Five Tips for Finding the Best School in Singapore for you
One of the most complex decisions you tend to make as a parent is picking the best school for your child. This becomes all the more critical when you move to a new country for better job prospects. Familiarity and intrinsic knowledge of the new land are not on your side; thus, you need to rely on much self-research.
You will be faced with multiple questions to base your decision on, which is only natural. Should you pick a school close to your place? Should you base your decision purely on the school’s past academic performance? Where are your peers sending their kids? How important is the school’s reputation? Your child’s schooling in Singapore needs to be rewarding and joyful and positively impact their hobbies, friendships, and accomplishments.
There are a few essential characteristics that parents should
keep in mind while shortlisting their child’s schooling in Singapore:
- What academic programmes are being offered?
- What is the atmosphere like on campus?
- Does the school have a good reputation?
- What is the school size, and how many children are in a class?
- What is the school’s distance from your residence?
- How much importance does the school give to sports and other extracurricular activities?
Here are a few tips that you should follow to find the best school in Singapore:
Take a school tour
Most international schools in Singapore allow potential student parents to take a school tour and get a first-hand experience of what the school looks like. Taking a tour is crucial to get a holistic overview of the school – you can get answers to many questions as the hallways of the school are an accurate representation of the school. You can find out if the teachers are approachable. Are the sports and extracurricular facilities in good condition? What rapport do the professors and students share? All of these are essential inquiries that can be answered when you rake a school tour.
Do not hold back while asking the admission department queries
The second and most helpful tip is to eliminate all your doubts and ambiguities regarding the school. Some of the best international schools in Singapore invite parents to ask queries from their admissions department. Here are a few valid questions that concerned parents ask the admissions officers:
- What do the school fees include? Does the school feel go up every year?
- What all is extra and not included as part of the fee structure? Is the cost mentioned all-inclusive? (For example, do the fees include using facilities like a swimming pool, tennis coaching, stationery and books, technology, field excursions, and other planned activities?)
- What countries do the teachers come from? What are the minimal credentials, or what do you look for in a teacher while hiring?
- What is the student-teacher ratio? How does one manage extra help if a student requires it?
- What is the school’s policy on bullying?
Get a view of the extracurricular activities that the school is offering.
Extracurricular activities are vital to a child’s overall growth and development. While academic is irreplaceable, extracurricular activities are what prepares your child with the necessary skills to take on the world. These activities teach them skills like teamwork, bonds with their coaches and peers, leadership, sacrifice, collaboration, and inclusivity, and empower them with applicable skills in the real world. Check out the kind of programs and clubs the school offers – competitive and non-competitive sports, book club, theatre, photography, SAT tutoring, robotics, taekwondo, etc., as extracurricular activities.
Identify the school’s core values and community.
A school’s central values characterise its essence and act as the driving force of its programmes, policies and decision-making. Community and Core values play a fundamental role in your child’s personality development and learning atmosphere. Therefore, you mustn’t overlook these values and consider them while choosing the best school for your kid.
The school’s values should be in sync with your family values, so you can explore the school website or visit the school to see if their values align with yours. Since your children will spend most of their growing years in school, here is where they will develop world views, form opinions and hone their personalities. To prevent any conflict, it is vital that the school follows relatable values.
Involve your child in the school selection decision-making process
Last but not least, include your child in the decision-making process. While you may be sure that the school has ticked all your boxes and requirements, ultimately, your child is the one who will attend the school. Hence, it is only fair that they have a say; in fact, their opinion is the only one that matters. Make them a part of the school selection process, take them for the school tours and shortlist schools with them. This will help them better understand the school they plan to attend.
It would be best if you found a school that fits your budget and offers an environment where your child can thrive. If this is done, you have found yourself the early childhood education singapore for your child.
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