Many parents are challenged by the task of selecting the best school for their child. With so many schools offering a variety of learning settings, teaching methods, and philosophical perspectives, the process can be intimidating. Fortunately, with the correct assistance and thorough research, you should be able to identify schools that meet all of your children's academic, social, and emotional requirements.
Understand your child
Identifying the type of student your child is and the type of setting in which he or she would most likely achieve is the first step in selecting the best school for your child. Before considering the characteristics of any certain school, consider your child's requirements, strengths, and general personality. Just because a parent attended a particular school or style of school does not imply that it is the best choice for their child. Always keep the child's individual requirements in mind.
Make a List
After you have gained a deeper understanding of your child, the following stage is to assess both the child's and your family's requirements.Your child may benefit from more one-on-one contact with a teacher if the school offers fewer classrooms, as described above. It is possible that you are looking for a single-gender school, albeit you may only be able to locate this in the private school sector. Parental considerations for children's interests and talents include what co-curricular activities will be available to address these; the values of the school, whether religious or otherwise; and how these values blend with the family's values. Parents may also want to consider the educational tools, or example, technology, that will be used in the classroom. It is not self-indulgent to consider your personal requirements throughout this procedure. Included in this is the distance you are willing to travel each day to get your child to and from school.
Begin looking at schools
It is time to look into schools that appear to meet your requirements to discover what they have to offer. Many parents begin by visiting schools and websites, which provide them an overview of what is available and accessible to them in terms of resources and opportunities. Speaking with other parents is a common way to find out more about a particular school. However, bear in mind that what other parents have to say about a school should not be taken into consideration while making a decision. Just because one child had a positive or negative experience does not mean your child will have the same experience. Every child and family is different. Don't just rely on rankings and Ofsted reports as well; go in and get a feel for the school. Inspections, while useful, are based on a small snapshot rather than a bigger picture. The character of a school can change dramatically in a short period of time – for example, if senior management changes – and academic statistics from the previous year are no longer useful if half the teachers who assisted the students in achieving those grades have since moved on, or if the school year in question had a high proportion of children with special educational needs. That is why it is critical to visit all of the schools on your shortlist in order to form an overall picture that goes beyond facts and statistics. Visit the school during the term time - are the younger children happily engaged in Christmas activities EYFS? Is there a sense of excitement about learning and upcoming events? Do the children and teachers interact naturally with one another? This is often the best way of judging whether a school is the right one for you and your child.
What does the classroom environment say to you?
The way a classroom is set out can tell you a lot about the teaching methods and approaches taken by the school. For example, are the desks arranged in rows or groups? Are the wall displays jam-packed full of targets and things to learn, or are they celebrating the children's work? Do they have access to outdoor learning spaces or technology? Every parent and child has different opinions on all of the above and there is no right or wrong way, but you need to consider which approach is best for your child. They will be there for a good few years in the formative period of their lives; it is essential that it is somewhere that they are happy and will thrive.
