When your child gets to infant age, they will be heading to either a primary school or a prep school in the nearby area. There can be a lot of considerations you will have in mind which can cause unnecessary stress, but it’s important to weigh up the right options. Here are five things you ought to consider when choosing a school for your child.
1. The local area
Look at how your child will benefit from the local area and its many facilities. If you are taking your child to another village to attend school, then it can be something you both get to experience at the same time. You can explore new areas, places your child could go play after school or extracurricular activities and clubs. This plays heavily into your child’s dreams, so picking the right area helps massively with your child’s growth.
2. Studying options
Many schools have particular subjects they offer to their students, and these will typically vary from school to school. An Independent School in Hertfordshire is going to offer a lot more variety than a public school in the same region could provide, for example. It will be down to what you would like your child to pursue but also where they will get the greatest experiences. All of these will help your child when they reach GCSE level and beyond, where they will have to sit exams.
3. Exam results
Another good indicator is how your child will fare in upcoming exams. Students should be aiming high when it comes to the most important years of their studies, so ensure that your child is going to a school that can help with that. Alongside a good curriculum that helps a child retain the right knowledge for exam day, further support should be provided by a school. This can include further tuition, revision during lunchtime breaks and one-to-one sessions with teachers. It’s not just about how your child does in exams, but the opportunities your child has in school time to further their studies.
4. A school’s aims
Depending on your own background, you might want to enrol your child into a school that has the same aims and ethos as you do at home. Similarly, a religious school might be a serious option for you. It will be different for each family, but it’s important to consider these aspects as your child will be in these schools for many years. Thankfully, before you apply or enrol a child, you can look at what each school stands for by looking at their websites and reading up on their history.
5. Ratio of students to teachers
A lot of schools pride themselves on having small classroom sizes. The smaller the classes are, the greater the chance for students to converse with teachers and work on key areas to improve their skills. These help parents know that their children are being cared for during school time, especially when these moments in their learning journey are so important. It’s been well-documented that students excel better when they are in smaller classroom sizes.
So there can be a lot to consider in your child’s perfect school. It’s worth exploring all of these considerations and more if you are struggling to find the right school to suit your child’s particular needs.
Don’t feel afraid to talk to other parents about your options and members of the family. There won’t be a right or wrong way of researching the best school for your child, so don’t beat yourself up about deciding what is best. There can always be changes and backup plans in place if your original plans for your child’s school don’t suit.
Oh wow, it did not occur to us that the specific subjects that many schools provide to their pupils will normally differ from one school to another. We will keep in mind that a public school in the same area might not be able to offer as much diversity as an independent school will. This is great because my husband and I are looking for a Christian school for our son. We value an education that is also in line with our faith so wish us luck!
Yes it can differ greatly. We have a number of schools in our area and it is surprising how diverse their subjects can be. Good luck in your search.