5 key questions to ask when visiting schools for your child

Making the best decision about where to educate your child is no easy feat, especially when you want only the best for them. So, how do you know when a school is the right fit for your child? 

To give us an insight into the decision-making process, Chris Elliot-Jones, head of marketing at Rendcomb College in the Cotswolds, shares five of the best questions for parents to ask when looking around a school.

1. Does the school offer any one-to-one support in the curriculum? 

“It’s vital that your child doesn’t feel lost or left behind,” Chris says. “This can stunt both their personal and academic development, and they need to feel supported and valued to achieve their best potential.” 

Chris tells us about the personal tutoring system that Rendcomb College has adopted. “Each pupil is assigned an academic tutor when they begin at the senior school. This tutor will be their first line of support who they meet with each morning to discuss their progress, goals and any issues,” he says.

Each senior school pupil at Rendcomb College is assigned a personal tutor for advice and support. (Image: Andy Catterall)

"The personal tutors tailor their advice and support to wherever the pupil is at in their academic journey – from Year 7 right through to applying to university and offering career advice."

He adds: “The tutor-pupil relationship is especially key when they reach Sixth Form, as it allows students to discuss any concerns, ideas and feelings about their future, so they can be supported accordingly."

The College also has qualified mental health first-aiders who are always on hand to offer any necessary support to children regarding personal or schooling matters.

2. What feedback did you receive in your recent inspections? 

“How schools are performing under inspection is an accurate reflection of how they are doing overall,” Chris tells us. “Whilst it’s not the only thing parents should be focusing on, it provides a great insight into the kind of environment they are considering for their child.”

Rendcomb College has an ‘excellent’ score for both pupil development and pupil achievements from the Independent Schools Inspectorate. (Image: Andy Catterall)

The Good School's Guide describes Rendcomb College as an "idyllic school which expects to keep its youngsters until the end of their schooldays and where they can grow into themselves, learn and experience wonderful things. Rendcomb makes sure that those teenage years are about more than grades, grades, grades, yet still manages to get its students successfully to the next stage of their education."

Rendcomb College has recently been awarded an 'excellent' score, the highest level of certification for both pupil development and pupil achievements from the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

3. What is the future direction of this school? 

“This is an important consideration when you’re visiting a school,” Chris says. “You want to ensure the school continues to pursue new and exciting endeavours and that their academic standing is improving."

Chris explains that a school’s results should be a key indicator for parents in assessing the quality of teaching and support at a school. “Rendcomb College is moving from strength to strength, achieving 95 per cent of Grades 9 to 4 and 52 per cent of Grades 9 to 7 at GCSE in 2022. We are embarking on an upwards trajectory and our results and pupil achievements reflect this.

"The College offers over 100 extracurricular activities across the board from chess club and knitting to sailing and mountain biking - we intend to continue increasing our variety of options to improve our pupils’ opportunities."

Rendcomb College offers its students the opportunity to partake in over 100 extracurricular activities. (Image: Andy Catterall)

4. How can I be sure that our values align with the school?

“Solely focusing on results is a common mistake which parents can make when looking at a school for their child,” Chris shares. “A school’s values need to align with the values of a family to ensure it’s a good fit for the child, but also that the child is the right fit for the school, too.

"Our pupils are encouraged to embody our values of being thoughtful, adventurous, and ambitious, which helps them to become grounded and well-rounded individuals.”

5. Do you have a Sixth Form and if so, how do you prepare pupils for the future? 

Chris explains that a school having a Sixth Form should be a factor to consider when deciding if it is right for your child. "It's something that parents might overlook, but is important for them to consider when thinking about their child's future," he says. "It helps pupils to transition more smoothly into their next stage of education before moving on. Make sure to question the class sizes, subject offerings and support that pupils are offered during their time in the Sixth Form."

Rendcomb College looks to welcome pupils who share their values of thoughtfulness, adventure and ambition. (Image: Andy Catterall))

Rendcomb College currently has 70 pupils across both Years 12 and 13, allowing for smaller class sizes and higher levels of personal attention and support. “Alongside the traditional subjects, our Sixth Form also offers a variety of less traditional options including photography, business and economics, foreign languages, psychology and sport,” says Chris.

They also have an active careers department, focused on expanding pupils’ options and possibilities for their future through arranging an array of industry-specialist speakers, demonstrations, and enrichment activities.

“Our annual ‘Garden House’ week invites our Year 13 Sixth Form pupils to spend a week at a house onsite, manage a budget and cook their own meals (including a dinner party for a senior leadership staff member on the Thursday), all whilst attending their lessons," Chris tells us.

“These experiences are designed to inspire pupils and broaden their depth of experience, as well as build key skills for life after school. University open day visits and subject-specific trips are just a couple of other extra-curricular support activities that we offer our Sixth Form pupils.”

There are also a range of preparatory lectures during the summer term from experts in finance, social media and digital marketing, which teach pupils important transferable skills in handling money, job-hunting, and practicing self-promotion. 

To find out more about Rendcomb College and its offerings, visit rendcombcollege.org.uk. To make an enquiry, contact info@rendcombcollege.org.uk or 01285 831213.