Schools

Open days that parents remember

An open day is often the first time a family sees a school in person. Most of what they remember comes from small things: who showed them round, what the children were doing and whether their questions were answered.

Pick the right time

Parents who work often cannot come in the middle of a weekday. Offering one morning during the school day and one evening or weekend session lets more families see the school at work and still come.

Tours

Pupil-led tours are popular because parents trust what children say. Brief the guides on the route and the practical questions they will get, and let them answer in their own words.

The talk

Keep the head's talk short. Parents want to know how the school teaches, how it looks after children and what a normal day looks like. Leave time for questions.

What to have ready

• A one-page summary of fees, including extras.
• Term dates and the admissions timetable.
• Bus routes, if you run them.
• Clear next steps: how to apply and when.

A checklist for the day

• Signs from the gate to the reception area, and staff to meet people at the door.
• Printed fee sheets and term dates.
• Bus routes and pick-up times.
• Application forms, or a short link to the online form.
• Name badges for staff, so families know who to ask.
• A way to record who came and what they asked about, with their consent.

Follow-up

Send a short message within a day or two with the next steps, and the name of a person who can answer questions. Ask families who did not apply what put them off. The answers are often more useful than anything else you collect.