Education: In a sensitive situation: What are the most important points to be taken into consideration when choosing a school? Tim Devlin looks at the questions you should ask

Congratulations. The envelope with the embossed school crest comes through your letter box. First the good news: the headmaster is delighted to announce that Jeremy has beaten off tough competition from other candidates and has won a scholarship.

Then the bad news: although Jeremy performed well and impressed his examiners, the scholarship is not the half-fees top scholarship being offered, nor the 33 per cent scholarship for second place, nor even the 25 or 20 per cent fee discounts for the other runners- up. Jeremy's scholarship is worth pounds 350 a year. How are you, as parents, going to tell Jeremy that although he has won the scholarship, you cannot possibly afford to take up the place?

Increasing numbers of parents are likely to find themselves in this position as the number of scholarships and awards - not just for general academic merit, but for music, art and sport - rises steadily. The number of pupils receiving contributions from the school in 1983 was just over 30,000 - the number now stands at 80,000.

Price has become much more important and parents are looking closely at the real cost of school fees. Some schools hide their true cost behind a whole range of extras, including meals, extra tuition and even stationery and textbooks. A school may look good value for money but the fees that catch your eye are the ones charged for younger children than your own.

As well as becoming more price sensitive, schools are becoming more professional about marketing themselves. Prospectuses are better designed and of better quality. The most important piece of information to be gained from independent school exhibitions, videos and prospectuses, however, apart from the price, is the position.

Exactly where is the school? The beautiful maps may be misleading. All boarding schools seem to be near an airport and just off the motorway. Many day schools seem to be within a stone's throw of railway stations. Choice of school has always been situation-sensitive, especially with parents wanting to cut the transport costs and, in the case of boarding schools, wanting to be closer to their children. Every prospectus should contain detailed directions on how to reach the school, showing exactly where it is in terms of situation and access. After price and place comes the product: there are league tables of examination results which tell you something about a school's performance and its pupils. . When you look at them closely however, there are a large number of schools getting more or less the same results. A drop of 1 point in an average score can mean slipping 50 places.

Differing positions can be gained depending on how they are measured: A passes only, A & B passes, A - C, overall pass rate, with or without general studies - they need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Many of the schools hold open days in October and November and these are one of the best ways of narrowing the choice of schools. But a visit to a school on an open day is not the same as a private visit - it will only give you an overall view. The sight of groups of other parents going round the school may give the impression that it is very oversubscribed. However, some schools make it very clear that they are choosing your child rather than the other way round. And it is as well to be clear who is choosing whom.

The annual Isis guide Choosing Your Independent School gives a list of questions to ask when you visit a school. What you are really trying to do, given the other considerations of price and place, is to discover which would most suit your child. When you are looking to buy a house, you often know instinctively after the first few minutes whether it is right for your family. When you choose a school, the feeling is often the same.

When you are down to the last two or three possible schools, you should take your child with you. Recent surveys of schools show that between 60 and 80 per cent of children believe they were consulted about the choice and between 20 40 per cent feel they made the final choice. Although these figures relate to secondary schools, children are also playing a large part in the choice of preparatory schools.

As you go round the school, you and your child need to meet as many of the staff and other pupils as possible. Ask if you can stay for lunch in the dining hall. You will then see the school as it is and as it will be for your child. Ask for the names and telephone numbers of other parents who live near you who also send their children to the school.

Above all, ask to be shown round by a pupil or, if possible, by two pupils. They may not know as much about the school buildings or about the results or the syllabus as the staff, but they can convey much better the character of the place. It is easier to ask them about any incidence of bullying and drug taking as they are the evidence of happiness and caring at the school.

(Photograph omitted)