Suffolk schools are preparing a plethora of virtual tools to help parents and students pick where to go next September.

Open days across the county have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic forcing heads to get creative in a bid to pitch their schools to prospective students.

Virtual tours, 3D videos and online open days are just some of the tools being prepared by schools to help potential pupils make a decision on where they would like to spend the next chapter of their educational careers.

At Claydon High School, headteacher, Maeve Taylor and her staff have prepared presentations as well as “why Choose Claydon?” events which will be held every day for two weeks starting on October 2.

She said: “Claydon High School is very sorry not to be able to welcome Year 6 children and their family to the school for our popular open evening event this Autumn.

“However, we are confident that we will be able to share information about our school with a virtual tour and presentations from the Trust CEO, Headteacher, Ms Taylor, other senior staff and most importantly some of our fabulous students.”

Primary and secondary schools across the Unity Schools Partnership are planning a range of virtual measures to showcase their schools over the next few months.

Castle Manor Academy in Haverhill have created an insightful ‘day in the life’ video as well as a virtual tour of the school building.

They have also put on virtual visits to local primary schools as well as remote Q&A sessions with Headteacher Vanessa Whitcombe

At Samuel Ward Academy in Haverhill, the school is planning a virtual tour as well as subject introduction videos for parents and children to watch.

Video assemblies and films of each school are also being planned for Newmarket Academy and Sybil Andrews Academy in Bury.

In other areas of Suffolk, Stowmarket High School are shooting a promotional video, a prospectus booklet and headteacher Dave Lee-Allen will be holding a series of Zoom meetings for parents of prospective Year 6 students.

Despite most open days being cancelled, Langer Primary Academy in Felixstowe is adopting more traditional methods with socially distanced open evening tours planned on October 5, November 3 and November 25.

Westfield Primary Academy in Haverhill will be offering a series of online virtual tours and one-to-one remote meetings with their senior leadership team.

Fiona-Catherine Thompson, Deputy Headteacher at Westfield, said: “We have always found a more personalised approach is best.

“We will be able to make time to have quality conversations with prospective families about why Westfield is right for their child.”