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Advice on choosing schools

Introduction

Transition between primary and secondary school can be one of the most difficult times for children and their families.  Admission arrangements can often appear complicated and while the majority of families are able to navigate the system successfully and gain a school place that meets their needs, there are a significant number who will find the process difficult to understand.

What is a Choice Adviser?

The role of the Choice Adviser is to offer confidential, impartial advice in order to help families optimise their preferences using all the available information.  This information may include:

• individual school prospectuses;
• admissions policies;
• oversubscription criteria;
• school OFSTED Reports|
• achievement and attainment tables - see DCSF performance tables|
• Special Educational Needs provision.

Choice Advisers hope to ensure that all parents are armed with the information they need to make well informed choices in order to find the right school for their child.

Choice Advisers work for the local authority and, whilst offering impartial advice, do not make decisions for parents and cannot guarantee a place at a particular school.

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