Choosing a second-level school for your child

No doubt one of the most important decisions you will make for your child will be the choice of the right second-level school. Many factors affect that decision and it is crucial that parents find out as much as possible to figure out the best options.

Choosing a School provides you with a wide range of information to help you to make an informed decision.
 
When should you start thinking about second level education for your children? This is a question that concerns many parents, particularly ‘new’ parents, or those who haven’t had to go through the process of selecting schools and filling out application forms before.  It can be a daunting process, not least because parents often hear conflicting advice about how to choose the ‘best’ school.

Infact, what parents really need to think about is how to choose the ‘right’ school, and very often the advice given by other parents –how ever well-meaning – can be confusing.

Some parents start thinking about schools as soon as their baby is born.  They may want to secure a place in a school which is heavily subscribed, and therefore they put the child’s name on a waiting list at once.  Others opt to complete application forms for several schools, so that they will have choice when the child is older and the time for starting second level schooling is getting near.

But most parents turn their thoughts to school choice when their children are progressing through primary school. If the primary school is a ‘feeder’ school for a local second level school, then the obvious choice may be to let the child continue up through that school along with the majority of his friends.

But many primary schools do not have an obvious second level school nearby, and parents will need to give some thought to what is going to happen after sixth class.  Few parents leave such an important decision to the last minute, but there will come a point when a decision has to be made. What should you consider when trying to select a school?
 
Firstly, gather as much reliable information as possible, and read reliable information about the education system nowadays. Parents are often surprised at how much has changed even in the last ten years. Based on your own reading and on your knowledge of your child, make a checklist of items that are likely to be important to your child and to you.

Make a decision to check out the schools yourself.   Most schools host an Open Evening (or Open Day) each year, and typically these are held in the Spring so now is a good time to check this out in your area.  At an Open Evening, prospective parents and pupils can take a walking tour of the school building, and see school work on display. Sometimes there are senior pupils and staff available to answer your questions in a relaxed and informal way. If you think it is necessary, ask for an appointment with the Principal or Deputy Principal.

Be prepared when going to an Open Evening or a meeting with the Principal. Based on your own reading and on your knowledge of your child, make a checklist of items that are likely to be important to your child and to you. Try to get some insight into the school culture. What does the mission statement of the school say? What is the code of discipline? What is the ethos of the school? What can Whole School Evaluation reports tell you about the schools you are considering?
           
You should also get information about the subjects that are offered in the school, and the examinations for which pupils are prepared. For example, is your child likely to want to take the Leaving Certificate Applied? If so, you will want a school that provides for this programme. And you may want to know how Transition Year is co-ordinated, and what work experience and projects are available for the Transition Year pupils.
           
It can also be useful to know how the school timetable is organised. Are the pupils streamed for subjects, for example? Or does the school use other organising systems such as banding or setting? And what about resource teachers and learning support? All these issues can be explored at the point when you are making decisions, rather than finding out about them when your child is already in first or second year, and you may be having some doubts about the choice you made.

Parents are often confused about the relative merits of single sex and mixed schooling, so it is certainly worth looking at what Irish and international research can tell us about this issue. And it is also worth thinking about school size, and about school ‘type’. How might a community school differ from a secondary school? What is a community college? Is the school interdenominational or does it have a particular religious ethos? And which schools still charge fees?  These are factors that need to be considered.

Most important of all, research shows that the most important thing is to select a school that is a good ‘match’ for the child – and this is something that can be achieved more easily by becoming informed about second level schooling in Ireland today.

Choosing a School: Second Level Education in Ireland, by Deirdre Raftery and Catherine KilBride, is published by Mercier Press. It is now available in all good bookshops, at 16,00.

Dr Deirdre Raftery is Deputy Head of the School of Education and Lifelong
Learning, University College Dublin. She taught for several years in a
large community school before becoming a lecturer in education. She has
published extensively on the history of education in Ireland.

Catherine KilBride has twenty years’ teaching experience in different
school types, including seven years as principal of a Dublin school
(primary and secondary). She is director of an education consultancy.