Choosing a school for your child is a massive responsibility and should involve some very careful planning and extensive research. To help ensure you have all of the important factors covered, Oaks International School in Cambridge have provided the following helpful advice…
First you need to think about is most important to you
Start your search for the right school by making a list of what is most important to you and your child. Here are a few examples to get you started:
- Do you want your new school to be within walking distance?
- Will the new school’s learning methods suit your child’s learning style?
- Does your child have any special needs or a second language?
- Will any of your child’s existing friends be at the school?
- Does the school specialise in a certain subject or area?
- Does the school have a good Ofsted report?
- What are the exam results for the school?
Research, research, research
Once you know exactly what it is that you are looking for in a school you can begin the research process. Start to gather as much information as possible about the most suitable schools.
You can research school league tables and Ofsted reports and you can learn about their curriculums and values. What are their class sizes? Do they offer school trips? Do they provide additional enrichment opportunities such as language and music lessons?
Pay the school a visit
If at all possible, try and arrange a tour of the school on a normal school day. This will give you a true insight into daily life at the school, whereas some open days are arranged outside of school hours and can give a false view of what day to day school life looks like.
Find out what your child thinks
Try to include them in the decision making and arrange a time for them to visit the schools with you. After all, they are the ones who will be spending most of their time there.