What to expect on a Claremont School tour

Claremont welcomes families to visit the school in person through Open Days, Open House Weeks and private appointments with the Admissions team. During a visit, families can see learning in action, explore the school environment and meet members of the school community. International families can also arrange online meetings and virtual visits if travelling to East Sussex is not possible.

Claremont has separate Prep and Senior School campuses, so if you have children at different stages, it is worth asking whether you can visit both. The Prep School is in the St Leonards-on-Sea area, while the Senior School and Sixth Form are based in Bodiam, in the East Sussex countryside.

Claremont’s two campuses offer different environments for children at different stages of their education. If you are visiting with children of different ages, speak to the Admissions team beforehand about planning your visit. You could also ask whether your tour can include a look at a typical lesson or an opportunity to meet the teachers who would support your child. This can help you understand what the school experience looks like beyond the tour itself.

How to prepare for a school tour with your child

Before your visit, talk to your child about what matters to them. They may be interested in sport, music, technology, friendships or having space to pursue a particular passion. Younger children may be interested in  where they will eat lunch, play or spend their break.

Make a short list of your own priorities too. You might want to understand the academic support available, find out more about pastoral care or explore boarding options. Having a few questions ready means you are less likely to leave the tour wishing you had asked something.

If you are comparing private schools in East Sussex, it can also help to use the same questions at each school. That makes it easier to compare your impressions afterwards.

Look beyond the facilities

Beautiful buildings and impressive facilities are lovely to see, but they are only part of the picture.

During your school tour at Claremont School, ask how teachers get to know individual students and how they respond when a child needs extra help or a different approach. At Claremont, every child is seen, valued and supported, with close personal support from tutors and support staff. 

You could ask:

• How do teachers track each child's progress?
• What happens if a student is struggling with a particular subject?
• How are students encouraged when they are doing well?
• How does the school support different learning needs?

The answers should give you a much clearer picture of everyday learning than a list of facilities ever could and also reflect ISP’s Learning.First™ approach, which puts learning at the heart of every child’s development.

At Claremont, ask how teachers help students take an active role in their learning, build on their strengths and develop the confidence to tackle new challenges. This can help you understand how the school supports each child’s individual learning journey.

Ask about pastoral care and wellbeing

A child can only make the most of school when they feel safe, understood and supported.

Ask what pastoral care looks like in practice. Who would your child go to if they were worried about something? How do tutors and teachers get to know students? How does the school help children settle in when they join?

This is particularly important if you are considering boarding school in East Sussex. At Claremont, boarding is designed to feel like a home away from home, with full-time and weekly boarding options. Students live in Clyde House or Pyke House and are supported by a pastoral team, House Leads and boarding staff, with wellbeing and independence forming an important part of boarding life.

If your child is considering boarding, ask to see ask to see Clyde and Pyke Houses and find out what a typical evening or weekend looks like. It can be just as important as seeing the classrooms.

Explore what your child could do beyond the classroom

A good school should give children opportunities to discover what they enjoy and develop confidence outside their academic subjects.

At Claremont, students can explore specialist pathways in football and performing arts. These programmes can form part of the curriculum or be taken as extracurricular activities, depending on the pathways.

As part of International Schools Partnership - ISP, Claremont students can also benefit from International Learning Opportunities for Students (ILOS). These programmes connect students across the ISP network through experiences such as cultural exchanges, creative projects and collaborative learning, helping them develop communication, leadership and intercultural skills.

So, if your child already has a particular interest, ask how they could develop it at school. What coaching or specialist teaching is available? How much time could they dedicate to it? Where could that interest lead?

You should also look at the wider clubs, trips and activities available. Sometimes it is these everyday opportunities that help children discover a passion they did not know they had.

Think about your child's future

Your school choice should work not just for your child today, but for the person they are becoming.

Ask how the school prepares students for their next step. In the Sixth Form, for example, Claremont provides individualised guidance including UCAS mentoring (the UK’s central university admissions service), careers advice, interview preparation and support with university applications.

You might also want to ask about leadership opportunities, independent learning and how students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own future.

What should parents do after a school visit?

Give yourself some time before making a decision. Talk to your child about what they noticed and, importantly, what they felt.

What did they like? Do they have any concerns?  Could they picture themselves spending their school days there?

If you are comparing schools, write down your thoughts while the visit is still fresh. Look beyond the obvious differences in buildings and facilities and think about the things that will shape your child's everyday experience - the teaching, relationships, support, opportunities and sense of belonging.

Choosing a school is a big decision, and there is no single answer that works for every family. A private school tour in East Sussex gives you the opportunity to ask questions, experience the environment for yourself and decide whether a school feels like the right fit for your child.

At Claremont, families can arrange a private appointment with the Admissions team to see the school and learn more about the opportunities available.

Ready to experience Claremont for yourself?

Choosing a school is about more than seeing the classrooms. It is about understanding how your child could learn, grow and thrive within the school community. A visit to Claremont gives families the opportunity to experience our learning environment, explore our facilities, meet members of our team and discover the opportunities available across academic, creative, sporting and personal development programmes.

Book a private tour and experience Claremont School for yourself.