Picking a school for your child can be an exciting, but scary time so to help you get started we’ve put together a few top tips.

Visiting schools

Having a look around schools will help give you an idea of what they have to offer. Schools organise open days for parents to visit and meet staff. Contact the schools you’d like to see for more information.

School information

Prospectuses are no longer a legal requirement, however schools are required to make a range of information available on websites and provide it for parents who do not have internet access. This should include details about the school, such as school policies, after-school activities, curriculum matters and performance related results.

School inspection reports

The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) regularly inspects schools. You can get a copy of a school’s most recent inspection report from the school on request. Alternatively, inspection reports are available online at ofsted where you can find more information. Parents can also view information on the school’s performance, by visiting dataview

School performance

Schools provide results of their own National Curriculum testing in their prospectus. The Department for Education also publishes national achievement and attainment tables each year and these can be found online at education.gov.uk

School websites

Many schools have their own websites and you can also search for school details on eastsussex.gov.uk/findaschool

For more information on school admissions visit eastsussex or call the Information for Families service on 0345 6080192. To make an online application visit admissions