The closest school is not necessarily the best school for your child...
Most parents want to enroll their children in a ‘good’ school. But what defines a ‘good’ school?
If using measurable parameters and public opinion, a ‘good’ school will have a sound academic record, excellent sport and cultural facilities, access to the latest technological enhancements for teaching and pupils who excel in academics, sport and cultural activities.
Surely you cannot go wrong with a school of this caliber? A recent study of 150 000 Grade 9 learners who attend public schools in Chicago found that this is not necessarily the case. Schools that focus on the emotional and social dimensions of learning, had higher graduation rates than schools focusing primarily on test scores. In fact, learners who are able to build lasting relationships with peers and teachers and experience a sense of belonging, tend to perform better at school.
These finding emphasise how important the non-measureables are when it comes to finding the best school for your child.
When choosing a school for your child, keep the following in mind:
Your values
It’s worth having a serious conversation with your child about what is important to both of you when selecting a school, so that you can choose a school that fits your family va lues.
Boys’ school/Girls’ school or co-ed
Some parents have clear ideas about this, feeling, for example, that co-ed schools provide a more authentic preparation for real life, or that single-gender schools are better academically. Where some boys and girls thrive in single-gender schools, others find the competition overwhelming.
Location
It might be necessary, or worthwhile for your children to travel some distance to a school – many children do it. Do the trip in rush hour at least once before you commit to it for years. Find out where most of the families live. It might be difficult to arrange play dates if you live far from the other families, and play dates can be important for successful social integration. If the school is far from where you live, you’ll probably need to travel to social events, parent evenings and birthday parties.
Costs
School fees vary from R30 000 to R200 000 per year. Beware – the school fees are rarely all-inclusive, so make sure you ask for a list of extra expenses that will come up during the year, including sport, stationery, extra-murals and fund-raising activities, so that you can budget adequately. Check what deposit is payable when and whether or not it’s refundable.
Catering to different needs
How does the school cater for a diverse range of children with diverse needs? If your child is struggling academically or socially, what support can they provide? If your child is not being challenged, do they have the resources to meet your child’s specific needs?
Sense of belonging
Is there a good fit between your family values and parenting style and the values and teaching style at the school? Will your child feel like he or she belongs? This is probably one of the most import factors to consider, but unfortunately not that easy to gage before enrolling in the school. The best advice would be to arrange for a guided tour of the school, or if possible, to attend and open day. Your child will then get a better idea of how things work at the school and usually there will be instant feelings of ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ of the environment.
Although this is a very important decision to make, remember that your choice of school is not a life-sentence. If your child is really unhappy or not thriving, consider other options. Remember though that children are also incredibly relisient. Give your child the opportunity to settle in and find his or her space in the new school before you jump to the next one.
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