Open Days question from a newbie

[megapixels]

We are visiting our first secondary school today and wondered, are younger siblings allowed to come to the Open Days? This is not during school hours but later in the day. Not toddlers but older children I mean. That's it really. TIA.

[Anotherchance]

I've been to several open evenings over the last week and there have been younger siblings at both. Unless it suggests on the information that it's targetted at the parents (we had this at one school) then I don't see a problem. Even at this school there were several families with very young children and the staff didn't seem to have an issue.

All I would say, though, is that you know your child, and if they're likely to become fidgetty or need to have a run around, then find someone else to look after them. We had a child like this at one of our open evenings and whilst the staff were extremely welcoming and polite it was a bit frustrating for the other parents there as we couldn't hear everything that was being said.

[meditrina]

I took mine - no problems at any of the schools, and they weren't the only ones there by far.

[4merlyknownasSHD]

When we took our older lad (20yrs old now) round the secondary school he subsequently went to, when he was in year 5, his brother in year 3 came as well and fell in love with the school there and then. Made it much easier when his turn came; we didn't need to do anything!

[hanahsaunt]

We have our first tonight - what happens at them? I don't really want to listen to h/t selling the school - I want to walk around and get a feel for the place and the teaching staff on the ground; will I be sadly disappointed?

[noblegiraffe]

Of course they can come!

If you came to our open day you would have about 2 hours to walk around the school visiting each department where displays are up, books are out and teachers are waiting to talk to you. Current Y7s would be there to help and answer questions as would sixth formers. Then you'd go for a brief talk by the head where she sells the school.

[bruffin]

hanahsaunt- all schools do it differently

DCs school is always full of overexited yr 7s all ready to show off their new school. This year my yr9 DD and yr11 DS were guides so took parents around. But all the teachers are there to talk to as well as displays of work and the most of the teachers will have set up some sort of demonstration.

The HM gives a 15 min talk along with the head girl and boy of lower school.

One school I went to had only prefects there (think they were hiding the other children as I get them impression the HM doesn't like children very much)

[megapixels]

Thanks people, we went today and took our younger DD too. There were loads of younger siblings there.

Hanahs you don't have to listen to the HT's speech if you don't want to - you can go round and just view the school, ask questions etc. if that's all you want to do. But I think you do get a feel for the school by how the head talks, what he/she says etc. In the school we went to only some departments had the children's books out (only the very neat and tidy ones obviously ), but others had displays and projects that could be viewed.

I had forgotten how big secondaries are compared to primaries! Legs are aching now.