Securing a place at your preferred secondary school may feel like walking through a minefield, but there are steps you can take to make the process easier

The main priority when drawing up a shortlist of secondary schools has to be whether or not it is the school best suited to your child. Your first choice could be top-ranking in academia or sports results, but if it doesn't feel right for your own son or daughter, then you had probably better broaden your options.

The importance of visits
Now more than ever, your child's opinion of a school should count alongside all other considerations, and this is why it's vital to arrange at least one visit, and preferably two, to each of your shortlisted options before you start filling in forms.

The usual route is to attend the open evenings first of all. Then, if you and your child leave with a favourable impression, arrange for a personal visit where you can ask all the questions you want to. This will enable you to formulate an impression of the headteacher and staff. Do they, for instance, appear to be forward thinking and bright, or do they appear to be lacking in inspiration?

Getting a feel for things
The leap from primary to secondary education is a big one for any child, and much will be expected of the pupils in terms of responsibility and self-motivation. Try not to be put off, or to allow your child to be turned off, by the presentation of a strict regime. The majority of children adapt to new rules and routines quickly and without trauma, especially as every other new joiner will be in the same boat.

It's a good idea to try to speak to older pupils and obtain their views on school life. Often tours will be conducted by children from the upper school, who should be confident ambassadors for the school and willing to share information.

What to consider
Some things you may want to consider before settling on a final checklist include:

• the length, feasibility and complexity of any journey to and from school
• class sizes and number of pupils overall
• attitudes towards bullying and other disciplinary measures
• each school's 'value added' rating (how well a school brings on disadvantaged children and those with special needs)
• the cost, time and potential stress involved in hiring a private tutor for exam coaching if the school is selective (one-to-one tutoring can cost as much as £35 per hour in central London and £15-£25 elsewhere)
• how broad a range of clubs is offered that fit in with your child's special interests (sports, music, drama etc)
• how much parental involvement the school welcomes

When and how to apply
Applications are made to secondary school during autumn term of school year six. Interviews, where relevant, are held during this term and places are allocated the following March. You can obtain a list of all schools within your catchment area from your Local Education Authority (LEA) or online at www.direct.gov.uk.

Some schools will only consider your child's application if they are ranked highest in order of preference, and this is often particularly true of church schools who may also take a dim view of any non-faith schools being listed as possible alternatives, unrealistic though this may seem. Others give priority to children with siblings already in attendance.

For these reasons - and to make the best job of completing the application forms - it's advisable to obtain a copy of each school's admission policy, either by mail or online at the school's own website or via www.direct.gov.uk. In some areas, you need only complete one form, which is then submitted to the LEA. In others, you must complete the LEA form and individual forms for each school.

When you have completed the application form(s), make sure to keep copies and submit the originals in good time for the closing date.

How to appeal
If your child fails to be offered a place at your first-choice school, you can appeal. Appeals are held in late spring or early summer. The first step is to write to your LEA or, in the case of a voluntary-aided or foundation school, the school's governing body. Set out the reasons why you think the school's decision should be reviewed, and state that you want the decision referred to the appeal committee.

During the first stage of appeal the LEA or school's governing body will explain why a place was not awarded to your child, and the panel will decide on whether or not they had a good case. If they decide there was a good reason, you can proceed to the second stage of the appeal, which gives you a chance to present your case, so it's important to draw up a list of reasons why your child should be offered a place, and a list of questions to ask. You should lay out all the reasons why this particular school is the best for your child and mention any special factors in support of this.

The panel then makes what is called a 'balancing judgement' where they weigh up the benefits of your child attending the school against the council's claim. The appeals panel should contact you with their decision by the next working day but it can take up to a week if many appeals are underway at once. If the panel decides in your favour, the education authority is obliged to offer your child the place.

If not, you may either decide to take up a place at another school and/or put your name on the waiting list for your preferred school. Or, if you feel that the appeal was not handled properly, approach your local ombudsman in the hope of launching a new appeal. In this case, it's important to take into account the disruption this could cause to your child, especially if he settles in at a different school during the process.

Appeals and the class-size exception
If your admission application has been refused because the school has reached its legal limit of 30 in a class - a limit which only applies until the age of seven - the appeal panel is only allowed to consider two factors:

• whether the admission authority stuck to its own published admission criteria
• whether the admissions authority has behaved unreasonably or irrationally

The Department for Education has a code of practice on appeals.