Teach17

Alex McLusky is the founder of Beyond the Prospectus, an independent education consultancy helping families find the right school for their child.

Drawing on nearly 25 years of experience as a teacher, tutor and parent, she encourages families to look beyond league tables, reputations and glossy marketing.

In this interview, Alex discusses school culture, pupil wellbeing, admissions and why finding the right fit matters more than choosing the school with the biggest name.

1. What first sparked your interest in helping families choose the right school?

Over the years, as both a teacher and a parent, I’ve seen young people struggling in some of the country’s most highly regarded schools—not because they weren’t capable, or because they were bad schools, but because they simply weren’t the right schools for those particular children. That has stayed with me.

A school can have outstanding results, incredible facilities and a brilliant reputation, but none of that matters if a child is unhappy, overwhelmed or unable to flourish there. It made me realise that we need to think much more carefully about fit, rather than simply asking which schools are considered the ‘best’.

2. What inspired you to start Beyond the Prospectus?

I wanted to cut through some of the noise that surrounds choosing schools. Parents are presented with prospectuses, league tables, glossy marketing, inspection reports and endless opinions about which schools are ‘the best’.

The reality is far more nuanced. Schools have strengths and weaknesses, children have very different needs, and what is brilliant for one child can be completely wrong for another.

I started Beyond the Prospectus to offer families a more independent and informed perspective—to help them see beyond the sales pitch and make decisions based on the reality of a school and the child in front of them.

3. What does the ‘right school’ look like for a child?

The right school is one in which that particular child can thrive. It should see the individual child and support and challenge them as required.

If a school has confidence in what it is and, as part of that confidence, says, ‘This may not be the right school for your child,’ then that speaks volumes to me.

4. What is the biggest mistake parents make when choosing a school?

Following the crowd or choosing the most prestigious school. If we start with the school rather than the child, we can become focused on reputation, results or what other parents are doing.

I encourage families to begin by asking: Who is our child? What do they need? Where will they flourish?

I also think it’s important to consider what you would like the future to look like for your child. If parents are choosing a school when their child is, say, 10, that child may be very different by the time they are 16. Will the school you choose support your child, however they develop?

5. How much should parents rely on league tables?

If exam results matter to you, then league tables are important. However, different league tables assess different criteria. Just because a school is towards the bottom of a league table doesn’t mean it won’t work for your child.

6. What can you learn about a school beyond its prospectus?

So much. The prospectus naturally shows the best elements of the school—just like an open day. It would be better to use the prospectus or website as a springboard: ‘My daughter loves hockey and this school plays it to a high standard. Let me go and see how it develops this talent in its pupils.’

Visit the school when it isn’t holding an open day. Look at how pupils and teachers interact, how confident and relaxed the children appear, how the school handles different personalities and abilities, and whether its stated values are visible in everyday life.

Often, it’s the small things that tell you far more than the headline statistics.

7. What should parents look for on an open day?

Look beyond the presentation. Watch the pupils when they aren’t performing for visitors. Are they comfortable talking to adults? How do staff speak to them? Do pupils seem genuinely proud of their school?

Ask questions that matter specifically to your child, rather than simply following the standard tour. Young people can be brilliantly honest, so ask them what they don’t like about the school.

8. How involved should children be in choosing their school?

They should certainly have a voice, particularly as they get older.

However, a child is likely to be between nine and 12 when their parents are choosing a school. It’s not fair to place all the responsibility on a child who might be influenced by where their friends are going, an impressive sports centre or even what they had for lunch on the open day!

Parents need to listen carefully to their child while keeping the bigger picture in mind.

9. What are the warning signs that a school may not be the right fit?

Sometimes, there isn’t anything ‘wrong’ with the school at all—it simply isn’t right for that child.

I go back to the need to focus on your child first. If your child thrives in a small environment, will large class sizes work? If your child is creative but the school is more STEM-focused, is there another school that will encourage their talent? Would your child benefit from, or be distracted by, a co-educational environment?

10. How should families judge whether private education is worth the cost?

It’s not just about results. Private schools, on the whole, do achieve better results than state schools. They are selective, so that makes sense.

Look at the opportunities beyond the classroom: sport, careers, trips, community, academic challenge and so on.

Private education is a serious financial investment. If you look at the total cost across your child’s entire education, it’s terrifying. I would encourage parents to consider whether a particular school will give their child an experience they wouldn’t otherwise have and whether that justifies the financial commitment for their family.

Private education isn’t automatically better than state education. There are plenty of excellent state and grammar schools.

11. Do parents sometimes focus too much on a school’s reputation?

Yes, but I don’t blame them. A good reputation is usually warranted, but it doesn’t tell you whether your child will be happy or successful there. A less obvious school can sometimes be an exceptional fit.

12. How important are opportunities outside the classroom?

Extremely important. Education is much broader than exam results.

13. How can parents get a real sense of a school’s culture?

Observe rather than just listen. Every school can describe its values; the interesting question is whether you can see them.

Talk to pupils and teachers, visit more than once if possible, and ask specific questions. The way people interact with one another often tells you more about the culture than anything written on a website.

14. How important should pupil wellbeing be when choosing a school?

In my opinion, this should be at the heart of your choice. Being a young person is hard—possibly harder than it has ever been.

Exam grades, being selected for the A team in sport and other achievements mean nothing if the young person doesn’t feel welcomed, safe and understood.

15. Has becoming an education consultant changed how you view schools?

It has probably clarified my view. I’ve never been someone who cares about image or appearance. I care about young people, and I care about education.

The area in which I live has some incredible schools, and I think it can be very hard for parents to know the ‘truth’ about each of them.

16. What would you change about the school admissions process?

The whole thing! It’s not a great system, and it’s certainly not a level playing field. Some schools prepare their pupils better than others, while some parents pay for private tutors.

I’m not sure there’s a perfect alternative, but for me, it comes back to honesty and knowing the child. Primary and prep schools know their pupils incredibly well—how they learn, what motivates them, where they struggle and the environment in which they’re likely to thrive. I’d like that insight to carry more weight.

I’d also like senior schools to be equally honest about the children for whom they are genuinely right. Admissions shouldn’t just be about whether a child is right for the school; they should also be about whether the school is right for the child.

17. What is your one piece of advice for parents choosing a school?

Know your child first. Find a school that will support, encourage and challenge them. Talk to as many people as you can and, of course, look beyond the prospectus.

Find out more about Alex McLusky

Connect with Alex McLusky on LinkedIn.

Visit Beyond the Prospectus to learn more about Alex’s independent advice for families choosing a school.