Prepare a short, personal question list

Read the school overview, admission arrangements and latest inspection information before visiting. This lets you use the time for questions that are specific to your child. Choose a few priorities, such as reading support, a particular interest, communication needs or the transition into a larger setting.

Separate questions for the tour from those needing privacy. A general question about support can be asked in a group, but detailed health, family or learning information belongs in a separate conversation. Ask in advance whether the relevant staff member will be available or whether an appointment would be better.

Ask about learning in concrete terms

Instead of asking whether teaching is good, ask how a child learns something important. What happens when a pupil is struggling with reading? How do teachers extend someone who understands a topic quickly? How do pupils receive feedback and use it to improve their work?

Ask to see an example of the curriculum over a term or year. At secondary level, find out how subject options work and what advice pupils receive. At primary level, ask how the school balances literacy and numeracy with science, creativity, physical activity and the wider curriculum.

Notice relationships and participation

Look at how staff and pupils speak to one another. Notice whether pupils seem comfortable asking questions and whether adults explain expectations clearly. Ask how new children make friends and what happens if someone spends break time alone or feels worried about a lesson.

Remember that an open day is a prepared event. A polished demonstration is only one glimpse of the school. Where possible, ask how the same activity works on an ordinary day and how children with different needs participate. A thoughtful answer can be as revealing as the demonstration itself.

Explore inclusion and practical support

Ask who coordinates additional support and how parents are involved in planning and review. Describe the kind of help your child may need without expecting an instant assessment during the tour. Find out what information the school would need before agreeing a transition plan.

Look beyond classroom support to lunch, toilets, movement around the site, clubs and trips. Ask how the school responds when a pupil cannot access an activity in its usual form. Inclusion is easier to understand through those everyday examples than through a statement that everyone is welcome.

Check the routine around the lessons

Confirm arrival, collection, meals, uniform and the arrangements before and after school. Ask how clubs are booked, whether places are limited and how transport works after an activity. Find out how messages reach home and what happens when a family cannot use the usual digital system.

Ask about costs and financial support in a straightforward way. Check whether equipment or optional activities involve additional charges. At a secondary school, ask what help is available with homework and access to resources. The whole routine needs to work, not just the formal timetable.

Compare visits and follow up

After the visit, record what you observed, what staff said and what remains uncertain. Keeping those separate helps avoid turning an impression into a fact. Use the same headings for each school so you can compare the points that matter to your family.

Invite your child's view and ask why a particular detail stood out. Then follow up important unanswered questions in writing. Before applying, recheck the admission criteria and forms. A positive visit is useful evidence of fit, but it does not change the rules used to allocate places.

Your quick checklist

  • Read admission and inspection information before the visit.
  • Choose a few questions based on your child’s needs.
  • Ask for ordinary examples of teaching and support.
  • Check lunch, travel, clubs and communication arrangements.
  • Record observations separately from assumptions.
  • Follow up unresolved questions before applying.
More tools for your family

Common questions

Can I ask to visit during a normal school day?

Ask the school what visits it can offer. Some arrange individual or small-group tours; others use scheduled events. A follow-up conversation may still clarify ordinary routines.

Should my child come with me?

Follow the event guidance and consider their age and needs. If they attend, give them room to notice and ask questions without making them responsible for the whole decision.

What if I cannot attend the open day?

Request the information pack and ask about another visit or a telephone conversation. Missing an open event should not stop you checking the admission process and asking necessary questions.

Sources & checking

This guide was checked against the publications below. They are listed by name so you can identify the underlying guidance. Arrangements can change, and the school or relevant education authority can confirm what applies to your child.

  • Department for Education — School admissions: choosing schools
  • Welsh Government — School admissions and appeals: frequently asked questions
  • Ofsted — Understanding Ofsted report cards and grades
  • Estyn — Inspection explained for parents and carers

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