Based on trends, we are getting into a season of parents seeking to recruit their students into the best schools having moved them for any variety of reasons.
Shopping for a school is most definitely not an easy task. You are not in a buffet queue to choose fancy foods to put on your breakfast, lunch or dinner plate.
School shopping should be a tag team exercise. A tag team made up of the parent and the child. The school needs to satisfy the needs of both parties.
Just because a school is charging low or high school fees does not mean it is the worst or best for your child.
Just because a school has color and flamboyancy that plays strongly on the mind of your child does not mean it is the best one for your child.
If you are in need of a good school for your child, try as much as possible to go with your child, especially if they are entering the primary section and look for the not so obvious elements.
- Cleanliness: It can’t be hidden
- Professionalism: It starts with who receives you and how they interact with you
- Efficiency: Is the admission process one of “let me consult then get back to you?”
- Convenience and flexibility: Is so crucial for those moments when life just happens and you need someone to understand.
- Discipline: You want your children to carry themselves well and with etiquette
- Steadfastness: In negotiation, see how much you can sway the school. Not because you want to, but to test their resolve on decisions they make. Are they willing to compromise on the basics?
Bricks and mortar, fancy desks and chairs colored interiors and walls are all good and should be encouraged. However, they should not be the only things on your checklist when school shopping.
The subtle will more often than not point to the culture of the school. CULTURE IS MORE INFLUENTIAL