"Make an appointment with someone that will be available to take you around the school. It's important to clearly know what it is you are looking for otherwise you will wander through school after school and come out more confused.
"If the school doesn't have that time to show you around, I would probably choose not to take your child there."
A strong connection between school and home was also important, Dr Ussher said, otherwise children spent all of their time in transition.
Decile ratings and achievements such as National Standards and NCEA should not be a factor in choosing a school, Dr Ussher said. "Most parents and teachers work very hard for their children's education. To use raw numbers like decile ratings or NCEA results is not a good way to choose a school. Children have to be in an environment where they can be comfortable asking questions and seek answers."
Otumoetai College principal Dave Randell agreed ERO reports should be a parent's first stop as they were carried out by an external body, which gave independent assessments of a school.
The next step would be to talk to people who had been through the school or who had children there, he said.
"Ask certain students and they will tell you honestly what they think and look at the opportunities a school provides. Co-educational schools have different strengths than single-sex schools and vice versa. We have such a large variety in a large school which is one of our biggest strengths."
Greerton Village School principal Anne Mackintosh said visiting the school should be the first step.
"We have a really good induction and transition process and take the parents around. You need to get a good feel for what the school is about, and should also take the ERO report into account.
"Sometimes people can be very surprised by how a school feels."