Typical questions

Considerations

This section looks specifically at the sorts of questions asked by parents and carers concerned about starting education either via schools or at home. Despite the decline in popularity of school league tables, such queries are still asked on a regular basis, as well as others concerned with the choice of schools in certain areas or for certain criteria. Ofsted reports provide useful information to parents, to teachers going for jobs and to others who need to know about the school. The main consideration is to keep sources up to date; in the current climate, there are many changes in education, so this is even more important. Also bear in mind that church-aided schools may be listed elsewhere. Both the Catholic Directory of England and Wales (Gabriel Communications)and the Church of England Directory give details of their church-aided schools. Other religious denominations also have schools and it is best to check relevant directories for details or to use the sources listed below. For more detailed enquiries, such as those concerned with legal requirements, it is advisable to direct the enquirer to recommended specialist resources which your library may have, or to organizations that offer specialist advice. The sources listed below are excellent and should answer or provide guidance on many of the regular and recurring enquiries. It would be useful to bookmark websites that you find particularly helpful.

Where to look

Schoolswebdirectory

www.schoolswebdirectory.co.uk

This contains 33,000 UK schools and colleges with 20,000 websites and allows searching by county, local education authority, name of school or postcode. It also includes independent schools. Excellent.

Sunday Times School Guide

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/goodschools

A subscription service to a searchable interactive guide to the UK's top 2000 primary and secondary schools.

Try also www.schoolsearch.co.uk.

Choosing a school

For advice and guidance on choosing a school use www.direct.gov.uk. Select Parents, then Schools, learning and development. Select as appropriate.