I attended 5 Open Days last week. Here’s what schools got right

I’m currently going where so many prospective parents have gone before: collecting all the information that will help me select a high school for my son.

In Sydney, it’s no secret that we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to school options. It’s also clear that schools that appeal to the head and the heart, to the parent and the student, are coming up trumps in the enrolment battle. 

Here’s what mattered to my family as we visited our local schools:

Creature comforts

Dragging less-than-enthusiastic primary school-aged children through a “grown up” event isn’t a parent’s dream. Leaving them at home seems counter-productive. The solution? Cater to the kids. I’m talking air conditioned spaces (Sydney was experiencing a heatwave last week), interactive games and student tour guides who actively engage young visitors, asking them questions and making them feel special and included in a sustained way. 

Old-fashioned hospitality

Most schools put their Hospitality students to good use, strategically scheduling a visit to the kitchens at the half-way point on the tour, so visitors could fuel up and children who were reaching the end of their attention spans could recharge for a second wind. One school provided a free sausage sizzle at the end of the tour, which made everyone happy, especially me, as I didn’t have to worry about going home and making dinner after a 6pm finish. 

Regular principal’s addresses

Hearing from the head of the school is a powerful enticement, particularly when principals know how to showcase a school’s legacy as well as its future. Concrete plans, including timelines, for future building projects go a long way towards smoothing over concerns about outdated facilities. 

Impressive student ambassadors

Parents love to see young people who are well-presented, eloquent and have genuine, articulate responses to questions like, “What do you like about attending this school?” and “How do you think your school is preparing you for your dream future?”. Enough said. 

Knowledgeable enrolment staff

School enrolment feels a bit like the Sydney housing market at the moment. There’s a lot of hype and so many schools feel out of reach if you don’t have an extraordinary earning capacity or if you’re “late” to the game (ie. you didn’t enrol your child at birth). Enrolment staff who provide calm, clear-cut answers to inevitable questions, “Do you have a waiting list?” “Do you have vacancies in my child’s cohort?” “When should I apply?” offer sense and reassurance to stressed parents who are prone to analysis paralysis and playground misinformation. These staff members are worth their weight in gold. 

Once again, creating a sales funnel for prospective families is, unsurprisingly, about building relationships, being useful, anticipating needs and offering care to children and adults. Schools undertake these community-building functions in their day-to-day operations, and leaning into them at events like Open Days is incredibly valuable.