usually you can get a really good sense of a school by visiting on their Open Day or during a private visit when you get to see the school in action, chat to students and speak to staff. Currently the ability to do this is highly limited meaning that schools are wholly reliant on their virtual offering to promote their school. So how do you look past the fantastic filming skills and technical wizardry in compiling these virtual tours to really dig down into what the school is really like and whether it is the right place for your child?
Here are our top tips for choosing a school in these differing times:
- Try to look past the glitz of the production – it’s now big business producing virtual tours so try to look past which one looks the ‘snazziest’
- Do you get to hear from the students and do they look like they are talking from the heart or does it look very scripted?
- Does the Head answer your questions in terms of their beliefs and passions? What is their vision?
- Does the Head engage with the viewer but also leave plenty of scope for other staff and students to showcase the school?
- Can you see children in the background of the filming looking engaged in learning in classrooms or happy with friends if viewing outside areas?
- Do you get a good feel for the facilities on offer and if they are they making the most of the facilities available in the current climate?
- Is there the ability to have a ‘zoom’ meeting or similar with the Head or Deputy Head to answer any further questions and get a feel for their personality?
- In addition to the Virtual Tours make sure you read the schools blogs/news/Ofsted/ISI reports in conjunction with the online visit.
- Follow schools of interest on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook. The ‘socials’ platform is an excellent way to get to know the day to day life at the school. Here you can learn about any awards or initiatives or just about daily life at the school which is so vital.
- Although tempting, refrain from asking questions about different schools on local chat groups/mumsnet/netmums as opinions are personal and can be conflicting.
Remember your child is unique with individual needs and you need to trust your judgement when provided with all the information and assess it as a whole rather than just as a result of a professionally filmed virtual tour.
If you would like any further information, help or advice about schools in the Buckinghamshire area please do refer to our Local Schools Round Up. If you have any further enquiries or need help with your school search please don’t hesitate to get in contact. Email: enquiries@chilternrelocation.com or phone 01494 672086 or visit our website www.chilternrelocation.com
