REGARDING moving from primary to secondary school, as someone with 26 years' teaching experience, my advice would be to ignore hype and advertising such as "Number one choice for families across the North Cotswolds, South Warwickshire and Worcestershire".

Open evening questions I will want answering are:

Do they advertise to replace teachers in all subject areas in an effort to employ the very best teachers available, or do they only advertise for those subjects considered the most important by Mr Gove?

How heavy is the emphasis on assessment? Robust and rigorous data, tests and targets do not improve results. They help, but too much of it results in children feeling inadequate, quickly making them feel over-pressured.

How much does the school value non-curriculum achievements, and how do they celebrate those achievements?

Is participating in extra-curricular activities truly valued, or only valued so long as it doesn't affect extra exam booster sessions?

Ask older students if they were allowed to do the GCSE subjects they wanted to, or were they steered/advised away from doing certain subjects?

Finally, if the pressure on your child's teachers becomes too excessive it will have a knock-on effect.

Past reputations change quickly. Choose wisely.

Leon James

Pebworth