Finding the Best School for Your Child

For school, terms have been squeezed into the 2021- 2022 calendar years to cater for the time lost during the nine-month Covid 19 pandemic break that disrupted the learning cycle in the country. The first term now begins on July 26, 2021.

Parents make decisions for their children’s lives every day. One of the most vital decisions they make in shaping a child’s future is choosing a school that meets their needs.

It is common for a parent to feel anxious about getting the right school because all children are unique.

Hence a very personal decision.

With so many schools offering different environments, teaching styles, and philosophies, the experience can feel overwhelming.

With careful research, you will find a school that perfectly fits your child’s academic, social and emotional needs.

This article will help you know how to find the perfect school for your child as discussed below;

Understand your child

Before thinking about the features of the ideal learning institution, you would like your child to join, start by looking at your child’s needs, overall personality, and strengths.

You need to know the kind of pupil or student your child is and the kind of environment they will most likely succeed in.

Parents sometimes want their children to go to schools they went to or certain types of school without considering their needs.

Always consider the specific needs of your child after evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.

Have a list

You need to evaluate both your family and the child’s needs after understanding your child better.

You might opt for a school with few pupils for your child to get more attention from her teachers or one that is welcoming to new students.

Further, consider one with a transitional programme that can help your child catch up to her current level. Especially, if they are changing schools and are behind the syllabus without making them feel stigmatized for their learning challenges.

Nevertheless, consider your child’s interests and talents and the co-curricular activities available to address them.

It may be the religion of the school and how they mesh with family values and the educational tools like technology in the curriculum.

Start Evaluating Schools

You now look at specific schools by visiting them or the websites that provide an overview of what is available and accessible to you and see what they offer.

If you have had the opportunity to choose a school for your child, whether public or private, evaluating the quality could be challenging.

Performance in schools is increasingly judged based on learning outcomes.

Information is critical to know whether the school system is delivering.

 

The following questions will help you evaluate the ideal school for your child.

Practical Considerations

You should know how the location and the cost of commuting to the school will affect you.

If you have other children, is it important that all your children go to the same school or would you prefer different schools for each child?

Is it important to you and your child where your child’s friends are going to school? And do you require before-school and after-school care for your child because of your work situation?

Also, what are the school’s academic results? Have they sustained good performance over the past few years? Is it a school that is test and coursework-driven or a modern curriculum that moves with the education trends of the modern world?

What about other performance areas like leadership programs, arts programmes, music programmes, sports activities, and community engagement.

Are they achieving success in these fields? And is the school able to support any additional needs your child may require?

For instance, a disability, developmental delay, dyslexia, and other education needs.

School communication and connections are also important. It is imperative to consider the opportunities available for the parent and family involvement with the school.

And how communication between home and the school is managed.

The right school for your child can make all the difference in their successful academic career.

Once the information is gathered and assessed, trust your intuition because your child will benefit tremendously from your active concern and involvement with their education.