School visits are one of the most important aspects of choosing a place for your child. While technology means we can discover a lot through our devices, there’s still no substitute for getting a feel for a school in person.
Here at St Peter’s Prep, we encourage all parents who are considering their child’s education to visit our private school in Devon. Below, we explain the importance of school visits and what to expect when visiting us.
The Importance of Visiting Potential Schools for Your Child
There is a lot that goes into making a school great, more than can be quantified in simple metrics. While it’s always good to look out for reports and success rates, and read a school’s prospectus, no final decision should be made before you’ve seen the school with your own eyes.
There are so many advantages to visiting a school yourself, particularly in getting to understand what the institution really cares about, and what that could mean for your child.
Understand the School’s Values
Every school likes to talk about their values, and many of them are the same across schools. Visiting a school can be key to really understanding how a school’s beliefs translate into your child’s experience.
Open day visits often give you a chance to speak candidly with different members of the school, from the Head to pupils. Being able to ask questions face-to-face about different aspects of the school will allow you to understand, without varnish, what the school’s priorities are every day.
Look at the Facilities
Another great way to understand the priorities of a school is to see its facilities. Again, there is often no shortage of photographs of school facilities online, but getting to see all aspects for yourself will paint a much clearer picture.
What facilities is the school investing in, and do they align with what you want for your child? If there are lots of sports facilities, this means there will probably be plenty of extracurricular opportunities. On the other hand, a state-of-the-art laboratory can give you optimism that the school invests in STEM education.
See How Students Interact
Many school visits will give you the opportunity to speak to current pupils. While the pupils are often pre-selected, they’re still a great way to get a more honest opinion on what school life is really like.
When walking around the school, you’ll also get a flavour of the general behaviour and attitude of pupils. Are classrooms noisy? Can you see students and teachers interacting? Does the atmosphere pupils create feel welcoming and supportive? All of this can add up to give you a more holistic picture of what school life would be like for your child.
When Should You Start Visiting Potential Schools?
If you’re looking for a new school for your child, we’d recommend giving yourself around 12 months before a potential admission date to find the right fit. Of course, that might be shorter or longer depending on your child’s particular needs.
Starting to look a year before admission gives you plenty of time to create a shortlist of potential schools to visit. You then have time to visit a school multiple times, which allows you to see it at different times of the day and also the school year, when the environment can change. Some private schools also have admissions procedures, such as interviews and taster days, that need to be completed in advance of the school year, so early applications can be important.
By giving yourself time to visit multiple schools more than once, you can build up a clearer picture of each option and be more confident in the decision you make for your child.
What to Expect From a St Peter’s School Visit
There are three different ways you can visit St Peter’s Prep:
- An Open Day
- Our School in Action Mornings
- A Personal Tour
In all of these events, we aim to provide a fully comprehensive display of what life at St Peter’s is like for our pupils. You will get the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of our Head and pupils, while also exploring our 28-acre grounds.
Many of our events also provide an opportunity to see classes in action, giving you a chance to experience the energy and spirit that defines the St Peter’s community.
How to Book a Visit to St Peter’s Prep
The best way to visit St Peter’s Prep is to join one of our upcoming events, details of which are always on our Visit Us page. Alternatively, if upcoming events don’t suit your timeline, contact our admissions team to arrange a personal tour.
If you have any questions regarding upcoming events and what to expect, don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful learning institution very soon.
