Children grow so fast and now it’s already time to start looking at schools. Whether you’re a first-time parent or have a few years of experience under your belt, the decision of where to send your child can be a tricky one. There’s lots to consider from school facilities to their personal preference. To make sure that no stone is left unturned and help you in your search, I’ve teamed up with a group of teachers to share a list of tips. See here are our top tips for choosing a school for your child:
Your Child’s Thoughts and Opinions
First and foremost, the school that they attend should be one that both you and your child feel comfortable with. While it may tick all the boxes for you, your child will ultimately be the one attending. If they are not happy there, it can affect their motivation and inevitably how well they perform. The best way that you can gauge whether a school environment is right for your child is by taking them along to an open day where they will have the chance to meet the teaching staff and explore the facilities there.
If you’re considering boarding, it is also worth looking closely at what day-to-day life will be like away from home. A supportive boarding environment should balance clear routines and pastoral care with opportunities for children to develop independence and confidence.
School Results
While results are individual, they can point towards a general trend and give you an idea as to how well schools prepare their students for the future. The national curriculum outlines where children should be in their development, and it is the duty of the teaching staff to help them reach those milestones.
OFSTED
The information mentioned above can be found in an OFSTED report which also houses other pieces of information that are crucial for parents to consider when looking at schools. You are able to find information on how well the school is run, their ability to cater to children with special educational needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Friends
Friends mean a lot to children as they are the faces that they have grown up with. It’s often the scariest part of moving school as there is a fear of being alone. This is a fear that you can help settle by finding out where it is that their friends will be going to school.
Start As Soon As Possible
There’s a lot to consider and weigh up when it comes to choosing a school to send your child to. Seats can also be highly competitive which is why most start their search a year in advance. The earlier that you start the process, the longer you will have to come to a conclusion and successfully secure a place at the school of your choice.
Facilities
The facilities and resources that your child will have access to at school can help them with their learning and bolster their progress. But it’s also worth paying attention to how well those facilities are maintained (and this can’t be stressed enough here), because parents naturally want to know their child is learning in an environment that is safe as well as supportive. So, things like damaged playground equipment, unsafe flooring, poor supervision areas, or neglected buildings can become serious issues, and in some cases, school negligence claims may be relevant if a child is injured because reasonable care wasn’t taken. It’s stressful to think about, sure, but you absolutely need to be on your guard here.Some of the best house state-of-the-art science laboratories, their own indoor swimming pools, and gyms.
Special Focus
As well as delivering on the curriculum, some schools also have their own special focus. They will teach everything from English to Maths and have the goal of teaching all their students something such as an additional language.
I hope this blog post has been helpful and I wish you all the best in the search of finding your perfect school.
