Choosing your child’s secondary school: questions to ask and where to get information

We know that feeder schools and whole school evaluations can provide context and information about a school, but what else should parents and guardians consider when weighing up their options?

First, however, it’s important to say that not everyone has the luxury of choosing a school: for large parts of Ireland, your child simply goes to the local or nearby school. Especially in rural areas, the local community school may be the only game in town.

Whole School Evaluations (WSE) can give a snapshot of a school’s strengths and weaknesses, but they may be several years out of date, so it’s valuable to look at previous reports to see if the school has improved between inspections. And, if the school has changed principal, it’s likely that the school has changed significantly, too.

Things to note and questions to ask:

Feeder schools: How did your school and county perform?

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· The gender of the principal: This is contentious, it’s not a hard and fast rule, and there are plenty of excellent male principals and plenty of incompetent or awful female principals. With those caveats out of the way, there is evidence that, on average, schools with female principals do better, according to research from Maynooth University academics Dr Aedín Doris, Prof Donal O’Neill and Dr Olive Sweetman.

[ My son’s school has no guidance counsellor. How can I help him choose the right Leaving Cert subjects? ]

· Extracurricular options: Is your child sporty? If so, does the school in question cater for the sport or sports they love? Outside of sport – because not all children are sporty – are there social clubs or charities that they can volunteer with? Just because a school is or isn’t focused on rugby/GAA/football/Model UN/Young Social Entrepreneurs doesn’t make it good or bad – it’s all about what’s best for your child.

· Inclusion: An inclusive school doesn’t just state that it opposes discrimination; it also takes active measures and runs programmes to oppose racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and all forms of discrimination against people with disabilities.

· Pastoral supports: Being a teenager is rough, in case you’ve forgotten. And this generation of teens have had a lot to cope with. It is hard enough to make friends and fit in – which is all many adolescents ever want – but today social media places pressure on their lives and relationships. Meanwhile, Covid-19 left many adrift. Any child can struggle, and none are immune from mental health challenges, so a school without guidance counselling supports and a structure of pastoral care and wellbeing support is a school where even the most academically gifted students can struggle. So, ask this question, advises Dympna Devine, full professor of education in UCD: “If my child is struggling to make friends, will they be minded to bring them on in their social development? That is what school needs to be valuing.”

[ Are fee-paying schools good value for the State, or part of a toxic culture that links education to money? ]

· Results: Just because a school has a “high” progression rate in The Irish Times feeder schools lists does not mean it is a good school. It is possible it may be results-driven at the expense of pastoral care, so parents and guardians should check that it makes room for students of all abilities, and may also run the Leaving Cert Applied Programme alongside having support units for autistic or other neurodiverse students. Students do best in life and education when they are exposed to peers with different life experiences, hopes, abilities and dreams, and they may not always get this in a fee-paying school that prioritises results over inclusion.

Sources of information

· Feeder school lists: There are many caveats to feeder schools and, elsewhere in this year’s coverage, we have highlighted the arguments for and against them.

· Whole school evaluations: These can provide very useful information and context, but it’s worth reading our primer on how to read between the lines with them.

· The local grapevine, especially WhatsApps groups: Irish parents are very engaged in education. They know better than anyone what’s going on in a school or a particular classroom. Beware of sensational and unfounded rumours, of course, but there is wisdom in the crowd. That said, do bear in mind that what works for one school or student may not work for another.

· Open days: Devine says it is very useful for parents to visit the school to get a sense of what it is like, and to bring the prospective student. “The best way to get a sense of a school, its values and its student supports is to visit it and walk around in it yourself. You can often tell the culture and values when you walk in. Does it feel warm and welcoming?”

[ Most parents support a greater choice of primary schools. Why is change so slow? ]

“If the school is happy to meet and is willing to set up an open day where people come in to have a look, it is a very good sign, signalling that the school places a value on students and parents.”

· Parent’s association: “How active is the parents’ association?” asks Devine. “Because secondary schools are larger, and the children aren’t collected at the school gate like in primary school, it isn’t always as easy to meet other parents. So it can be a good idea to contact the chair.”

Ditto other parents who are involved in the association or in other aspects of school life.

·Your gut: Last, but far from least, go with your gut. In the Irish education system, the principal has a lot of power, and sets the tone for students and staff. Are they open to questions and are they generally transparent about information, or are they guarded and defensive? This can tell you a lot.