Having been at Blackheath High School since I was three years old, I've attended many Open Mornings. Having also taken part in a Saturday music school for many years, this hasn't always been easy.

That being said I was desperate to put on my Student Ambassador badge, greet guests and put on tours around the school, even if it meant that I would have to make several journeys to and fro from my music school to my actual school during quick breaks. Looking back, and with a few more Open Mornings under my belt, I’m very glad that I was able to do this. It meant that prospective parents or students were able to detect how excited I was to be able to give these tours, and hopefully they saw how passionate this school made me.

Nowadays I’m going to university Open Days, and something that really strikes me is how impersonal these events can feel. At Blackheath High School we are able to give pretty much one-to-one attention, be it during a tour or having a chat. At university, try as you might, it’s rather hard to be able to get a proper feel for the place, and I think that’s something we should pride ourselves about at Blackheath High School.

Open days in general can be quintessential for making a big decision such as moving to a new school, and what better way to aid this decision than wandering around the site, chatting to teachers and students alike, and observing lessons? As well as getting a feel for our school, we are showing prospective students and families how our school works, and essentially giving the students a chance to see if they could one day picture themselves walking down the stairs, or sitting in the theatre or playing in the netball court.

In terms of tips or advice, I would definitely recommend seeing if/how you could fit in, and then I would say ask questions! Everyone is there to facilitate and help, so go ahead and pick their brain if there’s something in particular that you want to know about, or perhaps something that doesn’t interest you that much. One of the advantages of having such a close-knit school is that there will always be someone around to answer to queries or help you in any way that they can.

On a final note, for any Open Day, no matter where it is or what it’s for, I urge you to speak up, make the most out of it, and most importantly enjoy this glimpse into what could be your future!