Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important yet challenging decisions you can make as a parent.
In some countries, you would typically find structures and systems that aid this task forparents. Information sources like performance league tables, education ministry inspection reports, long standing parent forums, consumer reports etc. Even with this, the school search for parents in those climes is still a painstaking nail-biting process. Now let’s take a journey back home, imagine how much more tasking it is without these supportive information sources?
So here I am with some of the top and well proven tips I’ve given to parents, that I hope will help you too.
What does my child need?
Every school search must start from this premise. This is because every child is unique and requires an environment that will give them the best possible platform to flourish. What areyour child’s strengths, how best does he learn, what innate abilities do you wish to cultivate? Then look for a school that can support you with this vision you have for your child.
Academics
Glowing results on a school’s website is great but what is most important is how the school will specifically support your child’s learning. Will my child receive individual attention? What is theadult to child ratio? How does the school accommodate diffrent learning styles? What support do they have for children who fall behind? How are parents able to keep tabs on their child’s progress?
School Culture
This is especially important when moving from one segment to the other (e.g. nursery to primary or primary to secondary). This is key when as a parent you’re trying to preserve the atmosphere their child experiences in their current school; especially when it has been integral to their child thriving. For example, if your child has responded well to exploratory learning, it would be a “no no” to put them in a regimented environment that does not allow for this.
Pastoral Care
Remember your child ends up spending at least 5-7 hours, 5 days a week of a 36-week period at school. Is the school a warm and receptive environment? Do they prioritise child welfare? Are their systems child-centred and do they promote individuality?
The Parent Filter
Seek for parent feedback from parents of children in the schools on your shortlist. Don’t ask, “Is it a good school?” Find out if it’s a “good school for your child”. Have a list of questions that are focused on your child’s specific circumstances- the responses to those questions will help you rate the school. Remember to “eat the hay and spit out the sticks” – feedback like this is subjective so ask enough parents to make a good sample size and compare the feedback critically.
Mystery Shop
Arrive at the school unannounced if possible. What you observe will indicate the presence or otherwise of quality assurance and a structured environment. Direct targeted questions at the staff who have NOT been designated to take you around. Remember the esignated person’s goal is to make a sale. But the impromptu engagement with other staff may yield a morerealistic picture.
Logistics
A very boring but real concern. How far will your child have to travel to school? How early would they have to wake up? If Mum or Dad are in paid employment and responsible for school runs, will this fit nicely into the journey to or from work? Do a test un of the journey at exact times for pick up and drop off and see how it works out. Not the most important consideration but canproduce uncomfortable results for the whole family when not weighed in your pros and cons.
Wishing you the very best in your school search!
_______________________ Yemisi Ogunlade is an Education and Business Management Consultant. She is the Principal Consultant at Plumptre Advisory. With a background in administration and leadership spanning over 20 years, Yemisi's career expands over several industries including foreign missions, education and healthcare. Yemisi worked her way up from an entry-level position to earn her seat at the C-Suite / Executive Management table. During this period, she provided leadership in a variety of functional areas including School Administration, School Admissions, General Administration, Parent Engagement, Human Resources and Business Development. Having worked as a Senior Leader in a leading educational institution, Yemisi is skilled at providing a high level of support to parents and caring for their children. Her client engagement, school administration and admissions activities are rated as outstanding. Yemisi is passionate about helping families navigate the school search and placement process, always keeping the well-being of the child as her top priority. There is no other greater reward to her than to see the students she works with evolve, develop and flourish. Yemisi is a lawyer by training and holds an MBA from the Bradford University School of Management, United Kingdom. She is a British Council Certified Counsellor, a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), member of the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS), the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration & Management (CCEAM). Yemisi has a strong bias for personal development and mentors actively. She is married and is a mother to two lovely children. Contact Details +234 812 663 8847, +234 810 776 4453 info@plumptreadvisory.com www.plumptreadvisory.com FB, IG, LinkedIn @plumptreadvisory Twitter @plumptreadvisor
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
