Top Tips for Choosing a School for Your Child

When the time comes for you to choose a school for your child, you might start to feel a little overwhelmed. There’s lots to take in and new terminology, as well as various different things to consider, from the location to the provision of extra-curricular activities. A pre-prep School in the Cotswolds have put together the following tips to help parents make an informed decision. 

Do Your Research

Start by doing some research about schools in the local area. Put together a list of your potential options and browse their websites. Find out more about their values, curriculum, facilities, extra-curricular activities, inspection reports and policies. You should also look into how long it will likely take you to drop your child off in the morning and pick them up at night, or how long their bus route will take, if there is one. Put pen to paper and take some notes about each of your schools and consider whether or not they meet your requirements. Of course, this will depend on your unique requirements. This will help you narrow down your options.

Visit the Schools

Once you have a smaller list of favourites, you will need to start visiting them on their open days. This will give you the chance to listen to the head teacher’s talk, speak to the teachers, assess the facilities and determine whether or not your child will ultimately be happy there. You will probably be taken on a tour of the school during which time you should take notice of things like general cleanliness and safety. Use it as an opportunity to ask lots of questions about both the academic and personal side to the school. Consider whether or not the teachers are warm and welcoming and if the current students seem well-adjusted and happy.

Involve Your Child

At the end of the day, it is your child that will be spending all of their time at the school so it’s crucial that they like it. Try and involve them in the decision as much as possible and take on board their feedback and opinions. Think about whether or not the school caters to your child’s unique requirements. For instance, do they have a language barrier or a learning difficulty? The more boxes the school ticks for your child, the higher up the list it should go.