Planning next week and every school we shortlisted for my older one's class 6 has its open house between 10 and 12 on a weekday. Two on the same Wednesday. I run installations most mornings and can't skip three of them. Did you go to every visit in person, or is one proper visit plus talking to parents enough to decide?
Just back from an evening shift, so this is a good time to answer. When we were moving my daughter for class 9, I went to one in person and asked the other schools for a phone call with their admissions office instead. Two agreed, one said visits only. Whether the calls told me as much as a visit would have, I honestly can't say. They answered my questions, but I didn't see a classroom.
from the school side we keep these on weekdays so you see classes actually running. saturday ones look tidier and tell you less. if you can only do one weekday visit, use it on the school you're most serious about
Same round for us, grade 5 going into 6. I've been taking half-days from the clinic for these and it's adding up fast. Two done, one to go. The one school that had a Saturday slot filled it in a day 🤷
Half-days add up quicker than you think. When we were choosing for my daughter, years ago now, the most useful thing turned out to be standing at the gate at pickup time and talking to parents. Costs nothing and they don't give you the brochure answers.
Not admission, but same problem with PTMs at my clinic job. Once I sent my husband in my place. All he could tell me after was 'teacher says everything is fine' 😅 If it is important, better you go yourself.
We had a much smaller version of this with daycare visits a few months back. All three wanted 11 am on a weekday. We asked one of them if we could come at drop-off time instead, and that turned out to be the most useful visit of the lot.
Drop-off is a good call for schools too. You see how staff handle the messy part of the day, not the rehearsed part.
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