Don't just look at exit results when choosing your schools.

Many parents I speak to are drawn to the exit results of a school like a moth to the flame. This is important of course, however I encourage you to examine other factors more closely.

Of course if you are reading this blog it is because you want your child to go to the best school for them. You are looking for academic excellence and you want a school that will challenge your child and provide them with a broad curriculum. You are willing and able to invest a lot of money into your child’s education because an excellent education is something that is incredibly important to you.

Many of my own clients are applying to the best schools out there. However, they always have to choose 2 or 3 back ups. And when they are looking at the back up schools, they often tell me about the exit results (where the year 6 pupils end up going for their Secondary education). This is great and of course you must do your research. However this is not the only thing that you should look at.

This is because all of these children will have received external support to help them to gain entry into these top schools. And if you don’t believe me, that’s fine. And if you think I’m not being honest, this is not the blog for you. And if you think it’s the schools responsibility to prepare your child because you are paying them thousands and thousands of pounds, you are wrong.

I am being very honest. I teach children all over the country who go to top schools like Manor Lodge, Haberdashers, Glendower, Faulkner House and Radlett Prep (to name just a few for you) and I support them to be very successful to be offered a place at their schools of choice at 11+.

Of course, the schools support my students. I am absolutely not taking that away from them. But you cannot just count on the school to be responsible for the success of your child. That’s up to you. Remember that they have 20-25+ children to teach.

So look at the exit results but also look at the school as a whole. What do you personally like about the school? Is it the quality of the teaching? Is it the pastoral care? Is it the extra curricular activities the school offers? Is it the small class sizes? Is it the warmth and ambience that you loved when you went on your tour of the school.

Look at these more closely than you look at the exit results.