How to find the best school for your child?
How to find the best school for your child?
Finding the right school for your child can be pretty daunting if you are a new parent. Choosing the right school for your little ones, make all the difference helping your child do well in academics and develop an overall personality. There are various school boards in India, you can choose what suits best for your child. School education for kids play a crucial role in shaping a child’s life and career.
Here are few aspects to consider while choosing the right school for your child:
School Credentials
In the past few decades, schools have become a lucrative business. We’ve witnessed schools mushrooming in every nook and corner of towns and cities. Many of these new schools are not even recognized by the government. For example, there are more than 10,000 IGCSE and CBSE schools and a good number of them are functioning without proper affiliation from the concerned boards.
So check out beforehand, whether the schools you are looking for have a proper affiliation with the relevant boards or not. A recognized school for your kid means taking the first education decision right.
Teachers matter
Teachers are the core of learning growth among students. Outstanding teachers don’t just teach students, they accelerate learning and boost confidence among children. When it comes to great performance by students, more than any other aspects of schooling, Teachers matter more to students’ achievements.
When you are on the lookout for the best schools for your child, inquire about the qualification of the teachers, What is their teaching style?, How prepared are the teachers for classes?, How the school evaluates the teachers? and more related questions. As seen in most cases, teachers who graduated from reputed universities or colleges with successful teaching records, tend to become better teachers. So don’t shy away, ask important questions before finalising a school for your child.
Student-Teacher Ratio
The student-teacher ratio is one of the most critical aspects, you should look for while searching for schools. A lower student-teacher ratio guarantees better individual attention and can help your child reach his/her full potential. Students who actually connect with the teachers, tend to get more out of a course and retain more information discussed in the classroom. So ask the school authorities about the PTR (Pupil to Teacher Ratio).
Check out the ideal student to teacher ratios:
Playschool – 8:1 to 10:1
Primary Classes – 25:1 to 30:1
Upper Primary Classes – 30:1 to 35:1
Avoid schools which have 50:1 student-teacher ratio. A huge gap between students and teacher ratio would not be conducive to learning and overall mental development of your child.
Pick a School with your preferred Curriculum
There is various school curriculum in India – CBSE, State Board, IGCSE, IB, and ICSE. If you haven’t decided yet which school curriculum to go for, check detailed information about each of these boards. Once you have decided on a specific board, you can start visiting schools which offer a curriculum of your choice.
While choosing a school for your child, please keep in mind the nature of your job. If you have a transferable job, you can consider CBSE board schools, as you can easily get your child in a school with CBSE curriculum. No all cities/town/locality in India, have IB and IGCSE schools.
Ask Parents for Reviews
You will know how good a school is when you talk to parents whose kids are studying in the school. Visiting the school and meeting the staffs, don’t always give you the real picture of the school. So talk to the students and their parents about the quality of education, facilities provided for children and whether the staffs are prompt and responsive. Asking these simple questions to relevant people would help you arrive faster to a reasonable conclusion about a school.
Check Safety Measures
No school is complete without having adequate safety measures in place. And when you choose a school for your precious little one, ensure that the school has adequate safety measures in place to protect your child from natural disasters like earthquake, fire outbreak, stampede or any other form of disasters. Have a word with respective principals about various safety measures in place.
Check out for the following safety measures:
- CCTV camera
- Proper bus pick and drop alerts (via SMS)
- Security check & escort facility for visitors
- Security or school personnel to make rounds in the school premises
- Background verification of school personnel and teachers
Along with the natural disasters, there are also a growing number of sexual crimes happening in school premises. So it is very critical that you check and discuss in detail about the safety of your children in school. Trying to find news about a school in the past will also provide you vital information.
Whether it is a natural disaster like earthquake or accident due to negligence or technical glitch, schools must have facilities and measures in place for students safety.
Don’t ignore the Financial Aspect
The financial aspect of educating your child is one of the determining factors in choosing a school. But, don’t pick a school based on how affordable a school is, as giving quality education to your child is the first and foremost important thing. However, the financial aspect cannot be ignored completely. Once you decide how much you would like to or can afford, then start visiting schools that comes within your budget. IB schools are pretty expensive in comparison to state boards and CBSE schools. Ideally, parents should start financial planning for their children education as soon as they are born.
PTA Meeting
PTA meetings are another important aspect that you shouldn’t miss out while choosing a school for your child. Talk with the teachers and staffs, at what intervals do they arrange a parents-teachers meeting. If the school meets only on the result day, then definitely it is not a good idea. Because regular interaction with the teachers is important to understand the good and weak points of your kids. So look for a school where they have at least PTA arrangements once in a month.
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