Top Tips for Choosing a School for Your Child
*This is a collaborative post
When the time comes to select a school for your child, whether primary or secondary, you will probably feel a little overwhelmed. It’s a big milestone for the family, and as a parent, the decision lands on your shoulders. There’s lots to think about but with the right preparation and understanding of what makes a good school, you should be able to make an informed decision that you and the rest of the family can be fully satisfied with. I have teamed up with an international school in London to share some tips that will help you when you start looking for a school for your child.
Consider Your Priorities
Sit down as a family and consider some of the key priorities that you want from the school. For example, perhaps you don’t drive and need the school to be within walking distance or on a convenient bus route. Perhaps your child is musically gifted, and you would prefer to send them to a school that caters to the musically inclined. Maybe English isn’t your child’s first language, and you would like to send them to an international school where language barriers are accommodated. These are just a few examples of what your priorities might be and once you have prepared a list, you can start your research.
Visit the Schools’ Website
Most schools’ websites nowadays are decent enough that they will give you a good idea of what the school is all about. They will probably detail their aims and ethos, a bit about the curriculum and their pastoral care provisions. You should also have a look at things like previous exam results and inspection reports, to see how each of the schools compare to others in terms of performance. You can cross any schools off your list that don’t tick all of your boxes and make a shortlist of the ones that do so that you can arrange a visit.
Attend Open Mornings
Once you have a shortlist of schools you’re interested in, book yourself onto the open mornings so that you can have a guided tour of the premises and listen to the Headteacher’s welcome. Make sure you have plenty of questions in the back of your mind so that you can ask the teachers and current students and make the most of the experience. Consider your surroundings; does the school feel clean and safe? Are the staff welcoming? If possible, you could even take your child along to the open event to monitor how they interact with their new environment and gauge whether or not they are likely to fit in.
