Junior School Open Days in Bristol | A Parent’s Guide to Success

The first day of school is a fairly big deal.  Many of us will remember it clearly for years to come, often well into our adulthood, even when memories of other events of a similar time are patchy or missing altogether.  At that age, few experiences could compete with the significance of the day and the changes it brings to our lives – and when occasions are as important as this, parents and guardians naturally want to give their child the best chance of making the experience a positive one.

When we choose a school, several indicators of a successful establishment can easily be researched and verified via a quick internet search; other equally important aspects, however, must be experienced first-hand.  The screens of our phones and computers will never give us a real sense of how it feels to be in a school or the atmosphere among the people in it.  For this, there’s no substitute for visiting the campus in-person – and wherever possible to make use of your child’s future junior school open day.

There’s a lot to bear in mind when it comes to these events, so here’s a quick reminder of the things we can all do to make the most of the opportunity.

Save the Date of Your Open Day Appointment

It may seem obvious, but in today’s busy and distraction-filled world, it’s always a good idea to write down the date or dates, somewhere that will be seen regularly.  It can often be more effective to have it written down on a calendar or post-it note in addition to having it stored away on our phones, if only to maximise our chances of seeing it and keeping the date in mind.

This year at QEH, our Junior School opens its doors for its Junior School Open Morning on Saturday 5th October.  Like every year, students and their families will have the chance to meet the Head of the school, chat with the teachers and be taken on a tour of the campus by our Year 6 pupils.  If you’d like to get an up-close experience of what it’s like to be here, it’s not to be missed.

Preparing for an Open Day

You will no doubt have already done plenty of research about a school before considering it for an open day experience, but there’s every chance that it won’t have been the only school on the shortlist.  Make sure to take a fresh look at the information available to you before attending the campus and make a note of any questions you might have about it.  Doing this ahead of time minimises the possibility of something slipping your mind at the last minute.

Bring your Child Along

Far from being occasions reserved for parents and guardians, junior school open days ought to be attended by the future student too, if at all possible.  They offer a unique insight into how easily your child might adjust to the environment and how comfortable they are in it.  During the course of the event, make sure to ask for their feedback as often as possible and pay close attention to their particular ways of showing excitement and anxiety.  Every child is different and nobody will be better equipped to read the signs.

Head’s Speech

The Head of a school giving a speech is a fairly common part of an open day, and one which is well worth being present for.  While every school will inevitably use this opportunity to highlight its strengths, it will nevertheless give you a good idea of the school’s ethos and general approach to education.  And remember: omissions are just as important as inclusions; if anything is noticeably absent from the speech, make sure to ask about it later on.

What questions should you ask at a school open day?

This will be one of the only chances you’ll have to get answers for your questions directly from the source, so be sure to take advantage of it.  Some points of concern will make themselves known once you visit and get a first-hand impression of the school, but it’s always a good idea to have some prepared in advance.  Some of the things you might want to ask include:

• What is the average class size?
• Are there any extra-curricular activities on offer, what are they and how do pupils access them?
• What extra support is in place for particularly gifted students and those with different educational needs?
• Does the school have a robust and accessible pastoral care system in place?
• What are transport options like, to and from the campus?

Engage your Open Day Guides

It’s quite common for schools to select some of their older pupils to represent the student body during their open day events.  At QEH, for example, some of our Year 6 students will be here to give you a tour of the campus and to answer any questions you might have about their personal experience of being a member of the QEH family.

Ask to Use the Toilets

A tried-and-tested method for getting an idea of a school’s standards of hygiene is to look at the cleanliness of their toilet facilities.  Unless there’s a good reason not to, most schools will be happy for you to use them, so don’t be afraid to ask – and be sure to inspect them while you do.  They will of course go to every effort to make the facilities look their best on these dates, but a one-off cleaning is unlikely to cover up any serious issues or worrying signs.

The End-of-Day System

If you want a reliable indicator of how well-organised and secure a school is, visit the campus again at the end of the school day.  Be mindful of not being an inconvenience, but there should be somewhere nearby to watch from a respectful distance.  Seeing how a school operates during the home-time rush tells us a lot about how it deals with the every day pressures of running a successful and safe educational environment.

Junior School Open Days in Bristol – Trying it On for Size

There are lots of talented and dedicated teams of educators out there, all working hard to provide the right environment for academic achievement.  When your child commits to a school, above all, it’s important for them to enjoy their time there – and one school might just make them feel better than the others.  Junior school open days are about more than just the grades and the budget: they’re about making sure your child feels at home.

Have you got any questions about Junior School Open Days at QEH Bristol? Visit our Open Events Page or get in touch with us directly.