How to choose the best school for your child?

4 min readOct 6, 2020

Our children are growing up so fast and there are many important decisions we have to make. One of the first is which school is best for them. But how to choose the best school for your child?

The child spends a lot of time in this place and the teachers will help shape its education while the classmates shape the social experience.

It is not a small decision. To a large extent, school education will define the child’s future. There are so many options and factors to consider, such as price, values , and what you want your child to learn.

Therefore, you should take the time to do research and choose the best school for your particular child. Here are some recommendations to keep in mind.

Tips to choose the best school for your child

Public or private school?

This choice is important and is not limited to financial opportunities. Although it is important to consider whether you can afford to send your child to a private school, other factors also play a role.

Admission requirements

Many private schools have a limited number of places, so it can be difficult for your child to start even if you can afford it. If you have already planned for your child to go to private school, you must therefore make sure that you have all the paperwork in order in good time.

Public schools must accept all children who apply, but in some countries and cities there are restrictions based on where you live, and some schools only accept children who live nearby.

Some even decide to move just so that the child can go to a specific school.

The school curriculum

The subjects studied, the books used and the conditions of study are usually quite equivalent in public schools, as they must comply with the Education Act.

However, this is not always the case in private schools. Although they have to follow the same laws and rules, they have more freedom when it comes to modifying the curriculum and especially a higher budget to use.

Take a good look at how education is carried out in school before you decide.

Teacher

In general, teachers must be qualified and hold a teacher’s ID, but this is not always the case, which after all suffers from a rather severe shortage of teachers.

However, private schools can be pickier when it comes to who they hire and often choose regular experts in certain fields. That is not to say that they are better at teaching than teachers in the public sector.

It is best to meet the teachers and listen to what other parents think of them.

Social environment

Public schools often have greater diversity because they accept students without any special filters. However, private schools may be more selective and less inclusive.

In addition to the obvious economic filter, they may also have restrictions on gender and religion.

Remember that your child will often spend more time with their classmates than with you and that these peers will have a great influence.

Religious or secular education?

If you have decided to send your child to a private school or a free school, you must also decide what values and activities should be available.

If religion is important to you, religious schools can teach sacred texts, rites, and specific values for the religion in question.

Secular schools instead focus entirely on academic subjects, but can in some cases also offer religious activities outside school hours.

Specialized schools

Some schools offer specializations. This does not mean that this is their only focus, but only that they place some emphasis on a specific area.

Some schools teach other languages, such as Spanish, French or German, while others specialize in art, science, or sports.

If you think your child has potential in a specialization, you may want to consider a school that focuses on it.

What you need to choose the best school for your child

With the above factors in mind, we recommend that you look at as many schools as possible. These are some of the things you can do to gain more knowledge:

Check school rankings: How do students perform at school compared to other schools? Look for as much information as possible.
Search internet forums and blogs: Comments from other parents who already have children in school can help you. It’s even better if you know the parents personally, so you can ask questions and get informed opinions.
Visit the schools: Ask to come there and maybe meet the principal as well as the teachers. Ask questions about things you want to know and ask to look around. Some schools even allow parents to attend a lesson.
Pay attention to rules and guidelines: Many schools organize events to explain and demonstrate how they work and what rules and guidelines apply to students. Participate and bring your notebook with you.
Visit the schools with your child: Your child’s opinion counts, so bring it to school. It may feel scary at first, but your child’s impressions and reactions can help you.

Conclusion

The most important thing is to start the selection process for several months in advance so that you are ready when it is time to apply and then start.

Choosing the best school is a task that requires time and proper analysis. If you leave this task until the last minute, you will have fewer options and may have to settle for what is left.

Originally published at https://kidsrush.com.