This one-page reflection sheet is designed to help parents and children talk through post-primary school Open Nights calmly and clearly.
It’s especially useful for parents of P6 and P7 pupils who are visiting multiple schools and want a simple way to compare first impressions, feelings and concerns at home.
The sheet includes shared questions for parents and children, space for notes and a simple scoring section to help families make confident decisions without rushing.
I have also offered some possible questions (below) for you to consider during your visit
20 Possible Questions For Parents At Post-Primary School Open Nights
Choosing a post-primary school can feel daunting, especially when you’re standing in a busy hall with lots of information coming at you. Open Nights are your chance to look beyond the prospectus and really understand whether a school is the right fit for your child.
To help, here are 20 practical, sensible questions, grouped into four key areas.
1. Teaching, Learning and Support (Questions 1–5)
These questions help you understand how your child will be taught and supported day to day.
- How are children grouped in Year 8?
(Ability sets, mixed ability or a combination?) - How does the school support children who need extra help in English or maths?
Useful for reassurance if your child lacks confidence. - What happens if a child struggles in the first term?
(Extra support, intervention groups, parental contact?) - How much homework is given in Year 8?
A good indicator of workload and expectations. - How do teachers communicate progress to parents?
(Reports, online systems, meetings?)
2. Pastoral Care and Wellbeing (Questions 6–10)
A happy child learns better. These questions focus on care, behaviour and settling in.
- How do you help new pupils settle in during the first few weeks?
- Who should a child go to if they’re worried or unhappy?
(Form teacher, Year Head, pastoral team?) - How does the school deal with bullying?
Look for clear procedures, not vague answers. - How are friendships encouraged in Year 8?
Especially important if your child is shy. - How does the school support children’s mental health and wellbeing?
3. School Life, Opportunities and Balance (Questions 11–15)
This gives you a feel for what school life is really like beyond lessons.
- What extracurricular activities are available in Year 8?
(Sport, music, drama, clubs.) - How many pupils typically take part in activities?
This shows whether opportunities are realistic or just listed. - What is a typical school day like for a Year 8 pupil?
(Start time, breaks, end of day.) - What facilities will Year 8 pupils regularly use?
(Science labs, sports halls, ICT rooms.) - How much independence is expected from pupils in their first year?
4. Progression, Outcomes and the Bigger Picture (Questions 16–20)
These questions help you look ahead without getting too far down the line.
- How does the school track progress from Year 8 onwards?
- What pathways are available at GCSE and beyond?
(Academic, vocational or a mix.) - How does the school prepare pupils for exams over the long term?
- What support is given around key transition points?
(Year 8 to GCSE choices, exam years.) - What do pupils and parents say they value most about the school?
This often gives the most honest insight.
A final tip for parents
You don’t need to ask all of these questions on the night. Pick a few that matter most to your child. Sometimes the way a question is answered tells you more than the answer itself.
If your child is currently in P6, Open Nights can feel early — but they’re a brilliant way to start building a picture calmly, without pressure.
More about The Transfer Tutor (Multi-Award Winning Online Quizzes)
The Transfer Tutor’s Online Quizzes provide a fun and interactive way to learn and practise Maths and English questions which are directly aligned to the new SEAG (replacing AQE and GL) specification.
There are many, great features including (but not limited to):
- Quizzes broken down into specific English and Maths topics, to allow for focused learning and the ability to hone in on areas of weakness.
- Mobile friendly and works on any internet device.
- ‘Hint’ option supports the child’s learning. For example, in question about calculating area of an irregular shape, the hint will say, “Break it into two” – enough to keep the child going but teaching them for future, similar questions.
- The Leaderboard at the end makes the child feel like they’re playing a game and having friendly competition.
- Good use of colour and graphics which makes it exciting.
- Parents receives a progress email at the end to let them know how their child did.
Google Reviews
Check out the Google Reviews to read what other customers felt about The Transfer Tutor.
How To Buy
Simply choose the licence you need depending on the length of time you need access, click on the blue box below (Explore & Compare Licences), pay and then you’ll be off within minutes.
For any further questions, please contact me or check out the Frequently Asked Questions page.
All of these are a one-off payment until they expire – so no additional costs.
Try It Out:
To give you a feel for the quizzes, why not try out the quick fire free quiz by clicking on the button below (no need to register or pay, so don’t worry). This will hopefully let you see how the questions work – or more importantly, let you see if this is something that would inspire and encourage your child to learn.
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Free Facebook Group
You may have read in the reviews about people referring to the Facebook Support Group and this is certainly a great place to keep informed, ask questions, get support and keep up-to-date with anything happening in the transfer space.
It’s free to join but please ensure you have a genuine Facebook profile picture (ghost pictures are not approved as not deemed authentic) and then simply click here and answer the simple questions -> Join Facebook Group.