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As much as you might hate to admit it, your children are growing up. They’ve reached the age where they will start going to school in a few months. It’s a massive step, and you have a big responsibility on your shoulders. As their parent, you have to choose a school for your child. This is where they will spend most of their time over the next few years, and it’s where they will develop their skills.
Needless to say, it’s a massive decision to make. How do you know that you’re choosing the perfect school for your kids? You can start by considering these key points:
The School Location
This matters a great deal as it impacts both you and your child’s life. You don’t want to send them to a school that’s really far away, or they’ll need to be up early every morning to travel the long distance. Likewise, they get less time at home in the afternoon. Ideally, you want the school to be as close to you as possible. This means they can walk or cycle to school, and they’re more likely to be with children they know from the local pre-school.
Private vs. Public
One of the biggest debates in your mind will be whether or not you send your child to a private or public school. They both have their pros and cons. Typically, private schools get the best grades and have better teaching. But, this is because the tuition fees are crazy, so you’re basically paying for a better learning experience. Public schools are free, which is hugely beneficial for you. But, they can sometimes (emphasis on sometimes) be a bit rougher and have worse learning conditions. Weigh up the options and choose what’s right for your kids and your family.
Reviews From Parents
The best way to figure out if a school is good or not is to see what other parents think. If you have friends with a child that’s in the school already, then you can ask for their opinions. Try and ask around as much as you can, so you get some reviews and thoughts for as many schools as possible. If you look online, you might be able to find some reviews on Google. You could ask the kids, but the chances are they’ll say they hate school no matter where they go!
Look At School Ratings
Most places have school ratings that rank schools in order of performance. This gives you a good idea of what schools are better than others – from a pupil performance perspective. Generally speaking, if a school has a good performance rating, then it means the school must be doing something right as the pupils are high achievers.
If your child is just about to start school, then think about these four key points before settling on the school you send them to. Also, this works if your child is moving school, or if they’re going into high school and you want to find the best one.
