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Post by chotimonkey on Mar 10, 2014 14:45:31 GMT
We are starting the open day rounds for a primary for Squirrel in sept 2015...
What did you ask/ look out for at yours?
Anything that set alarm bells ringing?
Thanks...
So nerve wracking thinking of little Squirrel being outside our sphere for such a large part of the week!
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kanga2
Bronze Member
Married Adopter
Posts: 53
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Post by kanga2 on Mar 10, 2014 21:39:59 GMT
Well, you know your child, which is more than we did when looking for our eldest as she was already in y3 when she was placed, and then our little one just followed her sister.
I would look for 2 things - general education, and caring for the adopted child.
General education - bright cheerful place, examples of work up on the walls, teachers who sound committed to phonics as a sensible way to teach reading, 'good enough' y6 sats (ability to get some level5s), some level of eveidence of engaging teaching (eg author visits, forest school, trips out in local area, or whatever)
Caring for the adopted child - sound responses to questions regarding safeguarding (eg pictures in paper), emotional support (eg special groups, trained TAs), acceptance that some children need different behaviour management (not one size fits all). Sometimes the schools in the less good areas can be better because they are more used to dealing with children from struggling circumstances.
Generally a school you think you can work with and that will listen to you if needed.
hth
kanga2
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Post by gilreth on Mar 10, 2014 22:21:05 GMT
We ought to be starting this for Sqk but given my (adopted) nephew is at the school 5 minutes walk from home and I know how supportive they have been with him plus the training they are getting - DH & I have decided to just apply there for now. We know they get the safeguarding although it has caused complaints from other parents as school will not allow photos to be taken during plays and the like - they can be taken at end once at risk children have been removed. The behaviour is more of an issue but we will work with them on that as I know my sister is. As an added bonus one of the parent governors is another adopter from our prep course (birth child in school) so we also have a helpful contact there.
We do not like what we have heard of the other local primary schools and going further out would give us transport issues. Plus he starts school nursery there in September so will know some children already. We are very lucky in that my sister did all the research before us so we do not have to do as much. Plus Sqk is much more easy-going (at moment) than his cousin was at the same age. However am interested in this in case we need it in future.
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Post by moo on Mar 11, 2014 4:32:41 GMT
Having just come thro some real big issues with school ( & removed boys to a new school ) my top tip trust your gut & feel of the atmosphere ( old school never felt quite right but thought I was imagining it coz I couldn't put my finger on what felt 'wrong' )
As others say it is about academia but also about safeguarding & schools understanding each child has individual needs.... All obvious on the surface but in practise!!
Good Luck.....
xx. moo. Xx
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Post by kstar on Mar 11, 2014 19:03:48 GMT
The most important thing to me was the family ethos.
I love the fact that it's a small, friendly school with small classes and a very positive ethos based on relationships.
They encourage all the children to play with all ages for example.
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Post by sockthing on Mar 14, 2014 11:17:57 GMT
Hi Choti, you have my sympathy as I was wracked with anxiety about this! You will feel better when you start looking.
I would advise looking at as many as practical - it's a bit like house -hunting, you need to make comparisons to know what you feel. I agree to trust your instincts.
We looked at 2 big schools, and 2 very small schools. One of the big schools had a very impressive speil on their website about their experience with children with SEN and the autistic spectrum, and their connections to special schools etc etc. They had lots if diversity and apparently experience of adopted children, But when we went we couldn't stand the head - he was a real creep and when we explained kippers background and issues, he was SO obviously thinking "oh god this kid sounds a nightmare". He gave us the patter, but you could see it was superficial.
In contrast, our village school has a reputation for limited experience with SEN, which worried us, but when we looked round the Head had booked us in for a private look round and had allocated a whole hours time to show us round this tiny little school and talk to us, and when we explained everything to her she emphasised flexibility in approach to discipline strategies and transition into school, and when we asked if she'd be happy to have advice from our PASW she said "yes please!".
I was also keen to know about approaches to discipline - is it positive emphasis or is there a shame element. How flexible can they be for the individuals needs.
Atmosphere counts for a lot when you visit.
Good luck!
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Post by sivier on Mar 14, 2014 12:12:21 GMT
Great advice from people. If looking around with other parents you may not get much chance to ask confidentially about adoption related things, so a follow up visit might be needed (or you could perhaps ask the school office for an initial look around just with your family, and explain there are things you'd prefer to ask/discuss in confidence?).
I think your instinct will come into play. The school we chose had bright, large, open classrooms, smaller numbers in the class, a very open and flexible approach, non-shaming discipline techniques (not all schools do, despite what they say. I asked one school about whether they used any 'traffic light' type behaviour management systems in the classroom, and they said no - but I know a mum with her little boy there, and that's exactly what they use!). It might be useful to ask whether teachers have had any attachment training.
A sense of fun, engagement, community and friendliness in the school is really important as is of course the general quality of teaching. Our school is Ofsted 'Good', not 'Outstanding'. It is in a perhaps 'less good' area and has, as Kanga suggests, practical experience in dealing with children with less than straightforward starts in life. Our local 'Outstanding' school I found to be more structured, with a sense of much more pressure academically from an early age, and little real understanding of attachment issues.
It's essential to talk to other parents. We felt quite a bit of social pressure to go for the more academically successful school near us, but it didn't feel right for our AD. Speaking with parents at several local schools gave us a bit more insight into them.
Good luck. I lost much sleep and gained several years in the 'deciding which school' process....!!
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Post by leo on Mar 14, 2014 20:51:22 GMT
One thing you can tell fairly easily walking round a school is how much importance they place on social and emotional values/skills.
Do they have displays on the wall about these things?
Are the classroom rules clearly displayed?
I would expect that a school who are outwardly displaying these things are much more likely to be mindful of them in general.
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Post by moo on Mar 15, 2014 8:35:36 GMT
Hindsight is such a valuable but ultimately useless thing!!.
Having just moved baa & skweek from their school the biggest difference I noticed immediately is :-
Old School always seemed to have an air of expectancy ie waiting for something to happen holding It's breath... Permission to move!!!
New School is relaxed happy chatter of children, teachers hovering in the playground at drop off interacting & very openly smiley!!
Why I hadn't noticed this before I just don't know but it really is about atmosphere & vibe... Get your antennae twitching !!!
xx. moo. Xx
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Post by kstar on Mar 15, 2014 16:43:27 GMT
Two more things spring to mind. I loved that when I made an appointment to go in, it was the head herself who showed us round. We went into every classroom and she told me to pick up any books, look at any displays or speak to any adults I wanted as we went round. I didn't really do it but it made me feel nothing was being hidden, no show being put on.
Secondly, I underestimated how much I personally needed the right school too! The family ethos spills over to the parents, and within about four months, other parents would be gently pointing out things I needed to know (even small schools assume parents know things like when winter or summer PE kit is required, or that they need colouring pencils in their bags for wet lunchtimes!), inviting us both round for play/ coffee dates to give me a break as a single parent, or helping out practically (one mum now takes Starlet to the park for me after school once a week until I can get there, saving me a tenner on after school club).
I'm not sure how you pick that up on a visit but it's made the whole experience so much less stressful for both of us!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2014 15:53:52 GMT
Bumped for Ad-Minnie to read
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